Free Bobbi Smith by Heaven

Their behavior has proven more painful than I can ever say, and I have decided that from this day, 18 March 1857 forth, I have no blood-related family.”
    “You can’t be serious,” Philip stated with dead calm.
    “This has to be some kind of joke Father’s playing on us,” Robert insisted.
    “This is no joke. I am completely serious. This will was signed by Lawrence Anthony and dated 18 March 1857. There is also a requirement here that you vacate the family home within five days of your father’s death. He did provide a complete inventory of the estate, so there is a record of all of his possessions.” He finished reading and looked up.
    “It can’t be valid!”
    “Oh, but I assure you, it is,” Thomas told him. “Your father had predicted that you would react just this way, so he took extra care to make sure this document was ironclad.”
    “We’ll challenge it!”
    “You’ll be wasting your time.” Thomas removed his glasses as he leaned back in his chair.
    The two brothers’ faces were mottled red with rage as they stood up.
    “Get out of our house!” they snarled.
    The lawyer stared at them, feeling as pleased as he could under the sad circumstances. “You may remain here three more days, after which time I shall return and see that all your father’s property is turned over to the Church.”

Four
    It was near midnight, and Philip and Robert were in a savage mood. After the lawyer had gone, they’d ordered the servants to their quarters and then made a thorough search of the house. Their efforts to find the books had turned up nothing, though, and they stood in the middle of their father’s bedroom, the room itself in a shambles from their search, feeling frustrated and furious.
    “What do we do now?” Robert demanded.
    “We’re going to talk to Henry,” Philip snarled. “You know how close he and Father were. If anyone knows what happened to those books, he does.”
    They shared in a knowing look and quickly made their way to Henry’s room. They were glad now that the valet’s room was apart from the other servants’ for they wanted privacy while they talked to him. They didn’t bother to knock, but barged right in.
    “Hello, Henry,” Philip greeted the startled servant.
    Henry had been unable to sleep and had been sitting on his bed contemplating what to do next when they burst into his room. He jumped up nervously and though he stood calmly before them, he was, in truth, more than a little afraid.
    “We need to talk to you. We have a problem that we think you might be able to help us with,” Robert broached the subject carefully.
    “Oh?”
    “We know how close you and Father were.”
    “I respected and admired your father,” he said cautiously, not trusting them. He was extremely thankful that he’d followed the professor’s advice and mailed the books that morning.
    “Father had several books in his library that were very important to us, and they seem to be missing. We were wondering if he told you where he put them?”
    “All of his books were kept in the study,” Henry replied, avoiding their question.
    “Now, Henry, we’re not talking about his regular library. These books were special. I’m sure Father would have kept them some place safe. He wouldn’t have left them just sitting out on the shelf.”
    “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it doesn’t really matter.”
    “Why is that?” Philip wondered at his answer.
    “According to Mr. Dell, an inventory of all household possessions has been taken and all of your father’s things are to be given to charity.”
    His words were the spark that ignited the frayed temper of the already-maddened Philip. Reminded once again of how his plan had failed, his fury exploded into a mindless rage. The will be damned! He was Lawrence Anthony’s oldest son! He intended to gain his rightful inheritance—one way or another! He snatched up the fireplace poker and struck the valet savagely in the