Cut and Run (Lucy Kincaid #16) - Allison Brennan Page 0,53

buyers willingly signed a contract and agreed to sell the house for a specific price. Unfortunately, many of those scammed were the elderly, and that really irritated Sean.

He didn’t see Victoria Mills—what little he knew of her—as scamming senior citizens. She was wealthy in her own right. And the way Stan had described it, the contracts he’d seen appeared to be for tracts of land, not individual houses.

Sean had the files he’d asked Max to pick up, and he started by reading the corporation papers for MCG. Nothing appeared unusual. They were equal partners, each owning 26 percent of the company. Simon Mills, Victoria’s brother, was a silent partner and owned 15 percent. The last 7 percent was held by the Grover and Judith Mills Trust. Perhaps they’d given the business seed money and, instead of repayment, kept a small percentage of the business. But only the three partners—Victoria, Mitch, and Stan—could vote. In the case of death, the partner’s share of the company was divided between their heirs and the surviving principals.

What Sean really needed was a Realtor to help him access and analyze the real estate database. Every property, listing agent, and buying agent was inputted into a central database. He could do a basic search, but if there was something illegal going on, finding it just by search terms would be difficult. He could call his Realtor but didn’t have the time to explain what he needed right now. He made a note to himself to reach out to her tonight.

All three principals owned land separate from the company, and their company also owned land—mostly unimproved properties or agricultural land. On paper, they looked legit—but Sean was going to have to look at the properties in question because he wasn’t familiar with the area west of San Antonio.

Mitch, Stan, and Simon had gone to college together; Victoria was two years younger. The four of them graduated from Texas A&M. Same college. Longtime friends. Victoria and Mitch had lived together for several years before marrying; how did that relationship end in divorce? They legally separated three years ago, then divorced shortly thereafter, but still worked together and by all accounts remained friends. Anything’s possible, Sean thought, but he’d like to know why they split. Adultery? Irreconcilable differences? Something completely different? If it was serious, how could they work so closely together and remain friends.

His phone beeped, reminding him he had to leave for the courthouse. He updated Max’s visual timeline and hoped she didn’t get angry that he was messing with her workstation. Then he sent her a text with an update and left.

Max’s hotel wasn’t far from the courthouse, and Sean arrived just after one fifteen that afternoon. There was no access on the north side of the building—only those with a card key could go down the wide alley to the parking structure. Terrific.

He drove around the block, and a side entrance—which was closed—was the best bet for a quick and secure exit. He parked semi-illegally in front of the side entrance, put on his hazards, and called Marie. “Are you ready?”

“We’re in the lobby. We’ll come out.”

“No, wait for me.”

He left his vehicle. He might get a ticket, but no way could they tow him in the two minutes it would take him to return.

He looked around the area. The historic building was on a corner; no parking in front (loading zone only), and he was on a one-way street on the south side of the building. It didn’t look like anyone was sitting and waiting.

Sean would have to sweet-talk the bailiff into letting him out this entrance. He walked briskly around to the front of the building and went up the stairs two at a time, then turned and looked out at the landscape. Clear. A few people having late lunches outside on this beautiful Fall day. A floral delivery truck in the loading zone of the archives building across the street. Lawyers walking from the historic courthouse to the expansion across the street to the north.

While he believed there was a threat, it would be dumb for someone to attack at a courthouse with armed guards and in close proximity to the police station. Yet the main doors provided the best vantage point if someone wanted to get to Stan.

He entered the building and spotted Marie and Stan sitting on a bench in the main lobby. He went through security and asked the head bailiff if he could let them out the side