Read Nightfall: The First Jack Nightingale Supernatural Thriller for Free Online

he’d grasped that the officer had said that to make the news more bearable. In all probability they had died in the flames, screaming in agony. Policemen had to lie – or at least bend the truth – to make bad news less painful. He knew from experience that people rarely died instantly in accidents. There was, more often than not, a lot of pain and blood and screaming involved.
    ‘Your adoptive parents,’ said Turtledove, nodding sagely. ‘Bill and Irene Nightingale.’
    ‘I wasn’t adopted,’ said Nightingale. ‘They were my parents – their names are on my birth certificate. And they never said I was adopted.’
    ‘That may well be, but they were not your biological parents.’ He opened the file and slid out a sheet of paper, which he passed across the desk. ‘These are your details, aren’t they? Correct date of birth, national insurance number, schools attended, your university?’
    Nightingale scanned the sheet. ‘That’s me,’ he said.
    ‘Then your father was Ainsley Gosling, and it has fallen to me to administer his last will and testament.’ He smiled. ‘It’s just occurred to me that I’m a Turtledove, you’re a Nightingale and your father was a Gosling. What a coincidence.’
    ‘Isn’t it?’ said Nightingale. ‘But I’ve never heard of this Ainsley Gosling. And I’m damn sure I wasn’t adopted.’
    ‘You were adopted at birth, which is why I assume your adoptive parents’ names went down on the certificate. It would never happen these days, of course.’
    ‘Bollocks,’ said Nightingale.
    Turtledove’s lips tightened. ‘There’s no need for profanity, Mr Nightingale. I understand that this has come as a shock to you, but I am only the messenger. I was never given to understand you were unaware that Mr Gosling was your biological father.’
    ‘I apologise,’ said Nightingale. ‘If he’s my father, then who is my mother?’
    ‘I’m not privy to that information, I’m afraid.’
    Nightingale fished out his packet of Marlboro. ‘Can I smoke?’
    ‘I’m afraid not,’ said Turtledove. ‘It’s against the law, you know, to smoke in a place of employment.’
    ‘Yes, I know,’ said Nightingale. He put away the cigarettes. ‘How did he die, this Gosling?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Turtledove. ‘The case came to me from another lawyer, a firm in the City. I was told that Mr Gosling had passed away and that I was to act as executor to the will.’
    ‘That’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?’
    ‘Very,’ said Turtledove. ‘I had no dealings with Mr Gosling, and I never met the man. I was merely sent his last will and testament and your details and told to contact you as his sole heir and beneficiary.’
    ‘But usually wouldn’t the solicitor who drew up the will also administer it?’
    ‘Of course,’ said Turtledove. ‘But I suppose my being local meant it would be easier for me to deal with the house. But, as you say, it is unusual.’
    ‘House? What house?’
    Turtledove took the will out of the file and gave it to Nightingale. ‘There isn’t much in the way of money, I’m afraid, but there is a substantial property, a country house, by the name of Gosling Manor. It’s about six miles outside Hamdale.’ He opened a drawer and gave Nightingale a key-ring with two keys on it. ‘I’ve some paperwork for you to sign and then it’s all yours. I’ve a map here with the house marked on it.’
    ‘Burglar-alarm code?’
    The solicitor shook his head. ‘I assume there isn’t one.’
    Nightingale put the key and the map into his coat pocket. ‘You said there was cash?’
    ‘A few hundred pounds,’ said Turtledove. ‘We’ll have to get the house valued in case there are inheritance tax issues.’
    ‘You mean I’ll have to pay for it?’
    ‘It depends on its value. But once the tax liability has been assessed, yes, you will most certainly have to pay it. Death and taxes are the only two certainties in life, as Mark Twain once said. Or was it Benjamin