Read Online Unraveled by Maggie Sefton - Free Book Online Page A

head sadly. “That deal is as dead as Turner.” She pulled the heavy oak door open and sailed through, Kelly following.
    “I’m sorry, Jen,” Kelly commiserated. “Listen, if you need money—”
    “Yeah, I know, and I appreciate the offer,” Jennifer said, as she walked into the main knitting room. She dropped her knitting bag on the table. “It’s just we were so close . . . it’s so frustrating.” She sank into a chair.
    Kelly pulled out the chair beside her. “What’s happening now? Is it in legal limbo, or is the contract invalid since the seller is no longer alive to execute the transaction.”
    Jennifer pulled circular needles and a peach-colored yarn out of her knitting bag. “Actually, there is a possibility that Turner’s widow might want to sell the property eventually. After all, their divorce wasn’t final, so she’s still his wife and inherits everything. Anita says they had no children.” Jennifer examined the two inches of completed stitches on her needles. “But, that doesn’t help me now. That’s why I’m actually picking up some additional catering jobs at the university.”
    “Jen, you don’t have to do that. I’ll loan you the money,” Kelly offered, taking out a ball of multicolored yarn. About an inch of scarf hung on the wooden needles.
    Jennifer held up her hand. “I know, but I’d much rather earn it myself, Kelly. If I really get into a bind, I’ll let you know. But right now, I’m hanging on. These extra catering jobs hopefully will see me through. And, I was working phone duty this afternoon, and I have a couple wanting to go out and look at some short-sale houses, so that’s promising.”
    “Fingers crossed.” Kelly held hers up. “Meanwhile, I feel sorry for those short sellers. How much under market value are they offering the property?”
    “Twenty thousand.”
    Kelly visibly flinched. “Wow, that’s brutal.”
    “Tell me about it.” Jennifer sighed as her needles picked up speed. “That’s what this housing crash has done to people. If they’re laid off or their jobs are cut to part time, they’re forced to sell. It’s awful to watch. They literally break down in tears when I show them how much money they’ll have to bring to the closing. If the house sells, and that’s a big ‘if.’ There’re scores of marked-down properties on the market right now.”
    Kelly couldn’t help but think of Steve’s Wellesley development where Lisa and Greg were renting one of the houses. The last time she’d met her friends there, she counted the same number of houses for sale she’d seen the month before. Kelly couldn’t help counting. She was an accountant. That’s what she did.
    “At least one of the Wellesley houses is now under contract. It’s finally worked through the foreclosure process, and one of the agents in my office had the buyers. Plus, another agent may have a buyer for one of the Wellesley two-stories that’s a short sale.”
    Wondering if Jennifer read her mind, Kelly deliberately tried to sound nonchalant. “That’s good.”
    “Yeah, Steve was pretty happy to hear that last Friday night when he came over to Lisa and Greg’s,” Jennifer continued, without looking up from her busy needles. “He’s looking pretty beat. Working too hard. His boss apparently is participating in the joint project Warner’s working on in Denver. That’s why you saw Steve at that meeting. His boss put him in charge.”
    Kelly concentrated on the multicolored stitches forming on her needle and didn’t answer. This recycled silk yarn was different. She didn’t know if it would tighten up on the needles or not.
    Jennifer kept on anyway, as if Kelly was interested in the conversation. Which she wasn’t. Not a bit. Steve’s work was his business.
    “We told Steve you saw him at the meeting,” Jennifer continued blithely, still focusing on her knitting. Stitches forming. “He nearly fell off the couch, kicking himself.”
    Kelly couldn’t keep her