Deadly Obsession by Nigel May Page A

take the pain of seeing her best friend buried.
    It was about a week after Riley’s funeral that Amy had had to muster up the energy to head to the reading of his will. There was business to be discussed and she needed to be there. Not just for her own interests in the Club but also for the factory. There was nobody to carry on the family business and Amy knew that she would have to step up to the plate to try and make sure that the legacy of Riley, and his father Cazwell before him, lived on.
    Tommy and Jemima had been present at the reading of Riley’s will too. That was no surprise to Amy as work matters would doubtless be discussed and Tommy’s attendance had been expected. But there was something about Jemima being there that really irked Amy. She knew that her own brain was still a scribble of emotions from the loss of Riley and Laura, but something unsettled Amy further from the moment she entered the room where Tommy and Jemima were already seated. Amy was immediately struck by how different Jemima looked, her stony face from the funeral somehow erased. She wasn’t exactly cheery but there was definitely an air of smugness about her. As Amy took her seat, she nodded a courteous but automatically cautionary hello to Tommy and his wife. As the reading was about to commence she couldn’t help but spot a dry, sardonic pouting of the lips and a raised eyebrow place itself across Jemima’s stretched face. At the time she wasn’t sure why but as the reading unfurled it became clear. Both Jemima and her husband obviously knew something that Amy didn’t. As the last will and testament of Riley Hart was read aloud to the three people gathered, Amy’s already crumbled life turned into a pile of powder-fine ashes.
    â€˜And to Tommy Hearn and his wife, Jemima, I leave all of my business affairs, including ownership of The Kitty Kat Club.’ The voice, devoid of emotion and matter of fact, had belonged to the executor. It had stunned Amy to the core, the word all smashing into her brain
    Amy leapt to her feet, stumbling slightly on the Gucci heels she had chosen to wear for the reading. Having assumed that there would be business to discuss, she had chosen a killer heels and charcoal Calvin Klein business suit combo to give her an air of gravitas. Even if inside she was marshmallow soft. Judging from what she’d just heard she may as well have worn ripped jeans and a food-stained T-shirt.
    â€˜Hang on a minute, The Kitty Kat is my club. Riley and I opened it together. He would never have left it to them.’ She turned to face Tommy and Jemima, pointing an accusatory finger as she did so. She spied that a wry smile had now sneaked its way across Jemima’s lips. It defined smug. Had the formalities of probate somehow been greased? Was there some kind of underground trickery going on?
    â€˜Why would he leave it to you two?’ asked Amy. ‘Riley always knew that The Kitty Kat was my dream.’ Her voice petered out, weakness already taking its toll once again.
    Rising to their feet, Tommy and his wife linked their hands, evidently striving for a united front, nodded to the executor and made for the door.
    â€˜Well he has, we’ll leave it at that, shall we?’ was Tommy’s parting shot, not a trace of remorse dotting his voice. ‘It’ll be in good hands, don’t worry.’ Jemima raised her hand and waved mockingly as they exited.
    Amy sank into her chair as she watched them leave the room. Disbelief smothered her. That had been the last time she had seen Tommy and Jemima. Within days they had installed themselves at The Kitty Kat, changed the locks, ripped down the pink neon sign outside and employed a team of builders to turn it into a casino. The Kat had been neutered.
    Amy would have fought, but there it was, as plain as day on the will. Riley had left it to Tommy and Jemima, along with his factory building. Within six weeks the Hearns had sold