on your behalf. Yours is a most unique situation and not one that I have been faced with before. There has been much discussion between myself and the insurance company in question and I confess to seeking counsel from more than one of my colleagues, but it would appear that all is in order in accordance with the law.’
She nodded. His tone was more than slightly accusatory and if she had to be honest, it did feel slightly odd to be the beneficiary of a life-insurance policy when it was she that had ended that life.
‘Had you committed murder then things would be rather different, but as it stands, I am obliged to inform you that the figure is as follows…’
The way he accentuated the word ‘obliged’ told her all she needed to know.
He slid the top sheet across the desk, his fingers sticking slightly, causing the paper to lift. His podgy digits were coated with the residue of a roast chicken lunch followed by a quick pee, after neither of which had he troubled to wash his hands.
Kate’s eyes were instantly drawn to the bottom right-hand corner, where the numbers had been totted up. The total was just short of a million pounds. Kate felt her stomach clench in surprise. She had no idea, how had Mark managed to accrue such a sum? She felt her mouth go dry as her mind whirled with the possibilities of what this might mean for Dominic and Lydia…
‘Is this in line with what you were expecting, Kate?’ Again he almost spat her name.
She nodded and half shrugged, unsure of how else to respond. She had given little consideration to money matters while she had been in jail and never in her wildest imaginings could have guessed at such a considerable sum. Whatever the amount, a million or a billion, nothing could adequately compensate for the life that she had led with Mark and for her estrangement from her beloved children. She would have traded every single penny of it to have seen them at the prison gates upon her release.
Kate stood, indicating that the meeting was over.
‘Do you have a plan for the money?’ Mr Barnes’ tone was sharp.
She found his comment impertinent and unnecessary. It was nothing to do with him, not any more. She really wanted to say, ‘Yes – the whole lot on the two forty at Kempton methinks.’ But she didn’t.
‘Well, first on my agenda is a holiday with my kids, just the three of us whiling away the days in the sun. I can’t wait. Thank you for asking, Mr Burns.’
‘It’s Barnes.’
‘Whichever, it’s of little consequence.’ This she delivered over her shoulder as she left, relieved to escape the fusty atmosphere at last.
* * *
Kate lay on the bed in her hotel room staring at the ceiling. London traffic revved and hooted below. Her legs were crossed and rested vertically up the wall. She wiggled her toes inside her new, soft grey socks – one of many small luxuries that thrilled her. A cup of strong Earl Grey and two almond tuille crisps sat on a little tray beside her on the mattress. She wound the curly flex of the telephone handset around her fingers: it was fantastic to be able to just pick up a phone and make a call, exhilarating to have a window she could open, a door to walk through for a lungful of outside air.
‘Hello, Yorkshire, we are all set!’
Kate’s excitement bubbled from her as her sister answered the phone.
‘Oh God, Fran, I can’t believe it, I really can’t. It’s going to be so perfect, although to be honest I’d be happy to see them anywhere – Blackpool, Weston-super-Mare, you name it. It will of course be all the more perfect because we will be in the sunshine, but all that really matters is being able to talk, without distraction. I can’t believe I’m going to see them! I can’t believe it! Do you know what the best thing will be? Going to sleep under the same roof as Dom and Lydi and seeing them all sleepy and mussy-haired in the morning. Do you know how many years it is since I’ve done that! I feel like it’s Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and every single birthday all rolled into one—’
‘Kate—’
‘Can you tell them that I have all the factors and aftersun we need; might have gone a bit overboard. Lydi always goes brown as a berry, lucky thing, but Dom tends