Chapter 57
“Let me tell you something about that guy, ” Johnathan Mercer said. “I don’t mean to speak badly about the dead, but…”
Mercer was an attorney friend of Jack’s. He was kind enough to consult with us on the case. We sat in his office across the desk from him after we had gotten the prenup and the will from the Avventura.
“Keating was a real bottom feeder,” Mercer continued.
“Barely competent. Careless. Missed deadlines, filed incorrect versions of documents, improperly witnessed codicils, and kept sloppy records. Nothing that would get him disbarred, but he earned a few reprimands. This is not the guy you hire to handle a billion-dollar estate.”
I handed him my copy of the prenuptial and will. “Take a look at this and tell me if you see anything unusual.”
Mercer began to read the documents, starting with the prenuptial. His fervent eyes scanned the pages. It didn’t take him long to huff with disapproval. “Well, this isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. There are no disclosures.”
“Disclosures?”
“There needs to be a full disclosure of assets. You can’t waive your rights to said assets if you weren’t informed of their existence.
” Mercer continued to read through the documents.
He huffed again in disbelief as he looked at the will and just shook his head.
“There’s only one witness on this will. There needs to be two for it to be valid.
Keating should know that. This is the kind of incompetence I’m talking about. ”
I processed the information. “What if it’s not incompetence?”
Mercer caught on. “This will is invalid,” he said, putting it all together.
“The courts will look at the most recent valid will. Since Brock divorced his prior wife, any provisions that favor the former spouse in that prior will are revoked. She’s not entitled to any inheritance.
Tiffany, however, as the surviving spouse, would be entitled to half of Brock’s estate with the other half going to his kids, according to the rules of intestate succession. ”
I shared a look with Jack.
“Half a billion dollars is nothing to sneeze at,” JD said.
“A clever way to get what she wanted,” I said.
“Trent’s incompetence is the perfect cover,” Mercer said.
“And she killed him to tie up loose ends?”
Jack frowned and shook his head. “You know, I actually believed she was innocent.”
“That’s a great theory,” Mercer said. “But how are you going to prove it?”