Page 117 of The Impossible Fortune
‘Apologies that my questions are so obvious,’ says Elizabeth. Ibrahim can see that she can’t really unleash on Paul, much as she would like to, because she knows he is under Joyce’s staunch protection.
‘Not obvious,’ says Paul. ‘Apologies, I phrased that very badly. A better word would be “necessary”. You asked the necessary question.’
Ibrahim nods. This guy is pretty good.
‘But think of what we know,’ says Paul. ‘Not much, granted, but we do know a few things. We know that Davey has known about the money for many years and done nothing about it. Hasn’t shown an interest. Equally we know that Holly and Nick had only just agreed to cash out, so was Holly perhaps the more motivated in that moment?’
‘Very good,’ says Joyce. ‘Very good.’
‘What’s very good?’ Joanna asks her.
‘Just that Paul has a lovely deep voice,’ replies Joyce.
Ibrahim sees where Paul is headed. If he’s the man Ibrahim judges him to be, he’ll let Elizabeth ask the actual question. Let’s see.
‘So, perhaps a different take on the question mightbe …’ Paul motions to Elizabeth, as if he’s interested to hear what she might have to say. Textbook stuff.
‘It might be,’ says Elizabeth, ‘why did Holly ask to see you?’
‘Bingo,’ says Davey. ‘She asked to see me.’
‘Well done, Elizabeth,’ says Ibrahim. Might as well get a few brownie points of his own.
‘And what did she want?’ Elizabeth asks.
‘My approval,’ says Davey. ‘For a plan.’
‘Do go on,’ says Elizabeth.
‘Holly and Nick had been partners for many years,’ says Davey. ‘But perhaps not friends for all of that time?’
‘Agreed,’ says Paul. ‘The business worked; the friendship not so much.’
‘Holly was a nightmare,’ says Davey.
‘I wouldn’t say that,’ says Paul.
‘No one knew their codes,’ says Davey. ‘And there’s no way anyone could discover them –’
‘Au contraire,’ says Ibrahim.
‘But then Holly tells me that, as a fail-safe, they’ve each lodged their code with a solicitor. A random one, miles away, no idea where.’
‘Kettering,’ says Joanna.
‘Sounds like the sort of place,’ says Davey. ‘So Holly comes to me and tells me she’s killed Nick Silver, and, honestly, I think she thought I’d be impressed.’
‘Holly?’ says Joyce. ‘I can’t believe it.’
‘I can,’ says Paul.
‘Put a bomb under his car,’ says Davey. ‘Got it from the internet.’
‘My God, you can get anything,’ says Joyce. ‘The woman in the flat above me got a pizza oven.’
‘On his death,’ says Davey, ‘Holly would get his code, and she wanted me to broker the whole lot. The whole three hundred and fifty million. Pleased as punch, she was.’
‘Did you ask her why?’ Elizabeth asks.
