The Chase: A Novel by Brenda Joyce Read Free Book Online Page A

that.”
    “Of course I did, Claire. He also specifies that he wishes to be cremated, his ashes scattered over the bay.”
    Claire nodded. “I know. He mentioned it once or twice.” She inhaled to fight sudden tears. “I just always thought I’d be scattering his ashes in fifty years or something.” Her voice broke.
    “I know. This is terrible. Are there any leads?”
    Claire shrugged and quickly recovered her composure. “I haven’t heard from the police since I left the house yesterday morning.”
    Thorne nodded.
    She looked more closely at him. Something was wrong. There was something in his eyes that she did not like. “Jack? What’s wrong? Is there something you have to tell me—that you don’t want to tell me?”
    “Yes, there is, Claire. But maybe we should wait a week or so to go over some details that eventually you will have to deal with.”
    Claire was as rigid as a board. She stared at his heavily lined face. “What kind of details?”
    He hesitated.
    “Jack?” Her tone was as sharp as any whiplash, and she heard it. But she was alarmed now. “If there is something serious that I should know about, then I must know, and so be it.”
    He sighed. “Claire, David has been in trouble financially for some time.”
    Claire looked at him, not quite understanding. “What?”
    He repeated himself.
    She fought to make sense of what he had said. “David told me we’d taken a hit recently. All of our money is held jointly. When I was twenty-five and came into my trust from my mother’s family, he took charge of that money. I hope you’re not talking about our mutual investments?”
    “I am.”
    Claire just stared.
    “There’s not much left, Claire,” Jack Thorne said grimly. “What?”
    “In the past several years, he moved most of your portfolio into technology stocks. You surely know what happened. There’s not much left.”
    Claire was stunned. “What do you mean? My mother’s family left me a quarter of a million dollars, which David invested for us when I was twenty-five. That was over seven years ago. I believe he added a percentage of his earnings every year. By now, we should have close to a million tucked away.”
    He pursed his lips. “Actually, the net sum in that portfolio is forty-two thousand dollars.”
    Claire stared. Surely she had misheard.
    “Claire?” he asked softly.
    The comprehension crashed over her all at once. She stood. “Oh, God.” Their investments had been reduced to almost a bit more than her annual income—but less than one fifth of what David made.
He had literally lost everything.
    “Are you okay?” Thorne was also standing.
    She was going to have to move. Soon. She could afford to live in their house for maybe two or three more months. Not that she wanted to live there now, but she had never dreamed she would have to sell out of necessity and under duress. The sooner she moved, the better, she realized with another stab of fear. So she would not deplete all the savings that she had left.
    Claire smiled brightly. “I’m fine, Jack,” she said with conviction, but it was an utter lie. “I’m a little surprised, but that’s all.” Her lifestyle would have to change as well. Immediately. But she could manage that. She had no intention of leaving the Humane Society to look for a better-paying job, even though she had a master’s in business administration; she would never give up the work that meant so much to her.
    “When you want to talk about it, you should give me a call,” Jack Thorne said. “I’d be more than happy to advise you, Claire, with no charge.”
    “I appreciate the sentiment,” Claire said. “But you must bill me for your time.” She held herself proudly. “I might just give our accountant a call.” She would have to plan a budget instantly.
    “You should do that,” Jack said. “As soon as possible.” He began packing up his briefcase. “I’m leaving a copy of the will and some other reports, including financial