“Yes, she sent me one,” Hunt said.

“Good. In it, she states that once her property is sold, you are to receive eight thousand dollars off the top, and then what’s left is to be divided five ways. So keep the receipts of what you spend as you remodel it, and you will receive that back after the sale, as well as the eight thousand, and then what’s left will be divided among the five of you.”

“They might not like that she did that,” Hunt said. “But they won’t fight me about it. Now that they’re all grown, I doubt they would want that coming out as public knowledge.”

Peanut nodded. “Yes, I understand. And as executor, you are to have access to her checking account, although there’s not much in it…probably just enough to bury her. I’ll get all of the paperwork started for that. Do you plan to live at the house while you’re working on it?”

“Yes,” Hunt said.

“Do you have a key?”

“There was one in the letter,” Hunt said.

“I would advise changing the locks first thing,” Peanut said. “If any of them have keys, and they stole before, they may be tempted to do it again before a sale can be held.”

“Already thought of that,” Hunt said, and then pulled a business card from his pocket. “This has all of my contact info on it. Just let me know when you hold a reading of the will, and anything else I need to do. I’ve never been an executor of an estate before, so I’m kind of flying blind on procedure.”

“I’ll be in touch, don’t worry,” Peanut said.

“Are we through here?” Hunt asked.

“Yes,” Peanut said.

“Pleased to meet you,” Hunt said. “Thank you for seeing me on a holiday.” He was up and out of the room in seconds.

Peanut followed him out and handed Hunt’s card to Betty.

“Hang on to this info. We’ll need to contact him again later,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Betty said. “He’s a nice-looking man, but he seems very stern.”

“War and betrayal will do that to a man. As soon as you finish what you’re doing, go on home, and thank you for coming in this morning,” Peanut said, then went back into his office.

* * *

Hunt rode across town, past the park, and then west down Peach Street to the little house at the end of the block. He’d seen this house a million times in his dreams, but it hadn’t looked sad and run-down like this.