‘They could come for you as well, you know that,’ Jill said.
‘I know. What do you suggest?’
‘Ralph’s owing money?’
‘He is, and I know how much.’
‘We pay his debt, make a deal with him, and then get him out of the country.’
‘And leave me high and dry? How can I deal with you? Jill, you may sit there with your mouth full of cake, a cup of tea in your hand, looking pretty, but you’re still a devious woman. You’re no better than those who dealt with Ralph. I’d be putty in your hands.’
‘Not if I pay you out, as well.’
‘How much?’
‘Fifty million pounds.’
‘How much is my father worth, and the truth?’
‘Six hundred and twenty-five million, but you can’t realise on it all, only a fraction.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s tied up in real estate, bonds, investments. It would take years to liquidate.’
‘Fifty million, when?’
‘As soon as Ralph is dealt with.’
‘You’re still exposed.’
‘I need protection, but I need to know, are you interested? It’s a generous offer, and I’ll make sure that I keep you informed, ensure another two million a year for the next ten.’
‘We can deal,’ Caroline said. She had no interest in attending meetings, pretending to understand finance when she didn’t, and Ralph was always going to be unreliable; it was in his DNA.
***
Yolanda was back in town and attempting to nurse Ralph back to health. With Michael and his girlfriend, an attractive tattooed young woman, monopolising the flat, Ralph had moved in with Yolanda for a few days, not that either was committed to the other. Even on the drive over in a taxi, the two of them had argued. Yolanda was concerned that the man she was transferring her affections to wasn’t worth the effort, and he’d never have the money to look after her as well as her man in Antigua, who was keen and exceedingly generous, did. Ralph didn’t want a nursemaid, and Yolanda was high-maintenance, and if he scored big time with his father’s money, then he’d get himself into shape and play the field. A man with a fortune could have as many young and willing partners as he wanted; no need to be with a woman who complained and was starting to show her age, even if she was the mother of his son. Not that he could profess to any strong emotion for him, and now a bottle of alcohol had snuck its way into the flat. Michael, he knew, was on the downward spiral, aided and abetted by the girlfriend, vacuous and well-meaning, who was not helping at all. As the doctor at the rehabilitation centre had warned, a lot don’t make it.
Yolanda had raised objections when Ralph had insisted that the 6 p.m. get-together at his sister’s house was necessary and she wasn’t invited. The police were to be there, and there was to be an update on his father’s murderer. If his father was proven to be insane, then the man’s will could be challenged, and if Leonard Dundas had been involved in the murder, it would be another plus for his and Caroline’s case.
Chapter 24
At Caroline’s, the front door was open. Inside, the assembled cast. On one chair, Molly Dempster sat. Wendy had brought her along and was seated nearby. Isaac could see that Wendy was the mother duck and she wasn’t going to let anyone upset her duckling. Isaac preferred raw emotions to be the order of the night, and his sergeant close to one of those assembled could be a problem.
Caroline sat with her husband, Desmond. On the table in the centre of the room, a bottle of red wine, sandwiches, sausage rolls. Larry was hungry. He had had a busy day with Inspector Matson out at Greenwich, going through the case against Gary Frost, checking CCTV to see if Ralph had been in the area, also the man with only one functional kneecap, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Too many people in the area, too many cars, and no clear idea of dates and times. Emily Matson had been interested when told about the gambling club owner, and she was making enquiries overseas. Larry had been more interested in recent cases pertaining to Ralph Lawrence, possibly Gilbert, but drawing blanks.
Ralph sat on another chair. Isaac could see that his condition had improved. Apart from slight bruising on his face, and the fact that he was squirming to get comfortable, he looked almost back to normal.
‘Thanks for coming tonight,’ Isaac said.
‘It wasn’t far for us,’ Desmond said.
‘It was either here or at Challis Street,’ Isaac reminded him.
Isaac felt trepidation about what he was doing, realising that the emotions of those in the room would be challenged, but it was a murder enquiry, and those closest to the dead man had skeletons, and skeletons cause conflict, subterfuge, concealment. Someone in the room may know something hitherto unrevealed. He needed the raised and raw emotions, he needed people to open up.
‘This is what we have,’ Isaac said. ‘Ralph is involved with a villain by the name of Gary Frost. Neither will admit to it, but it was Frost who put Ralph in hospital. He would have used two thugs named Ainsley Caxton and Hector O’Grady. We’ve been to see Frost, and we and the local police where Frost lives are following up on a few cases of violence meted out to those who get on the man’s wrong side. We’ve found no connection between Frost and Gilbert Lawrence’s
