Read Online Scammed by Ron Chudley - Free Book Online Page A

understood. Yet they couldn’t have foreseen the repercussions. No one could. What had occurred was purely unpredictable, with no one directly to blame.
    Yet the sequence had required a specific trigger: not a real actor this time, but an anonymous cipher, a concocted persona whose very title was a brazen lie—the account inspector.
    As Greg sat in solitude, trying to wring some sense out of the confusion that had taken over his life, it began to appear that everything despicable had at its core the kind of heartless evil that had led to the conning and ultimate death of his parents.
    â€œOne day!” Greg murmured, oblivious to everything but the rage that now seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his heart. “ One day . . . !”

NINE
    â€œG oodness, Greg,” his sister said. “Are you okay?” “What do you mean?”
    â€œYou sound odd. Almost like you’ve been drinking.”
    Greg laughed dryly into the phone. “Very perceptive. I’ve been into Dad’s Scotch, if you must know. He left quite a supply.”
    â€œWell, good for you. Are you staying at the house?”
    â€œFor a day or two, till I get stuff organized. I found Dad’s will, by the way.”
    â€œWhat does it say?”
    â€œIt’s surprisingly clear and simple. Mum being gone, everything passes to us equally. I’m named as executor. Is that okay with you?”
    â€œOf course. Dad didn’t approve of either of us much, but at least he knew how painfully honest you are.”
    â€œPainful being the operative word, eh?”
    â€œThat’s not what I meant. Look—I’m sorry I haven’t been over. After Mum—did what she did—there didn’t seem to be much point. That was shocking, but I guess I’m not completely surprised.”
    He hadn’t told Jill about his recent discoveries—not the cancer, not the bank fraud, not any of the tangled web that had led to their parents’ deaths. It was so sordid and sad, it was hard to imagine telling it to anyone. Perhaps Jill had a right to know, or maybe she’d be happier in the dark. He was still too disturbed and angry to decide about that. Her last words, however, made him wonder if perhaps she’d suspected more than he knew. “Oh?” he replied. “Why would you say that?”
    â€œWell, we both know how they were—Dad wrapped up in his damn painting and Mum wrapped up in him. Let’s be honest, when we left home, they probably hardly even noticed. So, after Dad up and died unexpectedly, I can see Mum thinking she had nothing else to live for and—you know—just wanting to follow right along. Don’t you see that?”
    If only it had been so simple. Yet it was a perfectly plausible explanation, and perhaps better left that way. “I guess so,” he said. “Are you planning to come over sometime soon?”
    After a small pause, Jill said, “Greg, to tell the truth, I’ve been pretty snowed under here. And you certainly don’t need me to help with the organizing. You’re so good at that. So there’s just the question of a memorial. Do you think they’d have wanted one?”
    â€œI doubt it. I went out and picked up the ashes, but I’ve no idea what to do with them. Neither of them were religious, as you know very well. They kept so much to themselves, they hardly had any friends. I can’t think of anyone—except the neighbours, the Lynleys. The old guy’s dead and Mrs. Lynley’s pretty sick, so that just leaves Lucy. You remember Lucy Lynley?”
    â€œYes. Is she still at home?”
    â€œCame back to look after her mum. She was taking painting lessons from Dad, as a matter of fact.”
    â€œOh. How interesting.”
    Greg could tell by his sister’s tone just now un interested she was, and that her mind was rapidly deploying elsewhere. “I’m going to be staying at the