Web of Lies by Sally Rigby (best book club books of all time .txt) 📕

done your official statement yet. We must do it soon, in case he asks to see it.’

‘Tomorrow. Definitely.’

She drove them back to Market Harborough and pulled into a parking space outside the front of the house he was staying at.

‘Before I leave, I’ll come in to say hello to Elsa,’ she said following him to the front door.

‘She’ll be happy to see you.’

Seb unlocked the door and they headed towards the kitchen where they were greeted by a very excited Elsa.

‘Hello, girl,’ she said, rubbing behind the ears, the spot which she knew the dog loved. Elsa pressed into her legs and stared up at her, her brown eyes excited and happy.

‘She’s such a poppet. I’ll look after her any time you need someone,’ she said to Seb, who’d gone back into the hall and was staring at his face in the mirror. ‘Would you like me to top up your make-up?’

‘No thanks.’

‘Phone me as soon as you’re back here and fill me in on what Yates tells you. Remember, if there’s any sign of trouble call me. We can have a word or sentence, that tells me you’re in trouble.’

‘What do you suggest?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘How about make sure you’re early.’ He arched an eyebrow, and stared at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

‘You’re so funny. But if that’s what you want to use then those words it is.’

Chapter 31

18 May

Seb arrived at the Fox and Hounds ten minutes before he was due for his meeting with Tony Yates. The pub wasn’t busy. An elderly man was sitting on a bar stool talking to the bartender and a young couple sat close to the door. He scanned the room and noticed Yates had already arrived and was sitting at a table close to the fireplace. Seb ordered himself a half pint of beer and wandered over.

Yates was sitting ramrod straight with his arms resting on the table, his fists clenched. What appeared to be a whisky with ice was on the table in front of him.

‘I’m not happy about this,’ Yates said, not even giving a greeting.

‘I realise that, and I’m sorry to be dragging everything up again, but it’s done out of necessity. I take it there are things you’ve been keeping from your wife.’ He got straight to the point, there was no need for niceties.

He nodded. ‘I don’t want what we discuss getting back to her. Everything I’m about to tell you is off the record.’

‘I will endeavour to keep our conversation confidential but, as you know, we’re investigating Donald’s suicide and if it transpires that the verdict was incorrect, then I’ll be discussing with the police all the evidence I have relating to him. Do you understand?’ He waited for Yates’s acknowledgement before continuing, but the man was silent. ‘Tony?’

The man thumped the table, and his drink shook. ‘Yes, I understand. Not that I have a choice. You know too much already. Just ask your questions and let’s get this over and done with.’

‘As I mentioned earlier, Donald had been blackmailing another person, and I suspect he might have been blackmailing you, too, otherwise you wouldn’t have asked to meet me. Am I correct?’

Yates picked up his whisky and downed it in one, the ice cubes rattling in the empty glass when he banged it down on the table. ‘What do you think?’ His eyes were glassy.

‘You know my answer to that,’ Seb said, keeping his tone calm.

‘Yes, Donald did blackmail me into investing with him. Okay. Now you know.’ He bowed his head and sighed.

‘Why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?’

Yates picked up his glass and stared inside, twirling the ice cubes.

‘Would you like another?’ Seb offered.

‘As much as I’d dearly love to say yes, I’ll have to refuse. I’m driving and already had one before you arrived.’

At least he was being responsible.

‘Please continue.’

‘Donald came to me desperate for money and while we were talking, he suggested that I should invest with him, to give him a helping hand. I refused, saying I hadn’t got any spare cash. Then he told me I should borrow it. He wanted two hundred grand. I laughed, thinking he was joking. I mean, who has that sort of money hanging around?’

‘Then what happened?’

‘He repeated his request, only this time there was an edge to his voice. It was then that I realised he meant it. I was stunned. When I told him no, he said refusing wasn’t an option.’ He paused, a faraway expression in his eyes.

‘And then?’ Seb pushed.

‘I asked him what he meant, and he said if I didn’t comply, he’d make sure everyone knew. It was then that I understood exactly what he meant. He was blackmailing me.’

‘What did he have on you?’

Yates leant back in his chair, breathing in and out several times, seeming to be plucking up the courage to admit to what he’d done.

‘It was something that happened when we were at university over thirty years ago.’

It must have been bad if the man had been carrying it with him for that long. He waited a few seconds for him to continue, but he’d clammed up.

‘Had Donald ever tried to blackmail you over this issue before then?’ Seb asked, leading him.

‘No, never. We made a pact to never bring it up again, and we both stuck to it. It’s what bound us together. We might not have remained friends if it hadn’t been for this. In fact, I’m sure of it.’

‘Can you tell me what it is?’ Seb asked, encouraging him to continue.

Yates nodded. ‘When I was at university, I used to drink quite heavily. We all did. We were binge drinkers, as it’s called nowadays. My parents had given me a car and I would often drive us when we went out, not caring if I was over the limit which I often was. In fact, most weekends I wouldn’t have passed a breath test. One time I got done for drinking under the influence and lost my licence for