Free Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

statio­nery from the floor, setting it back down on the table. He cleared his throat, breaking the tense, angry silence. “I know you’re disappointed. I am too. I expected there to be more in the box.”
    â€œBut?”
    He shrugged. “But maybe Dad just didn’t have time to put any info in the box. You know how many hidey-holes he had in his office and all over town. Hard to keep track of them all, much less what he put inside each one. Or maybe he just didn’t have any information about your mother and the Circle to share. He’s gone now, so we’ll never know for sure.”
    Disappointment burned in my heart, charring all my earlier hope to brittle black ash. “No, I guess we never will.”
    I glared at the paper again, equal parts angry and frustrated. Part of me wanted to snatch up the sheet, rip it to shreds, and throw the whole mess into the closest trash can. Instead, I reached out, carefully folded it up, and slid it inside my jacket pocket. Maybe it was silly, but I was going to keep the sheet, if only for the simple reason that Fletcher had scribbled on it.
    Finn cleared his throat again. “I know you’re disappointed.”
    â€œBut?”
    â€œBut there’s something else I need to talk to you about.”
    He hesitated, then reached into his suit jacket and drew out a thick wad of papers, which he laid on the table in between us.
    â€œWhat’s all that?”
    â€œIt came in the mail a few days ago.” He slid the documents across the table to me. “See for yourself.”
    I picked up the papers, unfolded them, and scanned the first page. I frowned. “This . . . looks like some sort of . . . deed made out to you.”
    Finn shot his thumb and forefinger at me. “Winner, winner. It’s the deed to the Bullet Pointe resort complex, which I now own lock, stock, and barrel.”
    I blinked at the name. “Bullet Pointe? That cheesy Old West theme park down in Georgia? The one that’s all cowboys, all the time?”
    Bullet Pointe was moderately famous in Ashland and the surrounding area, sort of like the poor, distant Southern cousin of one of the Disney theme parks. The rides, costumed characters, and live shows made it especially popular with families and schools. If you lived within driving distance, chances were that you’d been to the theme park on at least one family vacation or school field trip.
    Finn nodded, a bit of excitement flashing in his eyes. “Yep, that’s it. Dad took us there once for vacation. Do you remember, Gin?”
    I snorted. “Oh, I remember all right. You and Fletcher spent the whole weekend playing cowboys, while I followed you both around like a third wheel.”
    â€œYou got sick too. I remember you eating way too much pizza and then puking your guts out the second we got off one of the swing rides.” Finn grinned. “Good times.”
    I rolled my eyes, then asked the obvious question. “And how exactly did you wind up with the deed to this tourist trap?”
    He shifted on his feet. “Deirdre left it to me in her will.”
    My eyebrows shot up into my forehead. “Your lying, ice-queen bitch of a mother actually left you something?”
    Finn winced, the teasing grin dropping from his face and the excitement snuffing out of his eyes. Too late, I realized how harsh my tone had been and how much he was still hurting from everything that Deirdre had done. But I couldn’t put the words back into my mouth so I plowed on ahead.
    â€œI thought that Deirdre was flat-busted broke,” I said in a more neutral voice. “That the reason she robbed Briartop and tried to do the same thing here at the bank was to pay back all the millions that she owed to Tucker and the rest of the Circle.”
    Finn shrugged. “Looks like she was at least able to hold on to the resort. Maybe Tucker didn’t realize she owned it. Maybe she hid