The transfer of the proceeds from the sale of Louisa’s shares—a considerable sum—to Elliot’s own account had been completed several days before he died. And now, just a fortnight after his death, Louisa had a meeting with her accountant and the solicitor who had drawn up Elliot’s will. Of course, she knew the contents already, but the process had to be endured and it would be crucial to quickly pick up the financial reins of her new life.
The solicitor was a bright Sinhalese called Silva, the nephew of their old family solicitor, now retired. A slight and serious-looking man, he was young but seemed very keen. She had given him permission to visit the bank in Colombo on her behalf and bring back statements summarizing how much remained in her own account and in Elliot’s, so she’d know where she stood. Usually she would have had to go to the bank herself but, under the circumstances, the bank manager, an old family friend, had agreed to release the statements.
Their accountant, Bob Withington, was someone they’d known for years, and now the three sat together in what had been Elliot’s study. It had seemed a good idea at the time but, surrounded by Elliot’s things, Louisa wished she’d taken up their first suggestion of convening the meeting in Colombo.
Once the will had been read, Margo had coffee brought in and the two men exchanged pleasantries. Basically, Elliot had left everything to Louisa, minus the balance of a separate deposit account, which was to go to Leo McNairn.
“It’s just a trifling sum, but do you know why your husband might have wanted to leave money to this particular beneficiary?” the accountant asked.
“I have no idea. He runs a plantation called Cinnamon Hills. Elliot had shares in the business there, so maybe he intended buying more?”
“I didn’t realize that,” Silva said. “Do you know where the share certificates are?”
“Surely he lodged them with you?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Well, they’re probably here somewhere.” She pointed at a mahogany filing cabinet. “I’ll make time to go through that soon.”
“Now, Mrs. Reeve—Louisa,” the accountant was saying. “The bad news is your husband’s main account was virtually empty.”
She frowned. “It can’t have been. I had only recently transferred a large sum to him.”
“Yes, I see the transaction here.”
“Half of that money was to pay off the outstanding sum for acquiring the Print House, so I’m not surprised that’s gone. I’m expecting the deeds in the post any day. But the other half should still be in there.”
He shook his head.
“So where did the money go?”
“It seems your husband withdrew it in cash.”
“Then it must be somewhere here.” She waved vaguely at the room. “Though I don’t know why he would have taken it out so soon.”
“There was also a legally binding contract for a loan he had taken out but not paid back,” the solicitor said.
“I don’t understand.”
“He had borrowed money from the bank and the sum is still owing. It will have to come out of his estate.”
Louisa was again surprised and fought the urge to simply leave the room. She’d had no idea Elliot owed more money. He’d only ever admitted to a few gambling debts.
“Are you all right, Mrs. Reeve?” Withington said.
No, she thought, I am not. Her mind raced and, as she imagined Elliot’s hand caressing her hair, his lips moving over her skin, she felt a tremor.
Irene and Harold had returned to Colombo, but Margo was staying on to support Louisa, though Louisa secretly thought it was because her sister-in-law found it less painful dealing with her than her mother. Louisa thought about Harold, with his thinning hair and toothbrush mustache. His defeated expression didn’t prevent him from somehow managing to remain kind. He must have been handsome once, like Elliot, but now he was a faded man, and Louisa felt a sense of pity whenever she met him. His constant attempts to soften his wife’s sharp comments often fell on deaf ears, but it didn’t stop him from trying. That he loved Irene, for all her faults, was never in doubt. Louisa felt sure he was the reason Margo and Elliot were as decent as they were. But poor Margo, who had cried a great deal at first, now seemed to have settled into a controlled kind of practicality. Louisa hoped she wasn’t bottling up her feelings.
As it happened, Margo had waited in the garden while Louisa had been with the solicitor and accountant. Then, after they left, Louisa went straight outside to join her.
“Heavens!” Margo said. “You look pale.”
“Could you get me a brandy?”
While Margo went indoors Louisa sat and blankly watched the wind rustling the leaves overhead, thinking over what she had been told. A strong scent of jasmine drifted across from the hedge and the canna lilies glowed bright yellow and red.
Margo came back and passed a glass to Louisa who sipped the liquid, grateful for its soothing amber warmth heating up her insides. She felt uncertain, wanting to talk to Margo, but at the same time feeling disloyal to Elliot. There had to be good reasons why he’d withdrawn the money, why he’d taken out a loan, and why he hadn’t lodged the plantation shares with the solicitor, as you would normally do. But whatever the reasons were, he hadn’t involved her. In the end, she decided to tell Margo what had happened.
“There’s probably a simple answer, but I need your help.”
“Anything.”
“It seems Elliot emptied his entire account before he died. I need to search his study for the cash.”
“Gosh. Very well. I’ll help you look.”
“Not only that, I also need to find his share certificates for Cinnamon Hills. I thought the solicitor would have them but he knew nothing about it, so they must be here too.”
Once back in the study, Louisa opened the safe and found it empty but for the usual few notes and some of her jewelry. Then she glanced around. Elliot’s study wasn’t tidy. His desk was strewn with papers and letters, so while Margo examined those, Louisa began the laborious task of plowing through his filing cabinet. She found two of the drawers held duplicates of transactions at their gem polishing and cutting center and only the top drawer contained anything personal. She had expected to find a life insurance policy but, so far, there was none. She did find some old letters from Irene but no share certificates and no cash. There were several cardboard storage boxes on one of the shelves so they divided them between them and began trawling through the contents, but found nothing there either, except more polishing and cutting records.
Margo tried all the drawers of the desk, but again there was nothing of note. “But where else might he have secreted the share certificates?” she said.
“I’m sorry to ask, but do you think you’d be able to check his chest of drawers in our bedroom? I haven’t felt ready to touch his personal things yet.”
While Margo was gone, Louisa attempted to tidy up the mess they’d made. If Margo found nothing the only place left was his office at Hardcastle Gems, though as far as she knew Elliot had never kept anything personal, or domestic, there. But where had the money gone? She was just on the point of coming to the conclusion that everything must be in the bedroom when Margo came back in shaking her head and looking drawn.
“Gosh, that felt awful,” she said.
“I shouldn’t have asked you to do it.”
“It’s okay.”
Louisa slumped down in Elliot’s desk chair.
“Come on, Lou. Don’t despair. The money will be somewhere, don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find it, and the certificates too.”
Louisa glanced up. “I just wish he’d talked to me about what was going on and explained where everything was.”
There was a short silence.
“What is it?” Louisa asked when she noticed Margo was frowning and looking a bit uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry about the timing of this, but I need to go back to Colombo tomorrow. My father called earlier. Mother isn’t doing too well and he can’t cope with her on his own. He thinks she needs me.”
“I understand.”
“I’m sorry. But I’ll be back as soon as Mum settles down.”
Louisa shook her head. “Take however long you need. I’ll be fine. My most pressing concern right now is that I need to find either the money, or the share certificates. I inherit, of course, but first the repayment of the loan will have to come out of Elliot’s estate: in other words, out of the cash, investments, property or possessions he left behind.”
“A loan?”
“I’m afraid so. He has a significant debt at the bank. God only knows what my father will say.”
“And you knew nothing about it?”
“God, no! Nothing.”
Then Ashan, with a concerned look on his face, came in to whisper to Louisa that the police inspector wanted to speak with her. She sighed and followed him into the living room.