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Back Dead Horse Gap Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  3. DEDICATION
  4. Prologue
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. Forty-six
  51. Forty-seven
  52. Forty-eight
  53. Forty-nine
  54. Fifty
  55. Fifty-one
  56. Fifty-two
  57. Fifty-three
  58. Acknowledgements

‘That’s right. Mr Lorrimer asked me to prepare an advice for him once I’d read through the deed. He’d recently found out his siblings had entered into a contract to sell the family cattle station, despite him making it clear he wouldn’t agree to it.’

Flowers glanced at Ryder then back at Prudence. ‘Mr Thomas said he has a form, dated around two years ago, signed by all four siblings, agreeing to put White Winter Station on the market. He said there’s a clause in the trust deed that says they all have to agree if they want to sell any of any assets.’

‘That’s right. I’ve been through the deed, and there is such a clause.’ Prudence opened a file on the table in front of her and began flicking through the pages on the metal spike. ‘I was led to believe that he had never agreed to the sale, but if Mr Thomas holds a signed document, then he must have changed his mind. I’m yet to see that document.’ She paused and ran her finger down one of the pages on the spike. ‘Here is an email I sent to him saying that I’d prepared my advice, and if he could make an appointment to come in, we could discuss how he was going to proceed. Then I have a file note that he rang and spoke to me. I told him that if his siblings had entered into a contract to sell the property, then they had broken the terms of the trust.’ She looked up. ‘Of course, I didn’t hear anything more.’

‘Ms Apin.’ Ryder leaned forward and looked at the file. ‘Would you have anything there that has Art Lorrimer’s signature on it?’

‘Yes.’ She began turning pages again. ‘He would have signed our cost agreement.’

‘Would it be possible for us to get a copy of the signature page?’ asked Ryder.

‘Yes, of course.’

Prudence left the room and returned a few minutes later, photocopy in hand, with a black line through the cost of their legal fees.

‘Thank you. You’ve been extremely helpful,’ said Flowers as he and Ryder left the conference room.

Flowers looked at Ryder as they travelled down in the lift. ‘That was good thinking, Sarge, asking for his signature.’

Ryder nodded. ‘It will be interesting to compare it with the authority they gave to Jeremy Thomas two years ago.’

When they were back in the car, Ryder offered to drive. ‘Call Thomas’ office and leave a message saying we want to see that form. There’s a good chance he has an answering machine. Tell him it doesn’t matter what time he calls back if he wants to talk more about it.’

‘Yes, Sarge.’