who were all bright-eyed and brimming over with excitement. Rachel was heartened, it was so good to see them looking like happy, normal kids after all they’d been through.
“How was the petting zoo?” smiled Rachel.
“Lovely,” replied Gill. “Ethan loved the chinchillas and rabbits. I tell you that boy’s a natural with animals.”
“Aaron cried because a Llama spat at him,” grinned Leah.
“Made a right mess of his hair it did,” said Rick. “I tried to get the worst out but some of it’s stuck in,” he said, indicating the mess of mucous and straw attached to the top of the boy’s head.
“Your llamas are a disgrace,” Ryan told Thane.
“Hey, llama’s spit. I can’t control that,” he retorted. “How about a nice whisky?”
“He’s too young,” sniffed Ryan, pointing at Aaron.
“I was referring to Gill and Rick.”
“Ooh, lovely,” grinned Gill. “We’re having a great time, aren’t we Rick? You’re so lucky to live here,” she told Thane.
“I think that every day,” he smiled back.
“Thane, can I have another cocktail please?” asked Leah.
“Course you can.” He did a double-take at Ryan’s thunderous look. “It’s just cordial with a parasol stuck in it,” he told him quietly.
“That’s alright then,” he said, giving him a warning look.
“So, how was your morning?” Gill asked them, settling herself onto a bar stool with her whisky, cheeks pink.
“Thane gave us a tour of the estate and showed us how the new projects are coming on. That was it.” Rachel hated lying to her parents but sometimes it was just easier.
CHAPTER 7
Jez and Mikey frowned when Jules entered the latter’s office at the compound, looking edgy.
“What’s going on out there?” she demanded, jerking a hand at the window. “It’s full of hairy-arsed builders scratching their hairy backsides and drinking tea.”
“We’re having some remodelling done,” replied Mikey.
“What sort of remodelling?”
“Just some alterations to tighten security.”
“You took my advice,” she smiled, pleased.
“Her advice?” said Jez, addressing Mikey. “I thought it was your idea to make alterations to the compound?”
“It was, she just inspired me.”
“Hmm,” frowned Jez. “Anyway, it’s your compound, your decision.” He looked to Jules, who couldn’t keep still, stuffing her hands into her jean’s pockets before removing them and running them through her hair before stuffing them back into her pockets. “What’s up with you?”
“I’ve just been to see Alice,” she replied.
“Alice?” said Jez, puzzled.
“Alice her mum,” said Mikey as though he were simple. “Adopted mum anyway.”
“I visit twice a month to see how she’s getting on and to make sure she’s still keeping her mouth shut,” muttered Jules, throwing herself into a chair, folding her arms across her chest and frowning at her boots.
Mikey and Jez glanced at each other before Mikey said, “how did it go?”
“As well as it can when you’re talking to someone who resembles a rice krispie.”
Both men winced. Jules had set her adopted mother on fire in order to escape the horrible life of abuse she’d been subjected to and Alice had suffered burns so bad that she had to be looked after in a care home.
“She keeps asking about Leighton.” Jules’s eyes flicked to Mikey who suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
“Does she know?” he said.
“Do you think I’m daft? Course not. She thinks he did a runner to save his own skin and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
“It better.”
“Please credit me with some common sense. Did Dane contact you?”
“No, he contacted Jez and he told me. Does Dane have a problem with me?”
“He’s just afraid you’re going to kill him,” she said dismissively.
“Why?” he said, surprised.
“Because he kept his relationship with me from you, that’s if you class frantic fucking as a relationship.”
Mikey swallowed hard at
“How was the petting zoo?” smiled Rachel.
“Lovely,” replied Gill. “Ethan loved the chinchillas and rabbits. I tell you that boy’s a natural with animals.”
“Aaron cried because a Llama spat at him,” grinned Leah.
“Made a right mess of his hair it did,” said Rick. “I tried to get the worst out but some of it’s stuck in,” he said, indicating the mess of mucous and straw attached to the top of the boy’s head.
“Your llamas are a disgrace,” Ryan told Thane.
“Hey, llama’s spit. I can’t control that,” he retorted. “How about a nice whisky?”
“He’s too young,” sniffed Ryan, pointing at Aaron.
“I was referring to Gill and Rick.”
“Ooh, lovely,” grinned Gill. “We’re having a great time, aren’t we Rick? You’re so lucky to live here,” she told Thane.
“I think that every day,” he smiled back.
“Thane, can I have another cocktail please?” asked Leah.
“Course you can.” He did a double-take at Ryan’s thunderous look. “It’s just cordial with a parasol stuck in it,” he told him quietly.
“That’s alright then,” he said, giving him a warning look.
“So, how was your morning?” Gill asked them, settling herself onto a bar stool with her whisky, cheeks pink.
“Thane gave us a tour of the estate and showed us how the new projects are coming on. That was it.” Rachel hated lying to her parents but sometimes it was just easier.
CHAPTER 7
Jez and Mikey frowned when Jules entered the latter’s office at the compound, looking edgy.
“What’s going on out there?” she demanded, jerking a hand at the window. “It’s full of hairy-arsed builders scratching their hairy backsides and drinking tea.”
“We’re having some remodelling done,” replied Mikey.
“What sort of remodelling?”
“Just some alterations to tighten security.”
“You took my advice,” she smiled, pleased.
“Her advice?” said Jez, addressing Mikey. “I thought it was your idea to make alterations to the compound?”
“It was, she just inspired me.”
“Hmm,” frowned Jez. “Anyway, it’s your compound, your decision.” He looked to Jules, who couldn’t keep still, stuffing her hands into her jean’s pockets before removing them and running them through her hair before stuffing them back into her pockets. “What’s up with you?”
“I’ve just been to see Alice,” she replied.
“Alice?” said Jez, puzzled.
“Alice her mum,” said Mikey as though he were simple. “Adopted mum anyway.”
“I visit twice a month to see how she’s getting on and to make sure she’s still keeping her mouth shut,” muttered Jules, throwing herself into a chair, folding her arms across her chest and frowning at her boots.
Mikey and Jez glanced at each other before Mikey said, “how did it go?”
“As well as it can when you’re talking to someone who resembles a rice krispie.”
Both men winced. Jules had set her adopted mother on fire in order to escape the horrible life of abuse she’d been subjected to and Alice had suffered burns so bad that she had to be looked after in a care home.
“She keeps asking about Leighton.” Jules’s eyes flicked to Mikey who suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
“Does she know?” he said.
“Do you think I’m daft? Course not. She thinks he did a runner to save his own skin and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
“It better.”
“Please credit me with some common sense. Did Dane contact you?”
“No, he contacted Jez and he told me. Does Dane have a problem with me?”
“He’s just afraid you’re going to kill him,” she said dismissively.
“Why?” he said, surprised.
“Because he kept his relationship with me from you, that’s if you class frantic fucking as a relationship.”
Mikey swallowed hard at
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