Note that the article doesn't specify which Padilla this is... Nichol's wife's last name was Padilla. Then there is Jose Padilla. I suppose it can be presumed that the Padilla in the above sentence is Nichol's wife, since it refers to money he is leaving for her... but the article hadn't spelled out that Nichol's wife's last name was Padilla. Also, this paragraph follows the first mention of Jose Padilla in the story...
So it is a little unclear. And if it IS Jose Padilla's house where Nichol's stashed money, then whoa nellie!