The first time I met Calvin Mercer’s nephew was ten minutes after Calvin’s funeral ended.
He cornered me beside my car in the church parking lot, still wearing the expensive charcoal suit he had spent most of the service protecting from the rain.
“You’re Luke Dawson,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
I looked at the man standing in front of me. He was probably in his early forties, with polished shoes, a silver watch, and an expression that suggested he had already decided he disliked me.
“Yes.”
“I’m Brent Mercer. Calvin was my uncle.”
“I know. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Brent gave a humorless laugh.
“My loss?”
His eyes traveled over me before settling on the battered brown suitcase I was holding against my chest.
A moment earlier, Calvin’s attorney had placed it in my hands and told me Calvin had left explicit instructions that only I was permitted to open it.
Brent pointed toward the suitcase.
“What did he give you?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Then hand it over.”
Calvin’s attorney, Ms. Evelyn Price, stepped between us.
“That suitcase does not belong to the estate,” she said calmly. “Your uncle transferred legal ownership of it to Mr. Dawson six years ago.”
Brent’s face hardened.
“Six years ago?”
“Yes.”
“My uncle was eighty years old six years ago.”
“He was mentally competent, fully informed, and acting voluntarily.”
Brent turned toward me.
“What exactly did you do to him?”
The accusation hit harder than I expected.
“I brought him groceries.”
“For twelve years?”
“Yes.”
“Every Sunday?”
“Yes.”
Brent looked at me as though I had just confessed to a crime.
“Nobody gives up every Sunday for twelve years without expecting something in return.”
I tightened my grip on the suitcase.
“You didn’t know your uncle very well.”
His expression changed.
For the first time, I saw something beneath his arrogance.
Not grief.
Fear.
“You have no idea what I know,” he said. “But I promise you this—whatever he put in that suitcase, I’ll find out.”
He walked away before I could respond.
I stood in the rain, staring after him, while Evelyn placed a hand on my shoulder.
