Thank you, Rosemary, for sharing this chilling excerpt.
Chapter One
It was a little after four o'clock on
the thirtieth day of December. The Bay Street and Wall Street stock markets had
just closed when an attractive dark-haired woman rushed into my office. Her
china-blue eyes were pleading. "Mrs. Tierney, I need to speak to
you."
"You can't just barge in
here," said Rose Sisto, our administrative assistant. "I'm sorry,
Pat, she ran past me."
The New Year was almost here and I had
work to finish up because the girls and I planned to drive up north in the
morning. I was about to tell Rose to head on home and I decided now would be a
good time to do so. "I'll take care of it, Rose. Call it a day. I'll lock
up."
Rose scowled at the woman and then
nodded to me. "Thanks, Pat." She offered me a cautious smile.
"Happy New Year." She closed the office door.
I motioned to the woman to take the
chair that faced my desk.
"You've caught me at
a bad time, Ms.…"
She extended her hand. "Seaton.
Jude Seaton."
I hesitated and then shook it.
"I'm very busy."
"I'll pay for your time, of
course." She dug into her shoulder bag.
I held up a hand. "Five minutes.
Then, I'll write a note for Rose to book you an appointment in January. And my
fees only apply to my clients. Until you and I decide to work together, there's
no charge. Who referred you to us?"
"It…it's not what you think. I don't need an
investment advisor."
I slid my chair back. "Then why
come to me?" I was sure she was going to try to sell me something, until I
saw tears glisten on her cheeks.
I pushed a box of tissues across the
desk. She patted her face and fixed her eyes on me again.
What
was she up to?
"It's my little boy, Tommy. I'm
afraid someone will…" She
worried her hands together. "Hurt him."
"Your little boy?"
She took a deep breath. "I've
heard a lot about you. Gemma Johannsen is a friend of mine."
Gemma had come to my late husband,
Michael for investment advice when she had inherited her uncle's large estate.
I'd managed her money for the past four years, since Michael's death.
"I realize this
is a strange request, but…I need someone to take Tommy over the New Year, while
I sort things out. Would you…"
I stared at her and wondered whether
she was crazy. She was in her mid-thirties, nicely dressed in slim-fitting
black trousers and a black cashmere turtleneck. Well groomed. Didn't
look like a head case, but…
"Ms. Seaton, if your son is in
danger, you need the police."
"No. No police."
I was taken aback. "They'll know
how to handle whatever this is."
"Absolutely no police."
I frowned. She was up to something she
didn't want the police to know about. I wanted her out of my office.
I stood up. "Surely this is a
matter for your family."
"I can't leave Tommy with my
mother or my sister. Or any of my friends."
I didn't need this. I walked over to
the door and opened it. "Look, Ms. Seaton, I've had enough. You must have
noticed in the listings downstairs that our name is Tierney Pratt Financial.
We're a financial services firm, not a child-care center."
The woman's eyes seemed to grow larger
in her pale face. "I don't know where else to go, and I didn't think you'd
turn Tommy away."
"Whatever made you think
that?"
"Tommy," she started, in a
voice not much louder than a whisper, "is Michael's son."
I stared at her and let her words sink
in. She held my gaze.
"Michael?”
I asked. “My husband?"
-30-
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August 21 - 23, 2012
Eileen Schuh, Canadian Author
Schrödinger's Cat
THE TRAZ
www.eileenschuh.com
2 comments:
Safe Harbor is an exciting mystery. Kept me in suspense until the last page. Eileen - it's great of you to share this and help Rosemary get the word out about her novel.
Thank you for visiting, Kristina.
Due to being under an editing deadline, I haven't had a chance yet to read this book, but it certainly sounds intriguing.
What a great first chapter, eh?
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