The Living Room Read Online Free

firm over there contacted us through the Internet to locate the beneficiaries of his estate in the United States. I’m sorry about the loss of your parents. It must have been a difficult time for you.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Stines.” He quickly cut the lawyer off. Rehashing the painful memory of the early loss of his parents wasn’t something that he liked to do alone, much less discuss with a stranger.
    “Now really, what can I do to help?”
    “Well, all we need is a couple of signatures, confirmation of identity, and the house is yours, Mr. Clay.”
    Daniel paused and made sure he had heard the revelation accurately.
    “House?”
    “Yes, your uncle’s house passes down to you as the sole living beneficiary.”
    What started a moment ago as a suspected solicitation call was now a two-way conversation, and Daniel’s interest was piqued.
    “Well, where is it?”
    “It’s in England.”
    Daniel was curious now but attempted to remain outwardly uninterested.
    “How much is it worth?”
    “Well, an appraisal was never done since the property was lien-free, and there were no other debts to be paid through the estate. I could probably arrange one to be done, if you would accept the bill.”
    Though more involved now in the conversation, Daniel wasn’t about to make any financial commitments without doing a little homework of his own.
    “Well, maybe later. Do you have any pictures?”
    “Yes, I had some sent with the file. If you like, I could supply them with the forms for signature.”
    “Yes, please. What’s your address? I’ll come over after lunch to give you whatever you need.”
    Daniel wrote the address on a notepad. He vaguely recognized the street name. It wasn’t an area he would otherwise stop in; it was an area you would find an alternative path around when traveling across the city. He hung up wondering if he should have inquired more about the relation this man had to his family tree, but it was best to ask someone he knew better. Art was the one person on his mind he needed to talk with this morning anyway.
    “Nancy, can you check to see if Art’s in a meeting?”
    “Right away.”
    Nancy had access to appointment calendars and schedules for all of the firm’s board members on her computer, a tool that came in handy on many occasions.
    “Sorry, he’s out of the office today. Do you want me to put you in his calendar for tomorrow? There are some empty blocks showing in the morning.”
    “Please, and first thing, if possible.”
    Daniel knew he could call Art anytime on the cell phone that Art’s wife Linda had given him. She insisted that he carry it for emergency reasons. Apparently, it was a highly recommended practice, according to the talk show host Linda watched daily.
    Even calling the home at night would have been acceptable. But why bother him on his time when Daniel was the only one of the two most likely to lose another night’s sleep over the ordeal? It could wait another day.
    Near the day’s end, after almost a dozen calls, another rushed lunch at his desk, and two afternoon appointments for portfolio reviews, Nancy jogged his memory and reminded him to stop by the attorney’s office. She had seen the notepad on his desk earlier and trusted her instincts that a reminder would be in order.
    Alert now, he asked her to call ahead and advise Mr. Stines that he was en route, as though he had left much earlier. He then gave Nancy a few instructions for the morning and headed toward the elevator.
    “Oh, Nancy, what did the market close at today?”
    “I think it was either up or down from yesterday,” Nancy replied jokingly.
    This was something she had heard him state numerous times when talking with clients, often trying to settle their nerves with a little humor. It was common for a new client to call the day after a large equity purchase. Investors tended to check the newspaper for the stock prices and compare them to what they had paid only a day before.
    Fifty percent of