The Mandie Collection Read Online Free Page A

I’m sorry, but I can’t remember who they were. I’m not sure I could read them because the handwriting was so scrambled up.” Turning to Joe, she asked, “Do you remember?”
    Joe also frowned as he thought about it, and he said, “Seems like one was a Kennery, or something like that, and the other one was a shorter name of some kind.”
    â€œKennery,” John Shaw puzzled over the name. Looking at the doctor, he asked, “Did you ever know anyone by that name? You live in that neck of the woods, and evidently Jim had it drawn up and witnessed out there.”
    â€œNo, I don’t believe I ever heard that name,” Dr. Woodard said, shaking his head as he paused with his fork midway to his mouth.
    â€œBut, Mr. Shaw, Mandie’s father didn’t have an attorney draw up the will,” Joe told John Shaw. “At least there was no legal firm’s name on it. I remember noticing that.”
    John Shaw thought about that and said, “I believe you’re right. I don’t remember seeing an attorney’s name on it, either. Jim had the idea of becoming a lawyer himself when he was young and had some legal schooling, so he probably just wrote it up and got his signature witnessed.”
    Mandie eagerly asked, “Do you mean my father wanted to be a lawyer?” She laid down her fork.
    â€œYes, he did, Amanda,” John Shaw told her. “He enrolled at the university, but when things ended between him and your mother and you were born, he just pulled up and moved to Swain County. As far as I know he never went back to school.”
    â€œMy father a lawyer!” Mandie exclaimed with a big sigh. Tears came into her blue eyes as she remembered him. “He would have been a good one, Uncle John. He was always so honest about everything and taught me to never break the law.” Her voice trembled.
    Dr. Woodard spoke up to change the subject. “Would the will be legal if he didn’t have a lawyer draw it up?” he asked John Shaw.
    â€œOh yes, as long as he signed it and it was witnessed,” John Shaw replied. “And if we can find it, I don’t think there will be any problem with it.”
    â€œWe’ve searched the whole third floor, that is, all except your office, Uncle John, which was locked, and we didn’t find a single clue,” Mandie told him. She was secretly hoping Uncle John would offer her the key and the chance to search his office.
    â€œI’ve been through everything in my office, and it isn’t there,” John Shaw replied. “And I don’t believe the will is still in this house. It just wouldn’t make much sense to steal the document and then leave it somewhere else in the house with the possibility that we might find it.”
    â€œYou’re right, John,” Dr. Woodard agreed. “Why steal a will and then not take it with you?” He reached for another biscuit.
    Mandie spoke up. “Well, Joe and I have discussed this, and we’ve decided whoever stole the will just didn’t want me to have it so I couldn’t claim the property when my stepmother showed up with another will and claimed my father’s house. Therefore, it had to be someone connected with my stepmother.”
    â€œYou’re right, of course,” Uncle John said.
    â€œBut, Amanda, whoever took the will could have just destroyed it, and in that case you will never find it,” Mrs. Taft told her.
    â€œOh no!” Mandie exclaimed as she thought about that.
    â€œI just don’t understand how anyone could have come into this house and done this without some of us seeing them,” Elizabeth said.
    â€œWell, the front door, and the back door, as well, is never locked because nobody in town locks doors except at night, so it would be easy for someone to enter the house,” Jason Bond reminded them.
    â€œBut don’t forget, John keeps his office locked,” Elizabeth