A Motor for Murder (Veronica Margreve Mysteries Book 1) by Valerie Murmel Read Free Book Online Page A

proposals. He knows… knew a lot of lawyers. You know his father was a very big lawyer? George was well-versed in the rules around it all. I thought Claire could talk to him about the options for paying off the school loans. I also secretly hoped that she could get some sort of position with a law firm through him or his family. I was all out of ideas for what else to do to help her. She came away from their conversation discouraged. Did you know law graduates’ salaries have plummeted recently?” I nodded. Having a lawyer ex, I had a passing interest in the state of the legal profession. I’ve seen several reports on law school graduates’ starting salaries in the news lately, all pointing to sharp decreases in salaries for the vast majority of new grads. “Well, George gave me a call the next day and said that he had a proposition. It was, essentially – approve his remodel plans, in exchange for him providing money for the balance of the loan.”
    He swallowed again.
    “I didn’t sleep for several nights. I talked to Claire – she’s been crying. She said she wasn’t sure she could get any more loans, and that she was thinking of dropping out, in her last year. Of course, if she did that, it would mean the end to her dream. And she’d have to start re-paying the loans anyway – it would put her in a financial bind no matter what she did. And what George was asking for wasn't technically illegal, I just had to exert some more influence over the board. I reasoned that no-one was getting hurt if the remodel plans passed. So I decided. I talked to board members individually and made sure the plans got approved by the home-owners association.”
    Paul sighed.
    “George provided the loan balance – in monthly installments, barely enough for Claire to pay what she owed and live on. Every month, it was a struggle for her to pay the bills, even with all my help. I swear, he enjoyed having us in his power so much. And for him, the monthly amount was small change – I guarantee that last party of his cost more, just in the alcohol expenses! He liked writing out a paper check for each monthly installment, and having me be there in person to see it and feel grateful, insignificant, humiliated. I think that’s why he also invited me to the party – to show off his money and power yet again, and remind me how cheap and small-time I was compared to him.”
    He clutched and un-clutched his fists, leaned against the kitchen counter and finally raised his eyes to me. His emotions were written on his face: anger, frustration, embarrassment.
    I said:
    “The police, of course, will trace the funds coming out of his accounts. You will have to tell them.”
    Paul gave me a rueful smile. “I told them already about the agreement. They would find out anyway.”
    He looked around and down on the floor and continued.
    “Since I was at his house already the night of the party, I thought I’d ask for more money. That's what I went to his office to talk to him about. “
    “Did he give you another check that night?”
    “Yes. I wanted to get an advance on next month's installment; things were tough for Claire this month. I had to practically beg for it before he wrote that check.”
    “What did you want the money for, if I may ask?”
    “Claire had some car trouble, needed the money for repairs.”
    “Did you get it?”
    “Yes, yes I did. As you can see, it would be better for me and Claire financially if George had lived. “
    “How was George during that conversation with you?”
    “He was pretty drunk, agitated, waiving his cigar around.” Yes, the medics said that George was very drunk by the end of the evening. That was my original assumption as to why he fell in, before Detective Davis told me he was pushed. “He kept saying something like ‘It was your own fault, you know, you should have planned better’. That was pretty hard to take – him preaching to me about it being my fault. I feel guilty about not being