Just My Luck(30)

Gillian was being playful using the hackneyed phrase ‘the night in question’. She thought Jake was a bit of a joker. Not a joke. He was too attractive for women to think of him as a joke but certainly someone who liked to have a bit of fun. She wanted to put him at his ease in order to get the best from him. She wasn’t certain he would be his own strongest advocate. She had been able to depend on Lexi to present herself well, but Jake was less careful. She sensed he played things a little fast and loose; she wondered whether this was a new thing – since the lottery win or was an established trait. People interested Gillian. Through her work she came across different sorts from all walks of life.

Jake flung himself into a chair and leaned back in it, like a boy who didn’t want to be in a maths lesson. He listened to the introductions with a barely disguised sense of impatience. ‘You’ve already spoken to my wife, Lexi,’ he stated.

‘Yes, we have.’

‘Then you know exactly what happened. I can’t imagine I can add anything more. We were both there. She’s good on details.’

‘Well, yes. But we have interviewed the other two couples separately.’

‘Because you are trying to catch them out?’

‘Because we are trying to get to the bottom of this.’

‘Same thing. They’ll trip themselves up. I bet their stories didn’t line up. Or if they did, that will just be because they have rehearsed.’ Jake scoured the faces of the lawyers for clues as to what had been said, but they remained inscrutable.

‘OK, well as you can imagine, we’re not in a position to tell you what they said just yet,’ Gillian replied. ‘Not until the inquiry is over but we would appreciate it if you could give your own account of Saturday the thirteenth of April.’

‘They pulled out of the syndicate.’

‘As simple as that?’

‘Well, that’s the important bit, isn’t it? They are greedy monsters who are kicking themselves because they pulled out and then we went on to win. And win big. You want the facts?’

‘We do indeed.’

‘Here are the facts. Yes, we have been in a syndicate for fifteen years. And yes, we chose the numbers as a group, way back when, and it’s true that we haven’t deviated from the numbers ever. But none of that matters. The only thing that matters is the fact that they pulled out the week before the win. They clearly expressed a distaste, no, a disgust, with the whole concept of the lottery, so they are not due a penny.’

‘Can you be more specific?’

‘They called it common. Well, they were calling us common, really. They said they didn’t want to be part of it. They were very specific.’

The room was silent. Suddenly everyone felt the unexpected heat of the long day. Shirt sleeves were rolled up and the window was open but there was no relieving breeze. Everyone sweated, like cheeses on a board. Limp and indolent, the lawyers fought the urge to loll, forced themselves to stay upright.

‘What is going to happen now?’ asked Jake. ‘The money is already in our account.’

‘Yes, it is.’

‘Are you going to force us to hand some over to them?’

‘That’s not in our power.’

‘Then why are we even having this conversation?’

‘Because there might be private legal action. It’s our duty of care to report if we believe there is any misappropriation of cash.’

‘And do you?’

Mick Hutch took the lead. ‘As far as I can see, there is no proof that you were in a syndicate at the time of the win. No written contract, no informal notes. It’s a case of their word against yours.’

‘So, we are done here?’

‘No, not quite,’ said Mr Piper-Dunn. ‘I think the Pearsons may very well pursue this matter. There’s likely to be a private investigation, independent of the lottery. I’m certain they will want to pursue all legal routes. We’ll be requesting a second interview with Mrs Heathcote. If she stands by her statement, we’re still three voices against three. That’s still a case.’

‘Three?’

‘Mr Heathcote has admitted he did pull out of the syndicate,’ said Ms Walsh.

‘He did!’ Jake could hardly believe his ears.

‘But he also admitted to consuming copious amounts of alcohol. His testimony isn’t consistent or reliable,’ added Piper-Dunn.

‘And Jennifer?’

‘Mrs Heathcote was in the bathroom at the time of the altercation,’ stated Mr Elliott.

‘Jennifer was?’

‘As you were no doubt aware.’

Jake looked confused. ‘Well, yes, of course, but I never imagined for a second she’d admit that.’

‘Well, she has. She says she didn’t pull out of the lottery and even if her husband did, she’d still have a claim. Three against three,’ commented one of the Pearsons’ lawyers. ‘This is not over, Mr Greenwood.’





15


Lexi


‘We need to get at that woman.’

‘Which woman?’ The limo driver is holding the door open for us. Jake sweeps past in – it has to be said – an imperious manner. I fling an apologetic smile at the man. He’s been waiting for us for three hours. As we couldn’t all fit in the Ferrari, and Jake wouldn’t travel to the inquiry by train or in our old Volvo, he booked us a car and driver for the day. An actual chauffeur with a limo, a bit like the one that collected us on the day of the press announcement. It seats ten people and there are chilled drinks in the bar. I guess it is usually hired to ferry indulged girls to their prom, or wild guys on a stag. It’s embarrassing. He wouldn’t tell me how much it cost when I asked. At least it was somewhere for the kids to sit and play on their screens whilst we answered questions. We brought them along because we thought they might have to contribute a statement to the inquiry. I’m pleased and relieved that, at least, didn’t happen. I shuffle in the leather seat, uncomfortable with the phrase ‘get at’. My husband sounds thuggish, ruthless. I just want everyone to calm down.