VEILED MIRROR Read Free Page A

leave my ministry here just now; the refugees are in great distress. But when she feels the need of God’s comfort, I would be honored to pray with her.”
    Fortunately, Palmer was Chris’s only relative. After that, she put off making the personal calls to his friends by phoning the lawyers and insurance company.
    “Your call is important to us,” a recorded voice intoned. “Please remain on the line and your call will be answered in the order in which it was received.” The music returned, relentlessly upbeat. In spite of herself, Beth started tapping her toe. She was nodding along with the rhythm of the third song when the sound of a human voice startled her.
    “This is Mark Johnson. How may I help you?”
    Beth jumped and stammered, “Uh, hello. I’m calling to let you know that one of your clients has passed away, and—”
    “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    “Thank you. I want to get some information on how to—”
    “Name of the deceased?”
    “Christopher N. Pontifore.”
    “Christopher M. Pontifore.” He repeated.
    “No, that’s N as in Nancy.”
    “Christopher Nancy Pontifore.”
    “No. Just N. I don’t know what it stands for.” She’d have to ask Ell.
    “Social?”
    She rattled off the number Ell had given her.
    “Are you the beneficiary?”
    “No, I’m his sister-in-law. I need to know—”
    “I’m sorry, I can’t give out personal information except to the beneficiary, and then only after we have received a certified copy of the death certificate.”
    “My sister—”
    “The beneficiary?”
    “I think so.” She didn’t know if Chris had gotten around to taking care of such things before the wedding or after they’d returned from the honeymoon. She hoped so, for the baby’s sake. Arizona was a community property state, but she knew that the bulk of Chris’s money was tied up in some kind of complicated family trust. Ell might need the insurance.
    “Anyway, my sister’s not up to making calls, so I—”
    “Do you have the policy number?”
    “No, I just—”
    “Then all I can do is send you a claim form.”
    “That’s all I wanted!” Beth snapped.
    “Address?” Mark sounded put out.
    Beth gave it to him, and hung up, feeling bad about losing her temper.
    Thank God she was here to take care of this crap for Ellie. She didn’t think her twin could handle this right now. It scared her how quiet her sister had been the last couple days. Ell stayed in her room with the blinds drawn, curled up on the bed she and Chris had shared, resisting both Beth’s and Maria’s efforts to get her up and out. It had taken only a few hours to plan the basics for the funeral, and nothing more could be done until the autopsy was complete. There was nothing to distract her sister from her sorrow. Beth felt helpless in the face of such grief.
    At least I can make these calls for her.
    Her gaze fell on the next name on the list: Jason Blackforth.
    Anticipation sizzled down her spine at the sight of his name, which she ruthlessly suppressed. They hadn’t spoken for four months. She didn’t want to talk to him now, but he was Chris’s best friend. He deserved to know.
    Talking to him would be awkward. They’d be oh, so careful and polite as they ignored the elephant in the room. The shame of it was they’d really connected, and now they weren’t even friends.
    The last time Beth had seen Jason had been four months ago, when he’d visited her in Las Cruces.
    When she’d opened the door of her little apartment, he was even more handsome than she’d remembered. The wedding photos, as good as they were, didn’t do him justice. A dark lock fell forward over his brow and his eyes widened in appreciation as his gaze skimmed over her like a caress. He wore black jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt that didn’t quite hide his muscles. She wanted to run her hands over his broad chest all the way around his wide shoulders, but somehow she restrained herself.
    He lifted a brow. “I do