Chapter 75
LIZZIE
We’re back at Mum’s house because Alison wants to talk to us in private.
Jodie is at ours looking after the kids, she’s been marvellous taking them to school and collecting them again, and Mum is still in hospital under observation.
Me and Nick listen dumbfounded as Alison tells us that Kenny killed George, had tried to kill my mum, and how George had deliberately targeted Mum for her money, and robbed her.
Even though I’d suspected something was going on, I can barely believe what Alison is telling me.
I feel physically sick at the danger my mum was in.
I had never suspected Kenny. He was this friendly big brother figure, popping in with cakes and treats, always helpful and smiling.
‘So Kenny and George were in this together?’ Nick asks in astonishment.
‘They were both doctoring her drinks and food with antihistamines to make her confused so that she wouldn’t realise what was going on and they could take control of all her finances.
George got her to sign some papers to take out a loan on the house, and to transfer all her assets to him if she died.
’ Alison swallows before continuing. ‘Then George realised Kenny was taking things further and was planning on killing Judith so that they could have her insurance money, and her house. He was deeply in debt from gambling, and the men he owed the money to weren’t prepared to wait much longer.
George walked in and found him about to smother Judith with a cushion and tried to stop him.
In the ensuing fight Kenny grabbed the lamp and hit George on the head. ’
I can’t believe what Kenny has done. I look again at the bruise on Alison’s face where Kenny had thrown her to the floor. ‘You shouldn’t have gone to tackle him by yourself. You could have been killed.’
‘I’d arranged for the police to come, I just hoped that they got there in time. And they did.’ She turns to Nick. ‘Kenny also took money from the company accounts and made it look like it was Nick.’
The shocks keep coming and I’m battered by it all.
And poor Mum, she knows none of this yet.
I feel sick to realise it was all a lie.
George didn’t love Mum. All he wanted was her money.
And he was working with Kenny to fleece her.
He’d forged Mum’s signature for a loan, and he also altered the will so everything went to him when she died.
She is going to be devastated when she finds out.
‘Kenny has now changed his story to say that George was about to smother Mum and he stopped him,’ Alison goes on, ‘but I had my phone on record in my pocket, so we have proof – although I’m not sure if it’s admissible in court – and it was Kenny’s DNA on the cushion.’
‘I knew it,’ I whisper. ‘I knew Mum was in danger. I wasn’t paranoid.’
Nick and Alison both exchange a look.
‘There’s something else I have to tell you,’ Alison says. ‘It was Kenny blackmailing you, Nick. The police found the message on his other phone.’
‘What?’ I stammer, turning questioningly to Nick. ‘You never told me that you were being blackmailed.’
Alison gets up. ‘I think this is something you two need to talk about privately. I’m going to see how Sheila is.
I’ll leave you to it.’ Her gaze falls on me, solemn, apologetic.
‘I want you to know that I’m really sorry about all this, Lizzie.
I wish I’d realised sooner what was going on.
And I’m sorry for my part in what Nick is about to tell you. I never wanted any of it to happen.’
This sounds serious. I swallow. Are they going off together? Was I right about that too? Is that what Kenny was blackmailing Nick about? Threatening to tell me if Nick didn’t pay up.