{"id":1151,"date":"2026-09-07T21:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T21:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/?p=1151"},"modified":"2026-09-07T21:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T21:22:09","slug":"part-6-dale-fled-the-bank-with-something-grandpa-had-been-protecting-and-june-realized-the-forged-transfer-was-only-the-beginning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/?p=1151","title":{"rendered":"PART 6 \u2013 Dale Fled the Bank With Something Grandpa Had Been Protecting, and June Realized the Forged Transfer Was Only the Beginning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By the time we reached the parking lot, Dale\u2019s Jeep was already turning onto the highway.<\/p>\n<p>Mark stood near his Silverado, one hand braced against the hood, breathing hard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou let him go?\u201d Aunt Carol shouted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had a head start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou were ten feet behind him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe nearly backed over me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June walked straight past both of them.<\/p>\n<p>She was looking at Robert\u2019s message.<\/p>\n<p>YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DALE HAS.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon had already called the police from inside the bank. He remained near the entrance, speaking with someone on his phone while a security guard reviewed the parking-lot cameras.<\/p>\n<p>I followed June.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat do you think he means?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAsk him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just told my father I was turning evidence over to police.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFair point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark came toward us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did Robert say?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June showed him.<\/p>\n<p>His eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat does Dale have?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the question.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol snatched the phone before June could stop her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCarol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She read the message.<\/p>\n<p>Then looked toward the road where Dale had disappeared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew that boy was trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark laughed sharply.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTen minutes ago you were defending everyone except June.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did not defend Dale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou called the forged signature a misunderstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was talking about Robert.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho was caught searching Grandpa\u2019s desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol\u2019s chin lifted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd June\u2019s father.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol said nothing.<\/p>\n<p>June took her phone back.<\/p>\n<p>A patrol car pulled into the lot.<\/p>\n<p>Then another.<\/p>\n<p>The next hour became forms, questions, timestamps, names, and repeated explanations.<\/p>\n<p>June sat inside the bank while an officer named Lieutenant Herrera photographed the trust records Grandpa had authorized for release. Mr. Vernon provided copies of the surveillance images, the attempted login report, and the forged transfer documents. June answered questions without embellishment.<\/p>\n<p>No, she had not known about the trust before that afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>No, she had never seen Prairie Heritage Holdings on Grandpa\u2019s paperwork.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, she recognized Robert Parker in the photographs.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, Dale Parker was the registered owner of the LLC.<\/p>\n<p>No, she did not know where Dale was going.<\/p>\n<p>When Herrera asked whether she feared either man, June hesitated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s not a no.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo either of them have access to firearms?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Every Parker in the room looked uncomfortable.<\/p>\n<p>This was Kansas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat question needs a narrower definition of access,\u201d Mark muttered.<\/p>\n<p>Herrera looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>Mark cleared his throat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June rubbed her forehead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrandpa had rifles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the farm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLocked?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn a gun cabinet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho has keys?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June stopped.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone looked at everyone else.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPast tense?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s on my key ring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho else?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark said, \u201cRobert probably had one years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad gave each of us a key to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen Mom was sick.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was six years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you ever give yours back?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked offended.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark raised a hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still have mine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The room shifted again.<\/p>\n<p>June stared at them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow many people have keys to Grandpa\u2019s house?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nobody knew.<\/p>\n<p>Lieutenant Herrera wrote something down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to secure the property.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll go,\u201d June said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The answer came from Herrera immediately.<\/p>\n<p>She looked up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause we have one family member fleeing, another potential suspect at an unknown hotel location, and property that may contain evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s Grandpa\u2019s house.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June leaned back.<\/p>\n<p>The words affected her.<\/p>\n<p>Grandpa\u2019s house.<\/p>\n<p>Not hers.<\/p>\n<p>Not yet, emotionally, no matter what the trust said.<\/p>\n<p>Herrera continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo not go there until an officer clears it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June nodded reluctantly.<\/p>\n<p>A second officer entered the room.<\/p>\n<p>He whispered something to Herrera.<\/p>\n<p>Her eyes moved toward Mark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMr. Parker?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour cousin\u2019s vehicle was located.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June rose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbandoned near the old feed mill south of town.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWas he there?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid someone pick him up?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Herrera looked at the officer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnything inside?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPhone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe left his phone?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn the passenger seat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June stared at Robert\u2019s message again.<\/p>\n<p>YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DALE HAS.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat was Dale carrying when he left the bank?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Everyone tried to remember.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing obvious.<\/p>\n<p>No bag.<\/p>\n<p>No folder.<\/p>\n<p>No briefcase.<\/p>\n<p>Just his phone, wallet, keys.<\/p>\n<p>June looked at Mr. Vernon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid he ever get near the conference-room documents before running?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCould he have taken anything?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot from the folder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen whatever Dad means, Dale had it before today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon\u2019s face sharpened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat would be my assumption.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June turned to Herrera.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s something you need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The lieutenant waited.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrandpa thought someone entered his house looking for financial records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have that statement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat if they found something?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June looked at Grandpa\u2019s surveillance photographs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut Dad\u2019s message says Dale has something. Not knows something. Has.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Herrera nodded slowly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat distinction matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol folded her arms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDale has always been dramatic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark stared at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis isn\u2019t a family argument anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think you do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol\u2019s face tightened.<\/p>\n<p>Mark stepped closer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou spent the entire afternoon talking about what Grandpa owed everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is not what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou said the farm belonged to the family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt did.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrandpa sold it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t erase history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark glanced toward June.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut history didn\u2019t drive him to appointments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked away.<\/p>\n<p>June stopped them before another argument began.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan we not do this now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Carol didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon\u2019s phone rang.<\/p>\n<p>He answered, listened, then looked at June.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s Albright.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPut him on speaker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon did.<\/p>\n<p>The attorney\u2019s voice came through crisp and irritated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJune?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRichard told me what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She blinked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGood. Stop apologizing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That sounded enough like Grandpa that she almost smiled.<\/p>\n<p>Albright continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a sealed package in my office.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June\u2019s smile vanished.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat package?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHarold left instructions concerning it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnother envelope?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMore substantial.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon looked surprised.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou never mentioned this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was instructed not to unless one of three conditions occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June leaned forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat conditions?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomeone challenged the will before probate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot formally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat are the others?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvidence surfaced that someone attempted to transfer trust assets without authorization.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The room went still.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd the third?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Albright paused.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRobert Parker contacted me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June stared at the phone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeven minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her breathing changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did he want?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe asked whether you had accepted the trust.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow would he know she had that option?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe advised me that if I cared about my license, I would stop helping Richard Vernon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark whispered, \u201cJesus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Albright continued as if threats from angry relatives were an administrative inconvenience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe also asked whether Harold\u2019s blue ledger was still in my possession.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon went completely still.<\/p>\n<p>June saw it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat blue ledger?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Albright answered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t have one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June looked at Vernon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut you know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He took off his glasses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRichard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For the first time, he looked unsettled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHarold kept handwritten investment records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn a blue ledger?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe would not tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June stared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy would Grandpa keep handwritten records when you had account statements?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause they weren\u2019t investment balances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat were they?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon hesitated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLoans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo who?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFamily.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol\u2019s face changed.<\/p>\n<p>June noticed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll of them?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOver decades? Substantial amounts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon spoke carefully.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHarold loaned money privately. Down payments. Business capital. Legal fees. Tuition. Emergency expenses. He kept records because he disliked formal loan documents between relatives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t sound like the man who documented everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe documented them. He simply did not always demand repayment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June looked toward Aunt Carol.<\/p>\n<p>Carol\u2019s face had gone pale.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d June asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCarol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark stepped beside her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did Grandpa loan you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She snapped, \u201cThat is none of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June understood.<\/p>\n<p>The ledger was not merely financial.<\/p>\n<p>It was a history.<\/p>\n<p>Every promise.<\/p>\n<p>Every request.<\/p>\n<p>Every repayment that never happened.<\/p>\n<p>Possibly every lie family members had told one another about what Grandpa had given them.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon put his glasses back on.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHarold once told me the ledger was his memory when people\u2019s memories became convenient.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat sounds like him,\u201d June said.<\/p>\n<p>Albright\u2019s voice came through the speaker.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe sealed package contains instructions about that ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course it does.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need you at my office.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Herrera spoke.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Everyone turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>She stepped closer to the phone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is Lieutenant Herrera with Salina Police. We are investigating suspected financial crimes involving Mr. Parker\u2019s estate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Albright\u2019s tone changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo not open or move the package.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn officer will meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June rubbed both temples.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan I go?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Herrera shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter we know Robert\u2019s location.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy father isn\u2019t going to hurt me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She stopped.<\/p>\n<p>The sentence sounded wrong now.<\/p>\n<p>Herrera did not challenge her.<\/p>\n<p>Instead she asked, \u201cWhen did you last know that for certain?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June looked down.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody answered for her.<\/p>\n<p>Half an hour later, officers located Robert\u2019s hotel.<\/p>\n<p>His rental car was gone.<\/p>\n<p>His room was empty.<\/p>\n<p>The front desk clerk said he had checked out twenty minutes earlier.<\/p>\n<p>June called him.<\/p>\n<p>Straight to voicemail.<\/p>\n<p>She sent one message.<\/p>\n<p>WHERE IS DALE?<\/p>\n<p>No answer.<\/p>\n<p>Then another.<\/p>\n<p>WHAT IS THE BLUE LEDGER?<\/p>\n<p>Nothing.<\/p>\n<p>Mark paced.<\/p>\n<p>Aunt Carol sat staring at her broken shoe.<\/p>\n<p>Finally June turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKnow what?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour face changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt means something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am tired of being questioned like I committed a crime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen answer me like you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol\u2019s mouth tightened.<\/p>\n<p>Mark stopped pacing.<\/p>\n<p>Even Mr. Vernon watched.<\/p>\n<p>June kept her voice calm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did Grandpa lend you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked toward the windows.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMoney.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is private.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRobert threatened Grandpa\u2019s attorney over a ledger that tracks private loans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol\u2019s eyes flashed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour father has always been controlling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is not an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy do you need to know?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause Dale disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDale isn\u2019t my son.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo. But you knew something when Richard mentioned those records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol held herself rigid for several seconds.<\/p>\n<p>Then she sat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen your uncle Robert started Parker Development, Dad gave him money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol stared at the carpet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThree hundred thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark\u2019s eyebrows rose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYears ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid Robert repay it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n<p>June understood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad helped Dale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith Prairie Heritage Holdings?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo. Before that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCarol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe two hundred.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark cursed.<\/p>\n<p>June stared.<\/p>\n<p>Grandpa in his dented pickup.<\/p>\n<p>Grandpa washing freezer bags.<\/p>\n<p>Grandpa comparing canned peaches.<\/p>\n<p>Hundreds of thousands of dollars had apparently flowed quietly out of his accounts toward relatives who later assumed he had little left.<\/p>\n<p>Carol continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRobert always believed Dad owed him more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause Robert worked the farm after high school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor how long?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeven years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo start his business?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith Grandpa\u2019s money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked away.<\/p>\n<p>June sat back.<\/p>\n<p>A pattern was emerging.<\/p>\n<p>Not greed beginning after Grandpa died.<\/p>\n<p>Greed with roots decades old.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s in the ledger that Robert doesn\u2019t want seen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGuess.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol\u2019s lips pressed together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad wrote notes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat kind?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cComments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbout loans?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbout people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June almost smiled.<\/p>\n<p>Of course he had.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat comments?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carol looked embarrassed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe wrote why someone asked. Whether they paid him back. Whether they lied.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The room went silent.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Vernon looked thoughtful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat explains why Robert wants it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>June\u2019s phone vibrated.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone jumped.<\/p>\n<p>Unknown number.<\/p>\n<p>A photograph.<\/p>\n<p>No text.<\/p>\n<p>June opened it.<\/p>\n<p>The image showed Grandpa\u2019s blue ledger lying on the hood of a vehicle.<\/p>\n<p>Beside it was a handwritten note.<\/p>\n<p>STOP DIGGING.<\/p>\n<p>June zoomed in.<\/p>\n<p>In the upper corner of the photograph, reflected faintly in the vehicle\u2019s windshield, was a white farmhouse.<\/p>\n<p>Grandpa\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>Herrera saw it.<\/p>\n<p>She reached for her radio.<\/p>\n<p>June was already standing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDale went back to the farm.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/?p=1152\">Click here to continue reading: PART 7: Police Found Grandpa\u2019s House Open and His Ledger Missing, but a Note Beneath June\u2019s Wednesday Grocery List Changed the Investigation<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By the time we reached the parking lot, Dale\u2019s Jeep was already turning onto the highway. Mark stood near his Silverado, one hand braced against the hood, breathing hard. \u201cYou &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feel-one-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1151"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1167,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151\/revisions\/1167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}