LITMIR.BIZ

      Chapter One

      I, Marcus Malcom McCoy, being of sound mind, yadda, yadda, yadda, do hereby acknowledge as my biological progeny the first born to Helen Metzger, Ann Branigan, Bonnie Larson and Nadine Anders et al, who have been paid a million dollars each for their silence. Upon my death and subsequent reading of this addendum to my last will and testament, they shall inherit equal portions of my estate and, excepting Helen’s child, Alexander, who already has the privilege, immediately take their rightful places in the family and family business, whatever it may be at that time. Marcus M. McCoy

      Tuning out the chatter from the party in full swing on the other side of the study’s locked doors, Alexander McCoy slumped back in the big desk chair. He stared at the scrawled signature at the bottom of the handwritten page, tugging loose his black tuxedo’s traditional bow tie. If only he could tune out the burn of betrayal as easily.

      For what seemed to be the hundredth time, he had to admit to himself that he was definitely looking at the signature of the man he’d spent his life believing to be his brother. The brother he’d initially admired, then set out to be as different from as possible. And only Marcus would have had the nerve to belittle legalities by actually writing yadda, yadda, yadda, especially on something as important as an addendum to his last will and testament.

      Even if Alex could harbor any doubts, he would have a hard time dismissing the word of David Weidman. The McCoys’ longtime family lawyer had witnessed Marcus write the addendum—though David claimed not to have read the document before sealing it into the heavy cream envelope that bore his signature and noting the existence of the unorthodox addendum in the actual will.

      The will had been read nearly a month ago, four days after Marcus was killed on June 8, while fly-fishing in Alaska, by a grizzly bear that hadn’t appreciated the competition. Before the reading, Alex had grieved for the relationship he’d hoped to one day develop with his much older brother. Now…

      Of all the ways Alex’s jet-setting, “client-relations” guru brother—father—could

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