“And what about the deadline now?” I asked.

“Dean set the final court hearing for December 12.”

Vance adjusted his rimless reading glasses again.

“If December 12 goes by without a formal legal challenge, the county judge closes the estate automatically.

Dean gets full, permanent ownership of the family lake property, and the statute bars any fraud claim.”

“Can you get the original bank ledgers before then?” I asked.

Vance laid his pen on the open desk calendar.