The dark side of my soul (19 page)

Seventeen

After taking a shower and putting on some respectable clothes so I looked the part of a financial advisor (I felt a clean white shirt and neatly pressed trousers were sufficient, no need for the jacket and tie) I rustled up a quick meal out of the fridge and drank copious amounts of coffee to try to counteract the afternoon’s alcohol.

Armed with a pen, pencil, a pendrive and a calculator, I set off for Julie’s just after seven. I could see no point in being late and I couldn’t wait to find out just how much good old David was worth. Sandra had phoned in the afternoon and said that she was staying in Canterbury for the evening with the girls. They were going to some bespoke restaurant for dinner and she hoped I didn’t mind. A lot of the anger had evaporated when she called, although I could tell from her voice that she was still on edge. Pleased that she had phoned and that we were on more amicable terms I left home in a good mood and arrived at David’s, now Julie’s, looking forward to the evening ahead.

With the car parked at the centre of the sweeping drive I was able to take a good look at the building. The spacious five bedroom bungalow with its double garage on one side was maintained in excellent condition, the windows sparkled and the paintwork gleamed. The trees on either side hid the neighbouring houses and opposite, across the road was a hedgerow then open country. At the back was the magnificent garden that David had always kept professionally tended by a local firm and from the carefully laid out lawn there was a wonderful view of the rolling hills of the North Downs. The property had to be valued for Estate duty purposes and although I would get an Estate Agent to give me a proper valuation, my guess was that it would not be far short of a million.

After appraising the bungalow for a minute or two I got out of the car and made for the front door where Julie was expecting me. She flung it open before I knocked and greeted me with one of those kisses that David had disapproved of so much. She was wearing a pencil slim knee length red skirt and a flimsy almost see through white blouse that left little to the imagination. She hugged me and I could feel her large breasts pressing into my chest.

“You’re early,” She panted.

“Yes, I hope you don’t mind---” I was going to explain that Sandra had gone out but she interrupted me.

“No, no I’m glad. There’s lots of stuff to look at. It may take some time. Come in,” I followed her inside and she started leading the way, talking over her shoulder as she went. “Everything is in the office. I have put all the papers that I think you’ll need in two boxes. There’s loads of stuff on the computer too.”

I followed those shapely tanned legs trying and failing to look elsewhere as I progressed along the extensive hallway. Julie’s over passionate welcome was very pleasant but it was only part of her act, she was just one of those women who liked to flaunt her sexuality at every available opportunity. David had read too much into it and had become needlessly jealous and suspicious.

The smallest bedroom (which was the same size as our largest) was the one used for an office. Julie led me in and pointed out the two boxes of paperwork for me to examine. They were placed by the side of a wonderfully carved, old fashioned oak, green leather topped desk, which contrasted sharply with the modern computer station, complete with computer, thirty inch monitor, printer and keyboard that sat next to it. A large black and white drawing of Christ on the Cross dominated the wall over the desk.

A rectangular window opposite the door gave views of the countryside and green hills beyond. The wall to my left, opposite the computer was lined with oak cabinets and bookcases, the shelves of which were crammed with books of all shapes and sizes, the genres varying from religious tomes to crime fiction and Company financial reports.

I had never been in this room before and it made me realise what a complicated man David was and how little I really knew him.

Julie indicated that I should take one of the two black swivel leather chairs that were in front of the computer and the desk. “There’s lots to go through I’m afraid and more on the computer. The pin numbers and codes for the on line accounts are all in the boxes. Now can I get you a drink?” She leaned towards me as I sat on the seat at the computer and her face almost brushed against mine.

“I’m fine Julie thanks, maybe later.”

“Is that a promise?” She made it sound like she was talking about much more than just a drink.

“Sure.”

“Okay, if you need anything, anything at all, yell out.” She gave me a pouting sexy smile before flitting away like a little bird.

With Julie gone I got down to work and began to go through the first box of papers. It was marked bank accounts in black felt tip pen on the outside of the box and I guessed that Julie had written that on when she had started trying to fathom out David’s finances.

I spread the papers over the desk, started a simple spreadsheet on the computer and began to list the amounts in each account at the date of David’s death. I was surprised by the number of accounts he held. He had current accounts with all the big banks, special current accounts, deposit accounts, special deposit accounts, fixed interest deposit accounts, ISA’s and accounts held offshore. I listed all the balances on my spread sheet and kept a running total. The disappointing thing was that although there were numerous accounts the money kept in each was relatively small and the total of the whole lot only came to a little over a quarter of a million. Although it was quite a tidy sum I had expected more.

It was a time consuming and laborious job, most of the banks having on line access that needed the entry of passwords, user names and pin numbers. It took me almost two hours to review the documents and check and list the balances. Around nine o’clock Julie breezed into see if I wanted anything and to ask how I was getting on.

“A small beer would go down well,” I said.

“No problem, how’s it going, am I a rich widow yet?” she laughed.

She was only interested in the money and when I told her the total amount so far discovered her face dropped. She didn’t even try to hide her disappointment, like me Julie had hoped for a lot more.

“Don’t worry though,” I added to try and cheer her up. “I’ve got that whole other box to go through yet.”

“That’s the one with stuff in I didn’t understand, trusts and broker accounts and some things called equities.” She pronounced it eckhitees.

“Equities,” I corrected. “In that case that’s probably where most of his money is.”

“Oh good,” She immediately brightened. “I’ll get you that beer.”

She came back promptly with the drink and left just as quickly. She didn’t want to stop me working. She wanted me to find the money.

I was right. David had large holdings in a number of Investment Trusts and each one I came across had a larger sum in it than the previous one. The value of the units in the first one at the date of his death was over a quarter of a million pounds and the numbers kept going up. By the time I had finished with the trusts my running total of his worth had increased to over four million seven hundred thousand pounds. Things were looking up. Next I went through the Stock Broker accounts and found that he had large numbers of shares held in his own name in numerous major UK and USA Companies. By the time their value was added to my total we were up to over eight million.

Julie came in again and made no pretence at what she was after. “Well, what have you found?” I had moved to the desk and she leaned against it provocatively.

“As I thought, most of his money is in his investments. So far I’m up to around eight million and I have one more file to check.

Her face lit up as though she had won the lottery, which from her point of view, she had. Her eyes positively glowed and her features became one massive smile. “Eight mill, did you say eight million?”

I nodded. “And I still have one more file to go.”

“Eight fucking million,” it was the first time I had heard her use any kind of bad language. A little squeal escaped her lips. “You’re a genius Harry, I think we should celebrate.”

She appeared to be crediting me with having made her rich, as though it was nothing to do with David, but her childlike glee was infectious and I returned her smile with one of my own. She skipped away singing some tune I didn’t recognise.

The final folder in the box was very bulky and when I opened it I discovered it was the one relating to the options David had received as a director of the Bank he had worked for. I ploughed through it and found that he had taken up all his share options and at one time held more than two million shares in the Bank. Over the years he had sold several tranches but he was still left with seven hundred and forty thousand shares. I found the price of the shares at the date of his death. They were priced at six pounds twenty pence each meaning that his current holding was worth four million five hundred and eighty eight thousand pounds bringing his total worth so far to twelve and a half million plus. Add on the value of his property, the cars and no doubt numerous other assets and I was probably lookin at close on fourteen million. My one per cent, which is what I was really interested in, was going to be in the region of one hundred and forty thousand and that would almost treble our little stash in the safe.

I started returning the folders and files to the boxes when Julie came through the door carrying a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

“I‘ve found a lot more,” I told her. “The total value of David’s Estate looks like being around fourteen million.”

“Wow, fourteen mill,” the figure stopped her in her tracks then grinning she recovered. “This gets better and better but that’s enough work for now,” Julie placed the glasses on the green leather surface of the desk. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

She proceeded to undo the wire frame that wound round the cork of the bottle. After unwinding the wire she pointed the bottle at the book case, placed a thumb under the cork and pressed. It flew off with a loud pop and some champagne squirted out onto the carpet. Julie squealed with childlike pleasure, filled the glasses too quickly and the bubbly liquid overflowed onto the leather top. I am sure David would have been distraught but Julie hardly noticed.

The next thing I knew was that this young sexy woman was on my lap with one arm wrapped around my neck. She passed me a glass with her free hand then took the other glass for herself. She chinked the glasses together and giggled girlishly. “Good old David. He has made me a millionaire.”

I had not seen the label on the bottle but it was undoubtedly top quality champagne, David would only have the best. Julie swallowed hers in one gulp and I guessed that it was not the first she had drunk that evening.

“Come on, drink up,” she encouraged. “We’ve got some celebrating to do.” and topped up my glass.

“Not too much, I have to drive home.” I protested.

“But you don’t have to go right away do you?”

My right hand was around her waist and my left hand nursed the champagne. I sipped it appreciatively while Julie downed her second drink and then placed her empty glass on the desk. Next she placed both her arms around my neck and leaned in towards me so that her face was almost touching mine. There was an exquisite smell of expensive perfume. She crossed her legs causing her skirt to rise an inch or two above her knees.

“Thank you for helping me,” she said and began to kiss my lips.

I put my half empty glass on the desk with the intention of easing her away and as politely as possible, so as not to hurt her feelings, refuse her advances but my left hand had a mind of its own and after depositing the empty glass on the leather top it came to rest on her knee. The tight skirt rose a little further up her well-tanned legs and my hand slowly, imperceptibly, almost uncontrollably crept a little higher above the knee.

I didn’t push her away, I didn’t stop her, nor did I want to, instead I responded to her advances which slowly grew more passionate and my hand moved slowly up her thigh until it slipped under her skirt. She pulled her lips away from mine for an instant only to return them with greater desire, her tongue flicking around my own in a tantalising dance.

That was the moment I should have stopped her, said no this is wrong. I am a happily married man. I should have been firm, decisive and refused to go along with what she had in mind but I was weak and I succumbed to her charms. I’ll stop her later, before we go too far I thought, but I knew I was fooling myself. I was rapidly reaching the point of no return.

The kissing grew more uncontrolled and my hand slid right up inside the skirt which now barely covered any of her legs. When I found that she wore no underwear, no barrier to my probing fingers a wave of uncontrolled excitement washed over me and I knew there was no going back.

Julie undid my shirt and at the same time I removed my hand from her thigh and undid the buttons on the front of her blouse but my effort was clumsy and she had to help me. Her large bosoms leaped out right in my face and without thinking I was kissing them. I took one of her nipples into my mouth and my fingers returned to the inside of her skirt searching for her most private places. She uncrossed her legs and allowed them to part and I could see that her skirt had risen all the way up. My desire heightened as she slowly parted her legs, straightening them, showing them off as I touched her.