Free Stop Dead (DI Geraldine Steel) by Leigh Russell

acknowledgement before asking to hear the terms of the dead man’s will.
    ‘It was fairly straightforward as I recall,’ Jonathon Waterman said, ‘but I’m afraid I can’t divulge any details. We’re not reading the will until tomorrow so the beneficiaries don’t know the details yet.’
    Geraldine sighed and leaned forward in her chair.
    ‘Mr Waterman, I’m conducting a murder investigation. If you have any information that can assist us in our enquiries, it will of course be treated in confidence. Did he leave much?’
    She paused.
    ‘Mr Waterman, the sooner I can access this information, the more helpful it might prove.’
    A frown crossed Jonathon Waterman’s face.

     
    ‘I appreciate the position, and there are certain details I can let you know in advance of the reading of the will tomorrow. George Corless is already aware that he became sole owner of the jointly owned restaurant on Patrick Henshaw’s death under a contractual agreement between them, but the other details of the will are as yet confidential. However – ’ he hesitated. ‘Under the circumstances, given this is a murder enquiry –’
    Geraldine watched him cross the room, select a file from a metal cabinet and extract a document. Still standing, he scanned down the page before returning to his seat and reading aloud. Geraldine noted down the relevant details.

     
    ‘To summarise,’ he concluded, forthcoming now that he had begun, ‘Patrick named three people in his will. His share in the restaurant went to his business partner, George Corless, Miss Stella Hallett of Ladbroke Grove inherits his liquid assets, and he left his property to his wife, Amy.’
    ‘What can you tell me about the restaurant?’
    ‘Patrick part-owned Mireille – you may have heard of it. It’s a very prestigious restaurant in Soho. Very profitable.’
    Geraldine said she thought the name sounded familiar.
    ‘There was a television documentary about it recently. It focused mainly on the clientele. Mireille is patronised by celebrities and stars of the media, people of that sort, and the chef is himself well-known, of course, Henri Gilbert. I gather he’s something of a television personality in his own right.’

     
    He proceeded to name a string of pop stars, several of them well-known for their on-off relationships with high profile footballers.
    ‘My understanding was that the previous owner was struggling for some years and the place was rapidly going downhill when Patrick and his partner bought it. They turned it around and it became fashionable with the in crowd. It’s a real success story. Patrick had a talent for making money.’
    ‘So he didn’t leave his share in the restaurant to his widow?’
    ‘No, his share in Mireille went to his partner, George Corless, who now owns the place outright. That’s quite a goldmine he’s got his hands on.’
    He rubbed his manicured hands together and Geraldine wondered if Waterman acted for George Corless as well.
    ‘A real success for him as well then,’ Geraldine said.

     
    The solicitor looked thoughtful.
    ‘There’s something else, isn’t there?’ Geraldine asked, seeing the look on his face. ‘Something you’re not telling me?’
    ‘The two men have been in business together for years. But George introduced other issues –’
    ‘Other issues?’
    ‘Patrick wasn’t a gambler until he went into business with George. Of course he was always a gambler in some sense, all successful businessmen take risks, but George spent a fortune making the bookies rich.’
    ‘And Patrick Henshaw followed his example? Is that what you mean?’

     
    ‘I’m afraid so. I believe he invested in Mireille as a business venture because he was bored in his retirement. But there’s no doubt George was interested in Mireille to fund his habit, addiction you might call it, and Patrick was drawn into it.’
    ‘Did his behaviour change at all as a result?’
    ‘His behaviour? No.’
    Noting a slight