Page 247 of Murder in the Family

OK then, let’s hear it – what really happened that night?

IAN WILSON

(picking up his drink)

You were right about one thing. I was there. I did call Ryder from King’s Cross that day.

There are a few gasps round the table; Hugo mutters ‘I bloody knew it’. Nick surveys them with a smug smile, clearly enjoying their reaction.

NICK VINCENT (Producer)

You arranged to go round there? To talk to him?

IAN WILSON

Right. I wanted to discuss the will. Florence’s will. Ryder was going to get the whole shit-show, and I didn’t think that was fair. Mum was getting on, for a start. She wasn’t well, couldn’t get about like she used to. That money would have made a massive difference.

NICK VINCENT (Producer)

But you weren’t exactly close to Florence, were you? Nor was your mother.

IAN WILSON

No, but my dadwasclose to her husband – he and Victor Ryder were massive mates, back in the day. And I know Vic would deffo have wanted us to getsomething, at least. He never evenmetbloody Luke.

(knocks back a swig of his drink)

Of course, I didn’t know then that ‘Luke’ wasn’t even Luke at all, so had fuck all claim to any of it, the self-righteous bastard.

(makes a face)

Probably just as well I didn’t know, all things considered.

NICK VINCENT (Producer)

So you went to Dorney Place to talk about the will.

But before we go any further, since I know people are going to ask, you’re admitting, are you, that your alibi was a fabrication?

IAN WILSON

(leaning forward for his cigarette)

Of course it was.

NICK VINCENT (Producer)

You got ‘Christine’ to lie for you?

IAN WILSON

(smiling rather unpleasantly)

Actually, she offered. I needed a favour and she was only too happy to help. We’d been friends for years. As the Met would have discovered if they’d actually bothered looking.

(blowing smoke in Nick’s direction)

In fact, she was the one who tipped me off about all this in the first place.

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