‘I’ll challenge the will.’
‘At the end of this reading, it will be necessary for those present to sign that they will not contest the will. If they do not, then all monies to them will be forfeited.’
‘And given to who?’
‘The money will be held in trust for another generation. Mr Lawrence was an astute man. He had thought this through very carefully, and with my advice.’
‘He was mad, mentally incapable. There’s no court in the country would believe that he was a sane man, thirty years in that house with our mother, a corpse. What kind of man does that, and did he kill her? We don’t know that yet.’
‘Be quiet,’ Caroline said. Ralph sat down, a scowl on his face. Desmond Dickson looked at the man, remembered him from when they had last met, eleven years ago at least. He hadn’t liked the man then, he liked him even less now.
Michael Lawrence, my grandson, through Ralph, has become a person of weak character. A fund sufficient for his rehabilitation has been set up, and he will voluntarily check into a private facility that will treat his addiction. He is an intelligent young man, poorly guided by a father of low repute. If, after one year, Ralph’s son, with Ralph’s active encouragement, is still clean and contributing to society, then Ralph will receive an additional payment of one million pounds. Michael will also receive one million pounds at that time. If, as I expect, he has not re-entered society, then Ralph will not receive either the five million pounds or the additional one million pounds. I will further add that I do not believe that any of the money bequeathed to Ralph and his son will ever be paid. I cannot, in death, profess to like my son and my grandson any more than I did when I was alive.
Ralph sat quietly. He knew people who would deal with the high-and-mighty Leonard Dundas.
To Caroline, my daughter, a person that I have missed over the years, but could not bear to see, on account of her mother, I bequeath five million pounds. An additional one million pounds are bequeathed to each of her and Desmond Dickson’s children. Both of them have taken their place in society, and I can only express my admiration for them. Unfortunately, I have never met either, except when they were very young, but I have received regular reports, as I have on all those present here today.
‘What does that mean?’ Emma Lawrence asked. So far, she had sat quietly.
‘Yearly reports were prepared by a private investigator, a discreet man. Mr Lawrence led the life of a recluse, but he was well aware of what went on. His mind was still alert, his business acumen was sound.’
‘He was as mad as a hatter, locked up in that house,’ Ralph said. He had been quietly seething, knowing full well that a will was invalid if signed by an incapacitated person. And he knew madness when it was there staring everyone in the face.
‘Gilbert Lawrence’s will has been updated every year. He was a sane man, and tests were conducted to prove that he was.’
‘The man never left the house. How could he have been sane?’
‘Proof will be supplied if required.’
‘Whoever did these so-called sanity checks, did they know that my father had his wife upstairs, a skeleton that he had prepared in the cellar of the house?’
‘That knowledge was not available,’ Dundas said.
‘Then we are wasting our time here. I’ve better things to do than sit here and listen to the last words of a madman,’ Ralph said.
‘Under the terms of the last will and testament of Gilbert Lawrence, you will forfeit any claim on his estate if you do not sign your agreement here today.’
‘Let me remind you, Dundas. My father was mad, and his will is worthless. I will find someone competent to deal with its legality. I am entitled to half of what he’s worth, not a measly five million pounds, and then only if I hold down a job. What do you, what did he expect me to do? Get a job in a shop, work in an office? I’m an entrepreneur, not someone’s lackey.’ With that, Ralph Lawrence stormed out of the room.
‘Mr Lawrence,’ Wendy said, as the man tried to exit the building.
‘Yes, what do you want?’
‘Sergeant Wendy Gladstone. We have a few questions for you.’
‘Not now. I’m busy.’
Wendy could see the anger in the man’s face. His eyes were bulging, his cheeks were flushed, his hands were shaking. ‘Unfortunately, I must insist.’
‘Not now. Can’t you see that I have other things to do.’
‘It’s either voluntarily or in handcuffs.’
Lawrence looked at the two uniforms standing by. ‘Very well, but I will lodge a formal complaint.’
‘That’s your prerogative. I’ll give you the contact details once we get to Challis Street. Mind your head as you get in the back seat of the police car.’
After a short break, while everyone calmed down after the disruption by Ralph Lawrence, Leonard Dundas continued.
To my sister Emma, I bequeath one million pounds. I cannot say that I approved of some of her decisions in life, but they were hers, and I respect her for that. The money is hers to use, wisely or otherwise, although with age comes wisdom.
Leonard Dundas and his daughter will maintain my property portfolio. To Leonard, one million pounds. To Jill Dundas, one million pounds. Caroline and Desmond Dickson will take responsibility for my property portfolio, in consultation with Leonard Dundas and his daughter, although Caroline will be the only one given voting rights. They will not be able to liquidate more than five per cent of the assets in any two-year period. The children of Caroline will be asked to join the committee in time, and
