Read Online Jay Giles by Blindsided (A Thriller) - Free Book Online

about—getting Mr. Seattle out of the way so Mrs. Jesso can gain exclusive control of Mr. Jesso’s estate. We ask, your Honor, that Mr. Seattle be retained as fiduciary.”
          Judge Ott scowled. All the wrinkles in her prune face shifted. She glanced back and forth at us, at them, then consulted a large book, using her index finger to flip noisily through the pages. She found what she wanted, squinted at it for a minute, flipped around further, found something else.
          The tension was killing me.
          Finally, she looked up, made a loud, sucking sound as she took a deep breath. “Mr. Nevitt, I find no evidence that supports your contention that Mr. Seattle took advantage of Mr. Jesso. In fact, the evidence supports quite the contrary. It appears that Mr. Jesso and Mr. Seattle had a beneficial long-term relationship, a relationship strong enough that Mr. Jesso named Mr. Seattle his executor. Why you would choose to attack Mr. Seattle rather than work with him is not clear to me. However, you have chosen this course of action and have undoubtedly incurred the animus of Mr. Seattle. I see no reason why Mr. Seattle should be punished to serve your ends. I see no reason why he should be asked to administer a hostile estate, especially since Mrs. Jesso is the only beneficiary.” She sucked in more air in another of those deep breaths. “Therefore, I am removing Mr. Seattle from his obligation as executor and will name an officer of the court to serve as executor. Do you understand my ruling, Mr. Nevitt?”
          “I do your Honor. I have one small concern.”
          “Speak up, Mr. Nevitt. Let’s hear it.”
          “With all due respect, your Honor. There is considerable indication Mr. Seattle substantially overcharged for his services. We are preparing to file criminal charges to recover those monies. I’m concerned that an outside executor might complicate this process.”
          “Don’t talk around the issue, Nevitt. Say what’s on your mind.”
          “Your Honor, I’d like you to appoint me executor of the Jesso estate.”
          “Objection, your Honor,” Amy yelled in outrage. “As executor, he’d be able to orchestrate the facts to suit his case.”
          “Not true,” Nevitt corrected her matter-of-factly. “What’s happened has already been recorded. The N.A.S.D. has that information and will issue their own verdict on malfeasance. That’s not the issue. The issue is Mrs. Jesso. She’s the sole beneficiary of the estate. As the sole beneficiary, she would like me to serve as executor, both to make sure the assets are properly administered and to make sure she isn’t denied justice in recovering what has been wrongly taken from her.”
          “Your Honor,” Amy snorted. “Mrs. Jesso was married to Mr. Jesso for one week. Hardly enough time for her to understand Mr. Jesso’s stock portfolio, much less—”
          “Be quiet,” Judge Ott ordered.
          Amy was.
          “Mrs. Jesso, do you want Mr. Nevitt as executor of the estate?”
          “Yes, your Honor,” she answered meekly.
          Ott looked over at me. “Mr. Seattle, would you feel at risk if Mr. Nevitt were executor?”
          I looked at Amy for direction.
          “I don’t want her opinion, I want yours, Mr. Seattle”
          “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with him as executor,” I answered honestly.
          “I’m not comfortable with it, either,” Judge Ott said reflectively. “Mr. Nevitt, the best I can do for you is make you co-executor with an appointed officer of the court. That officer will report to me. If he senses any impropriety, you’ll find yourself in front of me again, and it won’t be pleasant. Understand?”
          “Yes, your Honor,” Nevitt mumbled.
          “All right,” she concluded. “Mr. Seattle, you are excused, through no fault of your own, from serving as