The Heir Hunter Read Online Free Page B

fax?”
    “Yeah. Why?”
    “Because I’m sending it now. I’m not even going to waste my breath telling you about this one. You need to see it for yourself.”
    “Well, quit yakking and start faxing.”
    “Call me the second you’re done reading it. No—book a flight out here first. We’ve got to get moving on this, Nick.”
    “I’m hovering over the fax, sweetie. Talk to you in a few.”
    Nick placed the phone down and rubbed the side of hisface. Alex’s enthusiasm was a strong point. It was one of many reasons he enjoyed their partnership so much.
    Rose was staring at him. “Well?”
    “She’s excited, all right. Must be a nice one.”
    Rose dismissed this with a wave of her hand. “She gets excited doing her nails,” she commented dryly.
    Nick smiled and grabbed an apple from the kitchen. The fax suddenly rang. He approached it as a sheet slowly began humming through. He snatched it before it could fall to the tray. One part only he needed to see—the Inventory and Appraisement section. He found it on the third sheet.
    “Oh my God . . .”
    He let himself fall backward onto the couch. His mouth was locked open. Rose watched him from the kitchen doorway.
    “Nick?”
    “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, not looking up. “Is this right?”
    “What is it?”
    His eyes were seeing it, but even with the act of reading it, of holding it, he found belief to be lagging. But there it was, as undeniable and real as a punch to the jaw. Was it a typo? He narrowed his eyes into slits and read the number again.
    Twenty-two million, three hundred forty-six thousand dollars. And change. He leaned over the documents and continued reading.
    The decedent, Gerald Jacobs—a.k.a. Gerald Raymond Jacobs—had died at his residence, which was located at 198 Michael Drive in Hudson, New York. The death had occurred just five days ago, and the county public administrator had been authorized to handle distribution of the estate assets. It was a scenario Nick had seen in hundreds of cases. After a cursory search for blood relatives, the PA would in all likelihood find no related heirs. Being bogged down with dozens of other estates, he would then fileaway the Gerald Jacobs case until time would allow for further examination.
    Nick found the order of administration, the document appointing the county public administrator as caretaker of the estate. Due to the absence of a will and the apparent nonexistence of blood relatives, the assets had been taken over by the county court. The money would remain with them until further information became available.
    Nick handed the sheets to Rose and rubbed his forehead. He felt Alex’s excitement seize him. Somewhere—
somewhere
—there had to be heirs, and he felt damn confident he could find them. But from that point on, every second was crucial. He reached for the phone.
    “I need a one-way ticket to Albany out of San Francisco. As soon as possible.” He bit his pen. A flight that evening was absolutely essential. “Today, three-thirty P.M. ? That’s perfect. One ticket, yes . . . yes, it’ll be on my Visa card.. . .”
    He hung up and looked at Rose, who was still scanning the probate filing.
    “My God, Nick.”
    “Unbelievable. I’m gone. My flight’s in three hours.”
    He entered his bedroom and found his garment bag. He took five shirts and half a dozen ties from his closet.
    “Could it be a mistake?” asked Rose, watching him pack.
    “No chance. It’s all spelled out nice and clearly.”
    “You think you can solve it?”
    “The real question,” answered Nick, reaching for one of his suits, “is whether I can solve it before anyone else does. If the East Coast outfits know about Jacobs, this might already be over. I’ll know soon.”
    “You’re supposed to call Alex back, Nick.”
    “Thank you,” he said, reaching for the cordless.
    Alex answered on the first ring.
    “Nick?”
    “You’re right. I never would’ve believed you.”
    “What do we