Not Dead Enough

kind of people they were? Or if they just rejected him?
    Yet the nagging desire to find out about his background got stronger all the time. And it was fuelled by the knowledge that, with each passing year, the chance of one or both of his birth parents still being alive diminished.

    ‘I’m just so sorry about the news, Brian – and that I couldn’t see you earlier today. I had to be in court.’
    ‘Of course, Robert. No problem. I’ve had a load of business stuff to deal with. It kept my mind occupied.’
    ‘It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?’
    ‘Yes.’ Bishop did not know whether to say anything about Sophie Harrington. He desperately wanted to open up to someone, but at the same it didn’t feel right, not now, not at this moment.
    ‘And how are you? Are you coping?’
    ‘Just about.’ Bishop smiled thinly. ‘I’m sort of grounded here in Brighton. I can’t get into the house for several more days. The police don’t want me going up to London, so I’m having to stay down here – and carry on with the business as best I can.’
    ‘If you need a bed, you’re welcome to stay with Trish and me.’
    ‘Thanks, but I’m OK.’
    ‘And do they have any idea what happened? Who did this terrible thing?’
    ‘The way they’re treating me, I think they’re convinced I did it.’ The two men locked eyes briefly.
    ‘I’m not a criminal lawyer, Brian, but I do know that the immediate family are always suspects in most murder inquiries, until eliminated.’
    ‘I’m sure.’
    ‘So don’t be too worried by that. The faster they can eliminate you, the faster they can get on with finding who did do it. Out of interest, where are the kids at the moment?’ Then the solicitor raised a pacifying hand. ‘I’m sorry. Not that I meant to infer—’
    ‘No, of course not, understood. Max is with a friend in the south of France. Carly’s staying with cousins in Canada. I’ve spoken to them both, told them to stay on – there’s nothing they can do by coming back. I understand from the police it will be about a month before I can – before the coroner – will—’ He stumbled over his words, emotion taking over.
    ‘I’m afraid there are a lot of formalities. Bureaucracy. Red tape. Not helpful when I’m sure all you want to do is be alone with your thoughts.’
    Bishop nodded, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing his eyes.
    ‘Talking of which, we have a few things we need to deal with. OK to make a start?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘First, what about Katie’s assets – do you know if she made a will?’
    ‘There’s something very odd. The police asked me about a life insurance policy – for three million pounds – which they said I had taken out on Katie.’
    The solicitor ignored an incoming call and looked at him. ‘And you hadn’t?’
    Mercifully, the drilling suddenly stopped outside.
    ‘No. Absolutely not – that I can remember, and I bloody well would remember that.’
    Vernon was pensive for some moments. ‘Didn’t you remortgage your Dyke Road Avenue house quite recently? To raise cash for your rights issue?’
    Bishop nodded. ‘Yes, I did.’
    His company was doing well at the moment, but almost too well ironically, and it had suffered from the cash-flow problems that many fast-expanding businesses experienced. When he had started up, it had been funded by himself and a small group of wealthy friends, on a relatively small amount of cash. Recently, to take it to the next level, they had needed to invest substantially in new technology, larger premises and more skilled computer staff. Bishop and his friends had decided to find the money themselves, rather than try to float, or raise it by other means, and he had provided his own portion from remortgaging his house.
    ‘The mortgage companies normally require some life-insurance cover on a large loan – perhaps that’s what you did.’
    The solicitor might be right, he thought. Life-insurance cover was ringing a faint bell. But the amount seemed wrong. And he couldn’t check his files because they were in the bloody house.
    ‘Perhaps,’ he said dubiously. ‘And yes, she did make a will – it was a very short one. I’m one of the executors, along with David Crouch, my accountant. It’s in the house.’
    ‘Of course, I’d forgotten. She had some assets, didn’t she? She got a reasonable settlement in her previous marriage. Can you remember what the will contained?’
    ‘I can remember. She bequeathed a few quid to her