Page 41 of New Day at the Beach House

Roxie moved toward the stairs. “Maybe we can compare notes later on what he tells us?”

Claire nodded. “Yes. Let’s do that.”

“All right. Sorry to barge in on you.”

“It’s fine. I probably would have done the same if I’d opened mine first.” Claire glanced at the check again as Roxie went back downstairs. How could the insurance company have gotten it so wrong?

She put the check back in the envelope and put that on her nightstand for safekeeping, then went back to make coffee.

Kat came out of her room dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. “Coffee smells good.”

Claire just nodded as she pulled up Kinnerman’s number on her phone.

“Are you okay? You look…not like yourself.”

“The life insurance check came. It’s half the amount it’s supposed to be.”

Kat’s brows bent. “Probably just a clerical error.”

Claire shook her head. “Roxie got the same wrong amount, too.”

Kat leaned her hip against the counter. “That would be a strange coincidence.”

“Which means it’s probably not.”

“Have you called the attorney yet?”

Claire looked at the time. “No, but his office should be open by now. I’ll go into the bedroom. Help yourself to coffee. I won’t be long.”

Kat just nodded as Claire went to her room.

She sat on the bed as she tapped the button to call.

Kinnerman’s receptionist answered and Claire asked to speak to him. The woman put her through.

“Good morning, Claire.”

“Good morning, Charles. Roxanne and I got the insurance checks this morning. Neither one is for the right amount.”

“How do you know that?”

Claire closed her eyes and tried not to say anything she’d regret. “Bryan had one point two million in insurance. Which means we should have gotten six hundred thousand apiece. We didn’t. We each got three hundred thousand.”

“That’s the correct amount.”

She barked out an angry laugh. “Charles, I can do basic math. Three hundred is not half of one point two million.”

There was a moment of silence, then he cleared his throat. “There were…other beneficiaries.”

“Other beneficiaries? Like who?”

“I’m not able to share that information with you.”

A little anger unfurled in her belly. “I was his wife. Of course you can share it with me.”

“Not according to the stipulations laid out in Bryan’s will.”

“You never said anything about this when you read his will.”

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