Page 42 of Out of the Shadows
Margo stood in the doorway and stared at the stacks of boxes and paperwork and groaned. Two of Aunt Rita’s interns were rapidly sorting through files. “I hope you don’t need my help.”
“No,” Ava said. “I think I know what files caused all this drama.”
Ava sat at the head of the table with a short stack of about a dozen thin file folders. “John Thornton primarily worked in family law, but on occasion he handled confidential nondisclosure agreements. He kept a copy of everything, including his personal notes—” she put her hand on the folders “—and there is scathing information in these files. Some are straightforward—such as an employee agreement not to share proprietary information upon separation from a company. And some are more personal. I’ve culled these files as being noteworthy.”
“You narrowed it down, but that’s still a lot of people to talk to.”
“Thirteen, but I just spoke with Logan and one name jumps out at him.” Ava handed Margo a sticky note with a name and address.
“Who’s Roger Rapperson?” she asked.
“He’s a member of Saguaro Springs and regularly golfs. According to Logan, he has a standing tee time every Thursday morning. Of all these potentials, he’s the most likely to have crossed paths with Charlie Barrett.” Ava handed Margo a file. “Maybe you should ask him about the NDA he signed with a woman named Melissa Fleischman for one million dollars in exchange for agreement to have an abortion and remain silent about their affair.”
Chapter Fifteen
Roger Rapperson co-owned a development company in Scottsdale—Fleischman & Rapperson Luxury Homes. The acronym FRLH was well known in the community, but until today, Margo hadn’t known the names of the principals.
By the time Margo reached their headquarters not far from Logan’s office, she knew exactly why Rapperson had Melissa sign the NDA eight years ago: He was married, and Melissa was his partner’s college-aged daughter. Tess was feeding her information on Melissa as she uncovered it. The NDA had no details in it other than the names of the parties and their signatures, but Thornton’s notes were incriminating.
Rapperson’s bulldog secretary refused to even tell Margo whether he was in the office. Margo knew Rapperson was in the building—she’d spotted his car in his helpfully labeled assigned parking place. His partner was also in the building, and Margo would use that to her advantage.
“Tell Roger that John Thornton sent me. If he doesn’t have time for me right now, maybe his wife would be interested in the information I have.” She handed the secretary a folded note that Margo had hastily written. It was just a name, but it would certainly put fear into Roger’s heart.
She didn’t want to do what Margo asked, but was green enough that she got on the phone and spoke in a hushed voice. Then she took Margo’s note and left the lobby.
Her phone vibrated and she read a long message from Tess, growing angrier with each sentence. When the secretary returned, Margo pocketed her phone.
“Follow me,” the woman said.
“What, no offer of coffee? Water? Champagne?” Margo said. All three had been offered to the couple who had entered immediately before Margo.
The woman said nothing, only led Margo down the hall, opened Roger’s door, and then firmly closed it behind Margo.
Roger’s spacious office had a view of the McDowell Mountains, which were in sharp contrast to the bright blue sky. He stood behind his large desk. If he thought that would intimidate her, he clearly didn’t know her.
“Are you with John Thornton’s office?” Roger demanded. She heard an underlying waver beneath his gruff tone.
She sat down even though he didn’t offer a seat. He remained standing, though his spine sagged. He was fifty and she didn’t know what a college girl saw in him. Sure, he was attractive and fit, but he was nearly twice Melissa’s age.
“I’m going to cut to the chase because I don’t have a lot of time. Tell me exactly why you’re looking for Charlie Barrett and who you hired to find him.”
Roger paled but kept his voice relatively steady.
“It is none of your concern. If you’re with Mr. Thornton’s office, you’ll understand the legal requirements—”
“Cut the bullshit, Roger. I’m not with Thornton’s office.”
“You said—”
“I said his name. I never said I worked for him. He died a few months back. His files were accidentally stored instead of shredded, but you knew that.” Margo considered what the Storage Spot manager had told her, and suspected Roger would attempt to get the files back through bribery before violence. “You tried to bribe the manager of the storage unit to let you take the files. You tried to pay Charlie for the files, but he didn’t want to part with them.”
“I did no such thing.” He tried, but failed, to sound indignant.
“You don’t get your hands dirty, but you sure as shit hired someone to do it. You had an affair with your partner’s daughter and paid her a million bucks to have an abortion and remain silent about your relationship. I don’t know if you wanted her to keep quiet so your wife didn’t find out or so your partner didn’t find out. Probably both.”
Roger sat down heavily.
“So you got your partner’s barely legal daughter pregnant,” Margo continued, “paid her off, and then she dropped out of college and cut ties with her family.”
