The Godson's Legacy
Page 1
Contents
Thanks
Foreword
Part One Grief and Sorrow
Chapter One 15th December
Chapter Two 15th December
Chapter Three 23rd December
Chapter Four 23rd December
Chapter Five 23rd December
Chapter Six 23rd December
Chapter Seven 23rd December
Chapter Eight 23rd December
Chapter Nine 23rd December
Chapter Ten 23rd December
Chapter Eleven 23rd December
Chapter Twelve 24th December
Chapter Thirteen 24th December
Chapter Fourteen 24th December
Chapter Fifteen 24th December
Chapter Sixteen 24th December
Chapter Seventeen 25th December
Chapter Eighteen 26th December
Chapter Nineteen 28th December
Chapter Twenty 28th December
Chapter Twenty One 31st December
Chapter Twenty Two 3rd January
Chapter Twenty Three 3rd January
Chapter Twenty Four 3rd January
Chapter Twenty Five 4th January
Chapter Twenty Six 4th January
Chapter Twenty Seven 4th January
Chapter Twenty Eight 4th January
Chapter Twenty Nine 4th January
Chapter Thirty 4th January
Chapter Thirty One 4th January
Chapter Thirty Two 5th January
Chapter Thirty Three 5th January
Chapter Thirty Four 5th January
Part Two The Will
Chapter Thirty Five 23rd January
Chapter Thirty Six 23rd January
Chapter Thirty Seven 23rd January
Chapter Thirty Eight 23rd January
Chapter Thirty Nine 23rd January
Chapter Fourty 23rd January
Chapter Fourty One 24th January
Chapter Fourty Two 24th January
Chapter Fourty Three 24th January
Chapter Fourty Four 24th January
Chapter Fourty Five 24th January
Chapter Fourty Six 24th January
Chapter Fourty Seven 24th January
Chapter Fourty Eight 24th January
Chapter Fourty Nine 24th January
Chapter Fifty 24th January
Chapter Fifty One 24th January
Part Three The Legacy
Chapter Fifty Two 24th January
Chapter Fifty Three 24th January
Chapter Fifty Four 24th January
Chapter Fifty Five 25th January
Chapter Fifty Six 25th January
Chapter Fifty Seven 25th January
Chapter Fifty Eight 26th January
Chapter Fifty Nine 27th January
Chapter Sixty 27th January
Chapter Sixty One 4th February
Chapter Sixty Two 11th February
Chapter Sixty Three 11th February
Chapter Sixty Four 12th February
Chapter Sixty Five 12th February
Chapter Sixty Six 12th February
Chapter Sixty Seven 12th February
Chapter Sixty Eight 12th February
Also Available by GHP
Copyright
Thanks
To my wife Helen, family and friends, for support, encouragement and allowing me to spend countless hours continuing to develop the Godsons story.
To Janet for again spending many hours proof reading my manuscript.
To the readers of the prequel, Godsons-Counting Sunsets, for wanting to know what happened to the characters, which encouraged me to indulge in writing this sequel.
Foreword
Geoffery Foster has left his three Godsons a legacy in his will.
But getting their hands on their inheritances isn’t as straight forward as they’d hoped.
In life, Geoffery was a control ‘freak’ and consummate perfectionist.
He saw no reason to subvert those standards after he died.
For Geoffery still controls their lives from beyond the grave.
‘The King is dead, Long live the King.’
‘The Godsons Legacy’ is the second book in the Godsons series. It follows the internationally acclaimed ‘Godsons – Counting Sunsets.’
PART ONE
Grief and Sorrow
CHAPTER ONE
15th December
Andy felt self-conscious driving the beautiful white Mercedes CL63 AMG into the estate. It was especially strange without Geoffery by his side. But now it was his car, just a few months old, almost brand new. The ‘jumbo’ coupe was a gift from his former hospice patient. The car was his extraordinary Christmas present and he was determined to enjoy it.
Surprised by his own easy acceptance of the present, Andy wasn’t at all fazed by the ethical rights or wrongs of accepting it. On the contrary, he considered that he had earned it by undertaking all the ‘special’ extracurricular activities for Geoffery, which, although well rewarded, had taken its toll on him and his family.
Groups of hooded youths turned to watch the car’s passage, as Andy steered the sleek motor through the potholed streets of the rundown housing development. This type of elegant car was out of place in this part of the city.
Over the years, Andy had become oblivious to the depressing gloom of the estate. However, tonight, the darkening winter sky and Christmas lights helped create a charade of ordinariness and the starkness retreated into the shadows.
He parked the car outside his home, a former council house, and released the passenger seat belt that had been holding the special bouquet upright on the front seat. Cradling the beautiful floral sculpture, as the florist had described it, in his arms he climbed out of his car.
Walking down the short flagstone path to the house he flicked the key fob to remotely lock the car, smiling to himself at the small childlike pleasure. Remote locking was a luxury he had never had before, all his previous old bangers required old fashioned key locking.
His festive spirits were further heightened by the string of Christmas lights which flashed colourful sequences from the house wall; a plastic Rudolf and a portly Snowman studded with small bulbs smiled at him from their festive positions stuck to the lounge window. Helen had obviously given way to his excited daughter and switched on the lights early, in spite of her previous concerns about mounting electricity bills.
‘I guess we don’t have to worry about that anymore,’ Andy thought; for along with the present of the car, Andy’s benefactor, Geoffery, had also given him a very generous cheque; a staggering two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, a mind-blowing quarter of a million.
The smell of Christmas greeted him as he opened the front door. He had only opened it a fraction before his four year old daughter, Amy, was at his feet, followed closely by his five year old niece, Rose.
‘Hello darling, hello Rose,’ he said, kneeling to hug the duo.
‘Uncle Andy, did you know that it’s only ten more sleeps until Father Christmas comes?’
‘Yes I did. Isn’t it great?’ he said, smiling at the excited girls.
‘YESSSS,’ the two youngsters chorused, screaming with girly excitement.
‘Are those flowers for Mummy?’ Amy asked, spotting the bouquet.
‘Yes Angel,’ said Andy, putting his finger to his lips, suggesting it was a secret and she should be quiet.
‘OK,’ Amy whispered, conspiratorially. ‘Have you brought anything for us?’ she continued, in the same small voice.
‘I might have, but first I’ll give these to Mummy. So go and play and I’ll be back in a minute.’
Andy hung his coat on the bottom stair post as the excited girls ran screaming back into the lo
unge.
Feeling pleased with himself by his thoughtful, if rare event, of buying her flowers, he walked into the kitchen hiding the bouquet behind his back. Helen had her back to him making up bottles for four month old Molly. He was dismayed to see she was still dressed in her pyjamas, an old shapeless jumper and sloppy grey jogging bottoms, her shoulder length hair looking limp and greasy.
‘Hello, darling,’ he said, kissing her neck.
‘Hi,’ she replied tiredly, continuing her task without turning around.
‘I see the kids are excited.’
‘You can say that again. They’ve been hyper all day. I’m exhausted.’
‘I brought you these,’ he said beaming, bringing the flowers from behind his back.
Helen turned and looked at the exotic bouquet, created with the flamboyant red Amaryllis, green ‘Bells of Ireland’ and white Camellia.
‘Oh, they’re lovely! Thank you. But you’ll have to put them in a vase. I’m just so far behind at the moment.’
‘You don’t have to put them in a vase.’
‘What do you mean? They’ll die if you don’t.’
‘I thought of that,’ he said, feeling pleased with himself. ‘They come with their own water. Look!’
At the bottom of the bouquet was a large plastic bag full of water.
‘See no problem, self-watering. Now I think that deserves a kiss don’t you,’ he said, putting the flowers on the worktop and embracing her.
‘Look, it’s not a good time,’ she said, pulling back. ‘I’m a bit behind with everything.’
‘Come on, just a kiss. I’m not after anything else…but if it’s on offer,’ he said, hopefully.
‘No Andy, I’ve told you. I’m not ready …for that yet.’
‘Oh come on Helen, it’s been nearly a year since we…’
Helen pulled away and turned her back to him, resuming her bottle making. ‘I’m too tired. Ever since I had Molly, I don’t seem to have a moment to myself. Just give me time. I thought we’d agreed about this… that you understood.’
‘I do but…’
‘Anyway, this isn’t like you, buying me flowers. What’s brought this on?’
‘Well, it’s nearly Christmas and I wanted to buy you something to brighten up your day and…we’ve been preparing Geoffery’s room for somebody else.’
‘Oh, I see.’
‘I know I’ve said it before, but working at the hospice is a constant reminder of the fragility of life.’
‘Yes, yes. Is this how you intended to brighten my day?’
Andy continued his doleful rhetoric, lost in his own thoughts. ‘Death is no respecter of age. Even if you get over serious illnesses, there are procedures that might be lifesaving but they are also life changing.’
‘Thanks for those cheery words.’
‘I don’t want to look back and regret missing out on opportunities, especially with you,’ he said, hugging her from behind.
‘You’ve got to understand I’m…tired, what with Christmas and the baby.’
‘I thought with the new car and the cheque from Geoffery you might have been…you know, happier.’
‘I am, but…please be patient with me Andy, just for a bit longer,’ she pleaded.
CHAPTER TWO
15th December
‘Daddy…Daddy, is Uncle Geoffery deaded?’ Amy asked, running into the kitchen.
‘Yes darling, I’m afraid so,’ Andy replied, gently.
‘Why couldn’t you make him better?’ she asked, with genuine concern.
‘Well sometimes people get so poorly that they can’t be mended.’
‘Where do people go when they die?’ she persisted.
‘They go to heaven.’
‘And on the telly too.’ Rose volunteered, wisely.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Come and look. Uncle Geoffery is on the telly wearing a funny hat.’
Andy and Helen quickly followed the little girls into the lounge to see a picture of Geoffery lying in bed with a polythene bag over his head; his eyes bulging, the bag expanding and contracting with his faltering breath. By his bedside a woman, was firmly pinning his arms down against the bedclothes.
‘Andy switch it off.’ Helen shouted in a panic.
Andy jabbed a button on the remote control and immediately the screen went blank.
‘Oh Daddy we were watching that. Uncle Geoffery looked funny didn’t he?’
‘Where did you get that DVD from?’ Andy said, sharply.
Amy started to cry.
‘It’s alright Darling, Daddy isn’t cross,’ Helen coaxed. ‘Where did you find the DVD sweetheart?’
‘It was in Daddy’s pocket,’ Amy sobbed. ‘Daddy said he got something for us.
‘Andy!’
‘It wasn’t that which I got for them…Oh heavens, it must have been the disc the CCTV engineer gave me from Geoffery’s room.’
‘Why the hell did you leave it where the kids could get it?’
‘I didn’t.’
‘Well you obviously did, if these two could find it and put it on.’
‘I didn’t know what was on it. I haven’t seen it. I had no idea,’ Andy pleaded, hurt at her allegation that he would deliberately expose them to such horror.
‘Daddy, was that lady playing games with Uncle Geoffery?’
‘Yes Darling. Now go and play in the garden, before it gets too dark…but put your coats on, it’s cold out.’
‘Careful of the Christmas tree,’ Helen warned as the pair rushed by it.
‘OK.’ Amy shouted, as she disappeared into the hallway to get her coat.
‘Bags I go on the swing first,’ called Rose, running after Amy.
‘How come you got that shocking recording? It’s enough to give them nightmares.’ Helen demanded.
‘As I said, the CCTV technician gave it to me. I didn’t know what was on it. I didn’t even know there was a camera in his room. It must have been fitted when I was suspended.’ Andy said, pleading mitigation.
‘It looks like it recorded when that woman… what’s her name?’
‘Sue…the husband batterer.’
‘When she tried to kill poor Geoffery,’ Helen continued. ‘We need to give it to the Police.’
‘Yes you’re right.’
‘We ought to watch it first though.’
‘Oh Christ, do we have to?’
‘I think we ought to know what’s on there, don’t you?’
‘OK, if you insist. But let’s wait until the kids are in bed. She’s already been remanded in custody for attempted murder and Geoffery’s funeral is next week.’
Later that evening, after steeling themselves to watch the DVD images, they watched and listened as the whole drama unfolded.
It had been recorded from a camera which, it was obvious, neither participant knew of its existence.
The start of the DVD recorded the test shots when it was first installed by the technician. Geoffery’s bed was empty. There followed a short period where the screen went blank. After a few minutes the screen sprang to life and Geoffery could be seen lying in bed reading. Shortly after, a woman arrived in the room.
That’s Sue, the wife of Geoffery’s Godson, Rupert,’ Andy informed her.
‘Yes, I know who she is.’ Helen replied, testily.
After a short preamble they were astonished to hear Geoffery say.
‘I want you to help me commit suicide.’
‘My God, did you hear him say what I thought he said?’ Andy said, in amazement.
‘The sound is a bit distant and echoey. Re-run that bit again,’ Helen directed.
Andy pushed the rewind button on the controller, increased the volume and re-ran it. They leaned forward to catch Geoffery’s words.
‘I want you to help me commit suicide,’ Geoffery said.
‘Oh my God,’ Helen exclaimed, putting her hands to her face in disbelief.
‘Listen! What does she say?’ Andy hissed, urgently.
Andy and Helen listened in horrified silence to the rest of the DVD.
‘What do you mean?’ Geoffery asked. ‘You hate me don’t you?’
‘Aiding people to commit suicide is a criminal offence,’ she said.
‘I have written a suicide note.’
‘That makes no difference.’
‘It will, in this case.’
‘Why do want to die like that? Just look at you! The cancer will kill you soon enough.’
‘The pain is just unbearable. I can’t take it anymore.’
‘Well, you’re asking the wrong person then, because I want to see you suffer. Just like you’ve made me suffer, taking my husband away from me.’
‘There’s money in it for you, if you do.’
‘How much?’
‘I have written to my Solicitor, instructing him to pay you two hundred and fifty thousand pounds after my death.’
‘Why? What possible reason would you have for doing that? It’s clear you hate me.’
‘Just a dying man’s wish to apologise for messing up your life.’
‘But all I need to do is just wait for nature to take its course.’
‘No, I’m afraid not. If you don’t help me today, I shall telephone my Solicitor and tell him I wrote the letter while I was under the influence of drugs. And I’ll ask him to destroy it.’
‘Getting paid for having my revenge on you! It just sounds too good to be true.’
‘That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.’
‘What happens if the nurse comes in?’
‘Oh, he won’t. Andy’s replacement has got other patients to look after.’
‘Your replacement?’ Helen asked puzzled.
Andy paused the video.
‘Yeah, remember when I was suspended because Geoffery gave Rupert some of his painkillers after the bitch had beaten him up. That Sue found the packaging that had the hospice name on it. She reported me for selling drugs.’
‘Of course. God she’s an evil piece of work.’
‘Say that again.’
Andy pressed the play button and the recording continued.
‘I’ve already written the suicide note.’ Geoffery continued. ‘The nurse will discover it later this evening, when you’re long gone.’