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‘Mum did split it down the middle. That’s what the old will you have there stipulates, the one she wrote after herdivorce. But then, in the following two years, you’ll recall you had quite a lot of your inheritance up front, and Mum wrote another will taking that into account. If you add everything up, it’s still a fifty-fifty split. She wrote a letter explaining it which she lodged with her solicitor, supported by her bank statements to prove it should you try to contest it.’ She wet her lips with a mouthful of coffee. Roberta might have been slipping further away from them, but once she’d decided Paula had had her fair share, the bank transfers had ended; she hadn’t fallen prey to any further requests or manipulation. Shay had checked all the historic statements her mother had kept, highlighted, scribbled on. Tens of thousands of pounds.
Shay noticed how mottled her sister’s neck was beneath the hand stroking the skin there. She was undone, and rattled about it.
‘She had the house in Millspring valued. That’s why she left it, plus the forty-five thousand in her account, to me and why you have five to come. There’s also a life insurance policy worth eight thousand which will be split between us when it’s paid out. When this house is sold, then the monies will be split four ways: a quarter each to you, me, Sunny and Courtney.’
The mottling on Paula’s neck was getting worse, spreading up her cheeks now. If it went any further, her head would look like a block of corned beef. Eventually she spoke, through gritted teeth.
‘You’ve got your family well and truly looked after, haven’t you, you sly little cow.’
Shay felt her hackles rising. ‘You’re actually calling me sly, Paula, when you were the one trying to bleed her dry?’
‘They were loans.’
‘They were your inheritance up front. Mum told me a couple of weeks before she died. I didn’t know what she was leaving to whom until I was sent the will so I could organise her funeral as per her instructions. And she loved her grandchildren. It was her money to do what she wanted with.’
‘When was the last time they even saw her?’ hissed Paula.
‘They saw her more than you did,’ Shay spat back. ‘And they saw her because they wanted to, not because they were under duress or after money.’
Paula stood, her mood volcanic.
‘So I’m just supposed to accept this, am I?’
Shay gave a dry chuckle. ‘Well, yes. It’s Mum’s wishes, not mine.’
‘I’m the elder daughter. This is MY job to sort.’ Paula poked herself in the boob so hard she’d have a bruise there to remind her of this moment.
Shay knew she had to keep her cool; she had a duty to her mother to carry out her behests and she would have done, whatever they were.
‘Mum wanted me to do it because she knew I’d be fair.’
Paula’s turn for a hoot of laughter now.
‘The inference being that I’m not?’
‘Infer what you like, Paula.’
‘Where’s my mother’s wedding ring?’ yelled Paula in the manner of quite a dangerous child who would strike out if her demands weren’t met.
‘She left that to me.’
‘Jesus Christ, is there anything you haven’t got your greedy fucking mitts on?’
‘If you’ll just shut up a moment, she left you her engagement and eternity rings.’
The prospect of owning the one-carat diamond in theformer and the emeralds in the latter was far more attractive than the sentiment of the wedding ring. Paula was momentarily appeased.
Shay went on, ‘Plus there are other pieces that—’
Paula held her hand out. ‘Give them to me now, please.’ Never had a please sounded less like a polite request. ‘I want the diamond brooch as well.’
‘She left that to Dagmara.’ Shay opened up the file and took out a bag full of jewellery in their boxes, put it down on the table. ‘She left you these. They’re all itemised in her will.’
Paula folded her arms, tilted her head, stared at her younger sister with wry amusement.
‘You power-struck bitch. You’re enjoying this aren’t you?’ she said.
‘No, Paula, I’m notenjoyingany of this. I’m just doing what Mum asked me to do.’
