The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) T. Belshaw (management books to read .txt) 📖

‘I haven’t been staying at my flat. I had a few problems… but the answer is, possibly, it depends what it’s about.’

Bradley was quick to reassure her. ‘The company I represent was given the task of administering your great grandmother’s will. There is also a Family Protection Trust that she set up a couple of years ago. Mrs Alice Mollison was a relative of yours, I believe.’

‘That’s right, but it was Ms Mollison, she never married.’

‘Ah, I see, but I do have the right person. Ms Mollison was your relative?’

‘She was, I’ve just been at her graveside as it happens.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry to have disturbed you,’ Bradley Wilson said, sounding as if he genuinely meant it.

‘That’s okay, I’m back on Main Street now,’ replied Jessica.

‘Thank goodness for that. I would have felt guilty all day.’

Jessica felt that she liked the man already. Suddenly a light flashed in her brain.

‘Wilson. Beanney… Are you the same Wilson, Kendall and Beanney Solicitors that used to have a Godfrey Wilson as a partner?’

‘He was my great grandfather,’ said Bradley. Did you ever meet hi…? No, you can’t have, you’re far too young, Godfrey died about forty years ago.’

‘Alice knew him very well,’ replied Jess. ‘It looks like she’s been using your company’s services for eighty years or so.’

‘Now that’s what I call a loyal client,’ Bradley said with a laugh. ‘So, how should we proceed? Could you spare a little time to go over the details this week?’

‘I’m good all day tomorrow, and I’m okay again on Friday afternoon. I’m tied up the rest of the week.’

‘Friday afternoon it is then. I look forward to meeting you, Ms Griffiths. Shall we say, two o’clock. Our offices are in…’

‘I know where they are,’ replied Jess. ‘I drive past there most days.’ Jess didn’t mention the fact that she had parked up outside those offices whilst researching the novel she was about to write, using Alice’s hand written memoirs as the source material.

‘Fabulous. Until Friday then.’

The smooth-as-honey voice vanished, leaving Jess wondering why she felt so attracted to a man she had never met, what the heck a Family Protection Trust was, and how it would affect her life.

Chapter 3

‘You have to go back to your flat sometime, Babes. You must be sick of wearing the same clothes.’ Sam clicked ‘like’ on the Facebook post she’d been reading and looked across at her best friend.

‘I know, Sam. I’ve been telling myself that all week. I know you want the place to yourself but what happened really freaked me out. I used to love my flat, but after that shenanigans with Calvin, well, it just wouldn’t be the same now. It had a lovely atmosphere, but now he’s spoiled it.’

Sam sat on the sofa next to Jessica and put her hand on hers.

‘I’m not chucking you out, you silly mare. I just think it’s something you need to do, even if it’s just to get a car load of your clothes. You won’t get away with t shirt and jeans at the Sapphire bar on Saturday. They won’t let you in.’

‘I’m not sure I’m going if I’m honest, Sam. It’s not really my thing, and I don’t like playing gooseberry, you know that.’ Jess pulled a face.

‘Don’t be silly. Jamie won’t mind, he likes you.’ Sam patted her hand reassuringly.

‘I’d still be the spare in a three,’ Jess replied. She thought for a moment, then slapped both hands on her thighs and stood up. ‘Come on, I’ll get my big girl’s pants on and I’ll go back to the flat. There’s a solicitor’s letter I need to pick up anyway. I’m meeting him this afternoon.’

Sam got her keys from the mantle.

‘No going back on it this time, lady. You need to get inside that place again to let the emotional phantoms out. You’ve nothing to fear. Calvin has long gone, we took his keys, remember.’

Jess pulled on her overcoat and wrapped a white, knitted scarf around her neck. The weather had taken a cold turn during the last week.

As she climbed into Sam’s Volkswagen Golf, Jess’s mind went back to the last time she had been in the flat. The day her once funny, loving partner, Calvin had attacked her and tried to strangle Sam. The day her world had fallen apart, the day she received that awful phone call telling her that her beloved Nana was dying. Together they had managed to fight the deranged Calvin off and had thrown him out of the flat. She had heard nothing from him since, although he almost certainly knew where she was staying. She found herself continually staring in the rear-view mirror when she was out in the car in case he was following her and, at night, when Sam had gone to bed, she’d turn out the lights and peek through a crack in the curtains to see if he was keeping her under surveillance. Calvin wasn’t a man to give in when he thought he’d done nothing wrong, which was just about one hundred percent of the time.

It was a short drive across town. Sam pulled into the empty, double parking space, pulled on the handbrake and killed the engine. She turned her head to the left and gave Jess what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

‘Come on, tiger, let’s do this.’

Jess took a deep breath, undid her seatbelt and climbed out onto the tarmac. She looked nervously at the entrance to the flat, thought for a moment about getting back into the car, then summoned up all her courage and slammed the door behind her.

Sam clicked the lock button on her fob as if she had read Jess’s mind. She waved the key at her best friend. ‘Too late,’ she said.

Jess took another deep breath, reached into her bag, pulled out the flat keys and stepped smartly across to the front door. She slipped the key into the lock, turned it and pushed the heavy wooden door