‘I already have,’ Jill replied, ‘and I’ve also booked you on a flight to St Petersburg on the Friday afternoon.’
‘Well done. See you around ten tomorrow.’ Dick put the phone down, and strolled through to his study, with a large smile on his face. Everything was going to plan.
When he reached his desk, Dick transferred the details of his appointments to his diary. He was just about to drop the piece of paper into a wastepaper basket when he decided just to check and see if it contained anything important. He unfolded a letter, which he began to read. His smile turned to a frown, long before he’d reached the final paragraph. He started to read the letter, marked private and personal, a second time.
Dear Mrs Barnsley,
This is to confirm your appointment at our office on Friday, 30 April, when we will continue our discussions on the matter you raised with me last Tuesday. Remembering the full implications of your decision, I have asked my senior partner to join us on this occasion.
We both look forward to seeing you on the 30th.
Yours sincerely,
Dick immediately picked up the phone on his desk, and dialled Sam Cohen’s number, hoping he hadn’t already left for the day When Sam pick up his private line, all Dick said was, ‘Have you come across a lawyer called Andrew Symonds?’
‘Only by reputation,’ said Sam, ‘but then I don’t specialize in divorce.’
‘Divorce?’ said Dick, as he heard a car coming up the gravel driveway. He glanced out of the window to see a Volkswagen swing round the circle and come to a halt outside the front door. Dick watched as his wife climbed out of her car. ‘I’ll see you at eight tomorrow, Sam, and the Russian contract won’t be the only thing on the agenda.’
Dick’s driver dropped him outside Sam Cohen’s office in Lincoln’s Inn Field a few minutes before eight the following morning. The senior partner rose to greet his client as he entered the room. He gestured to a comfortable chair on the other side of the desk.
Dick had opened his briefcase even before he’d sat down. He took out the letter and passed it across to Sam. The lawyer read it slowly, before placing it on the desk in front of him.
‘I’ve thought about the problem overnight,’ said Sam, ‘and I’ve also had a word with Anna Rentoul, our divorce partner. She’s confirmed that Symonds only handles matrimonial disputes, and with that in mind, I’m sorry to say that I’ll have to ask you some fairly personal questions.’
Dick nodded without comment.
‘Have you ever discussed divorce with Maureen?’
‘No,’ said Dick firmly. ‘We’ve had rows from time to time, but then what couples who’ve been together for over twenty years haven’t?’
‘No more than that?’
‘She once threatened to leave me, but I thought that was all in the past.’ Dick paused. ‘I’m only surprised that she hasn’t raised the subject with me, before consulting a lawyer.’
‘That’s all too common,’ said Sam. ‘Over half the husbands who are served with a divorce petition claim they never saw it coming.’
‘I certainly fall into that category,’ admitted Dick. ‘So what do I do next?’
‘Not a lot you can do before she serves the writ, and I can’t see that there’s anything to be gained by raising the subject yourself. After all, nothing may come of it. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prepare ourselves. Now, what grounds could she have for divorce?’
‘None that I can think of.’
‘Are you having an affair?’
‘No. Well, yes, a fling with my secretary — but it’s not going anywhere. She thinks it’s serious, but I plan to replace her once the pipeline contract is signed.’
‘So the deal is still on course?’ said Sam.
‘Yes, that’s originally why I needed to see you so urgently,’ replied Dick. ‘I have to be back in St Petersburg for May the sixteenth, when both sides will be signing the contract.’ He paused. ‘And it’s going to be witnessed by President Putin.’
‘Congratulations,’ said Sam. ‘How much will that be worth to you?’
‘Why do you ask?’
‘I’m wondering if you’re not the only person who’s hoping that the deal will go through.’
‘Around sixty million—’ Dick hesitated — ‘for the company.’
‘And do you still own fifty-one per cent of the shares?’
‘Yes, but I could always hide—’
‘Don’t even think about it,’ said Sam. ‘You won’t be able to hide anything if Symonds is on the case. He’ll sniff out every last penny, like a pig hunting for truffles. And if the court were to discover that you attempted to deceive them, it would only make the judge more sympathetic to your wife.’ The senior partner paused, looked directly at his client, and repeated, ‘Don’t even think about it.’
‘So what should I do?’
‘Nothing that will arouse suspicion; go about your business as usual, as if you have no idea what she’s up to. Meanwhile, I’ll fix a consultation with counsel, so at least we’ll be better prepared than Mr Symonds will be anticipating. And one more thing,’ said Sam, once again looking directly at his client, ‘no more extra-marital activities until this problem has been resolved. That’s an order.’
Dick kept a close eye on his wife during the next few days, but she gave no sign of there being anything untoward. If anything, she showed an unusual interest in how the trip to St Petersburg had gone, and over dinner on Thursday evening even asked if the board had come to a decision.
‘They most certainly have,’ Dick replied emphatically. ‘Once Sam had taken the directors through each clause, gone over every detail, and answered all of their questions, they virtually rubber-stamped the contract.’ Dick poured himself a second cup of coffee. He was taken by surprise by his wife’s next question.
‘Why don’t I join you when you go to St Petersburg? We could fly out on the Friday,’ she added, ‘and spend the weekend visiting the Hermitage and the Summer Palace. We might even find enough time to see Catherine’s amber collection — something I’ve always wanted to do.’
Dick didn’t reply immediately, aware that this was not a casual suggestion as it had been years since Maureen had accompanied him on a business trip. Dick’s first reaction was to wonder what she was up to. ‘Let me think about it,’ he eventually responded, leaving his coffee to go cold.
Dick rang Sam Cohen within minutes of arriving at his office and reported the conversation to his lawyer.
‘Symonds must have advised her to witness the signing of the contract,’ suggested Cohen.
‘But why?’
‘So that Maureen will be able to claim that over the years she has played a leading role in your business success, always being there to support you at those critical moments in your career...’
‘Balls,’ said Dick, ‘she’s never taken any interest in how I make my money, only in how she can spend it.’
‘...and therefore she must be entitled to fifty per cent of your assets.’
‘But that could amount to over thirty million pounds,’ Dick protested.
‘Symonds has obviously done his homework.’
‘Then I’ll simply tell her that she can’t come on the trip. It’s not appropriate.’
‘Which will allow Mr Symonds to change tack. He’ll then portray you as a heartless man, who, the moment you became a success, cut his client out of your life, often travelling abroad, accompanied by a secretary who—’