Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92668 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92668 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Do you think Declan’s dad knew he couldn’t run the business effectively?” I asked her.
“Absolutely. The man was handsome in his younger years, but he was as thick as two short planks glued together.” Gwen reached over and scratched Tofu under the chin. “Alan was also desperate for success, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was easily manipulated into making sure his portion of the business was handed over to the Tierney family on his death.”
“So, Declan would have benefitted from Alan’s accident.”
“Indeed. And I’m almost certain there was a pre-nup when he married Stephanie.”
“Pre-nups aren’t valid in the UK,” Ash pointed out. “Is that why their divorce is… was… so vicious?”
“Pretty much,” Gwen confirmed. “Not to mention that Declan was cheating on Stephanie with another woman.”
I glanced at Ash. “Really?”
“He claimed it was after they’d split, but infidelity is infidelity in the eyes of the law. As long as they’re married, Stephanie can claim it.”
“But she’s living with another man.”
“That she claims is purely platonic. Unless there’s evidence that points otherwise, it’s just a good friend who’s taken her in in her time of need.”
“Which is irrelevant now,” Ash surmised. “Because she has everything. Was the divorce really that bad?”
“It was.” Gwen stopped scratching Tofu, earning herself a dark look from the purring chicken wing. “He was trying to deny her everything. They never had children, so he didn’t feel as though he needed to give her anything but the bare minimum, but her lawyer disagreed. It was going to be quite the fight in court.”
“Which would have cost her a lot of money,” I said quietly. “Do you think she could have done it?”
“I don’t know. I feel like it’s always the person you least expect it to be.” Gwen shrugged and finished her gin and tonic. “As far as Alan goes, he has just as much motive as Stephanie where finances are concerned. Declan was trying to screw him out of his fair share of the business, and Alan and Stephanie don’t get along at all.”
Ash frowned. “You said that last night, but why? Common enemy and all that?”
“They just never have,” Gwen said simply. “Two different people, and I don’t think he ever agreed with their age difference. Alan is adamant Stephanie is the reason Declan wouldn’t buy him out fairly because of the divorce, but I have it on good authority that Stephanie demanded a divorce before Alan wanted out.”
“Interesting,” I replied. “And you think Stephanie might give him more money now that Declan’s dead?”
“If the finances of the business are stable, and there’s no reason to believe they aren’t, then Stephanie would want him gone. Even without Alan, the business won’t fail.”
“But all the lawsuits?”
“Probably won’t go anywhere. They’re not criminal charges, and the company will just throw the surveyors under the bus. Ever since the laws changed, they can get in who they want for it, and the building standards in this country have fallen to absolute shite.”
Ash frowned again. “Granny. Language.”
“Oh, piss off,” Gwen shot back. “I’m going to order a drink. Shall I get food while I’m there?”
We quickly looked over the menu and told her what to order, and she shuffled off to feed and wine us after shoving Tofu’s leash into my hand.
I really hoped I wasn’t about to become a babysitter for the breathing chicken wing.
It wasn’t on my bucket list.
“What do you think?” Ash asked me as soon as we were alone. “Who’s your number one choice?”
“I don’t know. I thought Guy was, but Alan and Stephanie have pretty solid motives.”
“Do you know how Declan died?”
I shook my head. “Violently is all I know. There was a lot of blood. I really hope they clean that up before I’m allowed back in.”
“They will. They’ll have the room deep cleaned.”
“Excellent. They’ll save me a job,” I muttered. “I just don’t know who’s most likely to have done it, because it’s such a weird place to do it. Why were they at the bed and breakfast, of all places?”
Ash grimaced. “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about that, too. Why there? Was it someone who didn’t know you were back and thought to take advantage of an empty building? Nobody ever went down there after it closed. Nobody had a reason to. Maybe they thought it was an easy place to hide a body.”
“Or were they trying to frame me? Were any of those people at the wake? If they were, they could have seen us talking.”
“I don’t know. We could ask Tracy. She was behind the bar all night and would probably know everyone who came in and out all night.”
“Would she tell us?”
“Sure. This town is full of gossips, Lottie, and this place is the next best thing to the hair salon.”
“Ugh. I’m not going there. I’ll end up agreeing to a whole new hairstyle if I walk into that place.”