Rusk's offer arrived in an envelope at Nina's office.
He wanted Elias to sign a long-term management agreement that would give the board control of the estate for ten years. In exchange, the board would fund repairs to Bellwether House and preserve the cottage. Rusk described it as a compromise.
Nina brought the document to Elias at the house. I went because he had asked me to sit in, not because I had decided he needed me.
I sat by the window with my hands folded. Nina explained each section. Elias read every page, then typed questions into his tablet. He asked about maintenance budgets, property access, the board's power to make improvements, and whether the agreement could be terminated.
The more he asked, the more carefully Rusk's offer began to look like a trap. The board would ow
