Blood is Thicker Than Water by Paul Gitsham Read Free Book Online Page A

difficult subject of Charles Michaelson’s relationship with the scouts.
    His reaction was almost identical to his sister’s, with indignant denials followed by confusion at why the police were so interested in long-ago rumours about their father and then anger about the appropriateness of the question.
    When asked if he knew why Callum Mackay had suddenly decided that he no longer wished to visit his grandfather, Michaelson’s response was a similar denial.
    Warren moved the questioning on.
    “Tommy, do you know the whereabouts of your brother-in-law?”
    He shook his head sadly. “No, I wish I did. We thought we had this problem of his sorted. But I guess it’s true what they say about once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.”
    “Are you close to Ian?”
    “Yeah. I actually knew Ian before Kathy did. We were in the same year in school. We used to play football together. He used to come around in the evening.” A slight smile crossed his lips. “I wasn’t impressed when he started dating my sister. But he’s treated her well and I guess if anyone was good enough for her it was Ian.”
    “Did you know that Ian had been made redundant?”
    Michaelson swore. “I guess that explains why he’s been so stressed lately. Dad’s death must have been what finally tipped him over the edge.”
    * * *
    The following morning found Warren, DS Pete Kent and Karen Hardwick poring over six months’ worth of bank statements for Charles Michaelson and his children. They took up most of the large table in briefing room one.
    “Well if you were looking for a financial incentive, Chief, then here it is.” Kent was holding up the deeds to Michaelson’s house. “He paid off his mortgage about thirteen years ago when he took early retirement.” He grimaced. “Bugger got a better lump sum than I’ll ever see.” Kent was nearing retirement himself and spent a lot of time grumbling about it.
    “I just went on the net and I reckon that even with tax, assuming the kids inherit it all and split it between them they’ll clear at least a hundred thousand each.”
    “And don’t forget the rest of the estate.” Hardwick slid another sheet across the desk towards Warren. “He had a damn good pension, which he pretty much banked each month. He really was a tight old sod. He could have at least afforded a cleaner and someone to give his poor kids a break.”
    “So leaving aside greed, how badly did his kids need their share of the inheritance?”
    “The Mackays didn’t have a pot to piss in,” said Kent. “They were barely surviving before Ian lost his job. Since then, we’ve got no income at all. It doesn’t even look as if his statutory redundancy has kicked in yet. They had a modest savings account they’d nicknamed ‘Holiday Fund’ that they were putting a hundred or so a month in, but it looks as though whoever is in charge of the online banking pretty much emptied it a few days ago to pay off the mortgage and bills.” He winced in sympathy. “I’m no financial guru but unless they get their hands on some cash pretty soon, next month is going to be a choice between mortgage and food bills. There isn’t a lot of slack for them to cut.”
    “What about Tommy?”
    This time it was Karen who spoke up. “It looks as though little brother is in a completely different place.” She shuffled the stack of papers in front of her. “He’s earning a serious wage, well north of fifty thousand. He’s like his father in one respect: it doesn’t look as though he fritters it away. Mags says he’s renting a nice flat, but he’s got a savings account called ‘House Deposit’ with about eighty grand in it that he’s adding significant amounts to each month by standing order.”
    “Well even with the silly house prices down here that’s enough for twenty-five per cent or more on a very nice property. I guess he could always stand to boost that fund a bit more, but it doesn’t sound as though he’s in desperate