Cheated by Roberta Kray

Author:Roberta Kray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2023-11-16T00:00:00+00:00

47

‘He didn’t mean it, though, did he?’ Hazel said, staring at her husband. ‘He can’t take back what’s done. I’ve already signed the papers.’

‘How would I know whether he meant it or not? He’s behaving like a crazy man, running after ghosts and getting hysterical over a stupid debt that no one expects him to pay. If you ask me, he’s losing the plot.’

Jonny, who had got back to the house to find Marian and Hazel ensconced in the drawing room, helped himself to a large brandy from the cabinet. He drank half of it down in one and topped up his glass.

‘What did he say exactly?’ Marian asked, crossing one elegant leg over the other.

‘Oh, I don’t know, some rambling rubbish about how Hazel wouldn’t see another penny until the debt was paid, that he wasn’t going to let me squander his hard-earned cash, that he’d made a mistake in even thinking of handing over the inheritance.’

‘You have to pay Quinn,’ Hazel said.

‘Thank you for stating the obvious, darling.’

Hazel flushed red. ‘Don’t have a go at me! I’m not the one who’s got us into this mess. If you hadn’t—’

‘Spare me, Hazel. I’m really not in the mood. Quinn will get his money, okay? I’m working on it. I’ll have it by the end of the week.’ Already Jonny was thinking about the treasures in the attic, about what else he could take from the crates and turn into cash.

‘Where are you going to get a thousand pounds from?’

‘Let me worry about that.’

‘But will Dad change his mind?’ Marian said, looking almost smug.

‘Of course he’ll change his mind,’ Hazel said. ‘Once Quinn has been paid. Don’t you think? Won’t he?’

‘You know what he’s like once he digs his heels in. He gets an idea in his head, and nothing will shift it. What if he decides to cancel the legacy, to hang on to your share until he drops off his perch? Do you have a copy of the contract you signed?’

‘Not yet,’ Hazel said. ‘Dad said Pat was sorting it out.’

‘So theoretically there’s nothing to prove that anything was ever signed. He can tear it up and throw it in the bin and there’s nothing you can do about it.’

Jonny, irritated by Marian’s self-congratulatory expression, decided to wipe the smile off her face. ‘If that is the case, you should watch out too. You could be next.’

‘Why would I be?’

‘Why not? First Carmen, then Hazel. Bit of a theme going on if I’m not mistaken. How long do you think it’s going to be before he adds you to the list? I reckon Rex has had second thoughts about handing everything over and now he’s just looking for excuses to not go through with it.’

‘Rubbish,’ Marian said. ‘He can’t backtrack now.’

Jonny drank his brandy and shrugged. ‘If you say so.’

‘Well, I haven’t done anything wrong. I mean, Jesus, I’ve been running around like a blue-arsed fly doing everything he wants me to do.’

‘Nothing to worry about then.’

Marian glared

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.