SIGNING THE PAPERS

Stephanie’s P.O.V

A glance at the mirror made me cringe in self-disgust, I look horrible. No, horrible is too good a word to describe my reflection. Sunken dull brown eyes, ghostly pale white skin, and shaggy red hair.

I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in twenty years. Okay, that’s an exaggeration but truly I haven’t slept properly for a week.

I am sure you are dying to know why.

Well, my father died two weeks ago.

Ugh, please do not feel sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for myself either. That man was a jerk—I would tell you what he did later on.

Anyway, he died two weeks ago and his dead body was found mangled in a ditch after some days. Guess who had to take care of the burial, ME!

Let me spare you the gory details of how I had to give the man somewhat a decent burial that he doesn’t DESERVE.

A splash of cold water on my face cleared the remnants of sleep and I had a quick shower in preparation for the appointment I had with a lawyer.

Have I told you I got a call yesterday after that man was shoved six feet beneath where he died? (Sorry for the dark humor but that is just me)

The caller identified himself as my father’s lawyer and asked to meet up today at some address he posted to my email.

Thirty minutes later, I slung my bag across my shoulder and straightened the best dress I had in my wardrobe, technically the dress isn’t mine because it belonged to my late mom but you get it…

No breakfast for me either because…I ain't got the time to spare.

That was a lie. I am dead-ass poor.

Waving down a taxi after I exited my sleazy apartment building, crawling with mother-fuckers and all sorts of criminals, I rummaged through my purse for the last twenty bucks I eyed last night.

I found it.

“Thank you! You can keep the change.” I winked at the sweet cab driver as he peeled to a stop in front of a rundown office building.

Nervously, I bit my lips as I checked the address mailed to me for the third time. I am an ardent believer in spirits and aura but this building made my skin tingle all over with goosebumps.

Swallowing hard, I pressed my finger to the bell attached to a box marked, ‘Dobre Law firm.”

A few moments later, a strange voice yelled, “Come on up Miss.”

I sucked in a breath and murmured, ‘here goes nothing.’

Soon I was seated in a small office that only had a desk and two chairs plus a tiny cabinet.

The top of the desk was filled to the brim with papers flying about.

Seated on the other side of the desk was a short bald man I had never seen before, “Pete never told me his daughter was pretty…” the short man leered at the top of my breasts that were slightly exposed.

My father’s name is Pete Haley by the way.

“Nor did he tell me he had a short bald lawyer with a staring problem,” I smirked at the man although my insides were boiling with anger. I hate perverse men so much, the reason I am still a twenty-three years old virgin.

The man scowled and finally met my eyes, “Here, sign this.” He barked in a surprisingly deep voice as he slid some paperwork to me.

“Sign what? You haven’t even told me why you contacted me? What the hell do you want from me?” I snapped at the annoying man.

“Well, I guess, I had better start from the beginning.” The man sighed and wiped his glasses with a greasy napkin.

“The autopsy results were released yesterday and your father didn’t die because of a heart attack.” The short man said and my eyes widened in shock.

“How…What killed him?” I finally asked.

“Your father was murdered. He died from food poisoning.” His voice was quiet as though he was whispering, afraid of being heard.

“This doesn’t make any sense. I saw him myself.” I protested in a low voice. I work at the local hospital as an auxiliary nurse so I know a victim of a heart attack when I see one.

“There’s this flower, Monkshood. It contains a poison which when consumed, increases the heartbeat so much that the heart pumps blood, working overtime and then the organ sorts of… explode.” The lawyer was still whispering.

The blood drained from my face and I suddenly felt nauseous. Even if Pete wasn’t the best father, he still didn’t deserve that.

“Who did that to him?” I asked in a broken voice.

“I don’t know and let me be sincere with you. Your father was widely known as trash in the streets of BerryAnn so don’t expect much from the cops. If they as much as glance over his case file, then that’s a miracle.”

I gulped, the reality of the situation dawning on me. My father had been murdered and nobody cares. His death is as meaningless as his life.

I nodded slowly as tears rimmed the corners of my eyes—I didn’t even cry when I found out he was dead or during the burial, “Thank you for telling me this. What documents do you want me to sign and why?”

The short man cleared his throat, “I know I said earlier that your father was known as the scum of BerryAnn but he willed some of his possessions to you.”

A peal of short, bitter laughter fell from my lips, “And what possessions if I may ask? His worn shoes or the mountains of debt he managed to rake?”

“None at all Miss Haley. Your father, two months to his death, acquired a cabin in Bakersfield…” the man was saying but I had to interrupt him.

“Wait…what? My father… owns a cabin in Bakersfield? Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?” My head was reeling from the shocking information this man had fed me since I stepped into his office.

The lawyer frowned, “If you would let me speak, Miss Haley.”

I snorted, “Fine. I got all day.”

“Well, I ain't got all day Miss. Anyway, your father had purchased a cabin in Bakersfield and I don’t know if it’s some sixth sense or intuition, he willed it to you.”

My mouth fell open in shock as he showed me very detailed pictures of the Cabin on his mobile phone. It was a stunning, five-roomed cabin with a state-of-the-art Kitchen and luxurious Vinyl tiles. Nothing like I expected my father to own.

Pushing back my chair, I stared at the lawyer in confusion, “For how long have you known my father?”

“Since the day he walked in here and hired me to be his lawyer.”

“And that was when?”

“Last month but there’s nobody that lives in BerryAnn that hasn’t heard of Pete Haley.”

“You didn’t involve the cops when he came to you and told you he owned a house?” I narrowed my eyes at the man, he seemed shady enough to do anything and turn a blind eye to the law.

The man shrugged and his thin lips spread in a smile as he straightened his baggy five dollar-two cent suit, “Do you want it or not?”

I rolled my eyes.

Sucking my teeth, I was lost in thought. Rent was due in my tiny apartment and if I don’t get two hundred dollars in three days, I would be thrown on the streets.

What do I have to lose anyway? My life currently was in shambles.

I ignored the warning bells at the back of my mind.

Smirking at the lawyer, I grabbed the documents off the table, “You betcha.”