by Adele Abbott
After he’d finished speaking, there was a barrage of questions, but he’d obviously said all he intended to say.
The on-the-scene reporter then spoke into the camera, “That is quite the most extraordinary press conference I’ve ever attended. The implications are obviously dire both for SobersCare and for Mark Sobers himself. We’ll bring you more on this story as we get it.”
***
“Would you care for a drink, Sir Arthur?”
“No, I’d rather get on with this. I don’t know why you had to drag me here, anyway. Surely, we could have done this at Hasbene Hall?”
“I appreciate your coming in. Two more people will be joining us in a moment.”
“What? Who?”
“Wait there, please.” I walked through to the outer office. “You can go and get them now, Mrs V.”
Moments later, she returned with Joanne Carling and Mrs Sykes. I’d had Mrs V ask them to wait down the corridor because I didn’t want Sir Arthur to see them on his way in.
“Why are they here?” Sir Arthur raged.
“Please take a seat, ladies,” I said.
“I demand to know what is going on!” Sir Arthur was on his feet now.
“Please sit down. I asked Joanne and Mrs Sykes to come here so that you can give them what is rightfully theirs.”
“I’ve had quite enough of this.” He started towards the door.
“Before you go, perhaps you’d care to explain this?”
He turned around, ready to give me both barrels, but then saw what I was holding.
“Where did you get that?”
“I think you should come and sit down.”
Still staring at the Will in my hand, he did as I said.
“According to your late wife’s Will, all of her possessions should have gone to her sister. That is, all except for six pieces of jewellery which were bequeathed to Mrs Sykes.”
“Geraldine wasn’t in her right mind when she wrote that!” he blustered.
“I’m confident her doctor will testify otherwise. Of course, that will only be necessary if we’re forced to take this to the police. I’m sure they’d be interested to know why you deliberately hid the Will.”
“I—err—”
“So, what’s it to be? Will you give Joanne and Mrs Sykes what is rightfully theirs, or shall I call in the police?”
If looks could kill, I would be six-feet under.
“Alright, alright.” He stood up again. “I’ll sort it out.”
“If you don’t, I’ll tell the police that you hid the Will. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Good.”
“Don’t you dare send me a bill for any of your time,” he said, and then stormed out of the office.
“Thank you so very much.” Mrs Sykes had tears in her eyes. “That money will make all the difference in the world to me.”
“Lady Geraldine knew that, which is why she wanted you to have it.”
“What I don’t understand,” Joanne said. “Is how you managed to find the Will.”
“A little Gerry told me where it was.”
***
“Have you ever considered entering the business woman of the year competition?” Winky jumped onto my desk.
“I assume that’s sarcasm?”
“It takes a special skill-set to successfully close a case, and yet not get paid for it.”
“It was the right thing to do.”
“You should tweet about it. Hashtag HowToGoBroke.”
“Shut up.”
My phone rang.
“You should get that.” Winky grinned. “It’s probably another charity case.”
“Hello?”
“Jill, it’s Bob Bobb.”
“Hi, Bob.”
“I just wanted to let you know that your plan worked like a dream.”
“That’s great. What happened?”
“Driller spiked the drink, just like you said he would.”
“Has he been arrested?”
“Yes, and there’s even better news. Driller may be a slimeball, but he’s no idiot. From what I hear, he’s already trying to cut a deal by offering to tell everything he knows about Gillian Happ and the set-up at Mimage. If I was a betting man, I’d wager that this time next week, Mimage will be history.”
“That’s fantastic news.”
“And it’s all down to you. Everything King Dollop said about you is true. You’ll be sure to send me your bill, won’t you?”
“I certainly will.”
“See,” I turned to Winky. “That was a satisfied, paying customer. Hashtag UpYoursWinky.”
***
It had been a long week, and I was about to call it a day when Mrs V popped her head around the door.
“Mr and Mrs Banks are here. They wondered if you might spare them a minute?”
“Yes, of course. Send them through.”
“Oh, and they have someone else with them.” She grinned.
Mr and Mrs Banks were all smiles. So was Annette.
“It’s nice to see that you’ve been reunited. Come and take a seat.”
“Annette came home this morning.” Christine Banks looked like a woman who had just won the lottery.
“Did you see the press conference, Jill?” Annette said.
“I did.”
“Sobers has already been arrested,” Gordon chipped in.
“I’m delighted to hear it.”
“I rushed back home as soon as I saw the news.” Annette turned to her parents. “I feel so bad about putting them through all of this.”
“Did you know Sobers was going to do this, Jill?” Gordon said.
“I did pay him a visit yesterday.”
“What happened?”
“Let’s just say I made him see the error of his ways.”
“See, Christine, I told you this was all Jill’s doing.”
“We can’t thank you enough for bringing Annette back to us.” Christine wiped away a tear.
“My pleasure. What do you think will happen to the care homes that Sobers owned?”
“I’m not sure,” Annette said. “But whoever takes them over, it’s sure to be an improvement on what’s gone before.”
“Annette, do you mind if I ask, have you really split up with Craig or was that just part of the act to throw everyone off the scent?”
“We really have split up; that happened some time ago. But we’re still really good friends, and he was the first person I turned to when this blew up. In fact, he was the one who suggested that I go into hiding.”
“We’d better not take up any more of your time.” Gordon stood up. “We just wanted to come and thank you in person. Do make sure you let us have your bill.”
“Hear that Winky? Hashtag MoreCashForJill.”
I was halfway down the stairs when who should appear in the doorway but Mindy.
“You only just caught me. I’m on my way home.”
“I wanted to let you know that you were right about Gloria. I caught her red-handed, stealing from the till.”
“Did she admit she was seeing Miles?”
“Yes, she really believes they’re an item, but my guess is that now she’s no longer of any use to him, he’ll dump her.”
“You sacked her, I assume?”
“Of course, but not before I’d made her pay back the money she’d taken. I said if she didn’t, I’d call the police.” Mindy took three banknotes out of her purse. “This is the money you lent me.”
“Thanks.”
“No, thank you. You didn’t have to believe me, and I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t.”
***
At long last it was Saturday morning. It had been a hectic couple of weeks, and I was well and truly exhausted. Although I was going to miss Jack, I was looking forward to a totally chilled out weekend topped with plenty of pampering. First stop: the spa.
I was just about to call them to make a booking when my phone rang.
“Aunt Lucy? Is that you? You sound terrible.”
“Lester and I have come down with this horrible flu.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that.”
“The thing is, we still have Lil and Lily with us.”
“Are the twins going to come and get them?”
“They’re still laid up too.”
“Who’s going to look after them, then?”
“That’s why I called. I hate to ask, but—”
“Me?”
“That’s so very kind.”
“I—err—but—”
“I’ll get their stuff ready. Thanks ever so.”
I stared at the phone in disbelief. This could not be happening.
Twenty minutes later, I had Lil and Lily in my living room.
“Okay, you two. I don’t want any trouble from either of you.”
They both looked at me with wide eyes and gurgled with joy. Maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad after all. I might not be able to go to the spa, but I could still chill out in front of the TV.
“Lil, why are you crying? What’s that smell? Lily, don’t you start too. Which one of you has made that awful pong?” I sniffed Lil’s nappy. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Wait a minute. I sniffed Lily’s. “What is this? Synchronised pooing?”
More mystery and magic await Jill Maxwell in the next book:
Witch Is How The Mirror Lied
(Witch P.I. Mysteries #27)
ALSO FROM ADELE ABBOTT:
Whoops! Our New Flatmate Is A Human
Susan Hall Investigates Book #1
Take a shy werewolf, a wizard who fancies himself as a ladies’ man, and a vampire dying for her first taste of human blood. Then add a human for good measure.
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