Brixton frowned. “Then why . . . ?”
I cut him off in midsentence. “I’m doing some work for Roger’s daughter, Danitza. I understand you did a change of beneficiary on a life-insurance policy for Mr. Adams last summer and that Nitz is now the owner and beneficiary of a half-million-dollar policy on her father’s life.”
“That’s correct,” Brixton said, “but if you already know that . . .”
“Mr. Adams and his daughter have been estranged for a number of years. Would you be able to tell me what triggered this action on his part, this sudden change of heart?”
“Mr. Beaumont, my dealings with my clients are confidential, and—”
I ignored his objection. “Before you made the change,” I asked, “was Mr. Adams’s current wife, Shelley, the previous beneficiary?”
Brixton gave me an exasperated sigh. “Yes, she was,” he replied resignedly.
“Do you know if she’s aware that she’s no longer listed as the beneficiary on that policy?”
“I have no idea what Roger might or might not have shared with her, and I don’t understand—”
“When you came to his office to do the paperwork, did he mention if he and Shelley were having any kind of marital difficulties?”
“This is outrageous,” Brixton objected. “I really can’t answer these kinds of questions. As I said, dealings between my clients and me are private transactions.”
The fact that he was trying to avoid answering my questions provided more information than might have come from straight answers. I was reasonably sure that Shelley Loveday Adams was up to her old tricks by cheating on this husband the same way she had cheated on her previous one, and Roger was finally beginning to catch on.
“When did you execute that change order?” I asked.
Brixton frowned. “Back in June, I believe. I’d have to check my calendar in order to give you an exact date, but I don’t understand. . . .”
I had a feeling Jim Brixton knew way more than he was saying. I needed to get him to spit it out today, because once the Alaska State Troopers rode into town, I’d be kicked to the curb, right along with Lieutenant Marvin Price. With that thought in mind, I decided to go for broke.
“Are you aware that Shelley Adams was married before?” I asked.
“Yes,” Brixton answered. “I forget his name, but I believe the man was a bush pilot.”
“His name was Loveday,” I supplied. “Jack Loveday.”
“That’s right. I remember now. He committed suicide.”
“He might have committed suicide,” I corrected. “Lieutenant Marvin Price is considering reopening that case as a possible homicide, and Shelley Loveday Adams is the primary person of interest.”
Dropping Marvin’s name was the right thing to do. Brixton seemed taken aback. “I hadn’t heard a word about any of that,” he said.
“That’s because it just happened, and here’s my concern. I went to see Roger Adams yesterday. It struck me that he’s in very ill health at the moment. If his primary caregiver thinks she’s looking at a half-million-dollar insurance payday when Roger kicks off . . .”
“Roger thought Shelley was having an affair,” Brixton blurted out. “That’s what he told me. He said he’d checked her phone and her computer and hadn’t found anything, but he said she was spending a lot of time going back and forth to Anchorage, and he was pretty sure she was seeing someone.”
“No idea who?”
“If he knew, he didn’t say, but do you think Roger is in danger?” Brixton asked.
“He may be,” I said, “and that’s why I’m working with Lieutenant Price on this. We both consider it a matter of some urgency. With that in mind, is there anything more you’d like to add?”
Brixton grew hesitant again. “The change of beneficiary was just the first step. He told me that he intended to write her out of his will as well. If he did that, Shelley would lose all the way around, and in that case what would be her motive?”
Good question, I thought. “We’re looking into it,” I said.
“Do you think I should stop by and see him?”
“No,” I said. “For now let sleeping dogs lie. If Shelley is up to something, I don’t want to raise her suspicions any more than they already are.”
“But if she means to do him harm . . .”
“Believe me, Mr. Brixton, Lieutenant Price and I are doing everything in our power to prevent that from happening. Just hold tight, but thank you for your help. What you’ve told me has been very informative.”
With that I gave him a half-baked salute and headed for the Travelall. Jim Brixton might have answered most of my questions, but I didn’t want to be trapped into answering any of his.
Chapter 25
As I fastened my seat belt, I was dreading Twink’s next question about where we were going because I had no idea. Fortunately, a phone call saved me.
“Mr. Beaumont?” a woman’s voice asked.
“Yes.”
“This is Betsy Norman. You asked me to call?”
“Yes.”
“What’s this about?”
“I’m doing some work for Danitza Adams Miller,” I told her. Had Betsy been able to see my face, she might have seen that as a big fat lie, but over the phone I figured I could get away with it.
“Her aunt, Penny Olmstead, mentioned you’re good friends with Nitz’s stepmother,” I continued. “I wondered if I could visit with you about that for a few minutes.”
“Were good friends,” Betsy corrected, “not so much anymore.” I found that to be an interesting tidbit as Betsy continued. “These days Danitza and her father aren’t exactly on the best of terms either, you know.”
“I’m aware of that,” I said. “I believe Penny is hoping we might be able to find a way to resolve that situation.”
That was the honest truth. Penny really did want to end Nitz’s long estrangement from Roger Adams.
Betsy sighed into her phone. “I don’t know how I can help on that score, but it can’t hurt to talk. Does it have to be today?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I’m on a deadline, and I really need to get this sorted.”
“I have about half an hour between now and my next appointment,” she conceded. “I suppose I could meet you for coffee. Do you know where the McDonald’s is on Old Glenn Highway?”
I personally had no idea, but I was pretty sure Twink would be able to find it.
“I’m on the way,” I said.
“How will I know you?”
“Just look for a bright yellow vintage Travelall,” I told her. “I’ll be the guy climbing out of that.”