Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 38

"Singapore."

Max explained everything in that as far as the family was concerned Mrs Stamford had made no will.

'We all thought that she had made a will,' said Max. 'She even told me what was in it a few years before she died. She said that I was going to inherit a lot of money, shares mostly but that she was keeping her will safe from prying eyes only when we looked for it, it was no where to be found and as far as our solicitors were concerned, without a will everything had to go to father.'

She looked down at the floor deep in thought.

I chose that moment to put the folder down and bring her close rocking her gently like a child until her whole body grew heavy from exhaustion all the time trying to focus on the flickering candle light as I thought of what I could say.

I still had no understanding of what had happened today. I naively thought I was helping her to find her lost brother and yet here I was holding a beautiful woman in my arms whilst still trying to take in the enormity of it all and I was definitely starting to feel out of my depth.

But of one thing that I was sure of and was I was not a quitter.

'Look,' I said, after a while, 'You and me are a team remember? And although I would never pretend to know what all this means or what you are going through, I want you to know that I'm here for you and won't leave your side until this is over.'

She offered me a smile, it was barely visible in the half-light but I saw it and sent one back.

'We will get through this,' I said. 'We will rise above all the hurt and deception, we will rise above all the jealousy and infighting and when the time comes, if we have to then we will go to the police, but not until we are ready.' And I meant every word too regardless of the outcome. 'Not until we have found your brother,' I continued, 'and not until we have heard from his own lips why he has done this to you and your family.'

We were both tired. We had already outstayed our welcome here and as I gingerly got up off the floor I moved back into the bedroom to grab at anything I could see that was left in the safe.

We made our way downstairs not caring whether we had left any fingerprints and eased open the garage door to a street deserted of any movement.

Street lamps glowed orange as we walked away from a small house of secrets and I was reminded again of the fact that our walk in the semi darkness in the middle of the night was what we had done only a few days ago when we were in Paris.

An hour later we were in a nearby hotel and by ten I was awake again to bright sunshine streaming through my bedroom window.

I went downstairs to look for food. I didn't want to disturb Max. I ordered a Danish pastry along with a pot of coffee and had my meal in one of the quiet rooms next to the reception desk.

I chose a table near a window. The room was empty save for a mother who was sat playing 'patter cake' with her son. I thought of my own children. I thought of my wife Cheryl. I had to phone them.

'Hello.' It was Danny.

'Hi ya darling.'

'Daddy !!!'

'How are you sweet heart?'

'Oh I'm fine daddy. When are you coming home? Mummy's been crying. She says she hasn't but I've seen her and Lizzie says it because you and mummy have had a fight. Is it true daddy? Have you been fighting?'

It was so good to hear her voice.

'No darling,' I said softly. 'Your mother and I have just had a little disagreement about my work that's all but I promise I'll be home soon, its just that we have had problems on board my ship sweetheart and daddy's been asked to stay a little while longer, that's all.'