The Scarlet Stinger (LRDA Book 1)

Chapter 8

Ted Lawson: I need info on Richard Taylor's death and Nora Taylor's car accident.

Jigsaw: I'm working on your thief problem right now.

Ted Lawson: I don't need concrete evidence. Just enough to create suspicion. My client's lawyer will take care of the rest.

Jigsaw: Whatever. I'm charging you for this. Now leave me alone. I have your job and a few others I'm working on.

Jigsaw logged out of the chat room.

Talia opened up Ted Lawson's email. She hesitated a moment. If she sent an email asking for the partnership agreement, Phillip might figure out who she was. Which mattered more? Her secret or her friend?

She typed out the email.

I know you haven't been completely honest with me. I found out about the contents of the painting. You hired me to find it but that's not what you want, or need. Craig Rogers broke the contract he signed with your grandfather, didn't he? Send me a copy of the contract and everything else you kept from me. Don't lie to me again or I drop the case.

Ted Lawson

She hoped that sounded convincing enough. It didn't even take Phillip fifteen minutes to reply.

I'm sorry. Please don't drop the case. I'll send you everything and pay you double.

Phillip Taylor

I don't want your money. You've already paid me for the job. Just send me the document. The next time you will have to pay.

Ted Lawson

In no time at all, Phillip sent her an email with an attachment. Talia opened it up. She scanned through the document. Mr Taylor must have been in a terrible situation to have signed that partnership agreement. It stated that the surviving partner will inherit all shares owned by the deceased and that the remaining partner's children will inherit the shares after he was deceased. There were some other minor things, like they both had access to the bank accounts to a certain limit and management of the company, but it was halfway through the contract when she saw something that made her smile.

The partnership agreement stated that the partnership would be dissolved if one of them died, had a mental illness, was incompetent or had been convicted of a crime. She was right. She knew what had been in the painting. Craig Rogers didn't suffer from a mental illness, nor was he dead or incompetent. That only left one other option, he'd committed a crime. She wasn't a lawyer but if she could find evidence that Craig Rogers committed a crime before Richard Taylor died, then Phillip's mother might have a chance of inheriting the company and all the shares both partners had.

She could see why Phillip wanted her to get the painting before Friday. If Craig Rogers got all the shares before he was convicted, then his children would inherit it, not Ms Taylor, and while they may not have had any part in Mr Taylor's death, it wasn't fair for them to inherit something their father stole. She just hoped Ms Taylor's ex-husband didn't come back to harass them once they got the company. Her mother said the divorce had been very messy.

All she needed was something that would make them open an investigation on him. The chances of Richard Taylor's death being a murder was only increasing.

Juniper bumped her nose on Talia's hand. She pushed her away. Juniper bumped her nose on her hand again and pawed at her leg. Talia looked down at her.

"Something wrong, girl?" Talia asked. Juniper whined. "Bring me the meter."

Juniper grabbed the meter case from Talia's bag and brought it to her. Talia checked her blood sugar. It was slightly high.

"Good girl," Talia said. She gave Juniper a treat and rubbed her head. "I didn't feel a thing."

She gave herself a correction and lied down on her bed. Juniper lied down beside her.

"It's getting late. You'll wake me up if anything, right Jun?" Talia asked. Juniper licked her face and she laughed. She really wanted to go to sleep but the case and her conscience were bothering her. When she wasn't thinking about the case, her mind went to Nicolai. She should have stopped the bullying sooner. It wasn't as if she hadn't known about it, everyone knew, she had just turned her head and ignored it until something was happening right in front of her.

She tried to think of the case to ease her conscience and eventually she fell asleep.