The Ardmore Inheritance by Rob Wyllie (best value ebook reader TXT) 📗

all right, Jimmy thought, recognising a bully when he saw one. And at that moment, he began to form a picture in his mind of what might have happened. Susan Priest's testimony could be crucial in establishing which of the twins was the elder, a testimony that could be worth millions for the parties involved. Maybe Mrs Priest saw her chance, to make a bit of money that would enable her escape from her sterile life and her controlling husband. And maybe someone didn't like the way that was going and decided she'd be better off dead.

'So was Susan approached by one of the Macallan twins do you think?' Jimmy asked.

'Nah', he shrugged. 'It was her approached one of them, that's what I think happened. After reading it in the paper, like I said. You see, my Susan obviously knew the truth, didn't she? She'd looked after them since they was babies, so she was bound to, wasn't she? And then of course the bloody stepmother turned up.'

'Alison Macallan came here?' Jimmy couldn't hide his surprise.

'Yeah she did. Bold as brass. Said she wanted to catch up on old times but I knew that was a load of bollocks. I mean, who drives six hundred miles just to do that, especially in a rackety old motor like hers? So after she left, I asked Susan what it was all about and she told me Alison wanted to know if Susan had spoke to anyone about the situation. And that's when it all came out that my bloody wife had been talking to one of them twins behind my back. That disappointed me, I don't mind telling you, the stupid cow.'

So it hadn't taken long for the mask to slip. Never speak ill of the dead. Obviously Priest had never heard the maxim before, or of he had, he had no time for it.

'So which one was she in contact with?' Jimmy asked. 'Elspeth or Kirsty?'

'Elspeth, Kirsty, how the hell should I know?' he sneered. 'They're twins, ain't they? And would you believe she wouldn't tell me, the selfish cow?'

No, she wouldn't, Jimmy thought. If a Macallan was prepared to pay handsomely to buy the support of the nanny who had cared for the twins since birth, and that providing that service would pay for her ticket out of her miserable existence, a despised husband would be the last person she would tell.

But now he surmised there wasn't much more he could accomplish here. Smiling, he got to his feet and said, 'It's been very helpful John, and once again, I'm sorry for your loss. As I said, I'll have a word with my contact in the Met and see if there's anything more can be done about the hit and run. And if you think of anything else, I'll leave you a card with my number.'

Suddenly Priest said, 'Well as a matter of fact, there was something else. Just before my Susan was killed, some scumbag called me out of the blue, and asked me if we knew anything about the will and who was the oldest girl and all that. Said he could make it worth my while. But then I asked him how much and he said that would depend on the quality of the information we had. I didn't like his tone, so I told him to sling his hook.'

'So who was this guy, did he say?' Jimmy asked, already suspecting the answer would be no.

'Nah. He just said he was ex-Navy like me, but a bit after my time. He'd been on the subs too, according to him.'

'But no name?'

Priest shrugged again. 'Nope, never said nothing. But there was one thing.'

'What?' Jimmy said, narrowing his eyes.

'The guy was a Geordie, no doubt about it. Accent as thick as a brick.'

◆◆◆

The return journey gave Jimmy plenty of time to reflect on the interesting developments of the last half-hour. Independently, it seemed that at least two of the parties in the Macallan affair had realised the value of having Susan Priest on their side, and he wondered if she, displaying the canniness that was the hallmark of the Scottish stereotype, had played one off against the other, anxious to secure a life-changing financial settlement for herself. And what of the mysterious man from Newcastle who'd appeared from nowhere offering to do a deal? How did he fit in to the picture? And of course, there was the biggest question of all to be addressed. Was the hit and run death of Mrs Susan Priest really an accident? Thank goodness tomorrow night was pub night, when there would be a chance to run it all past Frank to see what he made of it.

But for now it was clear they were going to have to put some awkward questions to all of the Macallan women. Maggie was scheduled to visit Kirsty and Rory Overton again, so that was covered, and she would also probably be willing to tackle Alison Macallan too. Which just left Elspeth, and one more compelling reason why he really needed to take up that dinner offer with her.

With some reluctance he slipped his phone from his pocket and dialled her number. From her voice, he could tell she was very pleased to hear from him.

Chapter 18

He found three high stools alongside the narrow shelf that ran three-quarters of the way around the bar-room, not the most comfortable accommodation but all that was available. Normally the three of them liked to keep the conversation light on their Thursday evening get-togethers, but this evening there was a lot to catch up on case-wise, and for Frank, work had always come first. All work and no play makes Frank a dull boy. That old cliché could have been invented for him. It wasn't as if he was unhappy, although his life outside of work was, he had to face it, non-existent, if you didn't count the Friday night takeaway curry and on-demand movie that was the