Richard crossed his arms. “So what? I thought maybe something inside would tell me what was going on with the house.”
“You went through his private things?” Alex stepped forward, anger rising. “Not even I did that.”
Richard’s jaw clenched. “I needed to know what I was dealing with. He never told us he’d left anything to you.”
Alex turned to Helen. “Did you know he broke into it?”
She shook her head, tears swelling. “I didn’t know. I… didn’t ask.”
Daniel, the lawyer, leaned down and inspected the damaged safe. “Mr. Richardson, forcing entry into a deceased person’s private property—especially when the legal heir is present—is a criminal offense. You should understand the gravity of this.”
For the first time, Richard’s confidence faltered. “I didn’t steal anything. There was nothing inside except old papers and junk.”
Alex noticed something on the floor—an envelope torn open, its contents missing. His heart sank. He recognized the handwriting.
