MemoriesErasedTreachery by Charlie Richards Read Free Book Online

six-thirty. He stepped from the shower, gave his hair a quick blow-dry, and practically ran into the walk-in closet. He always had clean underwear here, but not clothes. Luckily, the last time the family had a weekend gathering, he'd left some clothes, so he didn't have to go home to change.
    Ewyn dressed and headed for the third floor, taking the stairs two at a time. He wanted to check on Gemma before going to the hospital. To his surprise, not only was she awake, she was dressed and insisted on going with him. "Gem. I don't think you should come with me. Your resistance is low and hospitals are germ infested."
    "Forget it, Ewyn. I'm going."
    He had to admit she looked better than she had since her cancer diagnosis, but he looked to Gemma's nurse for help.
    "I spoke to her Oncologist last night. He said getting out in the fresh air would be good for her. Couldn't hurt." Miss Halloran shrugged. "His words, not mine. However, I'm going with you to make sure she doesn't overdo it."
    Gemma looped her arm over Ewyn's arm and smiled up at him. "Okay?"
    "Hell. Why not. Her first few days, Kiera is going to need all the love and support she can get," Ewyn admitted. "And listen to me, sounding all knowledgeable." He patted Gemma's hand and kissed her cheek. "Let me call down and have Martin bring your car around. You wouldn't be comfy in my Mustang."
    "Not to worry," Gemma said. "I've taken care of it, along with all the necessities a newborn needs to wear home."
    Ewyn gawked, then laughed. "I'm not even going to ask how you managed that during the middle of the night. But they're not going to release Kiera today."
    "Money talks, baby." Gemma grinned up at him. "We have a registered nurse on staff, so Kiera will be coming home with us today."
    Ewyn shook his head, knowing what his aunt said was true. The family name and money still had the hook up. With Gemma leaning heavily against his arm, he guided her from the apartment with Miss Halloran following close behind.
    * * * *
    Goddamnit to hell!
    The baby survived. Wasn't expecting that. Moreover, Nicole, the bitch, drew up new wills while in hiding. Found copies in her dorm, stipulating, if neither Nicole nor her child survived, everything would go to Carolyn. If the baby and Carolyn survived, the baby inherited Nicole's money. In the event both sisters died and the baby survived, the child would inherit everything with Uncle Ewyn as the executor, eliminating anyone else. A helluva lot of money for a damn baby.
    However, if Nicole, Carolyn, and the baby died, the terms of the old will would stand, and yours-truly would remain a beneficiary. Carolyn's will mimicked Nicole's almost verbatim, both signed, dated, and notarized the day they died, with their roommates as witnesses.
    Wait a minute. If Nicole signed the wills the day she died, why were there only copies in her dorm? Where are the originals? Oh, shit! Did she have them in her purse when she died?
    Damn you, Nicole. If you were still alive, I'd kill you and the little bastard! Okay. Deep breaths. Relax…think.
    The police would have gone through the girls' things for identification. If the will was in Nicole's purse, they must not have thought anything of it, but the family…had they picked up her personal effects.
    The news reports were calling the deaths a tragic accident, so checking personal effects wouldn't be a priority for the family. Hell. Without cause, their uppity asses probably wouldn't ever go through them. Conversely, with or without the official document, if the family discovered Nicole's intent--game over. I wonder. Did Nicole have time to mail the originals to her attorney before I caught up with her or, damn. She drew up the new will herself and had it notarized, but would it stand up in court?
    All right, let me think. If they've documented the accident as the official cause of death, they haven't found the gun, or they found it and thought it belonged to one of the girls. Either way, I'm in the clear,