Page 25 of Smuggler’s Cove (Twin Lights #1)
Chapter Nine
The Inheritance
Present Day
I t was Wednesday morning, and Madison was reviewing a couple of articles for the upcoming edition when Olivia stuck her head in Madison’s office. “Sidney is on the phone.”
Sidney Rothberg had retired from his regular law practice but maintained a few special clients.
Over the years, he had grown particularly fond of Madison and Lincoln and was proud of how they had managed to pick themselves up and move ahead with their lives.
It would have been traumatizing for most people, especially if you came from the lush and privileged.
He had to give Gwen credit for that. She too was steely in all the fallout.
She gave her testimony and never had to see her husband’s face again. Ever.
“Sidney! How nice to hear your voice. How are things? Everything alright? How is Edna?”
“Madison! So nice to hear your voice, as well. All is well in grandpa and grandma land. It is hard to keep up with three little ones, but I love it. I get to spoil the heck out of them, and then pack them up and send them home after an exhausting but wonderful day.”
“I know what you mean. When Giada was little, she could run me ragged. But three? I could barely keep up with one! Tell me, to what do I owe this pleasant call?”
“I anticipate this is going to come as a surprise to you. Remember your Uncle Kirby?”
“Of course. I was just thinking about him a few days ago. Why?”
“We were informed that your uncle left you his marina in his will.”
“His marina?” Madison was perplexed. She knew he did a lot of fishing work, but she could not recall anyone speaking about his marina. “I don’t understand.”
“You and your brother are now the proud owners of Kirby Taylor’s Marina in Smuggler’s Cove in Navesink, New Jersey. The town is nestled between the two rivers, the Navesink and the Shrewsbury, along the Jersey Shore.”
Sidney reminded her that the eponymous show was not an accurate depiction of the area.
He continued in defense of the often-derided state of New Jersey. “Did you know the people on the show were not even from the area? The locals thought the depiction of the Shore and their outrageous activities have given the residents and the beautiful coastline an unbelievably bad rap.”
“Sidney, you should be on the board of the chamber of commerce,” she teased. “You do not have to sell me on the idea.”
Sidney chuckled. “Many people have a preconceived notion of where I spent a lot of my summers as a kid.”
“Oh, Sidney, you have known me long enough to know I am not judgmental. Only when it comes to fashion.”
“That’s our girl. Now, as I was saying, your uncle left his marina to you and your brother.”
“Tell me more!” Madison urged.
“Yes. From what information I have, he won it in a bet. That part of it is vague, but the deed is real.”
“How long had he owned it?” Madison was doodling.
“About ten years.” She heard Sidney rifling through the pages.
“Wow. Now this is news,” Madison quipped.
“I suggest you and Lincoln get down there as soon as possible. See what needs to be done. Put it on the market.”
Madison had not gotten that far. She was still absorbing the information. “Sell it?” It was more of a statement than a question.
“I don’t suppose you and Lincoln would want to be dock-masters?” Sidney joked.
“That would be a no , but I would like to check it out, discuss with Lincoln, and then decide. We do not have to do that right now, do we?”
“No. Not at all. I know how immersed you are with your job, and Lincoln with school, and dear Olivia, who must deal with you every day,” Sidney teased.
“Very funny, Sidney,” Madison shot back with a chuckle.
“Things are routine. A change of scenery might be good for all of us.” Madison became thoughtful.
“Maybe we will keep it. Hire someone to run it. It would be nice to have a place for the summer. I am so over the Hamptons. Yes, it is beautiful out there, but that’s part of the issue.
It is out there. Way out there. I can almost fly to Miami in the time it takes me to get to Sag Harbor,” she said, and snickered.
“Plus, it’s filled with people from New York! ”
“Well, that will not be the case at this marina. It will be filled with people from New Jersey.” He laughed.
“A marina. At the Shore. How exciting!” Madison was pumped. “Tell me more about it.” She was animated.
“I really don’t know much, which is why I suggest the two of you get down there as soon as you can. I will have all the paperwork sent over to your office.”
“Thanks, Sidney. You are a gem!” Madison jumped out of her chair. “We should get together for dinner next time Mom is in town.”
“I would like that very much. I am sure Edna would, too. You take care. Have fun at the Shore. And remember, if you need anything, just call.”
“Thanks again.” Madison ended the call with a whoop !
Olivia stuck her head in the door again. “Something you wish to share?”
“Yes, I do.” She gestured to one of her side chairs. “Please sit.”
“Okay”—Olivia gave her a suspicious look—“what’s going on?”
“We, as in you, Lincoln, and I, are now the proud owners of a marina.”
“A what? Marina? How? Why?” Olivia was noticeably bewildered.
“Uncle Kirby. He passed away several months ago and left his marina to me and Lincoln. And since you are married to Lincoln, that makes you a dock mate. That is what they call water colleagues.”
“Water colleagues? I know you just made that up.” Olivia chuckled.
Madison grinned. “Sidney is sending over the papers and said we should go down and take a look.”
“Down where?” Olivia still did not know the location of this new treasure.
“The Jersey Shore.” She looked at her notes. “Smuggler’s Cove on the Navesink.” She turned to her computer and pulled up Google Maps. She entered Smuggler’s Cove into the search bar, and then her office in the directions search bar. “It’s about an hour and a half with no traffic.”
“That’s not too bad,” Olivia considered. “So, back up, please. You and Lincoln got this from Uncle Kirby?”
“Yes. He ‘acquired it.’ ” Madison used air quotes. “Either in a card game or a contest. But according to Sidney, all the paperwork is properly filed, and the deed has been transferred to us. Uncle Kirby did that before he passed away.” Madison slowly shook her head. “I had no idea.”
“Think about it. You and your brother were the only family he had.”
“As far as we know!” Madison snickered. “There could be more surprises.”
“For instance?”
“An ex-wife? A kid? An illegitimate kid he knew nothing about?”
“You’ve got to stop reading those British mystery novels,” Olivia joked.
“You stop.” Madison waved a hand. “Anything is possible.” She grew thoughtful.
“From what I remember, Uncle Kirby was the salt of the earth. Ha. I suppose I should say he was the salt of the river.” She laughed out loud.
Then she looked up at the ceiling. “Just kidding, Uncle Kirby. And thank you.” She put her hands together in a prayer position.
“We’ve gotta call Lincoln. Do you know if he is in class now? ”
Olivia checked the time on her phone. “Not sure. I will send him a text and tell him to call me ASAP.”
Nothing bad but call quick. She typed out the message and hit the SEND button. Within a minute, her phone rang.
“Liv? Everything alright?” Lincoln sounded a little out of breath.
“Yes. Just peachy. And I mean it.” She started to giggle. “I am going to put you on speaker. I’m with Madison.”
“Seriously. Are you okay? Drunk? What’s up?”
“Well, Professor, if you’d shut it for a minute, I’d tell you,” Madison chided.
“Yeah. Yeah. Continue, madame,” he joked in return.
“I just got off the phone with Sidney.”
“That can’t be good news.”
“Au contraire.” Madison was being cheeky. “He informed me that you and I were in Uncle Kirby’s will.”
“Really?” Lincoln was dubious. Not that there were ill feelings between them; it just never occurred to Lincoln that his uncle owned anything, nor did he think his uncle would leave anything to them.
“Yes, dear brother. He owned a marina in Smuggler’s Cove on the Navesink. And he left it to us! Isn’t that exciting?”
Neither Olivia nor Lincoln could remember the last time Madison was this animated.
“Exciting? My word is more in the area of surprising .”
“Okay, I shall take both. But listen. Sidney wants us to go down there . . .”
“Down where?”
Madison filled him in on the sparse details and recommended they take a ride the following day. “What’s your schedule?”
“My last class is at eleven. I can meet you there around two. Does that work for you?”
“Perfect. I will hire a car.”
“Now, let’s not get fancy, dearie.” Lincoln had a glimmer of their previous life of extravagance.
“Oh, it’s just one day. Do not be a party pooper. Besides, we now own a marina!”
“Alright. Livvy? Will you please accompany my sister? I do not want her to get lost or into any trouble before I get there. You know how some of these city women can be when they leave the Big Apple.”
“I’ve got it covered.” Olivia winked at Madison.
Madison whispered, “We’ll leave early and have lunch somewhere down there.”
“What did you say?” Lincoln was not sure if Madison was speaking to him or trying to avoid him hearing what she was saying.
“Just figuring out what time to leave.” Madison gave Olivia a sheepish grin and looked at her schedule. “I have a meeting at ten. Should last about an hour. Tops.”
“Okay. Text me the address, and I will meet you there in the afternoon. I will let you know my ETA.”
“Excellent! This is so exciting!” Madison could not hold back her enthusiasm.
“You need to tone it down a bit. You do not want the staff to know that you can be a fun person.”
“Ha, ha. I am a fun person.” Madison pouted.
“Not when you’re in your white uniform.” Olivia winked again. “Which reminds me. You never answered my question about disguises.”
“What about it?” Madison cocked her head.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Another one of my disguises,” Madison tossed back. “Okay, so let’s make a plan.”
Olivia arranged for a car service and then checked the internet for restaurants in the area. There was a lovely spot called One Willow on a nearby marina. Olivia stared at the photos. She forwarded the link to Madison’s email. “Hope this is what Uncle Kirby’s place looks like.”
Madison opened the link and checked the photos of the restaurant. “Wow. I’m with you, sister.”