Web of Lies by Sally Rigby (classic novels for teens txt) 📗

your relationship with Donald, if you don’t mind.’

‘We’ve already discussed this, and I told you everything. Nothing has changed since then.’

‘It won’t take long.’

‘That’s good because I don’t have long. Okay. Take a seat.’ He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk, and he returned to his.’

‘First of all, did you tell anyone of our chat in the pub and the questions I asked you about Donald?’

‘Only Celia. You didn’t say not to. Shouldn’t I have?’ He fidgeted in his seat.

‘It’s not a problem. What did she say?’

‘She thought Sarah was clutching at straws but did say she felt sorry for the woman. Which is an improvement on her feelings before. I’m hoping she won’t mind if I contact Sarah now.’

‘She must still be very angry about what happened to you?’

‘Of course she is. It will take years for us to recover from the losses, if we can at all. We’ve sat down and made some preliminary budgets. Our top priority is keeping the house.’

‘Prior to you finding out about the Ponzi scheme, would you say you had a good relationship with your brother?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Obviously, because I invested money with him.’

‘That doesn’t necessarily compute. You might have invested with him because you thought he was good at his job and put your personal feelings aside.’

‘Did you like him?’ Birdie asked.

Seb nodded his approval at her getting straight to the point.

‘Everyone liked him. He was outgoing, funny, popular, and a smooth talker. That’s how he persuaded Sarah to go out with him. Before that she was with me.’

He exchanged a quick glance with Birdie. That was news to him. Did he still have a thing for Sarah?

‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Not many people do. When we started dating Donald was at university. He arrived home for the summer holidays and totally won her over. I didn’t have a chance …’ A pained expression crossed his face. ‘That doesn’t mean I’m not happy with Celia. Of course I am. When Sarah and I were together, we were young. It’s all water under the bridge, now.’

Really? Did he still have feelings for Sarah?

‘When Donald died, how did it affect you?’ Seb asked.

‘He was my brother. It was a terrible shock.’

‘Was there anything going on between you, did you have a falling out before he died?’

‘No more than usual … I mean … We were brothers and sometimes there were issues.’

‘I’d like to discuss your investments with Donald. It seems perfectly understandable that you made the first investment. But why invest again if it meant using all of your money and leaving you with nothing. It doesn’t make sense. You’re an accountant and know better than to spread yourself so thinly.’

He slumped in his chair. ‘I can’t stand this any longer. It’s been eating me up inside. I’ll tell you because it’s going to come out sooner or later, the way you’re investigating.’

Seb leaned forward in his chair. Now they were getting somewhere.

‘Continue.’

‘There was a reason for the second investment. I made the first because I thought it was prudent and would give me a healthy return. Which it did. But the bottom dropped out of the financial market and Donald couldn’t keep on top of everything. He came to me and asked for a further investment into his scheme. I had no idea it was a Ponzi scheme. He neglected to tell me that. I said no because we couldn’t afford it.’ He let out a long breath.

‘Then what happened?’

‘He blackmailed me. Me. His own brother. Can you believe it? His own flesh and blood.’

‘What did he have on you?’ Birdie asked.

‘He knew about the affair I’d had with my secretary a year ago and threatened to tell Celia.’

‘How did he find out?’

‘He saw us together in a pub and asked me. I admitted the truth, thinking I could trust him, and he promised to keep my secret. I believed him. Then the moment he needed money he made those threats. Dead or not, I’ll never forgive him for that.’

‘Why didn’t you tell Celia yourself and then he’d have had no hold over you?’ Birdie asked.

‘I couldn’t. It would destroy our marriage. It had happened once before, fifteen years ago. Celia found out and gave me another chance. She said if it happened again that was it. If she’d found out about this, my marriage would have been over.’

‘Did you tell Celia about the new investment?’ Seb asked.

‘Not until after Donald had died, and we’d lost all the money. I had no choice.’

‘Did you tell her about the affair then?’

‘Absolutely not. It would have only added to the awful situation we’re in.’

‘When you invested, did you assume it was a legitimate scheme and that you’d be getting dividends on your money?’ Seb said.

‘Yes. And when there were none, I asked him to return the money. But he just laughed and said no.’

If he blackmailed his brother to invest, did that mean others were blackmailed?

‘Do you know if Donald had engaged in blackmail before?’

‘If you’d have asked me before he did it to me, I’d have said no way would he stoop that low. He did sail a bit close to the wind occasionally. But as for blackmail, no. He had some morals. Or so I thought. I believed he did it to me because I was his brother. You do things to family you wouldn’t to other people.’

‘Are you familiar with his friend Tony Yates?’

‘I met him a few times. They went to university together. We’ve never socialised, but I do know him. Was he being blackmailed, too?’

‘We don’t know.’

He glanced at his watch. ‘My next appointment is due here any minute. You’re not going to say anything to my wife about the affair, are you? It only lasted a short while and the woman in question has left the company.’

‘No, but it may come out if the suicide verdict is overturned and the police are officially involved. In that instance, I will be handing over all the