later, she arrived at the building and took the elevator to the fourth floor. The sign greeted her: Jacobson, Fitzgerald & Helmsworth Law Firm
Brandi entered the double door, going to the large reception desk where an older woman sat, her silver hair up in a bun, wearing spectacles, and a dove gray suit jacket with a tie-neck blouse in a lighter shade of gray. The nameplate said: Leslie Daison.
She smiled upon seeing Brandi. “Good morning, how may I help you?”
“Good morning, Ms. Daison. I’m Brandi Rafferty, here to see Mr. Fitzgerald.”
“ Please have a seat.” She motioned to the spacious seating area. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
Less than five minutes later, a younger, more petite woman came through the door beyond the reception desk. “Ms. Rafferty?”
Brandi rose. “Yes.”
“I’m Linda Mays, Mr. Fitzgerald’s secretary. Please follow me.”
The woman escorted her back through the door to an office suite at the end. She opened the door and Brandi followed her into another spacious office with a large desk at the floor to ceiling windows and bookcases that filled another wall. Ms. Mays continued to another door and motioned her through, closing the door behind Brandi.
Mr. Fitzgerald stood with a gracious smile on his face as he came forward and clasped her hand. “Ms. Rafferty, how good it is to see you. Still beautiful, I see.”
Brandi grinned. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
He winked. “Only the beautiful ones. Seriously, though, it is good to see you again. Your work for our firm, we couldn’t have achieved better results on our own.”
“Well, I’m glad we could help. Now, though, I need your help.”
“Of course. Please have a seat.” Once she was seated, he went back around the desk. “I understand this concerns a jointly owned condominium in which you’ve been the sole occupant for a year?”
“Yes.” Brandi proceeded to give him all the details, leaving nothing out. He listened, asking a question here and there to clarify things.
When she finished, he sat for a moment in silence. Figuring he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, she didn’t say anything, just took a moment to appreciate the cityscape through the windows.
“It seems to me, Ms. Rafferty,” he said, reclaiming her attention, “that what you and Mr. Everett have are a tenancy-in-common. According to what you’ve told me, and the corresponding paperwork you have, you’ve invested more in the property than Mr. Everett. You must understand, though, that he does have a legal right to occupy the property.”
Brandi opened her mouth, ready to argue the point.
“However,” Mr. Fitzgerald continued, one hand held up to stay her, “until the matter is resolved by court order, I…understand…your adamant reluctance to share the space with him. I advise you to obtain a new appraisal of the property and be ready to give Mr. Everett his share of any profit, minus the expenses that have been paid only by you. In other words, Ms. Rafferty, you will need to buy him out. Is that feasible?”
Grim, she replied, “I’m prepared, but the matter will have to be resolved by court order before I give him a dime.”
“And you can then obtain a mortgage in your name alone.”
“Of course.”
“I will research the matter further. Once I have all the factors at play here, my secretary will call you and set up another meeting for us to discuss it.”
Brandi stood and so did he, coming around the desk to clasp her hand in both of his. “Do not be surprised if you are served with orders to allow Mr. Everett access to the property. If that happens, Ms. Rafferty, until the case is resolved in court, you must comply. Understand?”
“I understand,” she stated tersely.
He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Do not worry, we will have this all sorted out in due time.”
Do not worry? Really? When I
Brandi entered the double door, going to the large reception desk where an older woman sat, her silver hair up in a bun, wearing spectacles, and a dove gray suit jacket with a tie-neck blouse in a lighter shade of gray. The nameplate said: Leslie Daison.
She smiled upon seeing Brandi. “Good morning, how may I help you?”
“Good morning, Ms. Daison. I’m Brandi Rafferty, here to see Mr. Fitzgerald.”
“ Please have a seat.” She motioned to the spacious seating area. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
Less than five minutes later, a younger, more petite woman came through the door beyond the reception desk. “Ms. Rafferty?”
Brandi rose. “Yes.”
“I’m Linda Mays, Mr. Fitzgerald’s secretary. Please follow me.”
The woman escorted her back through the door to an office suite at the end. She opened the door and Brandi followed her into another spacious office with a large desk at the floor to ceiling windows and bookcases that filled another wall. Ms. Mays continued to another door and motioned her through, closing the door behind Brandi.
Mr. Fitzgerald stood with a gracious smile on his face as he came forward and clasped her hand. “Ms. Rafferty, how good it is to see you. Still beautiful, I see.”
Brandi grinned. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
He winked. “Only the beautiful ones. Seriously, though, it is good to see you again. Your work for our firm, we couldn’t have achieved better results on our own.”
“Well, I’m glad we could help. Now, though, I need your help.”
“Of course. Please have a seat.” Once she was seated, he went back around the desk. “I understand this concerns a jointly owned condominium in which you’ve been the sole occupant for a year?”
“Yes.” Brandi proceeded to give him all the details, leaving nothing out. He listened, asking a question here and there to clarify things.
When she finished, he sat for a moment in silence. Figuring he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, she didn’t say anything, just took a moment to appreciate the cityscape through the windows.
“It seems to me, Ms. Rafferty,” he said, reclaiming her attention, “that what you and Mr. Everett have are a tenancy-in-common. According to what you’ve told me, and the corresponding paperwork you have, you’ve invested more in the property than Mr. Everett. You must understand, though, that he does have a legal right to occupy the property.”
Brandi opened her mouth, ready to argue the point.
“However,” Mr. Fitzgerald continued, one hand held up to stay her, “until the matter is resolved by court order, I…understand…your adamant reluctance to share the space with him. I advise you to obtain a new appraisal of the property and be ready to give Mr. Everett his share of any profit, minus the expenses that have been paid only by you. In other words, Ms. Rafferty, you will need to buy him out. Is that feasible?”
Grim, she replied, “I’m prepared, but the matter will have to be resolved by court order before I give him a dime.”
“And you can then obtain a mortgage in your name alone.”
“Of course.”
“I will research the matter further. Once I have all the factors at play here, my secretary will call you and set up another meeting for us to discuss it.”
Brandi stood and so did he, coming around the desk to clasp her hand in both of his. “Do not be surprised if you are served with orders to allow Mr. Everett access to the property. If that happens, Ms. Rafferty, until the case is resolved in court, you must comply. Understand?”
“I understand,” she stated tersely.
He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Do not worry, we will have this all sorted out in due time.”
Do not worry? Really? When I
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