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Olivia shuddered. Jackson’s brows rose when he looked at her. The body he and Turk found was Kendrick, but the name hadn’t been made public yet.
Martha continued, “He advised us to put a legal notice in our local and state newspapers asking for any Ashcroft relatives. Silas and Jule Waverly and their attorneys provided a release from any claim for you. Sinclair also easily signed your rights away, even though Christopher had wanted Jackson badly. When there were no claims on the Ashcroft side, the court let us legally adopt him. He was such a blessing.”
She sipped her coffee. “After his first-grade school photo, Jackson’s dad and I were looking at his picture. The resemblance to Christopher was uncanny.” Her voice cracked.
“What did you do?” Jackson asked.
“Nothing. You were our son. You are our son.” She took a deep breath. “But we started to research the family trees. That’s when we found out about the other affairs.”
“And the fire that killed Christopher and Rainey?” Jackson’s brows knit.
“The town believed it had to do with the land dispute. Christopher announced his intentions to finally develop the land, the Ashcroft land that survived the flood. And he announced Rainey was an Ashcroft. With their marriage, they would end the feud and share in the fortune.”
Liv swiped some hair from her face. “That had to anger the Waverlys.”
“More than the Waverlys. There was a lot of investment money tied up in that land.” Martha sipped her coffee.
Jackson leaned back. “The Waverlys never went through with developing that piece of land after their son's death.”
“But with Rainey’s death, the legal fight ended?” Liv suggested.
“The land remains untouched. Why, no one knows. The taxes remain paid, and the land is taken care of.” Martha sighed.
“Do folks know I’m an Ashcroft?” Jackson chewed his lip.
“I assume if some looked deeply into your history. We didn’t hide anything, but we didn’t announce it either. We wanted to protect you. Mr. Kendrick had us add a clause to your adoption agreement that, once you became ours, you were a Reynolds. Your rights to the Ashcroft legacy and, for that matter, the Waverly legacy were null and void.”
Jackson shuddered. “Was that legal?”
“Mr. Kendrick and the court said so,” Martha insisted.
Liv’s eyes widened as she shared a look with Jackson. “Rainey? Are you sure she was an Ashcroft?”
Martha chewed her lip. “Come to think of it, everyone went by what Christopher said. Honestly, I don’t know,” she admitted, sounding upset. “I never thought of that before.”
“Mom, you need to try to get some sleep. Livvy and I will stay here,” Jackson advised.
“Okay.” She stood, walked over to Jackson and leaned down to kiss his head. “We never wanted to hurt you.”
“I know.” He walked her up the stairs. A few minutes later, he returned.
Fourteen
Jackson sat beside Liv, his thoughts a jumble. The revelation that he may or may not belong to either the Waverly and Ashcroft families shook him to the core. And he didn’t understand why. He had an incredible life. What was wrong with him?
Liv’s attempt at reassurance with a gentle touch didn’t quell the confusion raging within him, especially after she finally told him Robert Kendrick was the first dead.
“I don't understand any of this,” Jackson confessed, his voice strained. “How could I be both? One? Or neither?”
She placed a calming hand on his shoulder. “We'll figure it out, Jackson. We'll find a way to verify it.”
Her logical approach provided him a faint glimmer of hope. Jackson glanced at her, his eyes reflecting his anxiety. “What if the arsonist knows?”
He couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability that ran through him. Not for himself, but for anyone in his life. “Is Robert Kendrick dead because of my adoption? Was it legal to renounce my Ashcroft legacy?”
Liv's took his hands. “It's a possibility, Jackson. Someone might be targeting you because of your connection to both families. Or it could have nothing to do with you.”
He pulled a hand away and ran it through his hair, frustration evident in his gestures. “I never wanted any of this. Why would someone go to such lengths?”
