Chapter 16
The law offices of Layton, Felder, Bach & Moore were in the center of downtown Boston and screamed of old money.
"Just follow my lead," whispered Jax in Jessa’s ear as they were escorted into a conference room, a large painting of a mansion overlooking the ocean hanging in an ornate gold frame on the longest wall.
Jessa stared at it as they waited for the lawyer to join them, rubbing one hand over the other.
She’d killed a man today.
There would be gunpowder on her hands from firing the gun. She wondered absently if it would wash off, or if days from now someone could test her hands for the chemicals and see what she’d done.
If only the experience would wash away as easily as the gun powder.
It was necessary, she knew, and given the same circumstance a hundred times, a hundred times she’d kill him. But somehow that didn’t make it much easier to swallow.
When Ralph was a SEAL and later with HERO Force, she wouldn’t allow herself to think of the deaths her husband was responsible for. When he came home with injuries, she never once asked what the other guy looked like, or what harm Ralph had done.
She didn’t like to think about people causing death, and now she was one of them. She rubbed her trigger finger with her opposite hand.
“You okay?” asked Jax.
“No.”
He put his hand on her forearm. “Thank you for what you did today.”
She turned and met his eyes. “You didn’t see him, did you?”
“Who?”
“The eagle. He swooped in and distracted the shooter so I could set up my shot.”
“An eagle?”
She nodded. “A bald eagle. Just like on the SEAL insignia. Without him we’d both be dead.”
A knowing look settled over Jax’s features. “He helped you.”
“He helped us.”
The conference room door opened and a man in a suit and tie walked in. “Good afternoon. I’m Fred Bach. What can I do for you, Mr. Andersson?”
“This is Maria Elena Cortez. She received a package from your law firm a few weeks ago with a book bequeathed to her from Mr. Harold Hopewell."
"Yes, Mr. Hopewell has been a client here at Layton, Felder, Bach & Moore for many, many years. It was an honor to execute his final wishes."
Jax leaned forward in his chair. "I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me about Mr. Hopewell's will."
The lawyer frowned. "Once the person is deceased, their last will and testament becomes a matter of public record. Now, it can take some time for those documents to make their way down to the courthouse, or the records room, but the public is entitled to know what was written inside them."
Jax nodded. "Great, then we shouldn't have any problems getting some answers."
"What exactly are you looking for?" asked the lawyer.
"I want to know what would have happened if Maria Elena hadn't been alive and well to receive this package from your law firm."
The lawyer furrowed his brow. “That’s an odd question. May I ask why you’re interested?”
“Someone broke into my home,” said Jessa. “I believe they were looking for the book.”
“I see.” Fred walked behind his desk and opened a file. “So you’re thinking someone with a vested interest in the estate may have had something to do with that.”
“Yes,” she said.
“Actually, in this case, we had some trouble locating Ms. Cortez. The address we had on file for her was no longer valid, and we needed to hire a private investigator to track her down. It was several weeks before we were able to locate you, Ms. Cortez.”
"But what would have happened if you hadn't been able to find me?"
"Well, according to the provisions of the will, if the inheritance is returned to our law firm as undeliverable and we are unable to locate the heir, then the inheritance would be passed on to another beneficiary."
Jax raised an eyebrow. "And who might that beneficiary be?"
The lawyer tilted his head and folded his hands across the file. “I’m not certain I should share that information at this time.”
"If it's a matter of public record, then what difference does it make?"
"Technically it's a matter of public record.
Realistically, if you went through legal means to obtain this information, it would take you a minimum of several weeks from today to get it.
" He smiled a small smile. "Mr. Hopewell was a very good client.
I feel it's our duty to protect the dignity of his Last Will and Testament.”
Jax and Jessa exchanged a look. Jessa rested her elbow on the armrest and cocked an eyebrow at the lawyer. "It wasn’t just the break-ins. Someone is trying to hurt me."
The lawyer's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"
“Maybe even kill me. They're after this book." She held up the book in her hand.
The lawyer’s stare was transfixed on the volume. “The Manor.” He sighed. "I had heard it was among the items mailed out, but I didn't get to see it, myself."
Jax narrowed his eyes. "Does this book mean something to you?"
The lawyer laughed. “Personally, no. But I believe it’s quite valuable. I may be able to find a buyer if you’re interested in selling.”
"Why is it valuable?”
The lawyer walked around his desk and approached her with a coy smile.
"May I?" He held out his hand and Jessa gave him the book.
He flipped open to cover. “This in my hand is the only known author-inscribed copy ever found.
It's believed he left this note for his lover after he went back to his wife. It's a horrible story. One that’s echoed in The Manor’s pages. "
He closed the book and returned it to her. "You're a very lucky woman Ms. Cortez."
"You can see why we’re anxious to learn who might be interested in this book," said Jax.
"The whole world is interested, I imagine," said the lawyer.
Jax nodded. "I need to know who the primary heir of Harold Hopewell's estate is.”
The lawyer returned to his seat and opened his folder once more.
He appeared to be reading, then lifted his head.
"Mr. Hopewell left a series of odd bequests.
Single items or amounts of money left to people he was unrelated to.
I can only assume that you, Maria Elena, are also one of those people. Is that correct?"
"Yes," she said.
"But he was not without family of his own. He had one sister who passed before him, and she had a son. Harold’s only living relative, a nephew. He's the primary heir of Harold's estate. Any of Mr. Hopewell's bequests that go unclaimed will eventually become the property of his nephew."
"I need a name,” said Jax.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Andersson. But that’s as much as I can help you.”