A Little Orphan Girl Asked a Cowboy, “Can You Be My Daddy?”

PART 2: THE SECRET MICHAEL TOOK TO HIS GRAVE

“My grandpa didn’t die the way everybody thinks he did.”

Those words from seven-year-old Lily sent a chill down my spine.

I stared at the silver pocket watch in my hand.

Twenty years ago, my brother Michael died in what police called a highway accident.

At least, that’s what I believed.

“Lily, who told you that?”

She hugged her teddy bear.

“My mama. She said Grandpa Michael was trying to protect someone.”

Before I could ask another question, headlights appeared outside.

A sheriff’s vehicle pulled into my driveway.

Deputy Collins stepped out.

“Jack, we need to talk about the little girl.”

My heart sank.

“Is she in trouble?”

“No. But there’s something strange about her mother’s records.”

He handed me a photograph.

It showed a young woman standing beside my brother Michael.

She looked exactly like Lily.

“That’s Anna,” the deputy explained. “Lily’s mother.”

I stared at the photograph.

Michael had a daughter.

A daughter he’d never told me about.

And now that daughter was gone, leaving behind a little girl who had somehow found her way to my ranch.

“There’s more,” Collins said.

“Anna left a sealed letter with a local attorney before she died. It has your name on it.”

The next morning, after the sheriff arranged temporary supervision for Lily, I drove to the attorney’s office.

Inside the envelope was a handwritten letter.

Dear Uncle Jack,

If you’re reading this, I’m no longer here to protect Lily.

My father didn’t die in an accident. He discovered something dangerous involving the sale of our family’s ranch.

He hid the evidence inside the one thing he knew nobody would throw away.

His silver pocket watch.

My hands began shaking.

I turned the watch over.

There was a tiny scratch near the back cover.

Using my pocketknife, I carefully opened it.

Inside was a folded piece of paper.

Three words were written in Michael’s handwriting.

“TRUST NO HARRISON.”

I froze.

Harrison.

That was the name of the wealthy businessman who had tried to buy our ranch twenty years ago.

And just last week…

His son had offered me two million dollars for the same land.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

It was Deputy Collins.

“Jack, listen carefully.”

His voice was urgent.

“Someone came to the sheriff’s office asking about Lily.”

“Who?”

“A man claiming to be her legal guardian.”

My stomach tightened.

“What’s his name?”

The deputy hesitated.

“Daniel Harrison.”

I stopped breathing.

Then Collins said something even worse.

“Jack, he knows Lily is staying at your ranch.”

I looked out the attorney’s window.

A black SUV was parked across the street.

Its engine was running.

And the man behind the wheel was staring directly at me.