Page 36 of Operation: Sharp Angel

“Would his immediate supervisor or coworkers have any examples of his abrasive personality to share?” Tessman asked.

“We’re interested in speaking with them to also see if they noticed anything different about him in the days leading up to the murders,” Jackson added.

“The police already talked with them,” Shirley moaned. “If it wasn’t Nick, who did it? Couldn’t it have just been random violence? Someone broke in and killed them.”

“And made it look like Nick killed them and then killed himself?” Tessman questioned.

“Some psychopathic serial killer who did it just to see if he could get away with it,” Shirley suggested.

“Unlikely,” Tessman countered with no explanation.

“This next question is merely an inquiry. We have absolutely nothing to even suggest this but we’re looking at all possibilities,” Jackson began. “Is there any chance Nick DeSoto was doing side work for any other organization or for his own personal gain?”

“Moonlighting?” she said with a gasp. “I suppose it’s possible, but I don’t know why he would. He and Nicole made more than enough money here at Well-Life and I know Nicole inherited quite a bit from her parent’s estate.”

“What happened with Madeline Fuller’s interest or ownership in the company after her death? Did her children inherit it?” Tessman asked.

“No, per the agreement the partners made at the organization’s inception, her share of ownership was divided equally between the two remaining partners.”

“That would be James Standish and Marvin Ackman,” Tessman said.

“Yes,” she agreed.

“So, if one of the other partners dies, their full share goes to the last remaining partner, correct?” Tessman asked.

“Yes,” Shirley confirmed.

“And if they were both to die together, what would happen then?” Jackson asked.

“Per the terms of the agreement made by the owners at the organization’s inception, ownership would then be an employee-owned company.”

“How does that work?” Tessman asked. He’d never heard of such a thing.

Shirley’s face scrunched up in an exasperated scowl. “I’m not going to explain the principle to you. Google it when you get the chance. Now, if there are no other questions, we’re finished here until you have a warrant.”

Jackson checked his phone and smiled. He held his phone up. “I actually have it right here. We’ll take those two personnel files now, please.”

Shirley Craig’s face turned pale. “I require a printed copy.”

Jackson swiped on his screen. “I see several printers in the building in the print menu. Which shall I send it to?”

Shirley abruptly stood. “Come with me to my office. We’ll do it there.”

Tessman shot Jackson a satisfied smile as they followed Shirley Craig from the conference room.

Indigo

“Lunch is here,” Angel announced from the doorway, bringing Becca’s attention to her.

“Thank you,” Becca said, looking up from the stack of papers she was going through. “I’ll probably come grab something in about a half hour. I want to finish this bin. It’ll still be out, won’t it?”

“Yes, I usually leave it out for an hour. Feel free to come to the kitchen whenever you’d like,” Angel said.

“Thank you, I will,” Becca answered. Then she got back to work.

About an hour later her stomach growled and she figured a break from scrutinizing every piece of paper in the bins would do her good. She was sure by now that no one would be left in the kitchen, not that she knew how many people worked in the building who would be getting lunch. She just preferred to stay out of their way.

She made her way through the hallway. Passing Angel’s desk, which she was not at, she continued to the kitchen. There, she found Angel, two other women, and a little girl who was probably around four or five. The little girl sat far back on the kitchen table and one of the other women, a stunning woman who was very pregnant, adjusted an ankle bracelet on the little girl.

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