of criminal activity. All I know is that he left me a property on Gasparilla Island. I refuse to accept he’s done anything illegal until evidence proves to the contrary . ’
Mike ran a hand over his baldhead . ‘ Now, Mrs. Elliott, no one is accusing you or your late husband of any thing . However, we do need to clear up a few things . Let’s start with this one. Where did your husband get the money to buy the beach house? You have to admit that was a pretty big wad of cash. ’
Grace bit her lip, but said nothing. Jack tossed the bank statements on the table.
‘ Mike, take a look at th ese . There’s over two million dollars in that account. And what’s more, the account manager, a guy called Cody, implied he’d met Grace before. ’
M ike raised an eyebrow. ‘ They say accountants stay close to the money, but that’s a lot of cash for a bean counter . E xcuse me, Grace. That’s American slang . So here’s another question. Can you explain how that amount of money came to be in your husband’s account ? ’
‘ No. ’
‘ You were his wife, w hy not? ’
Grace colo u r ed under Zupanik’s steady gaze. ‘ When Daniel died our bank account held less than two thousand pounds and there was roughly twice that sum in our savings account. Our home is mortgaged , and my car is six years old. Daniel’s car was leased through the business. As far as I’m aware, hi s partnership in the accountancy firm was our only source of income. ’
‘ I understand your husband never discussed his work with you . Is that correct ? ’
‘ Daniel believed in client confidentiality. He preferred to stay late at the office rather than bring work home. ’
‘ Was your husband’s business in trouble? ’
‘ I have no idea. You’d have to speak to Shaun , his partner . ’
‘ What about debts? Did he have a gambling habit? ’
‘ Not that I ’m aware of. ’
Mike frowned. ‘ Could someone have been threatening him? ’
Grace lifted her chin, meeting his icy gaze. ‘ Why are you asking me all these questions , Mr . Zupanik ? ’
‘ I’m trying to establish whether or not your husband had reason to kill himself. ’
‘ Daniel was as well balanced as you or I, and had no reason to take his own life. ’
Jack leaned against the window ledge and let out a long sigh. ‘ I told you, Mike. Grace knows nothing. ’
‘ Everybody knows something, ’ Mike said, hi s steely eyes bor ed into Jack.
‘ Not this time. ’
Mike gave an impatient shrug and turned to Grace once more. ‘ Tell me about the guy who approached you in the graveyard. ’
‘ We only spoke for a few minutes . ’
‘ But surely you can recall what he looked like? ’
‘ He was short . I remember, because I didn’t have to look up to him. And smartly dressed. ’
‘ You mean he wore a suit? ’
‘ Yes, I could see the collar of the jacket under his overcoat. His clothes were well cut, as if they’d been made-to-measure rather than purchased from a chain store. ’
‘ Okay, but what about his build? W as he average for his height , thin or heavily built? ’
‘ I don’t remember. ’
‘ Try! ’
Grace’s hands twisted in her lap and she began to shake as the image focused in her memory. ‘ S - s tocky , like a boxer. ’
‘ Now, t his is important, Grace. Can you recall what colo u r his eyes and hair were? ’
‘ He wore a hat, so I couldn’t see his hair. ’
‘ Anything else? Any distinguishing features? A scar on his face perhaps? ’
‘ It was raining and we sheltered under the lych-gate. I could n’t see his f ace that well in the gloom . His eyes… I’m not certain, but I think they were brown . ’
‘ What about his voice, Grace? Was he English or did he speak with an accent? ’
‘ I… I’m not sure. ’
‘ Come on, you must remember. The man
Mike ran a hand over his baldhead . ‘ Now, Mrs. Elliott, no one is accusing you or your late husband of any thing . However, we do need to clear up a few things . Let’s start with this one. Where did your husband get the money to buy the beach house? You have to admit that was a pretty big wad of cash. ’
Grace bit her lip, but said nothing. Jack tossed the bank statements on the table.
‘ Mike, take a look at th ese . There’s over two million dollars in that account. And what’s more, the account manager, a guy called Cody, implied he’d met Grace before. ’
M ike raised an eyebrow. ‘ They say accountants stay close to the money, but that’s a lot of cash for a bean counter . E xcuse me, Grace. That’s American slang . So here’s another question. Can you explain how that amount of money came to be in your husband’s account ? ’
‘ No. ’
‘ You were his wife, w hy not? ’
Grace colo u r ed under Zupanik’s steady gaze. ‘ When Daniel died our bank account held less than two thousand pounds and there was roughly twice that sum in our savings account. Our home is mortgaged , and my car is six years old. Daniel’s car was leased through the business. As far as I’m aware, hi s partnership in the accountancy firm was our only source of income. ’
‘ I understand your husband never discussed his work with you . Is that correct ? ’
‘ Daniel believed in client confidentiality. He preferred to stay late at the office rather than bring work home. ’
‘ Was your husband’s business in trouble? ’
‘ I have no idea. You’d have to speak to Shaun , his partner . ’
‘ What about debts? Did he have a gambling habit? ’
‘ Not that I ’m aware of. ’
Mike frowned. ‘ Could someone have been threatening him? ’
Grace lifted her chin, meeting his icy gaze. ‘ Why are you asking me all these questions , Mr . Zupanik ? ’
‘ I’m trying to establish whether or not your husband had reason to kill himself. ’
‘ Daniel was as well balanced as you or I, and had no reason to take his own life. ’
Jack leaned against the window ledge and let out a long sigh. ‘ I told you, Mike. Grace knows nothing. ’
‘ Everybody knows something, ’ Mike said, hi s steely eyes bor ed into Jack.
‘ Not this time. ’
Mike gave an impatient shrug and turned to Grace once more. ‘ Tell me about the guy who approached you in the graveyard. ’
‘ We only spoke for a few minutes . ’
‘ But surely you can recall what he looked like? ’
‘ He was short . I remember, because I didn’t have to look up to him. And smartly dressed. ’
‘ You mean he wore a suit? ’
‘ Yes, I could see the collar of the jacket under his overcoat. His clothes were well cut, as if they’d been made-to-measure rather than purchased from a chain store. ’
‘ Okay, but what about his build? W as he average for his height , thin or heavily built? ’
‘ I don’t remember. ’
‘ Try! ’
Grace’s hands twisted in her lap and she began to shake as the image focused in her memory. ‘ S - s tocky , like a boxer. ’
‘ Now, t his is important, Grace. Can you recall what colo u r his eyes and hair were? ’
‘ He wore a hat, so I couldn’t see his hair. ’
‘ Anything else? Any distinguishing features? A scar on his face perhaps? ’
‘ It was raining and we sheltered under the lych-gate. I could n’t see his f ace that well in the gloom . His eyes… I’m not certain, but I think they were brown . ’
‘ What about his voice, Grace? Was he English or did he speak with an accent? ’
‘ I… I’m not sure. ’
‘ Come on, you must remember. The man
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