Midnight: The Second Jack Nightingale Supernatural Thriller Read Online Free PDF Page B

known about the stipulation that you had to confirm that I was still in the land of the living.’
    Turtledove nodded. ‘Yes, yes of course, there was a covering letter. Now let me see, where did I put it?’ He frowned again and began rearranging the files on his desk. Little puffs of dust burst into the air like miniature explosions and he began to cough. He took a handkerchief from the top pocket of his jacket and coughed into it. Nightingale saw flecks of blood on the white linen before Turtledove slipped the handkerchief back into his pocket.
    ‘Are you all right, Mr Turtledove?’ asked Nightingale.
    The solicitor forced a smile. ‘I’m fine, Mr Nightingale,’ he said. ‘Just old.’ He leaned back in his chair. ‘Angela!’ he called. ‘Come in here, please.’ Turtledove gestured with his hand at the door. ‘My wife and secretary,’ he said.
    ‘Keeping it in the family,’ said Nightingale.
    ‘She’s a trained book-keeper, and makes the perfect cup of tea,’ said Turtledove. ‘I’d be lost without her.’
    The door opened and Mrs Turtledove looked at her husband over the top of her gold-rimmed spectacles and smiled. ‘You yelled?’ she said.
    ‘I’m sorry, my love,’ said Turtledove. ‘The envelope we were sent for Mr Nightingale – I can’t find the letter that came with it.’
    ‘I haven’t filed it yet, so it should still be in the in tray,’ said Mrs Turtledove.
    The solicitor began rifling through papers in a wire tray. His wife sighed. ‘The other in tray, dear,’ she said.
    The solicitor pulled a face and started sorting through another stack of papers.
    ‘It was delivered by a courier, was it?’ Nightingale asked Mrs Turtledove.
    ‘A motorcycle courier,’ she said.
    ‘A local firm?’
    ‘I hadn’t seen him before,’ said Mrs Turtledove. ‘In fact, he didn’t take his helmet off and he had a black visor so I don’t actually know what he looked like. But it wasn’t a firm we’ve used before, I know that.’
    ‘I don’t suppose you remember the name? Of the company?’
    ‘It had courier in it, but I suppose they all do, don’t they?’
    Nightingale nodded. ‘I suppose they do.’
    Mr Turtledove produced a sheet of paper and waved it triumphantly. ‘Found it,’ he said.
    ‘Told you so,’ said his wife. She closed the door as Turtledove handed the letter to Nightingale. There was no letterhead, no company name, no address or phone number, and no signature at the bottom. It was typewritten and comprised a simple set of instructions, which Mr Turtledove had carried out impeccably.
    ‘I’m assuming that you will be paid for this?’
    ‘The bank in Brighton that handled your late father’s finances has already transferred the money to our company account.’
    ‘This is all very irregular, isn’t it, Mr Turtledove?’
    ‘Mr Nightingale, nothing about your case has been the least bit regular from the start.’ He coughed again and dabbed his lips with his handkerchief.
    Nightingale gave the sheet of paper back to the solicitor. ‘Would you by any chance know anything about my sister?’ he asked.
    ‘Your sister?’
    ‘Gosling had another child two years after I was born. A girl. Like me, she was adopted at birth.’
    Turtledove shook his head. ‘My only involvement with Mr Gosling has been the administration of his estate and passing on that envelope. I know nothing of any other relative.’ He scratched his forehead. ‘Not that having a sibling would affect the will, of course. Mr Gosling was quite clear that you are his sole beneficiary.’
    ‘How is the work going on the will?’
    ‘Slowly but surely,’ said Turtledove. ‘I think it should all be tied up in another month or so.’
    ‘What’s the hold-up?’ asked Nightingale.
    ‘No hold-up,’ said Turtledove. ‘These things just take time, that’s all.’ He gestured at the envelope that Nightingale was holding. ‘I do hope that’s good news,’ he said.
    Nightingale scowled. ‘Considering what