An Inheritance

Chapter 15

Retrieving the lockbox key from the shift robe drawer, Lauren called the bank that was written on the envelope. After explaining her situation, her call was transferred to the bank manager, Rhonda Stacey.

“Of course, Ms. Labeaux.  I was wondering when you’d give us a call; we had heard you were staying at your grandmother’s place.”

Word sure travels fast hereabouts.  “Yes.  I saw she had a lockbox and I was wondering if I could get in it.”

“Well, since you are co-owner of the box, there will be no trouble at all.  Just ask for Wanda and she’ll take care of you.  Oh, just make sure you have a picture ID.”

“No problem.  But I hadn’t known I was co-owner, are you sure?”

 “Yes, I checked the owner cards right after I heard she had passed.  She added you onto it about three years ago, and your signature was right there.  Is there a problem?”

“No, no.  I just didn’t remember signing it, that’s all.  I should be there in about an hour or so.  I’m not familiar where your branch is, could you give me some direction?”

The manager gave her directions, and it didn’t sound very complicated.  “After you finish checking out the box, please ask for me and we can go over anything you’d want to know.”

“Sure, see you then.”  They both hung up.

Lauren hadn’t remembered signing anything for her grandmother at all, especially since she hadn’t even known she was still alive.  As she thought back, she did remember her mother having a bunch of papers she had given her to sign.  The timeframe seemed to fit.  Lauren hadn’t thought anything of it considering both she and Danielle had been required to sign papers regarding their mother and the Judge’s estate.  They were the executors.

That must have been it, but why hadn’t her mother mentioned her grandmother?  Of course, in retrospect, Lauren should have been paying more attention to what she was signing.

Going back on her threat the previous night, Lauren gave Abigail a few treats and some of the leftover chicken she had from the night before.  Abby was more than willing to stay while Lauren ran her errand.

Eyeing the Range Rover keys, Lauren grabbed them and headed out the door.  It hasn’t been driven in over a month; it really needs to be put through its paces. She rationalized.  But the leather interior did feel good and being so high above the road was so much different than being in her Honda.  She felt she was queen of the road.

The Whitney Bank in Old Town Slidell wasn’t hard to find at all.  It was one of the older branches with a quaint exterior.  Lauren couldn’t tell whether it was the original structure, or if it was just a façade to blend in with the other buildings. 

She asked for Wanda, and it only took a few moments for her to appear from one of the back offices.  She was young, pretty and wearing a suit that Lauren was sure was part of an effort to look older and professional.  The formalities took just a moment, her ID was examined and while Lauren signed the entry card she caught Wanda giving her some quizzical side looks.  Wanda quickly looked away, then led Lauren into the vault which contained all of the lock boxes.

Box 142 was on the bottom as it was one of the larger boxes.  Wanda helped her pull it out and place it on the lone wooden table.  She then left Lauren alone to go through it all.

Opening the box, Lauren pulled out passbooks bundled by rubber bands and topped with a folded piece of paper.  Unfolding the paper, Lauren saw it was dated about five years prior.  On it was very fine, flowing script.  It was so perfect; it was almost as though it was written by some fancy printer.  It didn’t look like anything an almost 100 year old woman would have written; there was no shaking and everything was completely legible.  Lauren admitted to herself that it was much better handwriting than she had ever had. 

The note was brief but indicated that this money should be used to upgrade her property and anything remaining was to be left to her heirs.  At least now she knew where her grandmother had planned to get the money to enlarge the cottage.  Opening up one passbook Lauren was shocked to see it contained twenty thousand dollars, the next held seventeen thousand and the last another thirty-seven thousand. 

This couldn’t possibly be true.  How did she amass all of this money?  The last dates on the passbooks were decades old, so Lauren figured she probably had used most of the money throughout the years.  

The next thing Lauren pulled out of the box was a number of ledgers with the names of people and their ailments.  Carefully written on each page was what had been used to alleviate any of their problems and what had happened afterwards.  The next were binders full of plant information and remedies using them.  Everything detailed and precise.

Somewhat uneasy about the ledgers, Lauren put those back into the box but kept most of the rest out, cramming them into her large purse.  The box was a little awkward, but Lauren was able to return it back into its slot and lock it.