Skeletons in the closet (Secret of the Unicorn Queen Fanfic)

One

Six years later:

The phone was ringing when Sheila McCarthy blew into the kitchen from getting her daughter onto the bus for school. Shedding her jacket and wiping the smattering of rain from her face. She didn't recognize the number so let her answering machine pick up the call while she poured herself a fresh cup of hot coffee.

Doctored with plenty of cream and sugar, Sheila breathed in the heady aroma, letting her eyes drift closed while the answering machine played through her greeting. "You've reached Sheila and Daryn. Sorry we missed your call, leave a message. Beeeeep!"

Pushing herself away from the counter, she made her way across the kitchen to the little table that sat against the wall. The breakfast dishes were still sitting there and she deftly picked them up and set them in the sink, filling them with water. She'd put them in the dishwasher later. First she needed to finish getting ready for work.

Taking a shallow sip of her coffee, she headed for the staircase kitchen while the caller decided whether or not to leave a message. She'd just lifted her foot for the first step when a deep voice rumbled through the answering machine.

"Er, yes. My name is Timothey Biggs from the law firm of Taylor & Biggs. This message is for Ms. Sheila McCarthy regarding the passing of Dr. Seymore Reit."

Sheila froze mid step and her heart suddenly plummeted into her stomach. Meanwhile the voice continued on, as though he hadn't just given her the kind of news that knocked her feet out from under her.

"Dr. Reit has left some of his estate to you in his Will and I would like to set up a time—"

Spinning around, she raced down the steps and into the kitchen where she snatched up the handset. "I'm here. I'm here. Hello?"

"Ms. McCarthy?" the man asked.

"Yes. Yes, I'm Sheila McCarthy." She took a deep breath in through her nose, trying to still her racing heart. "You said that Dr. Reit was...that he's passed?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Did you not know?"

Of course I didn't know! I've spent the last six years trying to erase every part of my life that reminded me of... of... "No, I wasn't aware."

"Well, this is awkward. My apologies and condolences."

"Thank you." She said dryly. The hand holding the phone was shaking so hard it was a wonder she was able to keep it pressed against her ear without rattling her head.

"As I said before, Dr. Reit has named you in his Will. Is there any chance you might be able to come to the estate so that we can put everything in order?"

The estate? "His old house, you mean?"

"Yes. The address is –"

"I know the address." It took everything in her not to snort. Was she familiar? She'd spent most of her afternoons after school at Dr. Reit's house. "When would be a good time to meet you there?"

"At your earliest convenience. The sooner the better though. The family is wishing to settle his affairs as soon as possible."

The thought of Dr. Reit having a family seemed strange to her. It was always just him in that big Victorian house. He never talked about having a family and Sheila never thought to ask.

Gritting her teeth, she tried not to let the idea of his family settling his affairs as soon as possible bother her. In the grand scheme of things, she really knew very little about the eccentric scientist.