Murdered in the Man Cave (A Riley Reed Cozy Mystery) by R. Barri Flowers

our lives, as he would have wanted,
even while his killer remained on the loose.
     

CHAPTER
TEN
     
    The Ormond, York, and McBride Law Firm was
located in downtown Cozy Pines, occupying the entire third floor of
the Bainbridge Building. Brianna greeted us inside the lobby.
    "Thanks for coming," she said. "I know this
has been a difficult time for both of you."
    "Not as hard as it's been for my uncle,"
Emily said tonelessly. "He should be here too..."
    Brianna nodded and said, "In fact, in some
ways Brent will be here with us as we carry out his last
wishes."
    "That's true," I told her, remembering that
Brent would be speaking to us on video, making it seem like he was
still alive.
    Brianna extended her arm toward a hallway.
"Why don't we head into the conference room? Everyone else is
already there waiting."
    Admittedly, I was curious as to who that
entailed, though I was pretty sure I knew at least some of those
Brent would have chosen among his beneficiaries.
    We stepped inside a large room with a long
conference table. Seated around it were Brent's ex-wives—Deidre,
Ashley, and Margo—along with Pierce, the housekeeper Luisa and,
surprisingly, Brent's girlfriend, Ivana Croxley. Noticeably absent
was Brent's former girlfriend, Karla Terrell.
    "I'm sure that you all know Emily, Brent's
niece," Brianna said. "And Riley Reed, a longtime friend of
Brent's."
    "Oh yes, we all know Emily and most of us
know Riley," Pierce said.
    "I definitely know Ms. Reed," Ashley said
tartly. "She was the one who got away. Or at least Brent seemed to
think so."
    I cocked a brow and said to her, "I think
Brent and I parted mutually. If he told you otherwise—"
    "He didn't have to," she claimed. "It was
always Riley this and Riley that. At times, I honestly found it
quite nauseating."
    "Sorry you felt that way," I said. "But you
were the one he chose to marry and vice versa. That should count
for something."
    "Maybe it will." She rolled her eyes and
leaned back in the chair.
    "Leave Riley alone," Margo said. "I think we
all know that Brent was far from perfect, and the same holds true
for each of us. Let's not blame others for our own faults."
    She flashed Ashley a hard look and she
offered no response.
    "Indeed, let's show some respect for the
dead," Pierce said. "Which, I assume is the reason we're all
here."
    Emily frowned. "My uncle invited everyone for
a reason. Don't take that from him."
    "Well, perhaps now we can move on to the
order of business," Deidre muttered, glancing at her watch. "My
husband's waiting patiently for me outside, bless his heart."
    "Agreed," Brianna said. She glanced at me,
and then Emily, before saying, "Why don't you both take a seat and
we'll get started."
    Emily slid into a chair next to Margo and I
sat beside Pierce.
    "Are you ready for whatever Brent has in
store for us?" he whispered.
    "I have no choice in the matter," I told him.
"After all, isn't that why we're here?"
    "Good point. Let the show begin."
    We watched as Brianna pointed a remote at a
big screen television on the wall. Momentarily, Brent's handsome
face filled the screen.
    "Greetings, everyone," he said, with a smile
on his face. "Sorry I can't be there with you in person, but
obviously that's not possible at this stage of my journey from
there to wherever I've ended up. I'm sure my wonderful attorney,
Brianna, has informed you that I've requested this reading of my
will as a prelude to the more formal and standard probate process,
in which you will all receive a copy at the appropriate time.
    "I would like to begin by saying that I
recently learned I have early stage Alzheimer's disease. It's
obviously a ravaging affliction for which there is no cure, so all
I can do is try to make the most of the time in which I am still
lucid and can care for myself. Please don't feel sorry for me, as
I've had a full life and have to let the chips fall where they
may.
    "That said, I also have to be realistic and
prepare for the worst, which brings me to this