Today is the first of my meetings that Samantha has set up for me. I am meeting with a private investigator named Hector. Hector served on President Reagan's staff as a Secret Service Agent and has kept up with the latest techniques in the Private Investigation business. He retired and started his own Private Investigating company but nothing compares to his experience in the White House. "Good morning Mr. Stillwater, thank you for meeting with me. Samantha speaks so highly of you." I nervously say. "Please Mrs. Spencer call me Hector. Samantha is a wonderful lady and I am sure she has told you that she has often recommended me to many of the ladies here in Port Royal. It seems that the more money one has and the longer one has been married, the more my services are needed. Samantha gave me a brief idea of what your concerns are. How can I help you?" He chuckles. " Well Hector I recently found some papers that concern me and I have overheard some questionable conversations my husband, Dr. Carston Spencer has had. I believe he is hiding something and I need to protect myself. You see Carston has a history of infidelity and drug use. It got to a point 20 some years ago that it almost ruined his life. His children from a previous have not spoken to him in over 10 years. He runs with affluent crowds here in Port Royal and has a stellar reputation. He is very smart and would be one to cover his track up well." I tell him. " Madison I am well aware of who you are and who your husband is and whom he is associated with but I assure you, no one escapes me. I must warn you that this could take a while and I am not cheap but if there is something to be found then I will find it. GUARANTEED you hear! I hope you are prepared for the information I may find. It is not something I look forward to. Bringing one shocking news that is, but you're here because your gut is telling you to be here. I will see what I can find."
Hector pauses then says "Let me ask you a question, do you have any secrets that may harm your reputation should this end badly and in divorce? You can be honest, I am not the moral judge. I need to know what I am up against." Hector says sternly. "No not that I can think of." I reply. "Good then I will need $20 thousand dollars up front and I will bill you monthly per unit until you get your answers. Will that work for you?" " Yes Hector but I will need a few days to gather that kind of cash. Do you need anything else from me?" I ask. "yes I have a list of information I will need from you and I will need to get in and copy your husband's hard drive both at work and his personal computer and lap top. Can you arrange for that to happen?" "wow I will have to figure out how and when. I think you will have to get the work computer during the middle of the night when no one is there but then you run the risk of getting caught if there is an emergency in the middle of the night. It happens frequently and his lap top is almost never out of his sight unless it is a surgery day and he has a long procedure." "Don't you worry how I will get it. Your job is to give me access to your house, hospital and let me know when he is in surgery and I will get what I need." Hector says in a stern voice. The meeting ends and I leave feeling a little shaky. Seriously is this necessary I ask myself? Yes Madison it is…. He has a contract to sell the hospital out from under you and he might be using drugs again. Think…. Look for the signs of a user, you are a fricking nurse for God's sake, you are not stupid.
Next stop is a divorce attorney just to cover my tracks should I need one in the future. His name is Richard Ewing. Richard has been in practice for over 25 years here in Port Royal. He is head of the Boy Scouts of America South Florida Chapter and on the County School Board of Advisors. He grew up without a father and swore his children would never experience that in life. He has dedicated his life to fatherless boys and underprivileged children to succeed in education along with his highly successful law practice. He has, also, been named Attorney of the Year 7 years in a row for his trial and divorce work. I know Richard because his wife is a veterinarian here in Port Royal as well. I chose him because in the event I do need a divorce, he is well versed with the field of veterinary medicine. "Richard, good to see you." I say as I sit down in front of his desk. "Madison, I must say this is a shocking surprise, what can I possibly help you with?" "Well Richard this is strictly confidential and off the record even from Lyndsay ok?" "Of course Madison, I never discuss my cases with Lyndsay, it is why we are still married." Richard laughs. "Well I accidentally came across some papers in Carston's briefcase and it was an actual contract for the sale of PREAH. I had absolutely no clue he had put it in the market. The buyer is in a corporate name that is being withheld for confidentially reasons until after the closing. The closing has been set and the contract is in full agreement to close very soon. The additional issue is that all of our assets are in our corporation name and the corporation is strictly in Carston's name. How will this affect me in the event of a divorce and can he sell the hospital without me since we were married before we opened the hospital? The money for the initial build out and the land came from my pre-marital assets." "Madison first of all let me reassure you that no matter whose name the assets are in, the estate would be split 50/50. You would receive financial compensation for any money you had before you were married and if you can prove it was pre-marital money then you would get that back. The bad news is that Carston can sell the hospital without you signature since your name is not listed as an officer of the corporation but again, you would get half of the sale of the business. The financial I am not worried about at all Madison. What I am concerned is with discovery should this become a divorce situation. If he is selling PREAH without your knowledge then this is the question as to why." "I know and this is why I was shocked beyond belief and then my gut started kicking me telling me there is something going on that I cannot comprehend. Why the secrecy? We have a good relationship or at least I think we do. I am concerned that he may be using drugs again but I have zero proof." "Madison the old saying A Woman's Intuition is usually right on the spot. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything unusual or out of the normal. Watch the mail and phone calls. I am not a detective but seems like common sense advise" "Thank you Richard and I will keep in touch." I decided to keep him on retainer should anything become of the investigation. Richard quietly leaned over and said "Madison, you know if you make consultation appointments with other law firms in this area, they will not be allowed to represent Carston should this matter come to fruition. I just thought you may like to know this." Richard looked at me and winked as if to say go out and have as many consultations as possible to make it difficult for Carston to get good representation should I decide to file for divorce or a suit. Brilliant idea I thought to myself. I will be sure to do this.