Page 49 of Out of the Shadows
“Perhaps. But why? She has a settlement, Logan isn’t going to go back to her.”
“I don’t know why,” Margo said. “But I sensed she was up to something.”
“Just because she had dinner with an associate of Logan’s doesn’t mean she has ulterior motives.”
Margo snorted. “She does. I just don’t know what they are yet.”
“This is odd,” Tess said and straightened in her chair.
Margo and Ava looked over at Tess. “What?” they said in unison.
“Every file I’ve looked at is a family law case, with a few NDA agreements here and there, mostly for Roger Rapperson and a few other prominent businesspeople.”
“Same here,” Ava said.
“This is a certified letter sent to John Thornton stating that he had been listed in the last will and testament of Bernadette Kay Willis. The letter indicates that he needed to return the affidavit and the items would be sent to him by courier upon receipt.”
“What items?”
“It doesn’t say. But the affidavit isn’t in the letter, so I assume he returned it.”
Margo looked up Bernadette Kay Willis on her phone. “Wow, she was an heiress to a small fortune. Ninety-two when she died, had two daughters, one grandson. Donated most of her money to UCLA and the LA Museum. Born in Los Angeles, died in Los Angeles.” She scrolled, read quickly. “Thornton was her godson.”
“The letter came from a law firm in Los Angeles,” Tess said.
“When did she die?” Ava asked.
“February.”
“Right before John died,” Ava said. “So tragic.”
“This letter was delivered on February 27,” Tess said. “He could have received the package days after returning the affidavit.”
“John died March 3,” Ava said. “He may never have received it.”
“And maybe it was boxed up in his things?” Margo said. “Wouldn’t his partner have opened it? Given it to his family?”
“I couldn’t say,” Ava said. “Did Lorraine mention anything?”
“No. In fact, she already had another job because Hedge was shutting down the office. Tess,” Margo continued, “did you track him down yet?”
“He’s living in Florida. I reached out, but he hasn’t gotten back to me.”
“Maybe the bequeathed item was worth something,” Margo said.
“If it was, why would it be in a storage unit?” Ava said. “And we can’t assume that it was. We’re making some leaps.”
“Plausible leaps,” Margo said. “We know Charlie left the O’Neill house with something the size of a shoebox. He returned the U-Haul, picked up his truck, and Bishop Securities tracked him down to Los Angeles.”
“And,” Tess said, “I reached out to the motel where he was staying and he checked out this morning.”
“So he could be on his way back,” Margo said.
“Why Los Angeles?” Ava said.
“The letter about the will is from a lawyer in Los Angeles,” Tess said.
“Where was Charlie’s motel?” Margo asked.
