A Different Kind Of Life

Chapter 101

Logan stood in his office next to his sister, with his arms crossed over his chest, having a staring match with his father. Logan knew that his sister had been bluffing with most of what she had told their Dad, in an attempt to get him talking. They had both done their best to try to pry information out of Mitchum, without telling him just how much they both knew, or didn't know in their case. Logan had no idea if Mitchum would crack, but he was hoping pretty hard. Mitchum was a really hard egg to crack. The man had a lifetime of secrets, and Logan was sure that most of them Mitchum would take to his grave. Getting information out of his Dad was worse than pulling teeth. You could throw everything you had at Mitchum, and still, you had to hope and pray that the man would bite the bullet and give you the information that you wanted. It had already been five minutes of deafening silence, and Logan wasn't sure how much more of it he could take, when Mitchum finally cleared his throat.

"You can't freeze all outgoing payments." Mitchum spoke up.

"And why not?" Logan asked.

"Each of the properties has an expense account."

"For what reason?"

"For the care taker. The accounts cover taxes and upkeep. It's how the cleaning service is paid."

"Why do we need a cleaning service for a vacant property?"

"They haven't always been vacant. One of the New York properties is yours. You have a second one in New Haven. The apartments that you lived in. I put them in your name. Honor has one in both cities as well."

"What do you mean you put them in our name?"

"The properties the two of your lived in back in college, then after Yale. I kept them in case you ever needed them. I would have told you had the need arisen. You are both shareholders as well as HPG employees. You are entitled to company housing. I signed the properties over to you about 5 years ago."

"We weren't even on speaking terms 5 years ago."

"I know that. It's why I signed the properties over. You know how to hold quite the grudge. I put the properties in your name, with accounts set up for any expenses that might be needed."

"And when were you planning to tell us about it?" Honor asked.

"It's in my will. I know that you don't need my help, but it was my way of insuring that you are taken care of in case things with Josh ever ended. You would have two homes to choose from. You wouldn't be left destitute."

"And Logan? You refused to pay for medical school, but yet you gave him two properties?"

"Logan is my son. No matter how much he defies me, he's still my son."

"What about the others?" Logan asked.

"Most of the others are vacant."

"And the ones that aren't?"