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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I KEPT THINKING ABOUT what Max Berenson had said—about Alicia’s suicide attempt, following her father’s death. There was no mention of it in her file, and I wondered why.
I rang Max the next day, catching him just as he was leaving the office. “I just want to ask you a couple more questions if you don’t mind.” “I’m literally walking out of the door.”
“This won’t take long.”
Max sighed and lowered the phone to say something unintelligible to Tanya.
“Five minutes,” he said. “That’s all you get.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. You mentioned Alicia’s suicide attempt. I was wondering, which hospital
treated her?”
“She wasn’t admitted to hospital.”
“She wasn’t?”
“No. She recovered at home. My brother looked after her.”
“But—surely she saw a doctor? It was an overdose, you said?”
“Yes. And of course Gabriel got a doctor over. And he ... the doctor—agreed to keep it quiet.” “Who was the doctor? Do you remember his name?”
There was a pause as Max thought for a moment. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.... I can’t recall.” “Was it their GP?”
“No, I’m sure it wasn’t. My brother and I shared a GP. I remember Gabriel made a point of asking
me not to mention it to him.”
“And you’re sure you can’t remember a name?”
“I’m sorry. Is that all? I have to go.”
“Just one more thing ... I was curious about the terms of Gabriel’s will.”
A slight intake of breath, and Max’s tone instantly sharpened. “His will? I really don’t see the
relevance—”
“Was Alicia the main beneficiary?”
“I must say, I find that rather an odd question.”
“Well, I’m trying to understand—”
“Understand what?” Max went on without waiting for a reply, sounding annoyed. “I was the main
beneficiary. Alicia had inherited a great deal of money from her father, so Gabriel felt she was well provided for. And so he left the bulk of his estate to me. Of course, he had no idea his estate would become so valuable after his death. Is that it?”
“And what about Alicia’s will? When she dies, who inherits?”
“That,” Max said firmly, “is more than I can tell you. And I sincerely hope this will be our last conversation.”
There was a click as he hung up. But something in his tone told me this wouldn’t be the last I’d hear from Max Berenson.