It's Now or Never (30 page)

Nick's fair head shot up and he stared at Sam from damp brown eyes. ‘Where d'you think he's gone?'

‘I honestly don't know. It could be that he headed for Holyhead and took the ferry to Ireland or maybe he decided he would be safer as far away from this country as possible.'

‘South Africa or Australia, maybe!' exclaimed Nick.

‘Could be. It's possible that he's still in Britain but somehow I think not,' said Sam. ‘D'you have any idea of the kind of money he might have on him? Mrs Williams thought he was hard up but it could be that it was he who emptied your father's till and any other cash he had hidden away. Your father's solicitor was obliged to advance him some money on your behalf because Dennis Rogers was named as your guardian in the latest will he had.'

Conflicting emotions showed in Nick's face. ‘So why murder Dad?'

‘Tell me a bit about Dennis and Kenneth. Why do you think he could have killed him?'

Nick told him everything he had overheard of the brothers' conversations and of the relationship between himself and Dennis, ending by saying, ‘I knew Dad was seeing a solicitor and I did wonder whether he planned to have a new will made. Whether that was to do with the proposed sale of the house or me, I don't know.'

‘Most likely it could have been a bit of both,' said Sam. ‘Your adopted father must have known his brother could be violent when crossed and perhaps decided he wasn't suitable to be your guardian if anything happened to him.'

Nick took a deep breath. ‘Maybe Dad told him of his plans and Dennis lost his temper and picked up the weapon nearest to hand. I can't prove it but I feel it in my gut.' He swallowed and tears filled his eyes.

Sam nodded and patted his shoulder. ‘My superior spoke to your father's solicitor today and he seemed to be of the opinion that your father was considering making a new will but he never finalized it.'

‘And that's why he killed Dad. He wanted him dead before he could do so.' Nick frowned. ‘It doesn't make sense. Uncle Dennis would have still had half of the proceeds from the house coming to him.'

‘Maybe your father knew something that his brother didn't? I brought a pile of papers back with me from the house in Shotton. Perhaps I'll find something there.'

Nick nodded and then a thought occurred to him. ‘There was this piece of furniture that my grandfather had left Dad. We were going to fetch it just after Easter. I wonder if there was anything in that which could shed light on all this?'

‘Maybe. If you could describe the furniture we could have a look inside it,' said Sam.

Nick nodded. ‘It'll be in Grandfather's will but I don't know if that's still around.'

‘Maybe that's what Dennis was searching for?' said Sam softly.

‘You think he found it?'

Sam shrugged. ‘I can't say but presumably your grandfather had a solicitor and we can ask him.'

Nick nodded. ‘So what do we do right now?'

Before Sam could make a suggestion, there came the noise of someone hammering on the door below.

They looked at each other.

Sam thought he could guess what was on going on in Nick's mind. ‘Don't you worry. Everything's going to be all right.'

He headed downstairs but Nick was not letting him go on his own and followed close behind. Sam looked out of the side shop window and his heart lifted when he recognized Lynne and he opened the door to her. ‘It's good to see you but what are you doing here? Has something happened to Aunt Ethel?'

‘My daughter's sitting with her. Your father phoned. He had a message for you about a youth wanting to speak to you …' Lynne paused as she caught sight of a shadowy figure. ‘Who's that?'

‘Lynne, meet Nick,' said Sam.

The youth moved out of the shadows and the light from a street lamp fell on his face.

‘Oh,' she said, her eyes widening. ‘We've met before.'

Sam looked at her in surprise. ‘When?'

‘When I found Nan dead in the park.' She smiled at Nick. ‘I never had a proper chance to thank you but I'd like to thank you now. I thought I recognized you then, although we'd never met before, but I remember now, I've seen a drawing of you that my daughter sketched.'

‘That would be at the coffee bar.' He looked embarrassed, jerking the fingers of one of his hands backwards and forwards with the other. ‘I was glad I was able to help you.' He glanced at Sam. ‘I went to the nearest police station and spoke to the sergeant there. He gave me a funny look and I just got scared because I'd only just escaped from Uncle Dennis. Seeing the dead old lady reminded me of finding Dad and I wasn't reasoning sensibly. I thought Uncle Dennis might have got in touch with the police and told lies about me. I even thought he might be having a watch kept on Chris's parents' house and the coffee bar, so I stayed away from both places. I reckoned he wouldn't come here because he told me he hated the place.'

‘But what are you doing here, Nick?' asked Lynne. ‘I presume it was you who wanted to see Sam at police headquarters earlier.'

‘Yes, but I started feeling sick and they didn't seem to know for sure where he was.'

Sam said, ‘Let's not worry about that now. We've found each other.' He stifled a yawn. ‘Beg pardon! I'm feeling a bit tired as well as hungry. Let's get out of here.'

‘Where are you taking me?' asked Nick.

‘I suggest that you come home with me. I bet you're as hungry as I am,' said Sam, smiling faintly.

Nick nodded.

They all left the shop and Sam locked up.

Once in the car and on the way home, Sam told Lynne about his trip to Shotton and after that he asked Nick why he had wanted to speak to him specifically.

‘I decided, after being unable to make up my mind what to do, that you had looked like you understood what I was going through the night of the murder,' said Nick hesitantly. ‘I made up my mind I could trust you to take my suspicions seriously. Grown-ups don't always listen to what us young ones have to say.'

Sam felt touched and slightly guilty at the same time, knowing that what Nick said was often true. At last he brought the car to a halt outside the family home and the three of them got out. Sam opened the front door and they went inside to be immediately greeted by Roberta.

‘You're back and you've Nick with you,' she said delightedly, putting down her drawing pad. ‘Am I glad to see you, Nick. Chris will be made up, too.' She glanced at her mother. ‘I'll go and put the kettle on, shall I? By the way, don't make too much noise, everyone. The old woman is asleep.'

Sam told Roberta to leave putting the kettle on for the moment and gave her a ten-shilling note and asked her to go and buy some fish and chips from Garnett's chippy. ‘Perhaps you can go with her, Nick?'

Nick nodded and the two teenagers left the house.

Lynne and Sam looked at each other and smiled. ‘It's been quite a day,' she said softly.

‘You can say that again.' He ran a hand through his tawny hair. ‘I'm glad Nick managed to escape dear Uncle Dennis.'

‘D'you think he would have hurt Nick if he hadn't done?' asked Lynne, dropping her voice, aware of Ethel stirring.

Sam hesitated. ‘We'll never know. If he believed Nick was prepared to go to South Africa, most likely he wouldn't see any reason to do so. I'm of the opinion Dennis didn't come over to Liverpool with murder on his mind the night his brother died. He probably hoped he could get him to lend him some money until the sale of the house was completed.'

‘D'you think you'll be able to trace him?'

‘I hope so,' said Sam, sitting down wearily. ‘I'm going to have to go along to headquarters.'

Lynne was startled. ‘You mean this evening, after the day you've had?'

He grimaced. ‘There's stuff I need to sort out.'

She was disappointed but told herself that a man had to do what a man had to do. She put the kettle on and cut some bread and butter to have with the fish and chips. ‘I presume you will eat first?'

He rose from the chair and came over to her and placed both his hands on her shoulders. ‘Yes. By the way, I really do appreciate all your help, Lynne. Especially when you're going through a bad time yourself at the moment with losing your gran.'

She reached up a hand and placed it over one of his. ‘I know you do.'

‘If there's anything I can do for you …' His voice trailed off.

‘Dancing lessons?' she suggested, tossing a smiling glance over her shoulder at him.

‘Will do,' he said, managing to resist a sudden urge to kiss those smiling lips. ‘No time like the present,' he added, sliding a hand down her arm and taking hold of her wrist.

Slanting him a bemused look, she allowed herself to be led over to the wireless. He fiddled with the knobs until he found some dance music. Then he slid an arm around her waist. ‘Now just follow my lead and go with the music,' he said, a twinkle in his eyes.

She giggled and then nodded obediently. ‘I'll do it, though I think you're crazy, risking your toes like this.'

The music, ‘The Trish, Trash Polka', was fast and lively. Ethel had her eyes open and was staring at them as if she had never seen anything quite like them before as Sam began to whirl Lynn around the room, narrowly avoiding chairs and table and sideboard and steering her out into the lobby. They danced its full length before he danced her into the parlour and back into the kitchen in time to hear the music come to an end.

Lynne was breathless and clung to the front of his shirt. ‘Thanks for that,' she gasped.

‘See, you can dance,' said Sam, his hands clasped behind her waist. ‘You only trod on my toes about a dozen times.'

‘You're underestimating my talent,' said Lynne, her eyes smiling into his.

‘Who's that woman, George?' asked Ethel.

Sam pulled a face and released Lynne. ‘I'm Sam, not Dad, Aunt Ethel. You need glasses.'

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the knocker sounded. Lynne hurried to open the front door and welcomed the two youngsters with the words, ‘I'm glad you didn't waste any time. Sam is starving and he has to go back to headquarters.'

The three of them hurried into the kitchen.

The smell of fish and chips had Sam salivating and he wasted no time, grabbing hold of the parcel and unwrapping it. He told Lynne not to bother with plates so she didn't, thinking it would save on the washing-up.

The four of them sat round the table and the two males ate greedily with their fingers, making no effort at conversation, while Lynne made chip and fish butties and Roberta picked up her pencil and pad and began to sketch swiftly. Lynne handed a butty to Ethel who wolfed it down. While Lynne watched with amused tolerance, Sam and Nick demolished the food in front of them much more slowly but with obvious enjoyment.

When he had finished every last crispy bit, Sam rose from the table and looked at Lynne. ‘I'm going to have to go. Will you be all right with Aunt Ethel?'

She nodded. ‘You get going. I'll stay here until you or your dad gets back.'

‘Thanks. You're the best and so is your daughter.' He smiled at them both and then turned to Nick. ‘There's two spare bedrooms that used to be my sisters'. Use whichever one you want and if you feel like a bath, don't hesitate. There's towels and bedding in the airing cupboard on the landing. Tomorrow you'll have to come with me to headquarters but don't be worrying, I'll see to it that nobody forces you to do anything you don't want to.'

Nick stumbled to his feet. ‘I don't know how to thank you.'

Sam touched his knuckles lightly under Nick's chin and then left.

After he had gone, Lynne poured herself another cup of tea and made Ethel one as well. Then she stared at Nick for at least a minute until he shifted uncomfortably on his seat and then glanced at Roberta. ‘You didn't tell me that there's something wrong with my face,' he joked.

‘There isn't anything wrong with your face,' said Lynne.

‘Then why are you looking at me the way you are, Mrs Donegan?'

She smiled. ‘I'd embarrass you if I told you that I like your face. You're a good-looking lad.'

He flushed. ‘I wish you wouldn't, Mrs Donegan.'

Lynne dropped her gaze to his hands on the table. He was doing that funny little trick with his finger joints again. ‘So, you're adopted, Nick,' she said abruptly.

He jerked a nod. ‘Yes, I've seen the document that says so and I brought it with me, along with my post office savings book, and baptismal certificate. I decided I had a better right to them than bloody Dennis. Forgive me for swearing.'

Lynne hesitated before saying, ‘What about your original birth certificate?'

‘I haven't the actual one with my birth parents' names on it. The document I have, which I suppose replaces that, is the one given to my adoptive parents. Dennis showed it to me and said that it was given to Kenneth when they took me from the home in Cheshire. The date on it isn't really the date of my birth but the date when they adopted me.'

‘You do realize that, even if you had the original birth certificate, it would not tell you the name of your natural father?' said Lynne.

‘No, I didn't.' He looked disappointed. ‘I thought I'd be able to go to Somerset House in London where the records are kept and find out who my birth parents are.'

‘Your father would have needed to be aware of your existence and agreed for his name to have been registered as the father, Nick.'

He blinked. ‘Are you saying that my natural mother never told him that she was having me or he didn't want to own up to me?'

Lynne hesitated. ‘At a guess I'd say that she never told him.'

Nick was silent for several seconds and then said, ‘You're thinking that's because there was a war on and he could have been killed, just like Bobby's father was?'