Semiautomatic Marriage. Leona Karr

I’d say.”

      Bancroft beamed. “Arthur Stanford made a new will just a few months before his death. Carolyn, you’re the primary beneficiary.”

      The lawyer proceeded to inform her that Stanford had bequeathed her fifty-one percent of Horizon Pharmaceuticals, his elegant mansion and other considerable monetary assets.

      She stared at both men incredulously, her blue eyes rounding. What kind of macabre joke was this? She’d never been one to believe in fairy tales, and she certainly didn’t believe in this one. It had to be a hoax! A cruel manipulation of some kind.

      Seeing a red flush mounting her neck, Adam said quickly, “It’s true, Carolyn. Your grandfather died several weeks ago, and all the legalities are settled. There were just a few necessary verifications to make before telling you.”

      “You’re expecting me to believe that Arthur Stanford bypassed everyone else to leave a fortune to his long-lost granddaughter?”

      “Yes, Carolyn, that’s exactly what has happened.”

      “What about the other people in his life?” Carolyn demanded as a blessed logical detachment allowed her to get her emotions under control. She wanted facts. She wasn’t about to accept anything at face value. Especially not a Cinderella story like the one they were trying to lay on her. “There were other people in his life, weren’t there?”

      “Yes,” Bancroft answered readily. “There is one son, your mother’s older brother, Jasper. He’s mentioned in the will, but in a lesser way.”

      “Why would Arthur Stanford do that? I mean, I don’t understand why he didn’t leave his son the company and everything else.”

      Adam spoke up. “Maybe because Jasper ran two companies and property of his own into bankruptcy, and his father had to bail him out. Obviously Stanford didn’t want the same thing to happen to Horizon.”

      “And there’s no one else?” she asked with a dry mouth.

      “No blood relation, other than Jasper. You’re the only one,” Bancroft answered. “Jasper is a laboratory scientist at Horizon, and your grandfather left him some stock, but you hold the controlling interest. Jasper never married, but he has maintained a five-year romantic relationship with Della Denison, a very capable career woman, who also works at Horizon. They live in the Stanford mansion, along with Della’s two children, both in their twenties.” He paused. “Apparently your grandfather found this arrangement amicable.”

      “But it may not continue to be so when you take up residency there,” Adam warned her. “Remember, Carolyn, in the end you will be the one to decide if any changes need to be made. Everything has been put on hold since your grandfather’s death.”

      “Until all the legalities are finalized,” Bancroft said, “I can arrange for generous funds to be available to you to take care of your immediate financial needs.” As he continued to expand on the details of the will, Carolyn’s doubts began to fade, and a flood of questions took their place.

      Adam leaned toward her and waited for her eyes to meet his before he said, “It’s important that I share some disturbing facts with you now, Carolyn, before you move into the role of a wealthy heiress.”

      Heiress. The word lacked any meaning for her. She’d never had enough money to cover her monthly expenses. Her secondhand car had more than a hundred thousand miles on it. At the moment she was unemployed since no one had jumped at her résumé or brand-new medical degree.

      “Your grandfather’s death was a surprise to everyone,” Adam told her. “Very unfortunate.”

      “Was he ill?” she asked, wishing she could have been at his side. Her medical training might have counted for something if she could have cared for him.

      The way Carolyn’s expectant gaze was fixed on him made Adam wish he had more than just empirical facts to tell her. He knew she was in for another shock. “No, it wasn’t illness that ended his life. I’m sorry I have to tell you that your grandfather was a victim of a hit-and-run driver.”

      She stared at him, a sickening lump lodged in her throat. Maybe her grandfather had planned to reveal himself to her, but met an untimely death before it happened. She felt an even greater loss, knowing how he’d died.

      “Stanford was killed in a waterfront location, and there seems to be some question whether his death was accidental.”

      At first his words refused to penetrate. Then she said in disbelief, “You mean someone deliberately hit him?”

      “We don’t know. That’s why I’m here, Carolyn.” He reached into his pocket and drew out a badge. “I’m a federal investigator, and among other things, I’m assigned to cover your grandfather’s suspicious death.”

      “You’re not a lawyer? I mean, I thought—”

      “I work for the FDA. Mr. Bancroft asked me to be here because he knows I’ve been investigating Arthur Stanford’s affairs. Since you are his beneficiary, you’ll be able to help me.”

      “Help you? With what? I don’t see—”

      “You’ll be in a position to look into every aspect of the company and have access to family affairs.”

      She gave a shaky laugh as she shook her head. “I have no idea what you have in mind, but I certainly need more time and information before I can handle any of this.” She stood up. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but my head is reeling. You’ll have to excuse me.”

      “I know this is a lot to absorb in such a short time,” Adam readily agreed. “But time is of the utmost importance, Carolyn. I hate to pressure you, but…”

      “I never make decisions under pressure. Whatever you have to say, Mr. Lawrence, will have to wait.” She used her professional tone, masking the racing of her heart.

      An heiress. A mansion. Horizon.

      She gave them both a mechanical smile and hurriedly left the office. Maybe all this was on the up-and-up, but her emotions were in such a tangle at the moment she couldn’t be sure. Could it really be that her grandfather had found her? She wanted to believe the unbelievable, but her intuition was quivering like an antenna trying to catch warning vibes. The handsome Adam Lawrence, obviously, wanted a commitment of some kind from her. What was his real agenda? Why had the lawyer included him in the meeting? There’d been moments she’d instinctively responded to his smile and the touch of his hand, but now she wondered if he’d been deliberately manipulating her emotions.

      With her thoughts whirling like an off-center helicopter, she crossed the lot to her car, parked at the back of the small brick building. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door of her old car. After sliding into the worn front seat, she sat there for a long minute. She needed to go home, go over all the legal papers again, get on the Internet and see what information she could pull up on Horizon Pharmaceuticals. As her analytical approach to problems settled her emotions, she turned the key in the ignition.

      The engine refused to turn over. After repeated tries she slapped the steering wheel in exasperation. She’d been having trouble with it for more than a month, but had been trying to put off the expense of car repair as long as possible.

      She silently swore and then tried again, but no luck. The irony of the situation hit her when she looked out the window and saw Adam Lawrence walking across the parking lot, heading for her car. It was obvious from his expression that he’d heard the starter grinding.

      She had little choice but to roll down the window and nod at his friendly “Won’t start, huh?”

      His grin only made her feel more testy. Brilliant deduction. Were all FDA agents so perceptive?

      “Would you like me to try?” he offered.

      “Thanks, but don’t bother.” She didn’t want to prolong the embarrassment. It didn’t take a mechanic to know that the old car was heading for the junkyard. What to do now?