“Unless Brian confessed, you know the evidence is weak,” Hollis said then stopped.
She shrugged a ‘sorry’ when Mosley’s scowled at being interrupted.
He continued, “He returned that evening. Someone recognized his car in the parking lot. Three hours later Wallace was found dead by the cleaning crew. Even though Brian Wallace likely ditched his clothing, we found evidence of gunshot residue on his shoes.”
“There are several logical reasons why that could be present that don’t indicate his guilt. What does Brian say?”
Mosley smirked. “Yeah, well, he lawyered up when we arrested him and refuses to speak.”
Smart man.
“What did he want Jeffrey to sign?”
Mosley looked at his watch. “We’re pretty sure it concerned some money Brian Wallace thought he was due.” He started to pack up papers.
Hollis rubbed her chin. Now things were starting to fall into place about why Jeffrey would let someone in. But Brian?
“Well, I’ll let you get back to your work, Detective. I really appreciate your meeting with me this morning.” Hollis went to the door.
“Ms. Morgan, you’re new at this.” He leaned over his desk. “I’ve been at this job for many years, and my gut tells me we got our man.”
Hollis raced through the rest of the afternoon, arrived at the library early, and waited, toe tapping, for the Fallen Angels to join her. She was anxious to get the latest updates.
Everyone arrived on time except Rena.
“We can tell something’s up from looking at your expression,” Gene said. “You don’t have to wait for Rena. Let’s get started.”
Miller nodded. “Yeah, you’ve got me sitting on the edge of my seat.”
Hollis was about to speak when Rena rushed in.
“I know. I’m not even going to bother apologizing. Except … I’m sorry.”
Rena tossed a folder on the table and quickly took off her jacket.
Richard looked at his watch. “Okay, Hollis, talk.”
She took a deep breath. “I’ve got a lot to tell, and nothing to tell.” They were all staring at her expectantly. “The biggest news is that the police arrested Brian for Jeffrey Wallace’s murder.”
Shock was evident on everyone’s face.
Richard recovered first. “You’re kidding me. That kid?”
“I don’t believe it,” Miller said. “What’s his motive?”
Hollis shrugged. “The detective in charge thinks it was the result of an argument between father and son over money.”
“That’s nuts. If Brian killed Jeffrey, why would he hire us to go after Frances over a routine trust?” Gene scratched his head thoughtfully. “He’d have a lot of other stuff on his mind.”
“Maybe he killed Jeffrey for his inheritance,” Rena offered. “Any inheritance, no matter how small, is still an inheritance. He may have only discovered later that his stepmother had it all coming to her first.”
Hollis started to pace. “No. He was the executor. He’d seen the trust. He knew Frances was first in line. He wasn’t questioning the validity of the trust, only Frances’ recent behavior.”
She stopped and looked at each of them in turn.
“That’s all I got. Does anyone have anything substantive to report?”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s why I was late.” Rena handed out copies of a sheet of paper. “A friend of mine put the word out with a few of his friends about Mrs. Frances Wallace. I found out the lady has an account with one of the biggest bookies in Nevada. But not under the name Frances Wallace. She uses Frances Cole, her maiden name.”
They all quickly read her handout.
“Who’s your friend, Al Capone?” Richard nudged her with his elbow.
“Big Al is dead, Richard,” Rena shot back. “It was in all the papers.”
Gene ignored them both. “Hollis, what did you find out about Frances’ background?”
Hollis knew her smile wasn’t a pleasant one. “Frances’ previous two ex-husbands are dead.”
“What is she, a black widow?” Richard sucked on his tooth.
A universal “wow” registered on the other faces, along with a few double takes.
“You need to tell the police. She must have—”
“I did. And, as I told you, they still arrested Brian. She must have an alibi.” Hollis folded her arms across her chest.
“Could she have hired someone?” Miller asked. “Maybe Jeffrey found out about her sideline. No, wait, he signed the tax returns.”
“Quick, check the signature, Richard.” Gene moved behind him to look over his shoulder.
Richard, glancing down at the page, shook his head. “If it’s a forgery, it’s an excellent one.”
Gene plucked at his eyebrows. “Her name doesn’t show up in any of the past news wires. Miller, did you find out anything from the hotel in Hawaii?”
“I talked with the on-duty desk clerk. After some prodding, he finally remembered them. Jeffrey got a bad sunburn and had to be taken to the hotel clinic.” Miller pulled out a slip of origami paper and started to fold. “He said the couple appeared okay. Each day they went out walking to the grocery store or the beach, and they took one or two of the hotel tours.”
Hollis held her head in her hands. “It looks like we need more background details about their finances before we can figure out where to go next.”
“Can we meet next week? I’m busy the first part of the week,” Richard said. “And this is moving kind of fast.”
Rena nodded. “Yeah. Fast in the wrong direction.”
“Are we so sure of Brian’s innocence?” Gene asked. “I mean what do we really know about him and his relationship with Jeffrey?”
“We’re not sure of anything,” Hollis said. “But he’s Jeffrey’s son, and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’d like to know what he has to say about that night.”
“Will they let you see him in jail?” Miller asked.
“He’s home on bail.” Hollis shifted in her seat. “Look, people, he’s paying my firm to review the trust, but he’s not paying you. This could get intense. If you can’t take the time, it’s understandable.”
“Stop right there.” Gene held up his hand. “I'm here because of Jeffrey, not Brian and not you, and certainly not for hope of any money.”
Everyone nodded in unison.
“I can meet anytime Thursday afternoon,” Miller said.
Hollis smiled. “Are we all good for one o’clock?” She waited for their confirmation. “Great. I’ll reserve the community room. See you all then.”
The next morning Hollis overslept. This was as rare an occurrence as it was common for her to be late for the firm’s staff meeting.
The gods were with her. When she walked into the lobby, Tiffany told her the staff meeting had been cancelled because of an accident on the Bay Bridge. The managing partner was stuck in traffic.
In her office, Hollis pulled out her growing file on Jeffrey Wallace’s estate and punched in Brian’s number on the phone. She wanted to arrange for a time to visit and hear what was going on with him directly from his lips.
Brian answered. “I’m glad you called. I know you called me back, and I was going to call you, but I’ve been occupied … the last few days. How soon can we meet? I’ve got important news.”
He’s been ‘occupied.’
“I can meet you whenever and wherever you choose. In fact, I’m free now.” Hollis paused. “Er … Brian, I know you were arrested.”
“Oh,” he said. “Then, can you meet with me in an hour? I can come to your office.”
He was prompt.
This time they met in the firm’s conference room with the panoramic view of the Bay. Brian walked over to the window and stared out. He had dark circles under his eyes and his suit appeared slept in. Still, even in his current state of disarray she noticed how much he resembled his father.
She pushed a mug of coffee across the table. He took a seat.
“What’s going on, Brian?”
“My lawyer won’t let me talk about my case, but I will tell you this: I did not kill my dad.” He took a much longer sip of coffee.
“I’m your lawyer too.” Hollis sat down opposite to him and folded her hands. “Do you know who did?”
“I have a good idea. But I can’t prove it.” He studied the coffee as if it and not Hollis were speaking to him. “What have you found out about my stepmother?”
Her thoughts flashed on Brian’s short-term mourning style. Also, her lie-detector told her he was holding something back. She hesitated a moment, then brusquely brought him up to date on the club’s discoveries.
As Hollis spoke, he glanced around the room and finally focused on her. His eyes held hers. “You’ve got to find out what she’s hiding. What if she’s in with the mob? Maybe she owes them money. That’s why she’s got to process the trust as quickly as she can.”
“Uh, Brian, I don’t know that it’s the mob, or even if there is a mob. But did you hear what I said about the two dead husbands? Now she has a third,” Hollis said. “Frances could have a very good motive for killing your father. Is there any way you could get your hands on her old tax returns? The ones she filed before marrying your dad.”
“I don’t think so. I didn’t know she was using another name. I should have thought of that.” He was staring out into space now, eyes unfocused. “She didn’t disclose that in the trust.”
“Brian, you’re still not hearing me about the bigger picture. You have bigger problems than the trust right now. You’ve been arrested as the prime suspect in a murder.” She was careful not to mention that the police had told her about his argument with Jeffrey. “I would think the trust should take second stage.”
He flinched at her words. “I won’t be a suspect much longer. My attorney is taking care of that.” He got up again and walked over to the window. “But I can’t hold off processing the trust much longer. You have three weeks at the outset.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Be sure.”
Hollis bit back a retort. He not only looked like Jeffrey, but he was sounding like him too.
John’s voice was grave. “I was wondering if you were going to call again.”
“I was wondering if you were going to take my call,” Hollis said quietly. “What is going on with us? We’ve started tiptoeing around each other. I don’t like it.”
For the past few days, she’d thought of them as a couple, a real couple. The idea of living together took her back to her first marriage, the fraud and her loss of judgment. She couldn’t do that again. She wouldn’t be able to recover the next time.
As if reading her thoughts, John said, “I hate talking on the phone about this and I’m trying to ignore this loop of emotions you’re stuck in because I know it has to do with your ex. But I’m not him. If you’re not going to give me a chance, then we don’t have a chance.”
“I know. I just need more time. But I don’t want you to go away.”
“I’m not going away. You’re pushing me away.” He sighed. “Look, take the time you need. I’ve got to go to an out-of-state training starting Wednesday. I’ll be gone for a week. I think the separation might be just what you need to think things through.”
A defensive protest was rising in her chest, and her heart seized up in fear.
She choked out, “This whole thing with Jeffrey’s murder … his son being arrested. And at work … this afternoon George gave me three more matters.” She paused. “I need you to bounce things off of. I don’t need time to know that I love you and that I want us to be together.”
“I know. I love you too,” John said. “But I don’t want to be just your boyfriend. You need time to think about that.”
“Did you just remember you had out-of-state training?”
He hesitated then responded, “They give me date options. I just decided to take the next one scheduled. I leave Monday.”
She heard the quiver in her voice. “Will I still see you tonight?”
“I’ll be there at seven.”
Hollis exhaled. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath. She held her head in her hands for a few moments, then reached into her inbox and picked up the next file.
Chapter 14
The phone was already ringing when Hollis entered her office the next morning. She turned on the lights and answered.
The caller hung up.
She slammed the phone down.
Less than a minute later the phone rang again. Hollis snatched it up this time without speaking.
“Hollis, it’s me.”
Shelby.
“Where are you? I’ve been crazy worried. Your family is worried sick. Are you okay? What’s going on?” Hollis could hear anger creeping into her voice, replacing the concern.
“I’m fine. I know you’re mad and I’m sorry. Can I come to see you this afternoon?”
“I’m here until twelve thirty.” She didn’t try to muffle the irritation in her voice. “Or, you can come by after three.”
“Let’s make it three.”
For the second time that morning Hollis slammed the phone down. She pounded her desk with her fist. Shelby was clearly alive, well, in good shape, and from the caller ID screen, in Northern California.
Shaking her head, she gripped the phone and punched in a phone number. She spoke with Denise, letting her know about Shelby’s call.
“You mean she’s been all right all this time?” Denise asked, perturbed.
“She didn’t say she wasn’t. I’m meeting her later today.”
“Tell her to give me a call; I have a few words for her, too.”
That afternoon the library was relatively lively; the San Lucian librarians were readying for a weekend book sale. In contrast, the Fallen Angels sat solemnly in the community room.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re making much progress,” Richard said, “other than helping the police arrest our client.”
“He’s not our client.” Miller pulled out a sheet of origami paper. “Obviously Brian thinks he’s going to be cleared. But what I don’t get is why he’s so confident he’s going to get off, and that his stepmother is in the clear. In my book, she’s the stronger suspect.”
“That may be true, but she’s got that strong alibi,” Rena remarked. “What did he say when you asked him about the argument with his father?”
Hollis gave a small wave of dismissal. “I didn’t tell him. I didn’t want him to know we have a two-way pipeline into the department and that we aren’t relying on him as our sole source of information.”
“So, what’s next?” Gene asked.
Hollis looked down at her notes. “He’s given us three weeks. Then he has to process the trust. Whatever gains or assets Frances is hiding will be hers.”
“Three weeks is not a lot of time,” Richard said. “Did you ask him for her pre-marriage tax returns?”
Hollis nodded. “He said he would see what he could do.”
Gene waved a hand to get her attention. “I don’t know, Hollis. It seems like we’re not really helping Jeffrey. The reason we got back together was … not to avenge him, but to make sure that his death was … wasn’t a waste.” He drummed his fingers impatiently on the table. “Now we’re embroiled in an inheritance dispute that seems more and more like a greed issue.”
“Yeah,” Rena said with a grimace of disgust, “Brian is beginning to sound like a jerk.”
They all looked at Hollis for a response. She stood up and glanced around the room, trying to collect her thoughts. Finally she said, “I agree. This isn’t what I wanted to do to help Jeffrey. But I don’t think we’re that far off. Did you ever think the trust could be a link to why Jeffrey died?”
Richard straightened. “What do you mean?”
“I mean the thing that keeps hanging me up is the timing. Here’s a couple that appears to be getting along fairly well. They make out a standard trust. Each makes the o
ther the administrator slash beneficiary.” She drew a slash in the air. “Three months later Frances files for divorce.” Hollis sat down again and peered at her notes before continuing, “I’ve been in probate for a number of years. A final divorce decree would require reviewing all the assets, even in a trust.”
“Everything should be fifty-fifty, right?” Rena asked.
“Maybe,” Hollis said. “Depends. I’d want to see how the trust was funded.” She saw no understanding in their blank faces and went on to explain, “I mean that I would want to know how much money was in the Wallace’s bank accounts, savings, and investments. If she put in more than half, then a divorce might mean she would lose up to twenty-five percent of her contributions. For a gambler, that could be a lot of money.”
Miller frowned. “Just out of curiosity, could her gambling debts go into the trust?”
“Yes, maybe,” Hollis replied, scribbling a note to herself on her writing pad.
“So it seems like Frances wanted to break the trust for some reason,” Richard said. “Well, I guess, not break the trust because it’s already in effect with Wallace’s death.”
“Just the opposite,” Hollis said. “She wants the trust filed as soon as possible. We just have to figure out why.”
Richard raised one eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. “It has to be about money.”
Hollis tapped her pen on the table. “Someone once told me, it’s always about money.”
“I bet it has something to do with her filing for divorce,” Rena offered.
“We need to know more about their relationship,” Hollis said. “Gene, it’s your turn to meet with Brian. Find out what you can about the marriage. Do your reporter routine. Could Frances have been after an asset we don’t know about?”
“Got it,” Gene said.
“Rena, go back to your street er … connections and find out if Frances is in good standing. Find out what’s she’s been betting on lately. Has she approached them since Jeffrey’s death?”
Hollis faced Miller. “Miller, we could use your help with checking on non-public information to cover one loose end—Brian. Find out what you can about him. The police probably already have a full file, and it might be one reason they arrested him and one reason why this trust is so important to him.”
The Return of the Fallen Angels Book Club (A Hollis Morgan Mystery 3) Page 10
