Read Online Debts and Debtors: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #3) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow - Free Book Online
Authors: Sarah Biglow
Ads: Link
leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “I’m listening.”
“He was working for the developer as a debt collector. They needed to force people out of their houses so they could seize the property to build their new project. Basically, he offered to wipe people’s debts clean if they paid part of their debt and he pocketed the difference between what they paid and what he bought the debt for.”
“I understand how debt collection works, Kal.”
She felt color warm her cheeks. “Well, it sounds like Thomas got fed up with the debt collecting life because he was forgiving loans for people who have property in strategic locations that really mess with building plans.”
“That certainly establishes a motive and would also explain why Mr. Mackland was looming around the scene the other day.”
“And why he came after me,” she added.
“Right.”
The conversation died when a middle-aged man in a faded blue suit appeared in their peripheral vision carrying a briefcase. He stopped momentarily at the front desk before approaching Chris’s desk.
“I’m here for Savannah Chase,” he said.
“She’s in the interrogation room. I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Kalina craned her neck to follow the attorney’s path into the room. “Why’d you arrest Savannah?”
“Mr. Mackland isn’t the only one with a motive.”
He disappeared without another word. She waited until he closed the door to the interrogation room before she flipped the switch on the monitor. She tuned out the pleasantries and turned to the computer in front of her. She didn’t know why she hadn’t thought to check property records before but it would be easy enough to see who held the title to the Chase home. A quick search revealed what Chris likely already knew—Savannah owned the home and had been transferred the deed about six months after she married Thomas. The dead man’s name drew Kalina’s attention back to the interview.
“We found a receipt in your home for thirty thousand dollars. You said before that Thomas didn’t have that kind of money.”
Savannah glanced at her attorney and then said, “No. I mean we weren’t poor by any means but that kind of lump sum would have been noticed in our joint account. Believe me; I keep an eye on it.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“You come from a fairly wealthy background yourself, don’t you, Mrs. Chase?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Your relatives were well off and you received a pretty hefty inheritance a few years ago.”
“So?”
“We traced the money transfer that was sent to Carlisle Premiere Developments. The money originated in your account.”
“Then maybe Thomas accessed it without me knowing.”
“You are the only name on the account and we called the bank. You are the only person who could have authorized a transfer out of the account. Why did you want Thomas to take the debt collection job?”
“I didn’t.”
“Mrs. Chase, you need to stop lying now. You authorized the payment so Thomas could buy the debt collection package. He didn’t seem the type to get into the business of shaking people down. So the pressure had to come from somewhere else. Like you.”
Kalina pulled herself away from the questioning when she felt a presence behind her. She turned slowly to find Jimmy standing off to one side.
“Did you know their house was in the middle of the building zone?” Kalina asked.
“It’s all making sense now. Huh.”
“I’m assuming Chris knows that. And that she owns the house outright.”
The color drained from Jimmy’s cheeks and he started for the interrogation room.
“Uh, Jimmy, you might want to pick up that stuff on the printer first,” Kalina said after hitting print on the land records and the building plans.
He gave her a nervous smile and headed into the room, appearing on the monitor moments later.
“Sir, I thought you should see these,” Jimmy said and handed over the
“He was working for the developer as a debt collector. They needed to force people out of their houses so they could seize the property to build their new project. Basically, he offered to wipe people’s debts clean if they paid part of their debt and he pocketed the difference between what they paid and what he bought the debt for.”
“I understand how debt collection works, Kal.”
She felt color warm her cheeks. “Well, it sounds like Thomas got fed up with the debt collecting life because he was forgiving loans for people who have property in strategic locations that really mess with building plans.”
“That certainly establishes a motive and would also explain why Mr. Mackland was looming around the scene the other day.”
“And why he came after me,” she added.
“Right.”
The conversation died when a middle-aged man in a faded blue suit appeared in their peripheral vision carrying a briefcase. He stopped momentarily at the front desk before approaching Chris’s desk.
“I’m here for Savannah Chase,” he said.
“She’s in the interrogation room. I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Kalina craned her neck to follow the attorney’s path into the room. “Why’d you arrest Savannah?”
“Mr. Mackland isn’t the only one with a motive.”
He disappeared without another word. She waited until he closed the door to the interrogation room before she flipped the switch on the monitor. She tuned out the pleasantries and turned to the computer in front of her. She didn’t know why she hadn’t thought to check property records before but it would be easy enough to see who held the title to the Chase home. A quick search revealed what Chris likely already knew—Savannah owned the home and had been transferred the deed about six months after she married Thomas. The dead man’s name drew Kalina’s attention back to the interview.
“We found a receipt in your home for thirty thousand dollars. You said before that Thomas didn’t have that kind of money.”
Savannah glanced at her attorney and then said, “No. I mean we weren’t poor by any means but that kind of lump sum would have been noticed in our joint account. Believe me; I keep an eye on it.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“You come from a fairly wealthy background yourself, don’t you, Mrs. Chase?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Your relatives were well off and you received a pretty hefty inheritance a few years ago.”
“So?”
“We traced the money transfer that was sent to Carlisle Premiere Developments. The money originated in your account.”
“Then maybe Thomas accessed it without me knowing.”
“You are the only name on the account and we called the bank. You are the only person who could have authorized a transfer out of the account. Why did you want Thomas to take the debt collection job?”
“I didn’t.”
“Mrs. Chase, you need to stop lying now. You authorized the payment so Thomas could buy the debt collection package. He didn’t seem the type to get into the business of shaking people down. So the pressure had to come from somewhere else. Like you.”
Kalina pulled herself away from the questioning when she felt a presence behind her. She turned slowly to find Jimmy standing off to one side.
“Did you know their house was in the middle of the building zone?” Kalina asked.
“It’s all making sense now. Huh.”
“I’m assuming Chris knows that. And that she owns the house outright.”
The color drained from Jimmy’s cheeks and he started for the interrogation room.
“Uh, Jimmy, you might want to pick up that stuff on the printer first,” Kalina said after hitting print on the land records and the building plans.
He gave her a nervous smile and headed into the room, appearing on the monitor moments later.
“Sir, I thought you should see these,” Jimmy said and handed over the
Similar Books
