Killed in Escrow by Jennifer L. Jordan

Author:Jennifer L. Jordan [Jordan, Jennifer L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780984657087
Amazon: B00P3J4ZI6
Barnesnoble: B00P3J4ZI6
Goodreads: 23338093
Publisher: Clover Valley Press
Published: 2014-09-15T03:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

I couldn’t wait to test my new theory at the Denver City and County building.

I rushed to the basement of the government headquarters, where the real property records division was located, and spent hours with the recording clerk.

I waited my turn, again and again, as other people came and went, but the tedium paid off.

By the time the clerk went to lunch, I’d made it through nineteen of the twenty-eight vacant properties Sasha had identified.

As the morning progressed, I could barely contain my excitement, and at record nineteen, I decided I had enough information. Forget about the other nine. I didn’t need to spend any more time proving an already irrefutable point.

The nineteen shared a trait that made my skin crawl.

All of the properties purchased by Denise Johnson, under her various aliases, had significant second liens filed against the deeds of trust.

Translation: She had purchased the properties and then immediately borrowed substantial amounts of additional money, using the properties as collateral.

Found money.

Todd Lynch, for all his pride in $500 of easy money for dirty IT work, had shortchanged himself. If this were a bank robbery, he would have been the gang member filching from the lollipop tree in the lobby while his cronies ran out the back door with the bullions.

I didn’t have a calculator with me, but adding figures in my head, I almost burst when I arrived at a total well in excess of three million dollars.

The price of Jessica Stankowski’s life.

• • •

Arriving back at the office, I shared my good news with Sasha, but she seemed disinterested.

Maybe she didn’t understand the financial ramifications. More likely, she was absorbed with her own case.

“I didn’t see an account for Vista Hills Golf Course or Kip Livingston in our database. Want me to make one?”

“No. I’ll take care of it.”

“Do you want my time sheets? Don’t you need to send a bill or something?”

“Er, yes,” I said vaguely. “Put them in a folder and leave it on my desk.”

“When do clients pay us?”

“Whenever I get around to billing them.”

Sasha responded to my a snappish tone with a mellow, “Chill, Lauren. I was only trying to help. Want to hear what I’ve found out on my hole-in-one case? I interviewed Bud Cauldron and one of the other golfers, Cal.”

“Remember our procedures? You’re supposed to submit a written report.”

Her face went slack. “They’re boring, and they take too long. Can’t I tell you now? Please!”

“One sentence only.”

“Only one?”

I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I refused to give in to her forlorn expression. “Take your time. Make it a good one.”

After a short pause, she blurted out, “Kip’s wrong.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t you want to know more?” Sasha said, crestfallen.

I flashed a meager smile. “Yes, but I don’t want to influence the outcome. Write up what you know. We’ll talk about it after you’ve interviewed the other two players in the foursome.”

“Do I have to?”

My smile widened. “The sooner you contact them, the sooner we can talk.”

• • •

A few minutes later, as we shared lunch at my desk, Sasha spoke up, between bites of a Quizno’s sub.

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