On the other end of Darryl's emergency call, the dispatcher repeatedly asked him to respond. No answer came through the phone. She heard only the uneven sound of a heavy object striking something before the call abruptly ended.
The dispatcher immediately reported the situation to the Newt sheriff's office. Sheriff Hooper was a bald Black man around the same age as Mayor Hartman, and he took the strange call seriously despite having almost no useful information. He ordered his officers to check whether anyone named Darryl had recently been reported missing or entered town.
Hooper also placed the local emergency medical team on alert and kept several deputies ready to respond. He had done everything possible with the information available, but locating the caller would depend largely on luck.
Newt's emergency system could not accurately trace a cell phone's position. Larger cities had started adopting improved technology, but the small Texas town still relied on outdated equipment. Without an address or recognizable landmark, the department had no way to know that the call came from beneath the Carson mansion.
After finishing their shopping, Ash, Gwen, and Heather loaded the groceries into the Ford and left the convenience store.
They did not notice Mayor Burt Hartman and Deputy Carl Hartman standing farther down the street. The two watched the vehicle disappear before speaking.
"We'll visit them tonight," Burt said. "It would be better to settle this without trouble."
Carl frowned.
"I thought everything involving the Sawyers ended years ago. Why do you care who owns an old mansion?"
"I spoke with the law firm responsible for the estate. Verna's will doesn't make sense unless she believed that thing was still alive."
Burt's face darkened as he looked toward Homestead Road.
"We need to send the girl away. After that, I'll gather the others and finish what should have been done a long time ago."
Carl nodded.
"Whatever you say, Dad."
Ash and the two women returned to the estate without noticing Darryl's rental car hidden among the oak trees. They carried the groceries into the mansion and began preparing a small barbecue on the open lawn.
Ash assembled the portable grill near the front porch. Gwen handled the food in the kitchen, slicing vegetables and seasoning the meat before placing everything into covered containers. Heather arranged the picnic blanket, tableware, drinks, and chairs around the firepit.
The three shared similar tastes. None of them cared much for alcohol, though they occasionally enjoyed cocktails. They preferred mild seasoning over extreme heat and were selective about cold food.
Heather had not always eaten the same way. Years of spending time with Gwen slowly changed most of her habits until the three could share meals without arguing over what to prepare.
By the time darkness settled over the estate, the charcoal glowed beneath the grill. A cool breeze moved through the trees while Ash, Gwen, and Heather sat together on the blanket and enjoyed their first peaceful evening in Texas.
Heather picked up a glass of milk and placed it in Ash's hand.
"Drink your milk, little brother."
Ash looked at her.
"Are you already at the age where you enjoy feeding younger men?"
He genuinely liked milk and yogurt, but Heather had chosen to provoke him first. Ash saw no reason to show mercy.
Heather had spent enough time around him to develop resistance to most of his remarks. She turned away with an exaggeratedly wounded expression and leaned against Gwen.
"Control your brother."
Gwen stroked Heather's dark hair with a gentle smile.
"Don't be upset. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mother someday."
Ash glanced at Heather and nodded solemnly.
"That sounds believable."
Heather covered her face and groaned against Gwen's shoulder.
During high school, she would rather have fought someone than behave so affectionately. She had once been a rebellious Gothic girl who acted as though the entire world bored her.
Her fashion had remained similar, but the attitude had disappeared. Years of Gwen's influence transformed her into someone far more lively and expressive.
Ash watched Heather resting in his sister's arms and felt an unreasonable trace of jealousy. He could not decide which of them he envied.
After eating for a while, Heather looked toward the mansion.
"What do you think I should do with this place?"
"That depends on whether you want to live here," Ash replied. "Keeping it makes sense if you plan to use it."
Heather immediately shook her head.
"I'm not staying in Newt. I'm going to become the queen of New York's legal world."
"What happens if Gwen decides to settle here?"
Heather gave him a knowing look.
"You can't trick me. Gwen would never leave you and move halfway across the country."
Ash almost argued that Gwen could marry someone from Texas. The thought immediately irritated him.
No one else could protect her as well as he could.
Seeing him fall silent, Heather smiled with satisfaction.
"The will says I can't sell the estate. I'll wait until I know how much money Grandma left me. If it's enough to cover repairs and taxes, I might renovate the property and rent it out."
She picked up her drink before continuing.
"If the money isn't enough, I'll petition the court for permission to sell. A restriction in a will can be challenged when keeping the property creates an unreasonable financial burden."
Gwen nodded.
"As long as you think everything through."
Before they could discuss the matter further, a chime sounded from inside the mansion.
Someone had pressed the button at the front gate.
Heather rose and entered the house. A monitor near the foyer displayed the security camera's view of the entrance.
Mayor Hartman stood outside beside Carl. Burt noticed the camera and raised one hand in greeting.
"Ash!" Heather called. "Mayor Hartman and that deputy are here."
Her voice traveled through the mansion.
Behind a revolving section of wall that had been left partly open, a pair of furious eyes appeared in the darkness.
Ash had expected Burt to make some kind of move after their conversation in town. He had not expected the mayor to arrive on the same night.
"Let them in," he called back.
Heather pressed the control that opened the gate. Burt drove through with Carl beside him and followed the long road toward the mansion.
Ash waited near the front porch when their vehicle reached the clearing. Gwen and Heather stood a short distance behind him.
"Mayor Hartman," Ash greeted. He looked toward the younger man. "And Deputy..."
"Carl Hartman," the officer said. "I'm a deputy with the Newt sheriff's office. He's my father."
That explained how someone so young had gained such influence inside a small-town department. Ash kept the thought to himself and offered Carl a polite smile.
"Good to see you again, Deputy Hartman. What brings you to the estate?"
Burt looked past Ash toward Heather and Gwen.
"I'll be direct. This mansion is the finest property in Newt and probably the surrounding counties. You don't appear interested in remaining here permanently, so I'd like to discuss buying it."
Ash turned toward Heather. The estate belonged to her, which meant he had no right to make the decision.
Heather appeared interested. She had claimed she might keep the mansion if Verna left enough money, but a willing buyer changed the situation. The will prohibited a direct sale, though legal methods might allow her to challenge or bypass the restriction.
Ash noticed her reaction and stepped aside.
"We're in the middle of a barbecue. Why don't you join us? You can discuss the offer while we eat."
Burt smiled.
"That sounds fine."