My Elderly Neighbor D.ied — After His Funeral, I Received a Letter From Him Revealing He’d Buried a Secret in His Backyard 40 Years Ago

You have the right to know the truth, Tanya. Don’t tell anyone about this.

Mr. Whitmore.”

**

After a moment, Richie looked up, frowning.

“Honey, why would a dead man send you to his backyard?”

“I… He wants me to dig near his apple tree.”

From inside, my daughter’s voice floated out. “Mom! Where’s the bubble-gum cereal?”

Richie glanced at me, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know, Rich. It’s… odd. I hardly knew him.”

He squeezed my shoulder.

Gemma called again, louder this time. “Mom!”

I hurried back into the kitchen, setting the letter down on the table.

“It’s in the cabinet by the fridge, Gem. Don’t add sugar.”

“Well, it sounds like he wanted you to learn something, Tan. Are you going to do it?” Richie asked.

Our youngest, Daphne, darted in, her hair sticking up from sleep.

“Can we go to Mr. Whitmore’s yard after school?” she asked. “I want more leaves to paint.”