The Will’s Hidden Motive
Good Morning, Midnight (Reginald Hill Edition)The changed will sends investigators toward medical evidence and exposes competing motives among the survivors.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
An Unusual Change

An Unusual Change
A new beneficiary list
Palinurus Maciver Junior leaves most of his estate to Cressida and Lavinia, while his wife receives only a token amount. The decision surprises the family.
A question of capacity
The timing makes investigators ask whether he understood what he was doing. The will becomes evidence about both motive and mental state.
The Widow’s Challenge

The Widow’s Challenge
A demand for the document
Sue-Lynn Maciver presses the solicitor for the will and reacts angrily when its contents are read to her. She intends to contest the decision.
A competing interest
Her financial grievance makes her a possible suspect in the eyes of investigators, but it also reveals her fear of losing security after her husband’s death.
The Doctor’s Proposal

The Doctor’s Proposal
Medical evidence sought
Tom Lockridge tells Wield that a neurological diagnosis could help Sue-Lynn challenge the will. He believes Pal may have been mentally unstable.
Self-interest exposed
Lockridge’s use of the word we reveals that he expects to benefit from the legal fight. His affair with Sue-Lynn compromises his professional judgment.
The Hidden Tumour

The Hidden Tumour
A specialist’s disclosure
Vic Chakravarty confirms that Pal had an inoperable brain tumour. His refusal to speak earlier arose partly from reluctance to give evidence in a dispute involving Cressida.
A changed interpretation
The diagnosis provides a credible reason for the suicide and complicates efforts to portray the will as proof of incapacity. It explains reluctance without settling every question.
Inheritance without Peace

Inheritance without Peace
A probable court fight
Sue-Lynn has grounds to challenge the will, and Lockridge has personal reasons to support her. The legal issue will continue beyond the police inquiry.
Family cost
The bequests may reward Pal’s sister and aunt, but they also deepen the division among survivors. Money cannot repair the relationships that his death has broken.
About six weeks before March 20, 2002
March 21, 2002
March 23, 2002, morning
March 23, 2002, morning
After March 23, 2002