[Music] a few years ago I moved to a small town after leaving my old home I used to call it Paradise funny how things change when I first got here I was pretty lost just wandering around trying to figure out what to do next that's when I found this quiet little bar it quickly became my favorite spot around that time I bought the local gas station and garage for cheap it had been for sale for a long Time and the owner really wanted to get rid of it I thought it was a good deal and
a great chance to start fresh I renovated the place by adding a large store at the front visible from the gas pumps and upgraded the pumps to allow pay at the pump this made the store a busy spot from 7:00 p.m. to midnight after the local grocery store closed the gas station and store operated Around the Clock while the garage was open weekdays and I handled special projects On Saturdays initially the bar faced competition when we started offering alcohol it wasn't an instant success but it provided steady income and jobs for the Community with some
restructuring and hiring a merchandising expert the business flourished we expanded staff to meet demand especially on weekends when we sold lots of junk food and cold beer one Saturday I enjoyed a double shot of Jack Daniels a glass of iced water and a slice of lemon after replacing the Steering column in an old truck finding the part took 8 months and I had to custom make some attachments his family had been driving the truck since the' 40s and he was determined to keep it going if he had his way he'd be buried in it between
4: and 7:00 in the evening was the best time to be at the bar it was quiet as most regulars were having dinner and it would soon get Lively with the music crowd and farm hands bringing in the farmer's daughter for postwork Fun in the seven years I'd been there I built a solid reputation and made many friends the locals looked out for each other and would alert me to anything unusual I came to the bar every Saturday at the same time for a drink my moment to unwinded but when I saw them walk in
I instantly regretted it the woman was my ex's twin sister and the young man with her who once felt like a son to me brought back painful Memories the young man had changed a lot since I last saw Him and was starting to resemble his biological father it made me realize that the truth about everything would eventually surface I wondered why they were looking for me they spoke to the bartender showed him a picture and then left I was glad my long hair full beard and mustache helped disguise me especially since I had lost weight
I texted simply they're back be home when I can about half an hour later the bartender joined me at my table what did They want Tom I asked they were trying to get a message to you Tom replied they heard a rumor that you were living here and came to see if it was true they said a person named Willa is dying of cancer and wants to make amends before she passes I asked to see a picture of you because I didn't recognize the name do you know who they are and what they want I
took out a Paul Maul red 100 pulled out a cigarette and removed the filter before lighting it the woman is my Ex-wife's twin sister the young man is my ex-wife's illegitimate son that she passed off as mind for years based on your experience reading people do you think they're being truthful I asked from their body language he said I'd say they being partially honest but definitely concealing something significant I nodded my ex-wife and her sister had always been experts in deception making things seem one way while betraying you behind your back Tom Went back behind
the bar and my thoughts drifted to nearly 7 years ago when I left that day I told them I wouldn't be back for 7 years they all laughed at me thinking I was a fool it turns out they were wrong that was the last time they ever saw or heard from me directly they didn't take me seriously or realize how hurt I was they thought I was just angry about the prank they had pulled what they didn't know was that a few weeks earlier I had discovered that our Youngest child was actually my brother-in-law's son
this Revelation set me on a path that led to this moment at that time they were unaware that I had received confirmation from a family member who claimed to have witnessed how often Willa and Tammy the twins had betrayed me to her they were malevolent witches who practiced their Dark Arts with pure malice earlier that week before I left we had uncovered a new insurance policy on me that included Double Indemnity for accidental death meaning if I died accidentally the payout would be $4 million the elderly lady had warned me to flee for my life
when I walked out of our house to my work truck they had no idea idea was already packed with everything I wanted from our 16-year marriage I drove down the driveway turned right onto the county road and never looked back by the time I stopped I was in a different state I have to admit I was partially Responsible I had gotten Willa pregnant when she was 16 I was 18 and just finishing High School my family urged me to do the right thing so we married that summer and soon after we had two more children
they were still laughing about the prank thinking it was hilarious will told our daughters that their dad would come back once he calmed down and joke that he needed to develop a sense of humor a few hours later my wife saw a sheriff's department vehicle pull up to Our house she went to the door to greet the officer as he approached from where he had parked are you Mrs Willer rine he asked when she confirmed that she was he replied ma'am you've been served with what she inquired thinking it was all a joke when she
opened the legal envelope everyone realized just how much I knew I had learned through the elderly lady that my wife was shocked to discover I had ended our marriage so decisively my lawyer and I had meticulously detailed All our assets and liabilities the DNA report laid everything bare it showed the affair had lasted a year the divorce petition included times dates locations and hotel receipts with corresponding credit card charges the evidence even included photographs of the couple together during these encounters Tammy was involved as she babysat our children to allow them privacy inside the envelope
as per my request was a sealed letter when when she opened it Will's Sister learned that I was suing her husband for back child support marital interference and defamation that's when their laughter stopped the situation was no longer amusing to them I was no longer the punchline they had thought I was I was the one who got the last laugh after all their ongoing joke was that my only value was generating money everything I touched seemed to turn to Gold providing ample cash flow which led to Willa and The kids being spoiled and wanting for
nothing later that afternoon Willa discovered that I had sold the three businesses I had built from scratch and cleared all our debts even the two apartment buildings we owned were sold for a substantial profit I had canceled all our credit cards and removed my name from all the bank accounts I transferred my share of our home to her and took half of our remaining Assets in cash the only thing left for her was to agree to The divorce by doing this I had reduced our monthly cash flow from around $110,000 to nothing unfortunately for Will's
sister she had to learn the hard way what it cost to exploit me my lawyer took everything they had before their divorce was finalized due to the harm I had caused them he had Frozen their assets before they were even served with the papers once the divorce was Final they were left financially ruined after everything was settled my lawyer called Willis's sister back into his office and gave her a quarter of their losses when she asked why he explained that it was never about the money for him for him it was a matter of principle
something you and your sister have clearly demonstrated you lack he hoped that by giving her this money she would have a chance to start over and learn from her experience Willer refused to finalized the divorce until she spoke to me in person so we remained legally separated But not yet divorced I had no interest in speaking to someone who had deceitfully lied to me for years she had to work for the first time in her life and quickly learned how fast money could disappear when no new income was coming in I had my lawyer send
any important correspondents to a mailbox I rented from a FedEx store each week they forwarded everything to my business address I chose this method deliberately knowing that with our shared history Their manipulative Behavior would never truly end the two sisters were experts at manipulating emotions and controlling everyone around them given what I knew about them I was certain they would seek revenge it was only a matter of when not if with their family walking away was never an option it would drive them crazy if they couldn't track me down and the longer it took the
worse their retaliation would be they couldn't stand the thought of someone getting the upper Hand on them I thought I had managed to outsmart them but with Tammy's arrival I realized the situation wasn't over yet I finished my drink and decided to head home through the back door in case they were watching the front I cut through the empty lot behind the building and walked around the block using the back alleys to reach my pickup truck as I was unlocking the door and preparing to get in a man stepped forward and said you're a hard
man to find Mr Arthur Seth rine No doubt about that I turned to face him and asked how would you know that my name is Peter Edwards he replied your eldest daughter Connie is my wife that could be either good or bad for you I said depending on whether she takes after her mother so why are you here and what do you want I came to find you Peter said there are some issues from the past that need to be addressed they would be resolved I replied if your mother-in-law would just sign the Divorce papers
what divorce papers Peter asked looking surprised I told him to get in his car follow me a few minutes later outside of town I turned right and drove about a mile before making a left turn into a long driveway I stopped at The Farmhouse and led him into my home office I pulled out the divorce file turned on the printer and instructed him to make copies of whatever he needed Peter didn't need to know that this wasn't my actual home but rather a place I had set up for the Grand Dame who we hoped would
eventually agree to move from Paradise Peter appeared to be a well-groomed young man around 25 years old with professionally styled hair he had a natural confidence about him and seemed well educated my concern was whether he was genuinely who he claim to be and whether he was connected to Willa in Tammy's scheme he used my Wi-Fi password to transfer all the data from my home computer to his laptop all Critical records were stored here with a Master Copy kept in a bank safety deposit box one of the items he was interested in was the copy
of the sheriff's department report that Willa had signed on the day she was served however the only document he managed to print was a letter from Will's lawyer to mine that letter from her lawyer was particularly damaging it clearly outlined the situation Willa and her lawyer had agreed on Asset Division but Refused to finalize the divorce until I spoke with her in person the letter confirmed that they had received all the outstanding payments as he was doing this I took the opportunity to observe his reactions it was clear that he was confused by what he
was discovering the documents contradicted something he had previous ly believed do you think Connie knows about this he asked that's something you'll need to figure out on your own I responded but I have one Question for you is Willa really dying of cancer or not who told you that Peter demanded Tammy was in town today with Seth looking for me I explained that's what they told a bartender I know shek fine Peter said she's living with the lawyer who represented her back then and is currently expecting his second child she asked me to find you
so she could start the divorce process claiming it's so she can remarry he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his wife turning On the speaker so I could hear both sides of their conversation Connie were you aware that your mother was lying about the divorce process not having been initiated Peter asked what are you talking about Connie replied you know Dad left because he was broke after he left us kids went out too so we weren't home when mom found out later mom told us that it seemed like Dad had abandoned us all she
and Aunt Tammy said he had emptied what was left before before he Left town if it hadn't been for our stepdad we wouldn't have survived I'm sending you a legal file Peter said have my sister watch the baby and get back to me as soon as you've read it while they continued talking I got up grabbed two bottles of Budweiser and opened them I set one in front of him why didn't you tell my daughter you had found me I asked Connie and I have been married for nearly 2 years she had our son 3
months ago for now I won't tell anyone I found You Peter said as far as the family knows working long hours on an investigation he then opened his wallet to show me his badge indicating he was an officer with the paradise Police Department I opened my laptop and went to the web page for my hometown clicking the link it directed me to the police department's site confirming that he was being truthful Peter explained it was the minor accident reported a few months back that led me to you Connie filed a Missing person's report which was
added to a watch list the insurance company then notified me about the settlement in your favor so why didn't you inform Connie that you found me I asked again Peter responded upon reviewing your detailed file it seemed like there might be more to the story my first question was about the $250,000 cash Willow was supposed to have received in addition to the house deed the second was why everyone seems To be lying about what really happened it sounds like someone's been fed a lot of false information just like I was I said as Peter's cell
phone rangit my wife I'll put the call on speaker Peter said please be quiet hi Dad my daughter said where did you get all this information is it real if it is we've all been deceived for years Seth is unaware of his true parentage just like I was my sister Karen is going to be stunned mom has always criticized her For defending dad to the point that they're not speaking anymore this contradicts the lies we've been told it looks like Mom and Aunt Tammy manipulated Dad's life behind his back for years what's puzzling is that
the divorce isn't finalized because mom won't sign it I'm starting to wonder what's really going on Peter replied it's real I got the information directly from your father's lawyer's Widow unfortunately I had to travel out of State to obtain it it appears her husband kept duplicate copies of all his records on his home computer I'm relieved he did the files show that your mother was served with the divorce petition on the same day he left I wrote on a piece of paper to tell Connie to speak with her great aunt Josie if she's still alive
Peter nodded in agreement Peter it's crucial that we locate my father now Connie said we need to finalize the divorce for him he deserves To be free from my mother and her manipulative schemes what happened to the money she received if she owned the house why did she have to sell it the more I look at the situation the more confused I become about what was really going on and why she planned to sue him for abandonment once she found him here's an idea have my sister watch our son a bit longer you should speak
with Aunt Josie and update her on what we discovered maybe that will prompt her to Reveal what she knows Peter suggested for now keep this between us as it's starting to look like there may be a serious case of fraud involved we need to find out why your mother has been disparaging your father for years I plan to discuss this with the district attorney the $250,000 in cash seems to have vanished after it left your father's lawyer's possession also keep this from your sister for now if the da decides to investigate it's better if no
One knows anything I stood up to get us some refills giving them some privacy to finish their conversation why do you want Connie to talk to Aunt Josie Peter asked Josie was the one who gathered all the information about Willa and George's Affair I explained she may have never been married but she took care of the extended family like a protective mother raising her only daughter on her own being a single mother changed her Perspective on many things she suspected that Tammy and Willa had orchestrated everything and both George and I were being manipulated though
their ultimate goal remains unclear if that's the case why would they do that Peter asked Aunt josy's granddaughter jod has been trying to get her to move in with her for Years Josie keeps saying she won't until the truth is revealed we see jod when she visits town with her two sons well jod Josie's granddaughter keeps a very Private life I said just like I've had to being around the Wither sister seems to come with a steep cost for everyone involved Willa and Tammy have been exploiting people for most of their their adult lives it
wasn't until Josie gave me the information that I started to understand that is there anything you want to know about your children and their lives before I leave Peter asked no not until I'm certain that you are who you claim to be I replied given the Family's history this could just be another part of their scheme and you might be playing along with what they instructed you to do you should look into the sudden death of my lawyer if she plans to sue me what makes her think she can win Peter's face went pale it
seemed he was realizing for the first time the kind of people he had married into we decided to trust each other enough to exchange cell phone numbers he promised to let me know if he discovered Anything new I walked him to the door shook his hand and we said our goodbyes once he left I tidied up locked up and drove home via a longer route to ensure I wasn't being followed this gave me time to reflect my life had improved significantly since leaving the past behind did I want to dredge it all up again did
Willa and Tammy have a long-term plan for Revenge due to their need to outdo me knowing them as I did I Realized I needed to prepare for whatever they might do next because if they were out of money they would do anything out of greed to get more as soon as I walked through the door my two little ones ran to me hugging my legs I bent down to pick up my three and four-year-olds who were as dear to me as their mother I felt incredibly lucky to have them in my life my common-law wife
jod called out that dinner was almost ready so I went to wash up up at dinner I shared with her what had happened since I closed the shop I could never have predicted how my life would change the day I left Paradise for good when I left town nearly 7 years ago I promised Josie Jody's grandmother to stay in touch which I did by calling her every other Sunday a year and a quarter later she reached out for help Jodie her granddaughter needed to escape a bad marriage and start fresh at the time jod was
10 years younger than me and Childless although I didn't know her well I wanted to repay Josie's kindness I found jod a two-bedroom apartment and furnished it partially with help from a friend of a friend on the night I picked her up she had quit her job emptied her bank accounts and packed her things her husband was away on a two-e military training and would be served divorce papers upon his return I arrived with a rented U-Haul around 88: in the evening and with some neighbors help loaded her Belongings in under 4 hours I kept
my location private and got to know jod during the drive back later that night Josie called jod who joked yes Graham art picked me up you could have warned me he looked like a wild Bushman who might clean up well the next day josy's lawyer sent all legal documents to my FedEx box jod had warned us her ex would be difficult so I took steps to ensure her protection my concerns about her situation soon proved valid once jod Settled in she took over managing my convenience store and quickly proved her skill her efficient management and
customer focus brought sign significant improvements she worked well with the staff leading to a smoothly running operation Josie had to get a restraining order against Jody's ex-husband due to his threats his actions following Jody's departure resulted in a dishonorable discharge and his return to my old Hometown where he thought jod would be To avoid unwanted attention jod wore a diamond ring which helped her settle into the small town she quickly took over Banking and bookkeeping earning the community's welcome jod was attractive with a striking personality and honesty her long black hair modest figure and warm
demeanor made her a great partner for whoever she fell in love with next she kept her romantic interests vague leading to rumors that we had met online and she was labeled as my future mail Order bride on Saturdays jod brought me lunch as I often forgot to eat due to work our relationship naturally developed and it became common to see us together at events neither of us was actively seeking a relationship but it evolved nonetheless Josie kept us updated on news back home including that Jody's ex was now in a Friends with Benefits arrangement with
Tammy the day jod finalized her divorce was also the day we took our relationship to the next Level we celebrated at the town's only bar with friends and during a slow dance under the soft lighting we shared our first kiss 6 months later we moved in together while the kids were taking their bath and getting ready for bed I placed the small bathroom waist Basket in the sink and shaved off my beard and mustache leaving only stubble the children were fascinated watching me I used the bowl and brush that jod had given me one Christmas
to lather up my Face and I did the same for them much to their Delight jod walked in and noticed the kids giggling as I started to shave her blue eyes lit up with surprise our two little boys had foam on their faces too and they all watched eagerly as I finished looks like Daddy will end up looking like you with a clean face jod teased should I cut his hair too the kids eagerly said yes I just laughed and said I can have the barber do that on Monday no I'm going to handle most
of it Myself jod insisted before you get a chance to change your mind after drying and dressing the kids they watched as jod cut my hair by the end I barely recognize myself I told jod she did a fantastic job and she sent me to the shower while she cleaned up while I was in the shower Josie called jod sens Josie was gearing up for a big confrontation with her family Josie believed it was time to act against them Connie had learned from Josie that each Of my three children was supposed to receive a $600
monthly annuity arranged through mutual life but none had received payments the night turned eventful if I had known a haircut would excite jod so much I would have done it sooner for the next week I endured jokes about my new look and integration into normal society people asked jod if she had to Blackmail me to fit in and she humorously replied she promised to make me bathe at least three times a week While some took as a joke others didn't it was eye-opening to hear the gossip about my situation the talk was of suing me
for abandonment desertion and unpaid child support jod and I found it amusing they believed they could use a judgment to hire a collection service to track me down the news was delivered by a male stor who thought it was a joke his boss and the district attorney even hired a lawyer to represent me explaining they needed time to gather information Peter Estimated Willa and Tammy had stolen over $48,000 from each child they were reexamining my former lawyer's death with renewed interest now considered an open criminal case Jody's ex-husband had become a person of interest if
the findings are accurate Willa and Tammy could face 7 to 10 years in prison Willa's common law husband her former lawyer might be disbarred the scam needed to be fully exposed before Charges could be filed the lawyer hired to represent me would be paid by them and they wanted all records revealed at the end of the investigation to strengthen their case for a few weeks things were calm until Josie called on Sunday night she informed us that paperwork would be filed on Monday and sent everything she had collected over seven years via email this included
notorized statements video conversations and recommendations for lawyers notably We discovered a $2 million accidental insurance policy on me taken out 6 months before I left this explains some of the missing money we spent half the night reviewing the documents and sending the info to the district attorney attorney suspecting an attempt to lure me back for a setup the next morning Jody contacted the recommended lawyers selected one and paid a substantial retainer fee we planned to file our response as soon as Will's team Filed their RIT on Friday morning Jody informed me that Josie and her
guests were on their way having traveled discreetly from Paradise they would arrive later that night signaling a critical point in the situation jod and I decided it was best to close the shop on Saturday and make it a proper long weekend with family Peter was driving over with Connie and their son Connie only knew they were visiting Jodie at nearly 7 in the evening we saw a Ford Explorer and an escape pull into the driveway with four adults in them jod noticed my anxious look and took my hand my truck was hidden in the garage
so no one would expect me to be there we watched as they got out of the vehicles jod asked who's with Josie I replied that's Peter his wife my eldest Connie with their baby and Karen my second oldest are you ready for this jod asked as ready as I'll ever be I said picking up our oldest jod carried our youngest And opened the front door we stepped out as a family to greet our guests my daughters were visibly surprised to see me Karen started crying immediately I handed my son to his great-grandmother and hugged Karen
tightly Connie joined us after giving their son to Peter it took a few moments for everyone to calm down both daughters had grown into beautiful women and seeing them together was a moment I would always remember remember it's great to see you again Peter I said shaking his hand after introductions jod served a generous dinner with a prime beef shoulder roast mashed potatoes gravy homemade buns Yorkshire pudding and green beans topped off with hot apple pie once the kids were settled we started discussing everything I gave him a nod to indicate my approval all right
Dad Peter continued the district attorney now thinks that Jody's ex's car was involved in the incident with your lawyer's car During the accident we've Tracked Down the current owner and are arranging a paint comparison with the state's help if we can establish a link he could be charged with manslaughter Additionally the fire that destroyed his office that same night is considered arson by the fire inspectors there's even video footage showing him in the background as the building Burns since Willa and her lawyer had the divorce record sealed they believe there's no way to verify What
has really happened so far they filed the lawsuit against you this week jod looked at me her eyes welling up I used to think you were being overly cautious moving me here but now I see that you were right I thought your questions to my grandmother seemed excessive but I understand now that you needed to know what kind of person we were dealing with before making a plan Willa and Tammy were served with your lawsuit on Thursday Josie said they must Have realized that I was in touch with you which is why we rushed to
get here fearing they might come after me grandma we've got your house ready for you to move into jod said it's been furnished so all you need to bring is your clothes I've brought most of it with me in my car Josie replied Connie has agreed to have the rest of my belongings including antiques shipped to me I've given her power of attorney to sell the house and Furniture it was time for me to leave Paradise quickly I'll drive back with Peter and Connie then rent a U-Haul to bring everything out I said it's time
we confirmed whether our suspicions are correct what suspicions Peter asked that the lawsuit they filed against me is just a scheme to lure me out I explained with the $2 million accidental death policy they have on me it's clear that the death of my former la was a test to see if they could pull it off with me Peter Connie Karen and Josie all looked Shocked as if they were seeing the situation clearly for the first time they hadn't seen the entire plan laid out and couldn't figure out the motive my explanation helped them piece
everything together oh my God they were planning to end you Dad Connie said that's why you left town the way you did I replied with a grin I had a good idea of what was going on at the time but even my lawyer didn't believe me it seems he learned the hard way that I was Right Peter excused himself to make some important phone calls this gave my daughters jod and me a chance to catch up and share details about our lives jod pulled out pictures of how I looked when we first met both my
daughters admitted they wouldn't have recognized me when Peter returned the room fell silent Willow will be taken into custody the day after the holiday later in the day we can hold her for 48 hours before filing charges she will face three Counts of Grand Theft for stealing the annuity meant for her children Peter explained wek delay the process so it will take a few days before she gets a bail hearing Dad if you can fly in on Wednesday and rent a U-Haul to drive into town make sure to visit a few of your old spots
to get noticed if anyone asks tell them you're there to pack up Josie's things Peter suggested that way Willow will have to communicate with you through the city jail the da agreed with Your approach once I explained it it all made sense to him until your perspective came through we couldn't piece it all together once you're at Josie's place we'll have police protection for you until everything is resolved Peter are you saying that the father of my children is the bait needed to draw my cousins out jod asked what assurances can you give me that
you won't call me with the news that I'm a widow before we're legally married I looked at jod And she saw my expression she said damn you're going to do it without a second thought no matter what I think one thing I could say about jod was that she understood me better than I understood myself jod art has always been like that that's why I called him to help you when you finally had enough of your ex's nonsense Josie said art will never ask anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself he wants all of
us to be free of those Witches for good if this is what it takes it's worth it to him Graham I'm just afraid that art is heading back into a dangerous situation facing the unknown jod replied with a grin Josie said if art were a boxer he'd hold a world title nobody thinks faster on their feet that's his Edge against the witches everything he does will throw them off balance jod remember will and Tammy have no idea art knows anything ladies don't worry I'll be in Peter's Care I said if anything happens to me keep
in mind that Peter will have to answer to Connie my daughter Peter understanding the gravity of the situation chose to stay silent and just nodded he was fully aware of the risks involved when I went back to Paradise later while the four women were engrossed in a deep discussion about the situation I had the chance to talk with Peter the da believes jod X will make his move as soon as he learns you're in Town he'll find out that you were the one who got jod out of her awful marriage and he's going to be
furious Peter explained Willa will get this information from a planted informant who will be put in the city jail early Thursday morning the real question is whether he'll confess everything to save himself if he's caught in the act I asked we checked his military record Peter said heun's always confessed and taken responsibility when caught he's a Follower not a leader so I expect him to crack easily his only connection to Willa and Tammy is that he's easy to manipulate the sign read Welcome To Paradise a sanctuary City population 3482 3 to me this just confirmed
that the city council had decided that federal laws didn't apply here it felt like stepping into our own version of the Wild West here Justice is based on what we instruct the police to do law-abiding citizens face charges while Illegal activities are often ignored we're not biased this is just how progressivism works the working class ends up paying for others mistakes because the authorities cater to their masters who demand low wages and cheap labor to maintain this various actions required those in power to turn a blind eye not much had changed in nearly 7 years
except for the newly paved Main Street everything else seemed the same if I wanted to be noticed my first stop Should be a favorite old spot if it still existed luckily Bob's and Betty's Burg bar was still there it looked the same but had been freshly painted I parked the U-Haul truck and walked to the entrance around 11:15 just ahead of the lunchtime crowd I hoped that my former business reputation would make me recognizable we wanted to make it clear that I was back after sitting down and receiving a menu I noticed a few people
glancing at me and saw some cell phones Being used when the server brought my coffee and cream she asked if I was ready to order is the Wednesday special meatloaf baked beans and garlic mashed potatoes available I asked how do you know about that the server responded it's reserved for regulars and not advertised let Jack know that art wants brown gravy and some fried onions on the meatloaf I instructed the waitress gave me a puzzled look I stood up and said never Mind I'll tell him myself I walked through the Swinging Doors into the kitchen
with the server trailing behind and shouted out my lunch order Jack turned to look at me with a grin well if it isn't the old fool Jack said with a smirk you're a few weeks early welcome back my old friend Susan bring Art's coffee back here so we can catch up while he eats at the prep table Jack was the original owner's son and had kept the name unchanged we'd been friends for Most of our Lives we chatted until the lunch rush had passed he had one of the staff call his wife to join us
giving us a chance to reconnect on important matters art you should know that after you left the wife ended her friendship with Willa and Tammy for good she was disgusted by what they did and said about you and the kids Jack there are a few things about to happen an arrest was meant to occur last night and if a few people's Theories are correct it's going to trigger a chain reaction like a line of falling dominoes I explained Connie's husband Peter is working with me which is why I'm back early Jack looked at me with
serious concern and said Peter's an excellent cop and he's as honest as they come he put two of our former city councilors in jail for corruption last year you'll need to fill me in later too many people are eavesdropping around here we spotted Sasha pulling into the Parking lot I thought to myself that she looked great I sat down and waited for her to come in knowing she would see me from the back and likely wouldn't realize anything was unusual Jack what's going on Susan said it was important Sasha said as she entered not yet
seeing me I stood up and faced her Sasha my younger sister was overwhelmed her big tough brother had come back home I wrapped her in a tight hug as if it had been just yesterday it took her a few Minutes to settle down Jack signaled to the kitchen staff to give us some privacy do mom and dad know you're back Sasha asked no and it's better if we keep it that way for a few days I replied are you here partly because Willow was arrested last night Sasha inquired yes and things are likely to get
worse before they improve I said once I move to my new place I'll be under police protection the police are now investigating my former lawyer's Death with renewed interest they suspect it might be connected to the AR of his office the Expressions on Jack and Sasha's faces said it all with everything going on in Paradise it was clear that the da who had been appointed 3 years ago was trying to address many unresolved issues you're being used as bait to draw someone out Jack said softly if the theory holds true we should see resolutions for
an arson a murder and several other crimes in the Next few days I explained these were all orchestrated to force me back into town the arrest of Willa and my sudden return will disrupt a carefully laid conspiracy what the motive behind all this Jack asked a $2 million Double Indemnity accidental death insurance policy I answered taken out on me my sister walked with me to my rental truck and while we were chatting we both noticed Tammy driving in where will you be staying my sister whispered I'm going To stay at the Grand Dame's place I'll
be moving her belongings to her new home I replied she wanted to leave town with everything that's about to happen Josie has left town why Sasha asked she wants to be close to her granddaughter and our two sons I answered with a smile jod and I have been together for over 5 years now we have two boys who are three and four years old my sister was stunned you and jod how did that happen Josie and I have stayed in touch all along I Explained when jod needed to escape her troubled marriage her grandmother contacted
me I helped relocate her to where I was living we believe her ex is behind my lawyer's death and the arson at his office do Tammy and will know you're aware of what's going on Sasha asked no but they will start to figure it out as they make their moves I replied just as tamy approached us art I need you to drop part of your lawsuit against us tamy said the da will be Charging Willa within 48 hours I'm afraid my lawyer says we can't do that because of Will's new divorce petition which includes claims
of desertion Abandonment and unpaid child support I said until the Divorce Court addresses her claims everything has to stay as it is you can't be serious how will we manage to get her bail with no assets available tamy protested you have a court order freezing everything maybe your father could help by putting up his House is collateral I suggested after all you're both his daughters tamy walked away clearly frustrated Sasha said Willa and Tammy's father hasn't had any contact with them since he learned the truth about Seth's parentage he believes they've become just as corrupt
as their mother that made me smile again with that settled I climbed into the U-Haul and headed towards josy's house stopping along the way to pick up packing Materials 3 hours later I was maneuvering the U-Haul into josy's driveway using the large mirror I positioned it as close to the garage door as possible after securing the truck I walked around the house to check if anything seemed off Josie had mentioned she left the curtains open but I found them closed I texted Peter to let him know I had arrived and asked if he had closed
the curtains he replied that there were officers inside the House and they might have done so with this information I unlocked the front door and went inside Mr rine an officer said handing me his cell phone Peter Edwards would like to speak with you hi Peter I said it seems like word has gotten around tamy approached me at the burger joints parking lot right after my long lunch she asked me to lift the freeze on her sister's assets but I refused I heard Peter replied we've got Willa and Tammy on tape discussing the Need to
accelerate their plans they mentioned Jody's ex Brad press frequently Willa instructed Tammy to let him know that you know where jod is which should encourage him to act as we need it looks like our strategy is working because not long after Brad showed up Willa told him where you were staying our informant who was arrested today had informed her that you returned to move Josie Peter said when Brad asked where you were staying Willa said it was Where jod is a few minutes later I was seen opening the garage bay doors and unloading bundles of
cardboard boxes from the van preparing to pack up the house at 6:30 that evening a pizza delivery from Papa John's arrived when the delivery driver knocked I answered the door the driver asked if I was moving and I explained that I had just returned to gather items to help a friend around 11: that night Brad made his move he used a car tire iron to Break the lock on the front door and slipped inside noting the light on in the kitchen he proceeded in that direction pulling a 9mm from under his shirt he found me
sitting there with a cup of coffee hello art Brad said Willa and Tammy send their regards I'm here to find out where jod is so I can visit her I'm afraid that's information I won't share with the killer of my lawyer I replied or the person who set his office on fire before you end me which we both Know is your intention how much have they promised you from the insurance settlement what makes you think I was involved in that he asked taking the bait because you seem like the kind of person they could manipulate
into doing their dirty work I said so how much of the $4 million accidental death policy on me have they promised you 4 million they told me it was only $750,000 he said I laughed and said did you know Seth is actually the son of Tammy's first husband his face went pale you see both George and I were manipulated and used by the twins for years I continued my lawyer while working on my divorce sued George and Tammy for everything they had Brad's face turned even whiter that's why I knew Will's lawsuit for desertion and
back child support was a scam I said the divorce was already settled and just needed her signature to finalize she needed to manipulate me into coming back And that's when it all made sense you're just the latest person they've played so consider what their plans for you might be my divorce only interrupted their scheme for my death by taking out my lawyer you've brought their original plan back into play you could send them to prison for years given what we know about them what's your gut feeling it's painful watching someone realize they're just a pawn
and that their usefulness will soon lead to their own downfall Either way I'm screwed Brad said causing your lawyer's car to crash into a tree at 70 mph is manslaughter murder will get you life I said manslaughter might get you 5 to 10 years but murder means life with me dead they can claim you act as out of Rage because of jod and that you had no idea what you were doing they've set you up to take the fall because most accidental death policies don't cover murder if you were in my position what would you
do Brad asked I'd serve the time turn States evidence and hope that your cooperation earns you a lighter sentence I suggested after all they likely plan to dispose of you with an overdose they know your pills use led to your dishonorable discharge Brad placed the tool on the table and said call the cops I replied Brad turn around they're already behind you Connie watched her husband on the phone curious about what was happening Peter had informed her that her father Was at Josie's place the late night call had woken them both while Peter spoke Connie
made hot chocolate for both of them Peter looked pleased when he finished the call your father caught us all off guard tonight Peter told her Brad broke in with the intent to end him and to find out about his ex-wife your father managed to talk him down and got him to confess to everything the whole encounter was recorded by the undercover officers Connie was stunned how did my Dad manage that he shared some key details that Brad wasn't aware of like the real story behind Seth's parentage Peter explained I believe the turning point was when
your father convinced Brad that the insurance wouldn't pay out in case of murder even I'm not sure if that's accurate but it was enough to make Brad question his choices and opt for a lesser charge instead of life in prison andt Josie always said dad was quick thinking but I never never Imagined this what does this mean for mom and my sister Connie asked if Brad agrees to testify against them they could be charged with ARs manslaughter and the attempted murder of your father at the very least Peter said Connie immediately called jod to update
her they made plans Josie would care for the kids for a few days while jod flew out Connie would pick jod up at the airport once she received the arrival time via text after hanging up Connie called her Sister to fill her in Peter now dressed headed to the station to get Brad's signed statement before the night ended with Peter gone Connie found herself too excited to sleep I woke up after 8 in the morning and immediately called Jack to arrange for the front door to be repaired he promised to send someone and within half
an hour a repairman arrived the old front door was replaced new trim was installed and a fresh lock was fitted just as the repair man was Finishing up my daughter Connie arrived with Jodie jod jumped out of the car and ran towards me tears streaming down her face it hit me then how much stress I had caused her over the past few days Brad was taken into custody last night I told her he turned himself into the police officers who were here protecting me I was never actually in danger why didn't you call me jod
asked why did I have to find out from Connie it was nearly 2: in The morning by the time the police left I explained I plan to call you today I embraced jod tightly and promised I vow not to put myself in danger like this again once the repair man finished we locked up stowed her luggage and headed to my brother-in-law's restaurant for a meal Karen Sasha and my parents joined us there Jack staff had to combine two tables to accommodate us all jod received a warm welcome from everyone and our breakfast was exceptional Jack
Was thrilled about the events and made sure we had a fantastic spread my parents were thrilled to hear that jod and I had two sons named Carson and Hunter after both of my grandfathers they eagerly went through every picture jod had of our kids and us on her phone my daughters shared the story of bringing Josie out and finding me Peter joined us a little later and it was clear he was exhausted Willa and Tammy are both in custody now Peter announced Brad has confessed to everything including his initial plan to end dad he will
face charges for arson and manslaughter after he testifies against them in court Tammy and Willow will be charged with Grand Theft conspiracy to commit murder and fraud the da is currently meeting with the judge who handled dad's divorce case to try and expedite the finalization of your original divorce Peter are you saying that art and I might finally be able to Get married jod asked struggling to process the news the da took the necessary paperwork and Dad's original divorce file to the judge Peter clarified he's hoping the judge will wave the signature requirement the waiting
period and issue the divorce certificate once he hears the full story Jodie I said I guess I should get you a proper wedding ring set today and finally make the proposal everyone burst into laughter at my comment jod was in Tears overwhelmed by the unexpected but wonderful news before we left Mom and Dad insisted that jod and I come over for dinner after we returned to packing until about 5:30 we went to my parents house for a private dinner mom and dad had many questions jod explained how I came to her rescue from her troubled
marriage thanks to her grandmother and detailed how she landed her first job and its outcomes we were still enjoying the company when Peter and Connie Arrived with my divorce certificate it felt great great to finally be free when jod got her turn to speak she proudly talked about our kids and our life together mom suggested that we should have the wedding before everyone heads back and that caught my dad's attention after grabbing a fresh beer Peter and I followed him into dad's Den as we were unable to get a word in edgewise it's been chaotic
today dad Peter said since Tammy's arrest we've been flooded with Additional information we had to call in half the District Attorney's office to help sort through it all it turns out we were only scratching the surface of what those two were involved in it now looks like the mayor might also be implicated what will happen to Will's common law husband I asked out of curiosity and how involved was he in all of this he'll probably be disbarred but he'll be busy taking care of their kids so far nothing we found links him Directly to the
activities of Tammy and Willa Peter replied has anyone informed aun Josie Connie popped her head in and said Dad jod wears a size 6 and A2 ring and in case you were wondering a few minutes later Peter and I drove to the mall where he had bought Connie's engagement set knowing Jody's taste I chose a three- ring wedding set when we returned we were relieved to find that no one had noticed we were gone I was on the phone with Josey when Karen arrived With her boyfriend with everyone gathered at the house we moved into
the living room and the men had to bring in a few extra chairs from the kitchen dad had instructed jod to sit in his chair which alerted mom that something was going on she kept a close close watch with her sharp eyes the room fell silent as I walked over and knelt down to ask my common law spouse to legally become my wife I had completely surprised her naturally she said yes the celebration Began my dad proudly announced I've got nearly seven years of drinking with my son to catch up on and jod and arts
engagement is the perfect way to start Peter drove jod and me back to Josie's place we felt a huge weight lifted off our shoulders on Friday we stopped by City Hall to pick up the marriage license jod discovered that Connie's wedding dress fit her perfectly Jack agreed to be my best man and Karen became Jody's maid of honor the da Agreed to officiate the ceremony I had to buy a suit from Macy's because there was no way jod would let me marry her in blue jeans on Sunday afternoon in my parents backyard surrounded by family
we exchanged our vows to everyone's Delight even the twin's father was there we had requested no gifts but my ex-father-in-law handed me an envelope from his vest Colin this isn't a wedding gift it's Your inheritance early he said with a smile the remainder of my estate will go to your daughters I tucked the envelope into my suit and forgot about it for the rest of the day everyone recorded the entire ceremony and sent the videos to Aunt Josie someone asked where we were going for our honeymoon jod explained given everything we've been through once we
get Grandma settled into her new place we're planning a week in Florida and then a week in California with our Kids enjoying everything Disney has to offer after all without our family we wouldn't be where we are today the next day just before we left for home I gave jod the envelope inside was a bank draft for $100,000 and a note that said thanks for helping Karma set things right I've always believed the Twins were responsible for their mother's death I'm looking forward to seeing them get what they deserve my granddaughters will too jod slipped
the envelope into her purse Without mentioning it to anyone after hugging my daughters and my parents jod and I climbed into the U-Haul we headed home finally free from everything that had haunted us [Music]