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“Although it hasn’t occurred to the police, the person who killed Louis is still out there. That is, if he hasn’t already left town. I need to know how deeply Louis was involved in his financial scams and who was ready to notify the police. That’s where you can help.”
She squeezed his hands. “Go ahead.”
“I want you to search Louis’s desk, his room, the library, anywhere he would keep notes, ledgers, or information on his business.”
“I can do that. However, there is something I just learned that may affect any search I can conduct at the mansion.” She took a deep breath, still disbelieving what she’d heard at the reading. “I will have no home in ten days. Actually, more like six days as the reading of the will was last Friday.”
His jaw dropped. “Surely Louis didn’t leave you without the house?”
Despite her determination to not turn into a watering pot, she felt the tears build in her eyes. She fought to keep them there. “He left everything—everything I own—to someone I don’t even know.”
“There has to be a mistake.”
“No. I’m afraid not. Mr. DeMarco—his attorney—told me at the reading of the will how he advised against Louis doing that, but he assured his attorney I was well off from my parents’ inheritance.”
“And you are not?”
She gave a bitter laugh. “Louis took control of all my money when we married. He also sold the house I was raised in. Whether there is any money left from the inheritance or not doesn’t matter because he left everything to someone else.”
“There has to be a way to break that will. Certainly the courts will at least award you what was yours to begin with.”
“Perhaps. Wives don’t have much power, but in any event, I honestly can’t consider any legal recourse right now with these charges against you. I still have a roof over my head for another week.”
He pulled her to his chest. “You will have a home. I promise. We will get these charges dropped and leave Galveston. Trust me.”
There was that word again. Trust. She studied Hunter and saw a sincere, honest man. One who would fight for her and take care of her. Except she didn’t want to be taken care of any more. It wasn’t something she could count on. But rather than argue that point, it was better to focus on what he’d asked her to do.
“I will search the entire house from top to bottom. However, most likely his records would be in his office.”
Hunter shook his head. “I don’t want you nosing around the office. Who did Louis leave his half of the business to?”
“His partner, Mr. Sanders.” She tapped her chin. “He was very nervous before the reading of the will. But once he learned he still had the business, he perked right up. He was almost giddy when he left.”
“Naturally. If Louis was crazy enough to leave you with nothing, he could have done something equally stupid with his half of the business. How friendly are you with this Mr. Sanders?”
“Not very. Louis and I never socialized with him. He was always sort of a shadow in my life. I knew of his partnership with Louis, but I never spent any time with him.”
“So, no help there. Plus if Louis was scamming clients, Sanders is either the dumbest partner in the world, or he was in on it, too. Whoever killed Louis could be planning to murder Sanders as well.”
They quietly sat side-by-side, both consumed with their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Hunter pulled her into his arms. “I feel so useless. You need someone to take care of you. And here I am with my hands tied.”
Just what she didn’t want to hear. She was practically out on the street because she was foolish enough to trust Louis to take care of her.
You know that’s a stupid comparison.
She hated when her conscience made sense. She’d been so overcome with grief when Louis swooped into her life, that she’d never gotten a chance to know him. But she knew Hunter. He was an honorable man, and would probably do the right thing by her. Nevertheless, she needed to feel as though she could take care of herself.
She shuddered. Depending on a man with a hangman’s noose being readied was not a smart move.
“Of course I’m not going to take a plea deal,” Hunter shouted at Jesse.
“Settle down, son. I know you’re not going to take it, but by law I have to advise you what the District Attorney offered.”
“Well, I’ll advise you, in return, what the District Attorney can do with his offer.”
“You don’t have to. I already know and agree. He just wanted me to tell you this is his last offer.”
Hunter snorted. It was the night before the start of the trial. Because of the prominence of the man murdered, the entire process had been shoved through the judicial system in record time.
