comfortable. Kids’ pictures plastered on all the walls with Scotch tape, along with their framed law degrees. Outdated magazines that were falling apart and a candy dish with only three mints left were on a messy oak coffee table that looked like it had come over on the ark completed the picture of an old family law firm that had been practicing law since dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Ellison Bradford snapped the lock on his briefcase just as Avery tapped on the frame of the door. “Julie said it was okay to come back here. She also said you were leaving early for your daughter’s basketball game, so I’ll make this quick. I’m Avery Snowden. I worked for MI6, for Her Majesty. I’m retired now and living here. I wonder if you would mind talking to me a bit about Sonia and Dan Nolan. Andy, too, if you know anything about him. In a manner of speaking, I represent Andy’s widow, Bella.” He waited while the young attorney digested all he’d said.
“I have some time. Please, sit down. If I have a stupid look on my face, it’s because Sara Windsor Nolan just left here not fifteen minutes ago. We finally settled and signed the last of the probate papers. You just missed Sara by a few minutes. She’s probably the one you want to talk to. I have to warn you, she is . . . a bit edgy. I don’t know her all that well. Sonia and Dan Nolan, before their demise, were my father’s clients. My brother and I inherited all of Pop’s clients. I knew Andy quite well, we played football together our senior year. Sara . . . like I said . . . I didn’t know her, still don’t. She’s . . . um . . . I guess difficult would be the word to use. I tried to get more background on the family after they passed, but Pop has dementia and would get frustrated with the questions, so Tony, that’s my brother, and I just gave up.
“When we heard about Andy’s death, we were beside ourselves. Sara showed up and all she wanted to know was what the estate was worth and when she would get the money. She produced Andy’s power of attorney. For a while, it was a hot mess.”
Ellison Bradford picked up a dark brown accordion-pleated envelope and waved it at Avery Snowden. “This is the Nolan file. Andy’s paperwork is in here, too. I asked Sara if she wanted a copy, and she asked why she would want that crap? Then she said, ‘Just write me the check, and I’ll be out of here. My brother and I were the executors of the estate.’
“I could almost feel Andy breathing down my neck and saying don’t do it, don’t do it, but I had no choice. I talked it all over with Tony and Dad. Sometimes he has lucid periods, and we got him on one and he said we didn’t have a choice. He also said Sara was bad news. Andy was different. Andy was a great guy. He constantly made excuses for Sara. I’m not sure if he liked her or not. Even though she wasn’t a blood sister, he treated her like one. I don’t know what else to tell you, Mr. Snowden.”
“Would you consider letting me take that folder if I promise to return it in the same condition you give it to me? I would like to study it. I’m afraid that Sara Windsor Nolan is trying to cheat Andy’s widow. I don’t want that to happen. How much was in the estate?”
“It was quite robust. Dan was a very savvy investor. He made Andy a wealthy man in his own right by investing his salary from the early days in the military. Round numbers, close to $10 million of Andy’s money alone. In addition, the Nolans owned some really pricey property in Montana that they sold to a conglomerate to build a ski resort. They bought it way back in the day for $75,000, made payments on it for years, and planned to retire there one day. They finally sold it for $25,000,000. They left everything to Andy. They did leave a token amount to Sara—$5,000. And now she has it all. And do you know why she has all of it? Years ago, Andy came into the office and made a will. He was being deployed at the time. He left everything to