Read Online A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd - Free Book Online

of seeing that through. Certainly he’d have had better luck persuading his father to pay for his education than trying to convince his brother he was serious about his future.
    There were footsteps on the stairs, and as if conjured up by Rutledge’s thoughts, Michael came through the door. Annie exclaimed, and hurried to embrace him.
    He looked ill. He’d shaved, but he’d missed patches of beard at the jawline and under his chin. His clothes were rumpled and his hair lank.
    â€œI went to the house,” he said to his sister. “But no one was there. I couldn’t bear to go in.”
    Peter Clayton frowned. “Surely you didn’t come through the shop looking like that?” he asked his brother.
    â€œThere’s no one in the show room. After all, the shop is closed, isn’t it?” Michael answered. He stared at Rutledge. “You aren’t Papa’s solicitor.”
    â€œWere you expecting him?” Rutledge asked.
    â€œWe can’t bury my father until the police give us permission. And so Mr. Adams suggested that the will be read before he’s interred,” Peter Clayton explained. “I doubt there’s anything new in it. Papa drew it up after Mama’s death.” To his brother, he said, “This is Inspector Rutledge. We told you—he was here earlier.”
    â€œExcept that now I have no place to live,” Michael said morosely, ignoring the introduction. “I expect Annie must feel the same way.” He appeared to be sober now, although his skin was sallow. From a monumental hangover?
    â€œHow is the estate likely to be divided?” Rutledge asked.
    â€œThe house goes to Annie for as long as she cares to live there. Then it will be sold with equal shares going to each of us,” the younger brother answered.
    â€œMichael is right. I’m not sure I can bear to live there now,” Annie said in a low voice, shivering.
    â€œIn time, perhaps,” Peter said, reaching out to rest a hand on her arm. “We’re in no hurry, love.”
    â€œAnd the business?” Rutledge persisted.
    Peter glanced at his brother. “My father saw to it that it was equal shares there as well. And I shall carry out his wishes, of course. I’ve worked downstairs from the time I was fourteen. By rights the business should be mine to go on with, I expect. But Annie will have a share in the profits until she marries, and then a dowry. Michael will have a share in the profits for as long as he works with me. If he chooses not to, he’ll be given a lump sum. The only problem is, I can’t afford a lump sum just now, but I can pay him monthlyuntil I’m able to do more. We didn’t expect Papa to die so young. He’d been putting money back into the business to build it. As our bank manager can tell you, we are debt free, but there aren’t a lot of pounds on hand.”
    Rutledge had been watching Michael’s face. His lips twisted in a sour grimace, and it occurred to Rutledge that if Michael were to kill one of his family, it might well be his brother, not his father.
    He turned to the younger brother. “Did your father ever tell you stories about his childhood or his parents?”
    Michael shrugged. “The usual stories of growing up. He lost his mother when he was six, and he went to work in the shop with his father because there was no one to look after him. He liked it, he said, but his heart wasn’t in it, even when his father made him a partner. He wanted to build furniture, not wait on elderly ladies who couldn’t make up their minds.”
    Shortly after that, Rutledge thanked them, and walked down to the harbor. The water was a sparkling dark blue, and the boats riding at anchor bobbed a little as the tide ran. Overhead, gulls shrieked with interest, flying closer to inspect him, then moving on when they saw he had nothing to offer them. The steep-sided valley, carved out by the River