Val:Breaking Bad. Season 4 finale. You wouldn’t happen to have any lilies of the valley growing in your backyard, would you? Asking for a friend.
Six months before Tom’s murder.
Val: Why did we get married again?
Katy: For the sex, probably. Oh, and sometimes they’re handy.
Val: LOL. Let’s just say I’d love to fluff Keegan’s pillow for him tonight. Over his face …
“You can’t be serious,” Valerie said. “This is not the same as what Katy was texting me. And guess what, Keegan is very much alive!”
“I have no further questions for this witness,” I said, turning my back on her.
Chapter 22
“The prosecution calls Marcia Murphy,”Addison said.
Marcia had been a member of the Woodbridge County bar forever. She’d actually tried to retire once but couldn’t stand the boredom. She had the reputation as one of the toughest divorce attorneys in town and specialized in representing fathers during heated custody trials. In their prime, she and Jeanie had an intense, but respectful rivalry.
She had an aura of cigarette smoke around her as she took the stand and swore her oath.
“Ms. Murphy,” Quick started. “Could you please tell me how you came to know Tom Loomis?”
“Sure,” she said. “I was his lawyer. I met him, I think it was, three years ago. He retained me to represent him. He wanted to put together an estate plan.”
“Was he married at the time?”
“No. He wasn’t. But at that time, we didn’t discuss his romantic life. It was a fairly straightforward representation.”
“What did you do for him?”
“Just a simple will,” she said. “I’d like to note that I advised him against that. Not the will. But I explained the benefits of a more nuanced estate plan, including setting up a trust and his advanced directives.”
“I take it he declined those?”
“Correct. He said …”
“Objection.” I rose. “Your Honor, I think we need to establish the ground rules here. While the court previously ruled to allow this witness to testify on what would otherwise fall under attorney-client privilege, she is still prohibited from providing hearsay testimony. So whatever Tom Loomis did or didn’t tell her is improper.”
“She’s right, Counselors,” Castor said, addressing both Marcia and Addison.
“I understand,” Marcia said. “Should I continue?”
“Yes,” Addison said.
“Okay, then,” Marcia said. “Three years ago, I prepared a simple will for Tom Loomis. I didn’t prepare any other estate planning documents at that time.”
“Thank you,” Addison said. He moved to admit the will Marcia prepared. It was public record as Tom did indeed file that one with the probate court shortly after it was executed.
“For the record,” Addison said. “What was the primary distribution of Tom’s estate under that will?”
“Tom didn’t have kids or a wife at the time. His parents were deceased. He was an only child. He didn’t even have a lifeinsurance policy then. So he directed his assets be sold off and the proceeds donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.”
“I see,” Addison said. “Was that the end of your representation of Tom?”
“You mean did I end up doing more work for him?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”
