Roz did not waste time on pleasantries.
“I gather Mr. Martin left his money to Amber’s illegitimate son. I have been told’ she stretched the truth like a piece of elastic ‘that he was adopted by some people called Brown who have since emigrated to Australia. Can you tell me if you’ve made any progress in finding him?”
Mr. Crew shot her an annoyed glance.
“Now where did you find that out, I wonder?” His voice clipped the words angrily.
“Has someone in my practice been talking?”
“No,” she assured him.
“I had it from an independent source.
His eyes narrowed.
“I find that hard to believe. May I ask who it was?”
Roz smiled easily.
“Someone who knew Amber at the time the baby was born.”
“How did they know the name?”
“I’ve no idea.”
“Robert certainly wouldn’t have talked,” he muttered.
“There are rules governing the tracing of adopted children, which he was well aware of, but even allowing for that he was passionate on the subject of secrecy. If the child were to be found he didn’t want any publicity surrounding the inheritance.
The stigma of the murders could follow the boy all his life.” He shook his head crossly.
“I must insist, Miss Leigh, that you keep this information to yourself.
It would be gross irresponsibility to publish it. It could jeopardise the lad’s future.”
“You really do have quite the wrong impression of me,” said Roz pleasantly.
“I approach my work with immense care, and I do not set out to expose people for the sake of it.”
He turned a corner.
“Well, be warned, young lady. I shan’t hesitate to take out an injunction against your book if I think it justified.” A gust of wind lifted the toupee’s peak and he pressed it firmly to his head like a hat.
Roz, a step or two behind him, scurried alongside.
“Fair enough,” she said, biting back her laughter.
“So, on that basis, could you answer my question? Have you found him yet? Are you anywhere near finding him?”
He padded on doggedly.
“Without wishing to be offensive, Miss Leigh, I don’t see how that information can help you. We have just agreed you won’t be publishing it.”
She decided to be straight with him.
“Olive knows all about him, knows her father left him his money, knows you’re looking for him.” She lifted her hands at his expression of irritation.
“Not, in the first instance, from me, Mr. Crew. She’s very astute and what she hadn’t guessed for herself she picked up on the prison grapevine. She said her father would always leave money to family if he could so it hardly required much imagination to guess that he would try and trace Amber’s child.
Anyway, whether or not you’ve had any success seems to matter to her. I hoped you could tell me something that would set her mind at rest.”
He stopped abruptly.
“Does she want him found?”
“I don’t know.”
“Hm. Perhaps she thinks the money will come to her in the absence of the named beneficiary?”
Roz showed her surprise.
“I don’t think that’s ever occurred to her. It couldn’t, anyway, could it? You made that point before.”
Mr. Crew set off again.
“Robert did not insist that Olive should be kept in the dark. His only instruction was that we should avoid distressing her unnecessarily.
Wrongly, perhaps, I assumed that knowledge of the terms of the will would distress her. However, if she is already acquainted with them well, well, you can leave that with me, Miss Leigh. Was there anything else?”
“Yes. Did Robert Martin ever visit her in prison?”
“No. I’m sorry to say he never spoke to her again after she was charged with the murders.”
Roz caught his arm.
