The List by Michael Leese

Author:Michael Leese [LEESE, MICHAEL]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

Justin stared at the little notebook in horror.

“You think this list your dad kept is what killed your mum and got Betty kidnapped? It’s too horrible, I can’t even bring myself to touch it. Oh, Martha, if only we’d known. Do you think we might have prevented what happened?”

“I doubt it,” said Martha. “We think the contents of this notebook are so important and so valuable that certain people would move heaven and earth to get at it. Harry believes it’s a list of the most important crime lords, or policemen — which might turn out to be the same thing — that Dad kept on his payroll. Reputations could be ruined if he’s right.”

“Just knowing about the list is potentially dangerous.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” said Martha. “The more I think about it, the more it seems like something triggered a panicked scramble. The kidnappers didn’t even have time to demand a ransom, remember? And if they’ve been asking for Dad’s little black book since the kidnapping, they’ve been far too subtle about it.”

“At the moment they acted you didn’t even know about the notebook. Do you think they realised that?”

“It’s impossible to know, not without asking them, and I don’t see that happening any time soon.” And then a thought occurred to her. “Commander Shaw. He asked me if my dad had given me anything the shooters might have wanted. He was leading the investigation — he was the one who said this had something to do with Dad. I can’t say for sure he’s behind any of this, but I’m trying to be logical.”

Justin looked thoughtful. “Your mum was convinced this house was broken into a few times following John’s death, but nothing was ever taken. Does that throw any light on things?”

She nodded. “Don’t remind me. Mum said people had been in the house, and I didn’t believe her. I thought it was some sort of weird grief thing. I hate thinking that if I’d acted at the time, then this could have been avoided. Harry says I’m wrong — how could I have known about something my dad deliberately kept secret from me? Anyway, he says that after Dad died it went quiet, and more recently the rumours started up again. Best guess? Something happened very recently which brought the notebook’s existence to light and gave people the impression that I might have it.”

Just saying the words made her tense up and she flexed her hands. “I’ve got a working theory based on the little I do know. Whoever hired the Dragov brothers was taking a risk because they were in a rush. I think they were only supposed to get Betty, and then only so that she could be used as leverage over me.

“Let’s face it, if I had known anything I would have talked straight away. But instead, the operation was bungled, Mum was killed and while the brothers took Betty, she was taken off them and left for me to find. I

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