Pickin Clover by Bobby Hutchinson Read Free Book Online Page A

Friday. Valerie was a single parent, with two out-of-control teenage sons and an invalid mother who lived with her and whom she supported. Her job as Michael’s office nurse was the financial glue that kept the family housed and fed.
    Of course he’d make certain none of this affected her.
    But that wasn’t it at all. “I just want you to know that if things are tight, you can put off paying me for a while. I’ve got a nest egg that’ll see me through.”
    Michael had to swallow a sudden lump in his throat before he could smile and reassure her. “Thanks, Val, but that won’t be necessary. I’ll have to take over the bookkeeping for a while, but certainly this won’t affect you or the practice in any way.”
    The truth was, Raymond’s duplicity could affect every aspect of Michael’s life, because he now knew the accountant had all but cleaned him out.
    Up since dawn, Michael had called investment companies in the East, and his worst fears had been realized. The final tally wasn’t in because the companies needed time to gather all the details, but it appeared that Stokes had, over the past few weeks, cleverly liquefied a sizable portion of Michael’s investments. A few he hadn’t been able to touch, but they were insignificant compared with the mammoth amounts he’d filched.
    Raymond had been extremely clever. He’d paid some of the bills for the month, but only the ones that might have alerted Michael to what was happening. Most of the monthly bills were still outstanding, with no cash to cover them. Michael had had to swallow his pride and negotiate a sizable loan from the bank to meet his immediate expenses at home and at the office.
    His stomach churned at the memory. In light of what Stokes had taken and the staggering amount of Michael’s unpaid accounts and monthly expenses, Arthur Berina was very reluctant to extend the already substantial line of credit; it had taken a great deal of persuasion to convince him to authorize the loan, and the manager had made it clear Michael would have to find another source of credit if any further funds were required.
    When Michael asked about extending the mortgages on the house, Berina had cited the drop in real-estate prices in North America, which were already being reflected in Vancouver. He’d said the mortgages Michael was already carrying were actually more than the assessed value of the property.
    Valerie’s voice interrupted such troubled thoughts. “There've been a number of calls this morning, the names and numbers are all here. And you have about twenty minutes before your first appointment. That’ll be Mrs. Nikols and her new baby. Here’s her chart.”
    Valerie placed the chart and the neat list of callers at his elbow, and when she left the room, Michael scanned it.
    Constable Roper, R.C.M.P., was the first person on the list. Michael grimaced, realizing he would have to talk to the police right away. Also, several representatives from the various investment firms he’d spoken to earlier that morning had already called back. Three patients requested that he phone immediately. Next on the list was a social worker, Garth Silvers, who worked for Community Services. He and Michael had met several times regarding a child Michael suspected was being mistreated.
    Concern about the little girl made him call the social worker first. He dialed the number, wondering what new catastrophe might have befallen his small patient, but Garth reassured him the child was fine; her grandmother had taken her to stay with her for a time.
    Embarrassment tinged Garth’s voice as he added, “The reason I called is personal, Doctor. I heard of a complaint the ministry received about property owned by an Isabelle Rafferty, who I believe is your mother-in-law?”
    Wondering what was to come next, Michael confirmed the relationship.
    “Well, a number of neighbors have signed a petition insisting something be done about the garbage in Ms. Rafferty’s yard,” Garth