“I bought this cabin two years ago because I wanted a quiet place to read and relax in my retirement,” he began softly.

“A few months after moving in, I was doing some repairs under the staircase when I noticed a loose floorboard.

When I pulled the board up, I found a small metal lockbox hidden beneath the floor joists.”

“What was inside that lockbox?” I asked, my pulse pounding.

“There were old photographs, a personal journal, and a handheld tape recorder,” Leonard said.

“I assumed right away that they belonged to your late husband, but I had no idea how to reach you directly, because the sale of the cabin had gone through an attorney’s office, and I was told your family had asked for complete privacy.”