I ran my hand along the floor until I found one plank that shifted slightly under my touch. I pried it up with my pocketknife and found a metal box wrapped in thick oilcloth.

I carried the box to the table and wiped away the dust. Inside were several papers, old photographs, and a letter addressed to me in my father’s handwriting.

But it was the geological survey tucked at the bottom that stopped me cold. My training had me scanning the numbers and the summaries fast.

Words like lithium and high yield jumped out at me. The estimated commercial value was listed as substantial.

Skylar thought she’d stuck me with a worthless shack and some dirt. What I actually had was land sitting on top of massive mineral deposits.

I sat down heavily and stared at the papers. My father hadn’t left me scraps. He’d left me something incredibly valuable that he didn’t trust Skylar to handle.