Dick Francis's Gamble Read Online Free PDF Page A

asked.
    â€œNicholas Foxton.”
    He consulted a list that he had removed from his trouser pocket.
    â€œMr. N. Foxton,” he read. “Very well, sir, you may go in.” He moved slightly to one side while I passed, but then he stepped quickly back into his former spot as if expecting to prevent a rush from those not on his list.
    The offices of Lyall & Black had never seen such activity so early on a Monday morning.
    Both the senior partners, Patrick Lyall and Gregory Black, were in the client waiting area leaning on the chest-high reception desk.
    â€œOh hi, Nicholas,” said Patrick as I entered. “The police are here.”
    â€œSo I see,” I said. “Is it to do with Herb?”
    They nodded.
    â€œWe’ve both been here since seven,” Patrick said. “But they won’t let us along into our offices. We’ve been told not to go beyond here.”
    â€œHave they said what they are looking for, exactly?” I asked.
    â€œNo,” Gregory said sharply with irritation. “I presume they are hoping to find some clue as to who killed him. But I’m not happy about it. There may be sensitive client material on his desk that I wouldn’t want them to see. It’s highly confidential.”
    I thought it was unlikely that the police would accept that anything was in the least bit confidential if it could have a bearing on unmasking a murderer.
    â€œWhen did you find out he was dead?” I asked them. I knew that Herb’s name had finally been included in the late news on Sunday evening.
    â€œYesterday afternoon,” said Patrick. “I received a call from the police asking us to meet them here this morning. How about you?”
    â€œI did try and call you on Saturday, but there was no reply,” I said. “I was actually with Herb when he was shot.”
    â€œMy God,” said Patrick, “that’s right. You were going to the races together.”
    â€œAnd I was standing right next to him when he was killed,” I said.
    â€œHow awful,” Patrick said. “Did you see who killed him?”
    â€œWell, sort of,” I said. “But I was looking mostly at his gun.”
    â€œI just don’t understand it.” Patrick shook his head. “Why would anyone want to kill Herb Kovak?”
    â€œDreadful business,” said Gregory, also shaking his head. “Not good for the firm. Not good at all.”
    It wasn’t too hot for Herb either, I thought, but decided not to say so. Lyall & Black, although very small, had risen to be one of the significant players in the financial services industry solely due to the single-mindedness of both Patrick Lyall and Gregory Black. Where Lyall & Black led, others usually followed. They took an innovative approach to their clients’ investments, often recommending opportunities that more traditional advisers might classify as too risky.
    All independent financial advisers are required to determine and grade their clients’ attitudes to risk. Low-risk investments, such as fixed-interest bank accounts or triple-A-rated government bonds, tended to give only a small rate of return but the capital sum was safe. Medium-risk might include stocks in major companies or unit trusts and mutual funds, where the return should be greater but there was a chance of losing some of the capital due to a drop in the stock market price. High-risk investments, including venture capital trusts and foreign currency dealings, gave the opportunity to make big returns but could also result in large losses.
    Lyall & Black, however, also advised on investments for which the risk level could only be described as extreme, such as the financing of films or plays, buying shares in wine funds, in foreign property portfolios or in works of art. Returns could be vast, but so were the chances of losing everything.
    It was the attitude that had first attracted me to them.
    Kicking a horse hard in the belly