Dead on Time – Sharif Gemie

Mary was trying to understand. ‘And—did you ever ask him for anything? Money?’

Rod looked up, suddenly mistrustful. ‘No. Well, once. Rach got really ill and we wanted to try a treatment that wasn’t on the NHS. I asked him…’

‘He paid for it?’

‘He paid for it, and—to be fair—never mentioned it, never asked for anything in return. But—it didn’t feel right, I didn’t like myself for doing that and I decided never to ask him for anything again.’

‘And—did the treatment work?’

Rod shrugged his shoulders. ‘Hard to say. It didn’t do her any harm. Rach still suffers. But she’s learnt to get on with life, when she can.’

‘What does she do?’

‘When we first moved into the cottage, she made some baby clothes for a friend. Everybody said how beautifully she’d knitted them. It became a sort of habit and then—after a while—people began to pay her to knit for them, clothes for adults, I mean. When she’s well, that’s what she does. Designer jumpers, you might say. People will pay £250, even more, for one of Rach’s jumpers.’

He smiled proudly at Mary. 

‘So we manage, mostly—’ Rod was interrupted by his mobile. ‘Sorry, might be Rach.’

He looked at the screen, then frowned.

‘What the—’

He read and re-read the message, then scrolled down, looking puzzled. 

Mary guessed what it might be. ‘Is it about Mr Hanley—Frank?’

‘Yes.’ Rod looked baffled. ‘From his solicitor. Brian something-or-other. Frank’s—Frank’s left me some money. A legacy. Two thousand a month. Can this be right?’

‘I heard him phoning, from his bed. He changed his will, at the last moment. Completely disinherited his children.’

‘Did he now? He hated those kids, they gave him no end of grief. But—I don’t understand.’

‘What?’

‘Why did he leave this money to me?’

‘You said it yourself—you were probably his only friend.’

Rod nodded, slowly and thoughtfully.

‘It was his way of saying thank you,’ continued Mary.

‘He’d never have said it to my face.’

‘No—he wasn’t that sort. Mind you, he had more than two million to dispose of.’

Rod stared at her. ‘Two million! I knew he’d been raking it in, but—two million!’

Mary could see emotions crossing Rod’s face in rapid succession. He’d make a poor poker player, she thought. Now, he was angry.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Leave a Reply