“Dig into a new project.” Dana gathered the scattered mail into a pile again. “It might help take your mind off things if you get busy again.”

“Can you get her file?”

“I can do better.” Dana smiled. “He videoed their conversation.”

“What? When did he start doing that?”

“With Mrs. Mason. You were traveling, looking for the lost heir for that law firm. He came into the office one day with a GoPro camcorder, more than pleased with himself and anxious to try it on the next client.”

Willow had missed spending the last few weeks of JT’s life with him. She wanted more time.

While Dana sat down and started the desktop computer to bring up the video, Willow looked at the framed photographs on the walls. The floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with history books and dusty old journals. Curio cabinets showcasing collectibles and souvenirs. Her grandfather had provided an adventure as they traveled around the world conducting research about people’s pasts. She’d watched as he’d used DNA and genealogy techniques for solving mysteries, such as identifying remains of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War servicemen. Even law enforcement entities had often contacted him for assistance. The list went on and on.

“Okay, here it is.” Dana grabbed another chair.

Willow sat next to her friend. The video started up on the computer screen. Her grandfather’s voice boomed loud and confident. His boisterous laughter and warmth made the slender, sixtyish woman smile in return.

JT offered Mrs. Mason coffee and made her feel right at home. He had a way about him that made him personable. Everyone responded to his warmth.

He didn’t have any enemies.

Or so she believed.

Willow paused the video. “He never met a man, woman, or child he didn’t like.” The words rasped out past the lump in her throat.

Dana sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that JT took up such a big part of the video. You don’t have to do this tonight. We can tackle it later.”

Shaking her head, Willow pressed play. “Tackling it later isn’t going to make it easier for me.”

As they continued watching the video, Willow smiled, her love for JT swelling in her heart. He propped his ankle up on his knee in a relaxed pose. His blue eyes were bright and intelligent. He acted like a man in the prime of his life, not someone in his late sixties, as he told a few jokes that made Mrs. Mason genuinely laugh. In fact, both Willow and Dana joined in the laughter, adding a few sniffles. Her grandfather was a force to be reckoned with. A pleasant, jovial force that the world would miss.

Then Katelyn Mason leaned forward and began her tale.

“I came all the way from Texas to speak to you about taking on a project for me,” she said.