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III
with him, and on this occasion Mr. Billingsley’s discretion was less notice-
able than it had been on the former one. The triple tragedy at Yewtree
now only too anxious to put all the facts he could before the police.
“Most extraordinary business, this whole thing,” he said. “A most ex-
traordinary business. I don’t remember anything like it in all my profes-
sional career.”
“Frankly, Mr. Billingsley,” said Inspector Neele, “we need all the help we
can get.”
“You can count on me, my dear sir. I shall be only too happy to assist
you in every way I can.”
“First let me ask you how well you knew the late Mr. Fortescue, and how
well do you know the affairs of his firm?”
“I knew Rex Fortescue fairly well. That is to say I’ve known him for a
period of, well, sixteen years I should say. Mind you, we are not the only
firm of solicitors7 he employed, not by a long way.”
Inspector Neele nodded. He knew that. Billingsley, Horsethorpe & Wal-
ters were what one might describe as Rex Fortescue’s reputable solicitors.
For his less reputable dealings he had employed several different and
slightly less scrupulous8 firms.
“Now what do you want to know?” continued Mr. Billingsley. “I’ve told
you about his will. Percival Fortescue is the residuary legatee.”
“I’m interested now,” said Inspector Neele, “in the will of his widow. On
Mr. Fortescue’s death she came into the sum of one hundred thousand
pounds, I understand?”
Billingsley nodded his head.
“A considerable sum of money,” he said, “and I may tell you in confid-
ence, Inspector, that it is one the firm could ill have afforded to pay out.”
“The firm, then, is not prosperous?”
ing onto the rocks and has been for the last year and a half.”
“For any particular reason?”
“Why yes. I should say the reason was Rex Fortescue himself. For the
here, buying speculative11 stuff there, talking big about it all the time in the
most extraordinary way. Wouldn’t listen to advice. Percival—the son, you
know—he came here urging me to use my influence with his father. He’d
tried, apparently12 and been swept aside. Well, I did what I could, but For-
tescue wouldn’t listen to reason. Really, he seems to have been a changed
man.”
Inspector Neele nodded. An idea which had already taken form in his
mind was strengthened. He thought he was beginning to understand some
was continuing:
“But it’s no good asking me about the wife’s will. I didn’t make any will
for her.”
“No. I know that,” said Neele. “I’m merely verifying that she had some-
thing to leave. In short, a hundred thousand pounds.”
Mr. Billingsley was shaking his head violently.
“No, no, my dear sir. You’re wrong there.”
“Do you mean the hundred thousand pounds was only left to her for her
lifetime?”
sum unless she survived him for one month. That, I may say, is a clause
fairly common nowadays. It has come into operation owing to the uncer-
tainties of air travel. If two people are killed in an air accident, it becomes
problems arise.”
Inspector Neele was staring at him.
“Then Adele Fortescue had not got a hundred thousand pounds to leave.
What happens to that money?”
“It goes back into the firm. Or rather, I should say, it goes to the resid-
uary legatee.”
“And the residuary legatee is Mr. Percival Fortescue.”
“That’s right,” said Billingsley, “it goes to Percival Fortescue. And with
the state the firm’s affairs are in,” he added unguardedly, “I should say
that he’ll need it!”
IV
“The things you policemen want to know,” said Inspector Neele’s doctor
friend.
“Come on, Bob, spill it.”
“Well, as we’re alone together you can’t quote me, fortunately! But I
should say, you know, that your idea’s dead right. GPI by the sound of it
all. The family suspected it and wanted to get him to see a doctor. He
grandeur—of being a great financial genius. Anyone suffering from that
—and that’s not so easy to do—especially if the man himself has an idea of
what you’re after. Yes—I should say it was a bit of luck for your friends
that he died.”
“They’re no friends of mine,” said Neele. He repeated what he had once
said before:
“They’re all very unpleasant people… .”
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