"Read over this carefully." Regal slid papers across his desk to Mox. "While you're doing that, I'll get the witnesses."
Mox silently nodded and began to read. He was aware of Regal leaving the office and settled back in his chair. The dark part of his mind found it hilarious that he was planning for his own death. He chuckled under his breath as he reminded himself that he'd been a dead man walking while in prison. At least now, he had something to leave to the people he cared about.
He'd almost finished when Regal returned with two people, a man and a woman. Looking up, he recognized the woman as the new receptionist Regal had hired. He didn't recognize the other man. He finished reading as Regal sat back down at his desk, then nodded. "Just what I want," he said.
"If the witnesses will step forward to watch Mr. Moxley sign," Regal formally said as he handed Mox a pen.
Mox wrote his name a little more carefully than usual, then handed the pen back to Regal. He silently watched as first the woman signed, then the man.
Regal silently nodded to the woman who quietly left. "I'll have this recorded at the Courthouse tomorrow morning. You can pick up your copy here any time after that." When Mox nodded and stood, Regal also stood and indicated the man who'd witnessed his signature. "This is Damien Sandow, the gentlemen I spoke to you about setting up your trusts and foundations. Damien, this is Mr. Jon Moxley."
Sandow smiled and held out his hand. "A pleasure, Mr. Moxley."
"Same here," Mox nodded.
"Unfortunately, I've been tied up on other matters," Sandow apologized. "I'll be able to start work on your matter after tomorrow."
"No problem," Mox shrugged. "There is one thing that's come up about them. The trust and foundation for abused kids? I'd like the name of that to be The MDM Foundation."
"And the other?" Sandow asked.
Mox shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."
Sandow nodded. "I'll call you when matters are arranged to discuss them." He smiled, then left the office.
"It's nothing more than vulgar curiosity on my part," Regal admitted with a small smile. "So, feel free to tell me to mind my own business. What does MDM stand for?"
"Marie Denise Moxley," Mox quietly answered. "My baby sister. I…I just found out about her. She died as a baby. I was too young to remember her."
"My sincere condolences," Regal gently spoke. "You've come up with a wonderful way to honor her memory."
"Thanks." Mox didn't know why he wanted to explain except that Regal had a way of not judging. "They buried her in Chicago then we left. It…bothers me that she was just left there with no one to remember her. So, I'm reburying her here." He glanced out the window at the Davenport skyline. "This is going to be my home."
Regal cleared his throat. "If you would be so kind as to let me know when the service will be, I would like to pay my respects."
Mox glanced at the older man and half-smiled. "I'll do that," he promised.
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"Thank you for your cooperation yesterday," Roman said as Jericho, McIntyre and Black took their seats in his office.
Jericho shrugged while Black and McIntyre silently nodded.
"What do we know?" Roman briskly asked.
"Michael Cole obtained a Masters' Degree in Criminology from the University of Iowa," Black began. "He specialized in Administration rather than Law Enforcement. He married his college sweetheart, and they have two sons. He began working for the Federal government in various capacities, working his way up through the ranks. He was the Assistant Warden at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri then transferred to Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota. He became the Warden at Ft. Madison two years before Mox was sentenced."
"Reputation?" Roman leaned back in his chair.
"By the book," Black responded. "However, his performance reviews were mixed. They were mostly positive at Springfield where there were few instances of…shall we say…grey areas? Where individual interpretation could be used. However, at Sandstone, his reviews became mixed because of his strict adherence to the rules. Most often, he was cited for not taking extenuating circumstances into account. However, his performance was good enough to promote him to Ft. Madison."
Black slowly smiled. It was a smile that the other men recognized as occurring when Black had found something.
"It was after his promotion to Ft. Madison that his finances became interesting."
"Oh?" Roman's grey eyes twinkled.
"Of course, there was a respectable increase in salary," Black admitted. "And he benefited from the difference in the cost of living between Sandstone and Ft. Madison. He bought a larger house and a new car. Both at very favorable interest rates. He also enrolled both his sons in private schools. His wife was able to quit her job to become a stay-at-home mother."
"How favorable were those interest rates?" Roman asked.
"Very. On his salary, he was able to pay off his car loan in three years," Black explained. "In the seven years, he's been at Ft. Madison, he's paid 70% of his twenty-year mortgage."
Roman frowned in thought. "Lesnar was sentenced to Ft. Madison a year before Cole became Warden. What about the loans themselves? Any ties to the Authority?"
Black's smile became wider. "Both the house mortgage and auto loan were through a local bank in Ft. Madison. That bank is a branch of a larger one in Chicago that has close ties to the Authority in that city." He placed a large folder on Roman's desk. "In addition, I found that Cole's attorney, Dana Brooke, has ties to Ric Flair."
"Head of the New York branch of the Authority," Roman mused.
"And long-time friend of Vince McMahon," Jericho added.
"It's safe to say that the Authority have started eliminating witnesses against Cole," McIntyre spoke up. "Brooke has quite an enviable reputation as a defense attorney. With Mox the last real remaining witness against Cole, he's got a target on his back."
Roman slowly nodded. "One witness dead in a DUI and the other from a known severe allergy. But Angle's got reason to question the Coroners' rulings in both cases. He just might be able to get their statements entered as testimony. One more death, however, would work against Cole. That's why the third witness recanted. I doubt Angle will get that testimony included." He made a quick decision. "Increase the security around Mox. It's no longer about providing him with an alibi with the local cops. Make sure your people understand they're on a protection detail."
When McIntyre nodded, Roman turned his attention to Jericho. "What about the Moxley's finances?"
Jericho grinned. "Pretty good until you do a deep dive. According to what Mox said they told him, they were self-employed. Jack was doing some sales work, allegedly with people trying to market inventions or products of some sort. Leah doing virtual office work. So, it would make sense their income would vary from month to month depending on how successful, in Jack's case, and how much volume, in Leah's case. And that's what I found."
Jericho put a file on Roman's desk. "But the funny thing is, when you add up the deposits from their income, they always equal the same amount each month." He watched as Roman opened the file and began examining the spreadsheet.
"Different amounts each month from mostly the same names," Jericho explained. "All deposited at different times during the month. But always bringing their balance up to the same amount by the first of each month. And that total also accounts for all expenses. Rent, auto, utilities, and so forth. Bottom line is they were getting two grand each month and being reimbursed the amounts for monthly expenses."
'Helmsley and his people are getting sloppy.' Roman closed the file. "Traced to the Authority?"
Jericho's smile was an evil one. "Each and every one of them."
"Payment to break Mox," McIntyre concluded. "There's been no break in the investigation into Jack's murder. The cops are going on the theory he was murdered for gambling debts although they can't find out who he owed them to. Our people have been questioned, as have the Authority's people. We know he never gambled in our places, and I doubt he gambled at the Authority's."
Roman tapped his fingers on the top of his desk. "I think we all agree Jack was murdered to put pressure on Mox. Leah would be the more sympathetic figure to Mox and the one more likely to get close to him." When they nodded, Roman took a deep breath. "Thank you, gentlemen. I need to think about all this."
As they stood, Jericho spoke. "I'm leaving for Chicago in an hour. I'll meet with the charity first thing in the morning. I've got the paperwork Mox signed and the check. When do you want…the body transferred?"
"As soon as you can arrange it."
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"And now, we have breaking news regarding the recent assassinations of the late Mayor Paul Heyman and Finance Director Lacey Evans. Wade?"
"Thank you, Charli. The FBI have confirmed they have taken Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler into custody within the past two hours. You'll remember these women were named as persons of interest in the recent assassinations in Davenport." Barrett glanced down at his notes, then back into the camera.
"Ms. Rousey was taken into custody at the Daniel Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. She had a one-way ticket to Samoa. Ms. Baszler was taken into custody at Logan International Airport in Boston, holding a one-way ticket to Russia. Neither Samoa nor Russia have extradition treaties with the United States. Hopefully, we will begin to get answers to the reasons behind the assassinations that have darkened our city. Back to you, Charli."
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Shane cursed under his breath as he dialed his father's number. "Dad? Word just broke that both Rousey and Baszler are in FBI custody."
"I'll arrange for legal representation for them. They know to keep their mouths shut."