Dick Francis's Gamble - Felix Francis [128]
“No,” Patrick went on, “we mustn’t let this little setback disrupt our work. I will write to all of Gregory’s clients, telling them that for the time being I will be looking after their portfolios. It will just mean we all have to work a little harder for a while.”
But for how long, I wondered?
The maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder was life imprisonment.
“So how about the Bulgarian business?” I asked.
“Jessica and I have just been looking at it,” Patrick said. “Or what is left to look at after those damn police have been in here taking stuff away.”
“And?” I asked.
“It’s rather inconclusive,” Jessica said.
“What’s inconclusive?” I asked, somewhat surprised.
“There seems to be no evidence to show if the original investment was obtained by fraudulent means, or whether there was any purposeful deception by anyone in this firm,” Jessica said.
She’s covering her back, I thought.
“But how about the European Union grants?” I said.
“They are not our business,” Patrick said sharply. “Neither Gregory individually nor Lyall and Black as a firm can be held responsible for the actions of people in Brussels, those who may have issued EU grants without due diligence. The only matter that affects this firm is the original Roberts Family Trust investment and then only if we were knowingly negligent in brokering it. As far as we can establish, the investment idea was put forward by the senior trustee of the trust.”
I had to admit, it was a persuasive argument, especially as Viscount Shenington was unlikely to be in any state to refute it. Perhaps I had been a tad premature in writing off the future of Lyall & Black.
But that didn’t explain what had happened to Herb Kovak, and it didn’t explain Shenington’s comment about me being difficult to kill and not turning up where I was expected. The only place I’d been expected had been the offices of Lyall & Black and the only people who had known where I’d been expected had been the firm’s staff. Gregory must have at least discussed the matter of my murder with Shenington. That alone would have been enough to convict him.
“What about the photographs that Gregory showed to Colonel Roberts?” I said. “The ones that purported to prove that the factory and houses had already been built.”
“Gregory told me this morning that he’d been sent those by the developer in Bulgaria and in good faith,” said Patrick. “He’d had no reason to doubt their authenticity.”
“Not until Jolyon Roberts asked about them,” I said. “What did he do then?”
“Gregory told me that Colonel Roberts didn’t exactly say that he questioned whether the photos were accurate or not. In fact, Gregory said that Roberts kept contradicting himself and changing his mind throughout their final telephone conversation and he kept apologizing all the time for wasting Gregory’s time. In the end, Gregory wasn’t quite sure what to think.”
I could believe it. Jolyon Roberts had done exactly the same with me at Cheltenham. I thought it strange that a man who had clearly been so decisive on the battlefield could have been so befuddled and incoherent when it came to accusing a friend of lying and of stealing from him. I suppose it was all about family honor, and not losing face.
“Thank you, Jessica,” Patrick said. “You can be getting back to your office now.”
Jessica stood up and left. I remained where I was.
“Now, Nicholas,” said Patrick when the door was shut, “I have decided to overlook your rather strange behavior over the past three weeks and to wipe the slate clean. Your job is still yours if you want it. To be honest, I don’t know how we would manage at the moment if you weren’t here.”
So was that a vote of confidence in my ability, I wondered, or a decision born simply out of necessity?
“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t take too long about it,” Patrick said. “It’s time to put other things out of your mind and get back to work.”
“I’m still not happy about things,” I said. “Especially the fraud.”
“Suspected fraud,” he corrected.