On Monday 7 January, Walter kissed his wife goodbye and went back to work after his long Christmas break. He felt refreshed and pleased with his new life as a married man. Riesling cleaned the house, fed the cats and looked up the name and address of the nearest printers. She downloaded a document from her computer on to a memory stick, called for a taxi and left the house.
At PRINTZ 4U, she discussed what she wanted with a tall, thin man who had sweaty hands and dreadful halitosis; he said his name was Doug Breath. Doug said Riesling will have to order 250 sheets minimum, which would cost £55 plus VAT. Riesling felt it was a waste of money to print so many headed notepapers since she only needed a few sheets but she felt she had no choice in the matter and was eager to leave the shop before Doug kept breathing on her and suffocated her completely.
The announcement appeared in the Surrey Leader and the Gloucestershire Echo newspapers on Thursday 10 January 2008. The second page of the Gloucestershire Echo had the usual announcements of births, birthdays, deaths and marriages. Sandwiched between the birth of baby Marina and the 50th wedding anniversary of Edna and Geoff Dinglebody was the following announcement:
CLAIRE BELINDA HISCOTT: Flaw and Older Solicitors wish to contact Claire Hiscott previously of New Haven, Sussex in connection with a private matter relating to her personal circumstances. Flaw and Older Solicitors have been instructed by their client to act in the strictest confidence with regards to this sensitive matter. If you are Claire Hiscott or know her whereabouts, please call: 0799 799 799.
The following day, Steve Bawtree phoned Claire who was busy trying to think of another way of disposing of Walter. Having used both bombs in the first attempt, she was left with only a rifle and a hand gun. Her instinct was to use the rifle in preference to the hand gun, which she would use only if she absolutely had to.
Claire: hello, is that you Gill?
Steve: no, is that Claire?
Claire (disappointed): yes, who is this please?
Steve: it is Steve Bawtree, remember me?
Claire: unfortunately I do. Listen Bawtree, if you are calling for more money, you can forget it. I already told you, no more money until the iBall is in manufacture
Steve: well, not exactly. I am calling on another matter that is of personal interest to you
Claire: me? Well, go on then
Steve: a firm of solicitors are looking for you in connection with some inheritance due to you
Claire: isn’t it a bit early in the day to be drinking?
Steve: I haven’t had a drink since the New Year; I am serious
Claire: so, what exactly are you talking about?
Steve: some people have placed an announcement in the Gloucestershire Echo asking Claire Hiscott to get in touch with them
Claire: it must be some other Claire Hiscott
Steve: are there other Claire Belinda Hiscotts previously of New Haven, Sussex?
Claire: read the whole announcement to me
Steve read out the announcement and in return, Claire agreed to send him some money he claimed he needed to bail his wife Sarah out of prison after she was caught growing cannabis in their green house. Claire made a mental note to deal with Steve and Sarah once she sorted Walter out.
Claire wondered what the advert was all about and was a little suspicious of Steve Bawtree’s motives. Her phone rang again, this time it was her sister Caroline:
Caroline: ere, listen, ave you seen the papers?
Claire: which one?
Caroline: the Surrey Leader
Claire: sadly they don’t sell such a gripping read in Bristol
Caroline: sarky! Wha’evva, some lawyers are after ya, what’s that all about then?
Claire: are you talking about Flaw and Older Solicitors?
Caroline: that’s the fella, I fought you didn’t read the Surrey Leader
Claire: sorry, I lied. Anyway, I don’t know what they want?
Caroline: ere, you are not in trouble or nuffink are ya? Cos if you are, I don’t wanna be involved, right?
Claire: thanks for your support; I am sure
Caroline: ere, could it be you are about to inherit money?
Claire: I doubt it very much but who knows?
Caroline: ere if you do, I wouldn’t mind a sub, right?
With money on their minds, Claire, Steve and Caroline never wondered why a conservative and presumably genuine law firm would quote a mobile phone number instead of the usual office number. Nor did they bother to check that such a firm actually existed in any directory.
Riesling: 0799 799 799, who is speaking please?
Claire: is this Flaw and Older Solicitors?
Riesling: yes it is, I am Caitlin Older
Claire: this is Claire Hiscott; you wanted to speak to me
Riesling: that’s right Ms Hiscott. I am the solicitor in charge of your case; I would like to meet up with you to discuss the matter in question
Claire: well, can you tell me what this “matter in question” is please?
Riesling: I am afraid I am not in a position to do so on the phone. My instructions are to speak to you in person and verify your identity before disclosing the details of the matter in question
Claire: I assure you I am Claire Belinda Hiscott
Riesling: I am sure you are Ms Hiscott but I can also assure you that you are the 15th person to call me claiming to be Claire Belinda Hiscott. I have to be absolutely certain I am dealing with the right person, isn’t it? I will need to see a form of legitimate identification
Claire: 15 people? Honestly, the world is full of liars, cheats and crooks!
Riesling: oh, you can say that again pet
Claire resented the over friendly use of “pet” by the solicitor but agreed to meet the woman at 11:00 o’clock on Tuesday 15 January 2008 in the lounge of the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham. Riesling explained that the location is relevant to the matter she wanted to talk to her about.
Riesling was pleased with her newly found ability to lie and play dirty. Claire allowed herself to daydream and imagine how much money she might inherit. Not that the solicitor said anything about inheritance. Claire racked her brain trying to think who might have left her the money but couldn’t think of any rich distant relatives.
To read the next chapter, please click here: Chapter 22
