Free ONCE UPON A LIE (A Fitzjohn Mystery) by Jill Paterson

forehead.  In his mid-to-late-thirties, and younger than Fitzjohn had envisaged, he wore a T-shirt displaying the Eiffel Tower along with a pair of beige coloured shorts, cut off just below his knees.  Fitzjohn and Betts showed their warrant cards.
    ‘Good morning, gentlemen.  I’m David Spencer.  I’ve been expecting you.  Please, come in.’  Fitzjohn and Betts followed David Spencer through a chaotic atmosphere filled with a screaming baby and two small boys arguing over a television remote.  ‘You’ll have to excuse the racket.  The delights of family life, I’m afraid.  Pandemonium for the greater part of the time.’  He chuckled to himself and opened the door in to a room overlooking a small courtyard.  ‘We can talk in my study undisturbed.  The walls are sound proofed.’  As David Spencer closed the door behind them, Fitzjohn and Betts settled themselves in to the two rounded leather chairs in front of the solicitor’s desk.  ‘I understand you’ve come to see me about Michael Rossi,’ he said, sitting down behind his desk.  ‘How exactly can I help?’
    ‘According to Michael Rossi’s diary, Mr Spencer,’ began Fitzjohn, ‘Michael Rossi was to have an appointment with you this coming Monday morning.  Can you tell us what the appointment was to be about?
    ‘ Yes.  He said he wanted to speak to me about his will, but on Friday afternoon, Mr Rossi rang to cancel Monday’s appointment and asked if he could come in to see me here at the house on Saturday instead.’  David Spencer’s brow furrowed.  ‘I was preparing for that appointment yesterday morning when I heard the news of his death.  A terrible business,’ said Spencer, shaking his head.
    ‘Wh at time on Friday did he phone, Mr Spencer?’ asked Fitzjohn.
    ‘ He phoned my office in North Sydney around four o’clock in the afternoon, as I remember.’
    ‘Did he give any indication as to why he wanted to change the day of his appointment?’
    ‘ No.  But he did say he wanted to speak to me about another matter as well as his will.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘Yes.  He said he wanted to discuss his sister, Claudia Rossi.  He didn’t go into specifics, but he did say he wanted advice about her life insurance policy.  Consequently, when Sergeant Betts telephoned earlier this morning, I made a point of not only getting a copy of Mr Rossi’s will out of safe custody, but also Claudia Rossi’s.  Under the circumstances, I thought there was every possibility you’d want to see them both.’  Spencer took Claudia’s will out of its long thin envelope.
    ‘Does this tell us who she was insured with?’ asked Fitzjohn running his eyes across the document.
    ‘Yes.  On the second page.’  Fitzjohn turned to the next page.  ‘As you can see.  It was with the MLC for the sum of one million dollars.’
    ‘And the beneficiary ?’
    ‘Her partner, Richard Edwards with Michael Rossi as contingent beneficiary.  That is, Mr Rossi would receive the benefit if the primary designee had been unavailable or deceased.’
    ‘I see.   May we take Claudia Rossi’s will with us, Mr Spencer?’
    ‘By all means.’  Spencer handed Fitzjohn the will’s envelope.  ‘And as far as Michael Rossi’s will is concerned, I take it you want to know who the beneficiary is there too,’ said David Spencer.
    ‘There’s only one? ’ asked Fitzjohn.
    ‘Yes.’  Spencer unfolded Michael Rossi’s will and laid it out in front of Fitzjohn and Betts.  ‘I read through it before you arrived.  The bulk of Mr Rossi’s estate goes to his wife Stella Rossi.  It comprises all monies, shares, debenture stocks as well as the property in Rushcutters Bay and Michael Rossi’s share of the business, Rossi & Prentice Yachting Electronics Pty Ltd.’
    ‘ So he didn’t change his will after he and his wife separated,’ said Fitzjohn.
    ‘No.’
    ‘Tell me, Mr Spencer, is Stella Rossi aware of this?’
    ‘Yes.  Michael had me write to her not long