Read Online Sticks & Stones (A Hollis Morgan Mystery) by R. Franklin James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: R. Franklin James
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To answer your question, Paul Hitchcock is still single. He moved next door to the Potts farm. After he got that big inheritance from his grandma, every girl in Rowan has been throwing themselves at him. But I think he’s waiting for you to come back. Any time anybody talks bad about you he gets upset and tries to defend you. I try to as well, but I was your best friend. Paul is sweet. Are you coming back , Margaret? Write me.
Your loving friend,
Miranda
She replaced the letter just as George knocked and entered her office, coffee in hand. “How’s the case going?”
She frowned. “Not as well as we would like. Transformation’s attorney is essentially using us as his clerical pool. Mark and I haven’t found anything that even looks like a viable direction.” Hollis sighed. “ Transformation management already requested the documents we need for discovery, but the gut of it, the proof, is still elusive. Our strategy is to interview non-profits who benefited, but you can imagine they’ll be pretty closed mouthed—obviously. In fact we’re meeting this afternoon with Fields’ team to ask for a continuance.”
George wrinkled his brow and held up his hand. “I meant with the Koch estate.”
“What? Oh, sorry.” Hollis blinked a few times. “It’s going a little slow, but I’m determined to knock out these letters in the next couple of days.”
Hollis could tell that George had something he wanted to tell her. He looked at her over his glasses. “I got your request for a subpoena. What do you think you’ll find in Margaret Koch’s health records?”
Hollis was prepared to respond, but she didn’t think it was a good idea to tell him that her request was pretty much based on curiosity and unanswered questions. “I’m going through the letters, and there’s a question I had about the health of her second husband.”
“Let’s hold off on the subpoena. I think it’s going too far.” George removed his glasses. “ Second husband? How many did she have?”
“Well, at least two, but I’m not quite halfway through.” She picked up her notebook. “One other thing, George, did you ever meet Margaret Koch?”
“Yes. I did her last codicil about three years ago when she was eighty-five. She was articulate and gracious. I remember she had a somewhat coarse sense of humor. Why?”
Hollis avoided his gaze. George knew her too well and would wonder why she was dragging her feet with a subpoena request. “No reason , really. Reading her letters I’m starting to have a picture of her in my mind.”
“She didn’t— ”
His cellphone rang. He motioned he was leaving , and pointing to the Koch file, mouthed, “Hurry up.”
Hollis smiled. “Don’t worry , George. Like I said, I’ll have the letters finished before the end of the week.”
He waved a goodbye.
She gave him a smile, took the letters out of the drawer, and opened a business envelope dated November 1942.
Dear Mrs. Hitchcock,
Apex Insurance has approved the claim you submitted to receive the benefits of your late husband, Paul Hitchcock. However, due to the brevity of your marital union and since Mr. Hitchcock did not name a beneficiary, we are withholding disbursements in the amount of $5,000 for 120 days, until we are assured that no other claimants will come forward.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Phillip Barnsdale
Adjuster
Well, ol’ Margaret didn’t waste any time snatching him up.
Hollis went into her desk drawer and pulled out the detective’s report. This was Margaret’s first marriage. She glanced at the marriage date —only three months married to Paul. She looked through the file, flipping to Paul’s age at death. He had gotten the flu and then pneumonia. He had been only thirty-two to Margaret’s twenty-four.
Next, she picked up rose-colored note paper tucked inside another letter . The note appeared to have been scribbled
To answer your question, Paul Hitchcock is still single. He moved next door to the Potts farm. After he got that big inheritance from his grandma, every girl in Rowan has been throwing themselves at him. But I think he’s waiting for you to come back. Any time anybody talks bad about you he gets upset and tries to defend you. I try to as well, but I was your best friend. Paul is sweet. Are you coming back , Margaret? Write me.
Your loving friend,
Miranda
She replaced the letter just as George knocked and entered her office, coffee in hand. “How’s the case going?”
She frowned. “Not as well as we would like. Transformation’s attorney is essentially using us as his clerical pool. Mark and I haven’t found anything that even looks like a viable direction.” Hollis sighed. “ Transformation management already requested the documents we need for discovery, but the gut of it, the proof, is still elusive. Our strategy is to interview non-profits who benefited, but you can imagine they’ll be pretty closed mouthed—obviously. In fact we’re meeting this afternoon with Fields’ team to ask for a continuance.”
George wrinkled his brow and held up his hand. “I meant with the Koch estate.”
“What? Oh, sorry.” Hollis blinked a few times. “It’s going a little slow, but I’m determined to knock out these letters in the next couple of days.”
Hollis could tell that George had something he wanted to tell her. He looked at her over his glasses. “I got your request for a subpoena. What do you think you’ll find in Margaret Koch’s health records?”
Hollis was prepared to respond, but she didn’t think it was a good idea to tell him that her request was pretty much based on curiosity and unanswered questions. “I’m going through the letters, and there’s a question I had about the health of her second husband.”
“Let’s hold off on the subpoena. I think it’s going too far.” George removed his glasses. “ Second husband? How many did she have?”
“Well, at least two, but I’m not quite halfway through.” She picked up her notebook. “One other thing, George, did you ever meet Margaret Koch?”
“Yes. I did her last codicil about three years ago when she was eighty-five. She was articulate and gracious. I remember she had a somewhat coarse sense of humor. Why?”
Hollis avoided his gaze. George knew her too well and would wonder why she was dragging her feet with a subpoena request. “No reason , really. Reading her letters I’m starting to have a picture of her in my mind.”
“She didn’t— ”
His cellphone rang. He motioned he was leaving , and pointing to the Koch file, mouthed, “Hurry up.”
Hollis smiled. “Don’t worry , George. Like I said, I’ll have the letters finished before the end of the week.”
He waved a goodbye.
She gave him a smile, took the letters out of the drawer, and opened a business envelope dated November 1942.
Dear Mrs. Hitchcock,
Apex Insurance has approved the claim you submitted to receive the benefits of your late husband, Paul Hitchcock. However, due to the brevity of your marital union and since Mr. Hitchcock did not name a beneficiary, we are withholding disbursements in the amount of $5,000 for 120 days, until we are assured that no other claimants will come forward.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Phillip Barnsdale
Adjuster
Well, ol’ Margaret didn’t waste any time snatching him up.
Hollis went into her desk drawer and pulled out the detective’s report. This was Margaret’s first marriage. She glanced at the marriage date —only three months married to Paul. She looked through the file, flipping to Paul’s age at death. He had gotten the flu and then pneumonia. He had been only thirty-two to Margaret’s twenty-four.
Next, she picked up rose-colored note paper tucked inside another letter . The note appeared to have been scribbled
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