I gasp. It was you, Caprice. A shock. And yet … and yet … deep down inside it is what I suspected. It is so awful, I did not want to be right.

‘Not a word in advance. Not a request for an explanation. Just a complaint that could have ruined my firm, my career, and me. That isn’t the Andrew Cunningham I used to know. You realise, I am sure, now, that you forgot to send the email to release the funds at the right time. It was your fault, not ours.’

Andrew shakes his head slowly. ‘I’m sorry, Saffron. Caprice Jackson sounded so convincing. I shouldn’t have let her make me suspicious of you. I should have trusted my own judgement.’

‘Did you know she was my mother-in-law?’

He nods his head, as he takes a bite of his BLT sandwich. Mayonnaise squidges from the side of his wide lips. ‘She did mention it.’

‘How did she manipulate you?’ I ask.

He wipes his mouth. ‘She said you swindled her out of money.’

I frown, caught off guard. ‘Do tell me how?’

‘By making sure the charge she had against your house was incorrectly drafted.’

‘But … but …’ I splutter. Then I laugh. ‘I had nothing to do with it. Her solicitor drafted it. As far as I know it is of full force and effect. She hasn’t even tried to action it yet. And if she wanted her money out, my husband and I would give it back immediately. She has never asked. It was a lot of money way back then, but the house has gone up so much in value, we could easily borrow more money against it and pay her back any time now. She lives with us. She has never mentioned the fact that she wants to move out.’

‘She lives with you?’

I nod my head.

‘So why is she causing trouble for your business?’

I take a sip of my camomile tea and look him in the eye. ‘To be perfectly honest, she’s the mother-in-law from hell.’

He laughs, a loud belting laugh that sounds like a helicopter. ‘She said you were a nasty piece of work and needed stopping before you caused any more trouble.’

‘And you believed her?’

‘She seemed like a sweet, vulnerable old woman.’

‘That’s the trouble with the elderly, because they seem vulnerable we always have to give them the benefit of the doubt. They can get away with anything.’

He shakes his head and sighs. ‘I was gullible. I’m sorry. And I feel even worse because the delay was all my fault.’ He pauses. ‘What if I make it up to you and send some business your way.’

I lean across and put my hand on his arm. ‘That would be wonderful, Andrew, thanks.’

137

Hayley