Luke approached Aunt Melissa, saying they needed to talk. She put down the seed bag and asked what was wrong. He glanced back at his father, Randy, who was near the field, acting like he was checking the tractor. Lowering his voice, Luke asked if his father had informed her about the farm’s situation before Uncle Jeff passed away. Confused, Melissa asked what he meant. Luke kicked a small stone and mentioned the bank, loans, and equipment payments. Melissa crossed her arms, noting she had managed Uncle Jeff’s bookkeeping for twenty years and understood the finances clearly. Luke disagreed, saying he thought she might not know everything. His tone made her uneasy as she looked at Randy again. Luke confirmed that his father knew he was coming over but was unaware of what Luke was going to tell her.
Luke then took out a folded paper from his jacket, which was a photocopy of a bank document. Melissa recognized the bank’s logo, the same one that had funded Jeff’s farming for years. She asked what it was, and Luke told her to check the date. The document, dated six weeks before Jeff’s funeral, had a loan balance much higher than what she had seen in the records. After reading it twice, she asked Luke where he got it. He replied it was from his father’s office and confirmed that Randy did not know he had it. Concerned, Melissa warned Luke against getting in trouble with his father, to which Luke remarked that his father was already in trouble, even if he did not know the extent.
For two decades, Melissa had worked with Jeff, who was careful with money. He did not borrow without reason and kept close records. Although they had faced tough times, Jeff believed discipline was essential for the farm’s survival. The document in her hands hinted that something had changed after she stopped managing the finances. Melissa then asked Luke why he was showing her the document. He took a breath and said that Uncle Jeff wanted her and Abby to keep the farm. This made Melissa’s throat tighten as she inquired further. Luke explained that three months before Jeff’s death, he had asked Luke to help him because he was concerned about how Randy and Uncle Scott were managing the business.
Melissa, feeling unable to move, questioned Luke about why he had not informed her earlier. He expressed that he had only recently understood the situation and struggled to believe his father could behave that way. Looking across the road, she noticed Randy watching them. Luke proceeded to explain that Jeff had found financial transactions that didn’t make sense; some were listed as equipment costs, while others seemed linked to a different business. Jeff had confronted his brothers, and the arguments escalated. Luke recounted that Jeff wanted to have everything examined by an independent accountant and didn’t want Melissa involved until he had evidence.
Sitting on the tractor step, Melissa reflected on how Jeff had seemed troubled during his last months. She recalled how he would sit at the table after Abby went to bed, looking at papers. When she asked him about it, he claimed to be dealing with a complicated business issue. Now, she wondered if he had been facing something much more serious. She inquired if Luke knew what Jeff had discovered, but he shook his head. He revealed that Jeff had given him an envelope and asked him to keep it safe. Melissa, her heart racing, asked where it was. Luke replied it was at home, and when she queried what it contained, he said he hadn’t opened it.
What do you think will happen next?
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Source: Teknonoktasi, by admin