Ted Osgood's Property Purchase

Mr Osgood engages Bill to assist with his property purchase

## Matter Outcome

Property settled, with Carson & Carson using their own funds in the amount of £3,000 pounds to effect the property purchase after Mr Osgood's money disappeared.

## Synopsis

At Carson & Carson, a client Ted Osgood awaits Bill's arrival and tells Tommy that he is using the office as a banking facility over the weekend in anticipation of a **property settlement** on Monday. Upon his arrival Bill apologises for his tardiness, and tells Mr Osgood and Mrs Brookes to come straight through to his office.

In Bill's office, Ted Osgood hands Bill an envelope containing £3,000.00. Bill tells him that it will be secure over the weekend in the safe in his office and asks Mrs Brookes to prepare a receipt.

Godfrey arrives at the office just as Ted is leaving and Bill greets him. Godfrey doesn't respond, and walks into his office. Mrs Brookes tells Bill that the £3,000.00 is locked in the safe in his office and provides the key to Bill.

After Bill's death, Robert tells Godfrey that Bill was meant to settle Mr Osgood's property purchase that morning, after he apparently deposited £3,000 with Bill last week, but it was too late for Bill to get the money into the Trust Fund. Godfrey tells Tommy to look after it, and Robert tells him that the money is locked in the safe. Tommy confirms that he will and asks Godfrey for his key. Godfrey hands him his key and tells him to get the money into their account immediately. Robert comments that they must ask Jennifer for Bill's key back. Tommy leaves to get the deposit organised.

Minutes later, Tommy and Mrs Brookes enter Godfrey's office. "The damndest thing" Tommy remarks, Mrs Brookes continues telling Godfrey that the money from Mr Osgood does not appear to be in the safe. Godfrey is confused. Robert angrily asks where the money is. Mrs Brookes says that she doesn't understand at all, that she locked it away herself in Bill's presence and returned the key to him. Robert states that the only other key is Godfrey's key and Godfrey says he doesn't know anything about the matter! Robert reasons that Bill must have put the money in his safe at home, and Godfrey agrees that that's where it must be and that "the first thing [they] must do is see to the client's interest". Godfrey decides to draw a cash cheque and tells Tommy to draw the usual trust fund cheques for the settlement amounts and to let them know he will be a little late.

Meanwhile, Mrs Brookes bemoans to Arthur that there isn't any point her going through the books, that she knows that Mr Osgood's money isn't there. Arthur tells her not to worry about it, that it will be tracked down. Mrs Brookes replies that it's all very well to say that, but that someone has to take responsibility.

Robert then asks Mrs Brookes if she did in fact lock the safe and return the key immediately. Mrs Brookes takes office to this and tells him that she has been with Carson & Carson for almost 30 years. Robert tries to interject and tell her that nobody suspects she has taken the money, but she leaves the office in tears. Robert goes into Godfrey's office and tells him that he has just upset Mrs Brookes. Godfrey asks Robert to telephone Jennifer and have her check their safe at home for the money. Robert tells Godfrey that assuming the money is there, he will collect it when he and Margery attend to pass on their condolences. Godfrey angrily asks why he means by "assuming" and asks where else could it possibly be.

Robert attends Jennifer's house and comments that Bill had a methodical filing system and tells Jennifer he will take some of Bill's papers back to the office. Robert then asks Jennifer if Bill mentioned a property settlement he was handling for Ted Osgood. Jennifer comments that he didn't. Robert explains that Osgood left some money with Bill and wonders if Bill decided to leave the money in his personal safe over the weekend. Jennifer responds that Bill would have kept the money in the office safe and Robert agrees that that was what he had thought.

Jennifer asks if something is wrong, and whilst Robert assures her that everything is alright, he explains that the money isn't in the office safe either. Jennifer and Robert agree that it seems rather strange and Robert tells her not to worry about it, that there has obviously been some confusion.

The following day in the office, Robert tells Godfrey that Bill and Jennifer's safe contained only housekeeping money, a matter of a few pounds, and that Jennifer knew nothing further. Robert questions whether Bill would have disposed of the money in some other way. Godfrey would prefer not to think about that at the moment and tells Robert he may discover something further when he goes through Bill's bank books.

At Bill's wake, Godfrey tells Robert they have shared some hard days together recently and they deserve a moment of peace. Robert then tells Godfrey that he has been through Bill's bank books, and that Bill's finances are in ruins. He continues to state that over the last nine months there have been regular large withdrawals of money, £100, £300...always in cash. He tells Godfrey that there is no record of these withdrawals anywhere and no sign of Osgood's £3,000 - that it has vanished without a trace. Godfrey stares at Robert bewildered.

Jennifer knocks on the door and asks if she can have a talk with them both. Godfrey believes she has come to discuss Bill's estate, and assures her that he will establish a family trust for Billy, Sarah and Sam to ensure that they receive the best education possible. Jennifer thanks him for his generosity but asks if they can discuss that matter in a few days, certainly after the reading of the will. Jennifer then explains she had come to discuss Royston's defence and what steps the firm was taking at the moment. Godfrey tells he that that matter is best left to surviving partners to decide. Jennifer believes that it would be a fitting memorial to Bill that the man he died defending be acquitted. Robert interjects that just that day he had arranged for the Crown solicitors to arrange for them to find someone to continue defending Royston. Jennifer stresses that they need someone very good, with commitment to the case, that it is even more pressing than it was before, that they can't let Bill's death be for nothing.

Godfrey angrily stands up and begins screaming that Bill's death was for nothing and asks how she cannot see that, that Bill died in the defence of "some worthless killer". Jennifer stands up and now raises her voice exclaiming that "Royston did not kill that girl".

Godfrey goes on to say that if it hadn't been for Jennifer's "do-gooding" Bill would still be alive today. Jennifer shocked replies that the is unfair, and that the man she knew and loved wouldn't have "counted the cost in cause and justice". Godfrey asks that since Jennifer knew Bill so well, perhaps she could shed some light on Bill's financial activities because he and Robert find it "completely incomprehensible".

Robert tells Jennifer that as Executor of his will he has had to find out exactly how much is in his estate and is afraid to tell her that there is very little, that over the past twelve months Bill virtually depleted all of his capital reserves, resulting in the disappearance of £3,000 from the firm's safe. Jennifer astonished, responds that it can't be and that there must be some mistake. Godfrey tells her that there has been no mistake and asks if she knows anything about it, and that Bill has done something he would never have done until he met Jennifer. He asks whether she influenced Bill to commit embezzlement. Jennifer stares at him with disbelief.