When Lightning Strikes Twice Read Online Free Page B

she was angry with, though his diffident air and lack of competitive zeal tended to irritate her even at the best of times. Which this morning definitely wasn’t.
    “I suggest you read it.” Her suggestion sounded more like a command, but Rachel didn’t care. She wanted Saxon support, Saxon unity—Saxon outrage! And since Aunt Eve was out of the office this morning, the support, unity, and outrage would have to be supplied by Wade.
    Surely not even he could remain immune to this deliberateinsult from that unmitigated master of legal gall, Quinton Cormack.
    Wade removed a document from the envelope. “The Last Will and Testament of Townsend Tilden Senior. It’s dated four months ago.” He glanced at the neon green Post-it note stuck to the top page. For your reading enjoyment was handwritten in broad bold strokes and signed, Q. Cormack .
    “Uh-oh!” Wade grimaced wryly. “We’ve been Cormacked.”
    Since the Pedersen defeat, Wade had developed the annoying habit of using Cormack’s name as a verb. Loosely translated, to be Cormacked meant to be unsuspectingly kicked in the head and left reeling. A rather effective description of the way she was feeling at this moment.
    “For your reading enjoyment!” Rachel fumed. “Cormack is mocking us, Wade. He—He’s laughing in our faces!”
    “Wonder why he sent the will to you instead of Aunt Eve?” Wade studied the envelope, which was addressed to Rachel Saxon and marked personal. “An egalitarian touch, maybe? Q. Cormack is letting us know that unlike the Tildens he doesn’t mind dealing with lowly junior partners?”
    “He sent it to me to remind me of the Pedersen case—and how I lost it to him. He is implying that the same thing is going to happen with this phony new will scheme he’s conjured up with that—that tramp!”
    Wade’s lips quirked. “May I assume that tramp you’re referring to would be the young Widow Tilden?”
    “Don’t you dare try and make a joke of this, Wade! It isn’t funny. Take a look at the signature page. Look who he has down as witnesses!”
    Wade flipped to the final page containing the signatures of those persons who had officially witnessed the signing of the will. The witnesses who would testify under oath in court, when asked, as to the mental state of Town Senior at the time of the signing.
    His eyes widened. “Reverend Andrews of the LakeviewPresbyterian Church, Rabbi Newman of Temple Sinai, Cherry Hill, and Father Cleary of St. Philomena’s, Lakeview. Hmm, pretty impeccable list, Rachel. Imagine this crew taking the stand in court. Who would want to try and impeach any one of them? Ingenious.”
    “Ingenious? Ha! Don’t you see, Wade? It’s all a scam. The entire thing is just a Quinton Cormack con job. Those three witnesses—”
    “Do you think Cormack was going for some sort of Three Wise Men symbolism, or is this trio a nod to political correctness?”
    “Wade, stop kidding around! Those so-called witnesses didn’t witness a thing, none of them signed that will! But Quinton Cormack is hoping we’ll believe they did.”
    “Uh, I’m not exactly following you here, Rachel.”
    “Quinton Cormack thinks I’m stupid and naive.” Rachel seethed. “Oh, I know exactly what he’s doing, Wade. This faux list of witnesses is a despicable ploy by that snake. It’s his less-than-subtle way of telling me that he thinks I’m an incompetent idiot!”
    “Cormack is really psyching you out,” Wade said thoughtfully.
    “No, he isn’t! He might try, but he’ll never succeed!”
    “I’d say he’s already halfway there if he has you believing that Town Tilden’s will is a little memento betweeen you two. And if you really believe he forged the signatures of a minister, a rabbi, and a priest, Cormack has you right where he wants you, Rach.”
    “I shouldn’t have expected you to understand!”
    “Rachel, Cormack realizes how much you personalized the Pedersen case and he’s working that. Meanwhile, you’re