That’s the part that keeps getting stuck in my head. Not even the money, though that’s obviously enormous. It’s that Wayne sat in that kitchen. Probably had coffee. Probably talked about the weather or the neighbor’s new tractor or whatever, and then slid a deed transfer in front of an 83-year-old man with dementia and told him it was a tax form. And Dad believed him. Of course he did. Why wouldn’t he?

I have an attorney now. We filed to have the transfer voided on the grounds of cognitive incapacity, and I have the medical records to back that up. Dad’s doctor was very clear in his notes about Dad’s state of mind and his inability to manage complex financial decisions without support. The attorney says the case is strong. That the fact that Wayne had already listed part of the property for sale actually helps us because it demonstrates intent. She said that word a couple of times. Intent. I keep turning it over.

The other three families, I don’t know them. I don’t know if they’ve figured out what happened yet. I don’t know if they got notices like I did or if they’re still in the dark. That bothers me more than I expected it to. I keep thinking about some other daughter somewhere opening a piece of mail and not knowing what she’s looking at, almost throwing it away.

Wayne hasn’t called me back since that first phone call. I’ve texted him twice. The second time I told him I had spoken to an attorney and that the district attorney’s office was involved. He read it. That little read receipt showed up and then nothing. I don’t know what I expected him to say. I’m not sure I wanted him to say anything.

Dad asked me last week if Wayne was going to come by for the Fourth of July like he usually does.

I said I wasn’t sure. Dad said he hoped so, that it was nice having the family together. I told him yeah, it was. I didn’t explain anything. I don’t know if I ever will, honestly. I’m not sure he’d be able to hold onto it, and I’m not sure making him understand what Wayne did would do anything except hurt him in a way he can’t do anything about.

The farm is still in legal limbo right now. The listing was taken down after my attorney sent a cease-and-desist. The forty acres is not sold. Not yet. We’re fighting to get the whole transfer voided. My attorney says we should know something in the next few weeks.