The Corrigan legacy (26 page)

Maeve looked into the distance for a minute or two. 'It looks as if Des's death has brought about a big reunion of the Corrigans. I hope you'll all be involved. A lot of fences can be mended at a funeral. And Lily should know her brother and sisters, her cousins, don't you think? Do you want me to arrange the funeral, Judith, or shall you?'

'I'll do it. My mother and I have some experience in that area. My father died a couple of years ago.'

'Then I hope you'll let me host a gathering afterwards? Good. We'll have it here, of course. It's quite my favourite London hotel.'

As Judith and Mitch rode back in a taxi to her mother's, he said, 'I'd like to be the one who tells Lacey and Emma, and their mother, about Dad.'

'All right, darling.'

After a pause, he added thoughtfully, 'She's an amazing person, Aunt Maeve, isn't she? I'm glad I've got to know her before the cancer takes over. I'll never forget her.'

Sunshine spills over everything, defying death and darkness. Golden light dazzles the eye, warms the skin, winks from window panes and gilds the flowers.

When she got back to Cal's, Judith contacted the same funeral company they'd used for her father. They'd been both sensitive and efficient. Tired as she was, she agreed to see a representative within the hour and went through the main details with him. Cal sat quietly to one side, saying nothing, but as he'd said, 'Being there in case'.

His presence was a comfort she needed just then, because she still hadn't come to terms with Des's sudden death. It wasn't fair when he'd always been so full of life!

The following morning Cal helped her make a list of tasks and prioritize them. First of all, Corrigan International, which she'd put off 'til today. Someone had to keep an eye on Des's business, which was now, presumably, Mitch's inheritance. She knew nothing about the company, because Des hadn't wanted her involved in any way, but she could at least make sure it was being managed carefully during this interim period.

Cal took hold of her hand. 'I won't be much help, I'm afraid, but I'm here if you need me.'

'Thank you.' She rang head office, using the direct line to Des's secretary.

Pamela greeted her cheerfully. 'I'm so sorry about Mr Corrigan's heart attack. I hope he gets better soon.'

Judith hadn't realized she'd be breaking the sad news, had expected it to have filtered through to the office, as these things usually did. 'I'm afraid my husband died yesterday.'

There was dead silence, then, 'Oh, no! I'm so sorry! I didn't know.'

'How could you have? Is Mr Tate there?'

'He hasn't come in yet, Mrs Corrigan. He was here 'til very late last night, the security guard says. It looks as if he was going through the papers in your husband's office. I do wish he'd put things away. It took me over an hour to tidy up this morning.'

'I'd better come in, I think. Things are so much easier to arrange face to face. Perhaps you could give Mr Tate a ring at home and tell him about Des, ask him to come in as soon as he can.'

'He has an appointment with the accountant at eleven. Shall I cancel it?'

'No. I'll need to see Mr Welby myself. Will you let everyone know - about Des, I mean.'

'Yes, of course, Mrs Corrigan.'

When Judith arrived at the office, Pamela said, 'I rang Mr Tate, but there's no answer. Perhaps he's on his way here.'

'I hope so. I don't really know where to start.'

Half an hour later John Welby arrived, but there was still no sign of Raymond. Judith heard voices whispering in the outer office before the accountant was shown in and was relieved to be spared the task of explaining yet again that Des was dead. It didn't get any easier.

John came across the office to hold her hand for a moment. 'Pamela told me about Des. I can't believe it! He was so full of life, so enthusiastic, even now.'

'Why do you say "even now"?'

'Oh. I forgot you two were separated. He won't have told you - but I suppose you'll have to know. The company is experiencing a serious cashflow problem and Des was having to make economies, sell the house, you know the sort of thing. It was buying that engineering works in Cheshire that did it. I told him at the time it was a foolish move.'

'I thought he was financially stable, set up for life.'

Welby shook his head. 'Des enjoyed taking risks - and I have to say, many of them paid off. But in the past year or two, he's not been as lucky and there's been a considerable drain on our reserves, much of it going to that new company we're setting up.'

'Corrigan Engineering?'

'No, another one, Delferen.'

'I don't know anything about that.'

'Raymond was dealing with it. I was supposed to see him today to go over the accounts. Where is he?'

'No one knows. He was here 'til quite late, apparently. Pamela said he'd made a terrible mess of the office.'

'Strange. He told me two days ago that everything was ready for my inspection.'

There was a silence, then she took a quick decision. 'I think we'd better send someone round to Raymond's flat. He may just have slept in after working late, but we need him here now.' She gave Pamela instructions, then started going through the overall figures that John produced, trying to get a feel for how bad a position the company was in financially. What he had to tell her made her more depressed by the minute. All through their married life she'd felt so secure financially with Des, had never realized what a gambler he was. She didn't care about that for herself but would there be anything left for Mitch, who had his heart set on running the company one day?

There was a knock on the office door and Pamela poked her head inside. 'Peter's back from Mr Tate's and - well, I think you should hear what he found, Mrs Corrigan.'

The uneasiness that had been skittering through Judith collected suddenly into a hard lump in her belly. Something was very wrong here, she knew it.

Since Judith was busy, Cal went round to see his daughter. He ran into Kerry in the hotel lobby. She was standing tapping her toe impatiently by the reception desk but when she saw him, she snapped something to the harassed looking clerk and came striding across the shining expanse of marble.

'They won't let me up to see Lily,' she said by way of a greeting. 'Is this your doing? If so, you're going to be in trouble with my lawyers.'

'It's Maeve's doing, actually. Her lawyers think a responsible relative is a good person to look after Lily until you and I get things sorted out.'

'Well, I want to see her for myself, make sure she's all right.'

'You'll only upset her.'

Kerry took a deep breath, half-closing her eyes, then opened them and said, 'Doesn't anyone think it's possible that I may be upset too?'

He looked at her and saw the strain in her eyes. 'Give me ten minutes. I'll go up and see Lily, talk to her then come back down for you. You could wait in that cafe over there.'

'Ten minutes, not a second longer!'

He went to the reception desk and asked them to ring Miss Corrigan's suite and let her know he was on the way up.

A young woman opened the door to him and Lily came hurtling across the room to fling herself in his arms.

'Dad!' She peered down the corridor. 'Mum isn't with you, is she?' She pulled him inside and her companion shut the door. 'They rang from reception, said Mum wanted to come up but Kate told them no. Oh, you've not met, have you? This is my cousin Kate from Australia. This is my dad. You won't let Mum come up here, will you?'

'It's only natural that she would want to see you...'

'Well, I don't want to see her and Jerome - he's my counsellor - said I didn't have to if it upset me.'

'Kerry's on her own today, no sign of Wayne. If I stayed with you, don't you think you could spend five minutes in her company?'

Lily shook her head and began sobbing. 'I don't want to, Dad. Please don't make me.'

'All right, darling. I'll go down and explain. I'll be up again in a few minutes.'

He went across to the cafe and as Kerry started to get up, he shook his head and sat down opposite her.

'What did you say to her?'

'I suggested she see you for five minutes in my presence. Kerry, wait, listen!' As she sat down again, he said, 'She started crying at the mere thought of it. Kerry, you and Wayne have seriously screwed that child up.'

She looked at him as if he'd slapped her face. 'You're just saying that.'

'I'm telling you the literal truth. You know I'd not lie about something so important.'

She bent her head for a moment, fiddling with her coffee cup. 'I didn't mean to upset her that much. I do love her, you know.'

'I know. In your own way. But it's not the way she wants or needs at the moment.'

'Would she see me if I promised not to shout or nag her to come to America ... or anything like that?'

He bit his lip then looked at her levelly. 'She's too upset this morning. I give you my solemn word that I'll try to set up a meeting. Please go home, Kerry. This has gone beyond you and me, now. It's Lily who's shattered by it all.'

'I only wanted the best for her, and Wayne could have given her that.'

'You care about money. I don't think she does.'

'No. You've certainly shaped her, haven't you?' She stood up. 'Very well. I'll go home. Tell her . . . Oh, hell, tell her she can stay with you from now on. But I need to see her first before we get into the legalities, to make sure she's all right. And I want to see her regularly after that'

He felt as if all the lights in the world were blazing brightly round him. 'You'll let me have custody of Lily?'

'Yes, damn you.' She got up without a word and walked out, not turning to look back at him, though he stood and watched her go. When she'd disappeared from sight, he went across to the lift and along to the suite. This time when the door opened, he found himself facing a man.

'I'm Mark Felton.' He stuck out his hand. 'I work for Miss Corrigan. Lily's still a bit upset.' He gestured towards the couch, where Lily was sitting with her cousin.

Cal went across to hug his daughter, then looked apologetically at the others. 'I need to speak to Lily privately.' Without waiting for an answer, he led her into her bedroom.

She sat on the bed, shoulders hunched, looking at him apprehensively. 'What did Mum say?'

'She was upset, had tears in her eyes.'

'Mum did?''

'Yes. She does love you in her own way, you know. I have good news, Lily-Pilly. Your mother told me she's prepared to give me custody - for your sake, not because she wants to. But she needs to see you first.'

'She'll get mad at me.'

'I don't think she will. But if she does, I'll bundle her out quick smart.' He made two fists, waved them in the air and tried to look macho.

Lily was surprised into a gurgle of laughter. 'You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag, Dad.'

'For you, I'd try.' He gave her another hug. 'I think you'll have to face her sometime, darling. But you can have the psychologist or a lawyer or whoever you want with you when you do. Your mother's gone home and I'll ring her when we've decided on a time.'

She sighed and sagged against him. For a few moments they just sat there, then she said in a husky voice, which sounded to be near tears, 'It's been bad, hasn't it?'

'Yes, darling. But the bad part's almost over now.'

'I hope so. I don't want to feel like this again as long as I live. I was so frightened I'd lose you, Dad.'

He cuddled her for a long time, then said, 'Right. That's enough soppy stuff.'

She gave him a tearful smile and sat up straighten

'What have you got to wear that looks good? We want to knock your mother's socks off this afternoon.' 

'I've only got old jeans and tops here.'

'Then I think we should go shopping and buy you some new clothes.'

A smile crept over her face. 'Could Judith come and help us?'

'She'll be busy, darling. She's got a funeral to plan.'

'I forgot about her husband.'

'Don't forget about him. He was your father.'

'No, he wasn't.'

Cal was glad to see that stubborn look back on her face, to hear her speaking more like her old self.

She looked at him sideways, a smile on her face now. 'I like Judith. Are you going to marry her?'

'I hope so.'

'That's wicked. It means I'll see Mitch all the time. I never thought I'd get a brother.'

'And two sisters.'

'Yeah. Cool, isn't it?'

'Definitely cool. Now, how about washing your face and I'll just have a word with Andy. He'll help us arrange the meeting.'

Maeve stared at the specialist in shock. 'Are you sure?' 'Yes.' She tried to hold them back, but the tears wouldn't be denied and she suddenly began sobbing. He left the hospital room, where she'd been resting after an arduous round of tests. A nurse slipped in and began patting her back.

Maeve pulled away. 'Can't you - leave me alone?'

'Not while you're so upset, Miss Corrigan.'

'Haven't I a right to be upset?'

'You have indeed. Look, I'll wait just outside the door if it'll make you feel better. Take your time.'

Maeve cried more quietly then lay back, feeling washed out, bewildered, for once not in control of herself.

It was over an hour before she felt ready to face the world, an hour during which the kindly nurse several times peered into her room, giving her an encouraging smile.

Maeve wished desperately that she could get away from nurses and well-meaning friends for a few days and take some time to get used to her news. But she couldn't, she knew that. There was Des's funeral to face, Lily's future to sort out, and other plans to be made.

Peter came into the big office and sat uncomfortably on the edge of a chair.

'Well,' Welby prompted, 'what did you find?'

'I spoke to the new tenant. Mr Tate hasn't lived at that address for several months.'

'What?'

'He moved out, told everyone he'd bought himself a house, didn't leave a forwarding address but no mail ever arrived for him. So I rang Personnel, thinking they'd have his new address. They said he hadn't told them he'd moved.' Peter looked from one to the other. 'So I came back.'

'Keep this to yourself,' Welby muttered. 'Thank you. You've done well.' When the door had closed, he turned to Judith. 'This doesn't look good.' He stared round the room. 'I wonder what he was looking for last night? I wish that woman hadn't cleared everything up.' He went to the door. 'Pamela, can you tell me the names of the files that were out of place this morning?'

'There were a lot of papers scattered around. I can remember some of them.'

'Thank you. Can you do that now, write them down? If you have to look in the filing cabinets to jog your memory, do it.

We'll go somewhere else. Just don't tell anyone else what's going on. We'll go into Tate's office.' He gestured to Judith to follow him.

Once they were sitting in another luxurious office, John sighed and began to fiddle with his pen. 'I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds as if he's - well, this has all the signs of embezzlement. Tate has introduced a lot of new business lately through the new company, and we've paid out some large amounts of money. That's why I insisted on an audit of those accounts, something we were going to start on today. Des okayed them, but I'm not sure whether he looked into them or just took Tate's word that they were OK. That may be why he's gone missing. It sounds as if he's been planning it for months, moving house so secretively, siphoning money off He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. 'You read about such cases, but you don't expect to be involved in one.'