death.’
‘Mr?’
‘She’s worked for him for the last eighteen years and says it’s always been and still is Mr.’
‘Did he ever speak about his family or his past?’
‘She’s says not, and I believe her. He was a very quiet man, and clever. He liked to do crossword puzzles, loved walking and his boat. She knew he had cancer and when he told her he was going out on the boat for a few days, she guessed it would be for the last time, but she never expected him to meet with an accident.’
‘Did you tell her it wasn’t accidental?’ Horton asked, surprised.
‘Of course, but she refuses to believe that someone could have killed such a nice man as Mr Brundall.’
Horton sniffed. ‘She should have our job. What about Brundall’s investments?’
‘He’s rolling in it, and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. When he moved here he already had millions. Mrs Lihou says Brundall never spoke about money. He was generous to her, lived well and maintained the house, but never spent much on himself except for his boat. He was a recluse, didn’t mix with anyone on the island and never went on expensive holidays or business trips. I didn’t know him and we’ve never come across him before.’
‘What about Russell Newton? Brundall was photographed with him.’
‘Mrs Lihou says that neither Mr Newton nor anyone else has ever visited the house. Newton’s a very wealthy man and an influential one on the island. I’ve got to get the chief officer’s authority to question him, but I will get it, Andy. It just takes time.’
‘I know. Any idea who Brundall’s next of kin is?’
‘No. Sherbourne’s tell me that Brundall has made a will but until they speak to Nigel Sherbourne they can’t let us have access to a copy, and none of the staff or Nigel’s partner know what’s in it anyway. Whoever Brundall has named is sitting on a small fortune, lucky sod.’
‘What would you do with all that money, John?’ teased Horton.
‘Buy myself a bigger boat.’
‘There speaks a man after my own heart. Any idea when you’ll get to speak to Sherbourne?’
‘He should have returned to his office an hour ago, but there’s been no sign of him and no contact from him.’
Horton frowned. That was news to him, and it didn’t sound too good either. Had Sherbourne absconded?
Guilbert said, ‘I’m worried, Andy. His wife says he hasn’t been home and there’s no answer to his mobile phone. We’ve issued an alert for him, but he’s not your killer. I know him well and you couldn’t meet a more reputable lawyer or man.’
John Guilbert’s word had always been good enough for Horton in the past, so why not now? They should rule out the solicitor, which meant that something must have happened to him. Horton didn’t think it boded well.
‘Have you any idea of why Brundall would summon Sherbourne to England?’ he asked.
‘For the same reason you thought of, either to change his will or sign some business papers, and if Sherbourne’s missing then it doesn’t look too good, because whatever Brundall did sign, Sherbourne brought back with him, and someone doesn’t want us to find it.’
‘Does Dennings know this?’
‘No. I’ve only just found out myself. His partner in the law firm also claims he had no idea what Sherbourne’s business was with Brundall. All he knows is that Brundall telephoned late Tuesday afternoon, about four fifteen. He doesn’t know what the conversation was about and he didn’t have any idea that Sherbourne was going to England on Wednesday. He just said he’d be out for the day. Sherbourne booked his own flight and paid with the firm’s credit card. He’s reliable, Andy.’
Horton thought for a moment. If Guilbert were right then either someone had followed Sherbourne from Guernsey to England and back again, or someone from here had seen Sherbourne go onboard Brundall’s boat and followed him back to Guernsey. If that was so, whoever it was must have known the
‘Mr?’
‘She’s worked for him for the last eighteen years and says it’s always been and still is Mr.’
‘Did he ever speak about his family or his past?’
‘She’s says not, and I believe her. He was a very quiet man, and clever. He liked to do crossword puzzles, loved walking and his boat. She knew he had cancer and when he told her he was going out on the boat for a few days, she guessed it would be for the last time, but she never expected him to meet with an accident.’
‘Did you tell her it wasn’t accidental?’ Horton asked, surprised.
‘Of course, but she refuses to believe that someone could have killed such a nice man as Mr Brundall.’
Horton sniffed. ‘She should have our job. What about Brundall’s investments?’
‘He’s rolling in it, and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. When he moved here he already had millions. Mrs Lihou says Brundall never spoke about money. He was generous to her, lived well and maintained the house, but never spent much on himself except for his boat. He was a recluse, didn’t mix with anyone on the island and never went on expensive holidays or business trips. I didn’t know him and we’ve never come across him before.’
‘What about Russell Newton? Brundall was photographed with him.’
‘Mrs Lihou says that neither Mr Newton nor anyone else has ever visited the house. Newton’s a very wealthy man and an influential one on the island. I’ve got to get the chief officer’s authority to question him, but I will get it, Andy. It just takes time.’
‘I know. Any idea who Brundall’s next of kin is?’
‘No. Sherbourne’s tell me that Brundall has made a will but until they speak to Nigel Sherbourne they can’t let us have access to a copy, and none of the staff or Nigel’s partner know what’s in it anyway. Whoever Brundall has named is sitting on a small fortune, lucky sod.’
‘What would you do with all that money, John?’ teased Horton.
‘Buy myself a bigger boat.’
‘There speaks a man after my own heart. Any idea when you’ll get to speak to Sherbourne?’
‘He should have returned to his office an hour ago, but there’s been no sign of him and no contact from him.’
Horton frowned. That was news to him, and it didn’t sound too good either. Had Sherbourne absconded?
Guilbert said, ‘I’m worried, Andy. His wife says he hasn’t been home and there’s no answer to his mobile phone. We’ve issued an alert for him, but he’s not your killer. I know him well and you couldn’t meet a more reputable lawyer or man.’
John Guilbert’s word had always been good enough for Horton in the past, so why not now? They should rule out the solicitor, which meant that something must have happened to him. Horton didn’t think it boded well.
‘Have you any idea of why Brundall would summon Sherbourne to England?’ he asked.
‘For the same reason you thought of, either to change his will or sign some business papers, and if Sherbourne’s missing then it doesn’t look too good, because whatever Brundall did sign, Sherbourne brought back with him, and someone doesn’t want us to find it.’
‘Does Dennings know this?’
‘No. I’ve only just found out myself. His partner in the law firm also claims he had no idea what Sherbourne’s business was with Brundall. All he knows is that Brundall telephoned late Tuesday afternoon, about four fifteen. He doesn’t know what the conversation was about and he didn’t have any idea that Sherbourne was going to England on Wednesday. He just said he’d be out for the day. Sherbourne booked his own flight and paid with the firm’s credit card. He’s reliable, Andy.’
Horton thought for a moment. If Guilbert were right then either someone had followed Sherbourne from Guernsey to England and back again, or someone from here had seen Sherbourne go onboard Brundall’s boat and followed him back to Guernsey. If that was so, whoever it was must have known the
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