Part 27 (2/2)

Loveday was concerned. 'Your poor mum. Last thing she needs.' She looked at her watch. 'Give us a kiss, Mick. I'm late for work.' Mickey obliged and both men watched Loveday as she walked into the Behenna and Clovelly offices.

'She loves that job, Jesse,' said Mickey.

'Well, she's very good at it.'

'Yeah. Always good with her head. Better'n me.'

'How are things with the new house?'

'Great. The girls love their room up in the attic and Hal's got s.p.a.ce to do his school work in his room rather than on the kitchen table.' Mickey looked at Jesse's car. 'Look at us, Jesse. We ain't done too bad, 'ave we? Remember that old Ford Capri you had?'

'That was a cla.s.sic.'

''Twas a heap of s.h.i.+t.'

'What about your bike?' said Jesse indignantly. 'That was knackered before you got it.'

'That was cla.s.s, that was. With Loveday on the back of it, I felt like a king.'

The men smiled. 'Those were the days, Mick,' said Jesse fondly.

'Yeah,' nodded Mick. 'They were s.h.i.+t really, weren't they?' He laughed out loud. 'But look at us. Your'n all prosperous boss an' that. The car, the house, the business.'

'You haven't done so bad! Skipper of the biggest boat in our fleet.'

Mickey looked abashed. 'I wouldn't have any of it if it weren't for you.'

'Nor I if it weren't for you, Mickey.'

'Well, you got your b.u.g.g.e.r of a brother to deal with now, and I'm glad I ain't got him.'

Jesse sighed. 'I hope he'll just p.i.s.s off again and never come back.'

Having said goodbye to each other, Mickey headed off to his boat and its waiting crew, and Jesse stepped into the air-conditioned luxury of his building. As he glided upstairs in the gla.s.s lift, he saw the whole of Trevay spread out below him. Nothing much had changed since he was a boy. The old cottages and houses in the cobbled lanes were looking better kept, though, now, owned as they were by sharp-eyed Londoners who'd bought them as holiday homes. Up on the hill, the housing estate had grown and was sprawling out over what had been farmland, but where else could the locals afford to live? Not in the centre of highly priced Trevay, that was for sure. And they didn't want to. Cramped old houses with wonky floors and no garage? Let the ones from up country have them. Fools and their money, and all that.

The lift stopped with barely a whisper and the door opened, revealing a long, sunny room that had been part.i.tioned into small, private offices or larger open areas, where long couches, gla.s.s tables and local art were displayed beautifully. This was Greer's handiwork. Her interiors company was now so busy that she employed three designers and a team of builders and tradesmen. Jesse's office was at the end of the building and took up the entire width of it. His secretary was at her desk, writing something in his diary.

'Morning, Mr Behenna,' she smiled.

'Good morning, Lauren.'

'Coffee? Usual?'

'Yes, please.'

Lauren stood up to go to the canteen. 'By the way, your father's in the office waiting for you. I'll bring you two coffees up.'

Jesse's pleasure at walking into his kingdom, already dissipated, dissolved entirely.

'Dad.' He wrapped a smile on his face. 'Nice surprise. How's Grant?'

Jesse noticed that Edward had aged in the three days since Grant had turned up.

'He's all right. Your mum's fussing at home, making up the bed, writing lists. He's coming out of hospital this afternoon.'

Jesse walked round his big wooden desk and sat down. 'I'd go and collect him for you but ...' He spread his arms, indicating a day full of work, even though his desktop was clear.

'Your mum and I'll get him. No, it's not what I came to see you about. I want to get things sorted. Legally. Grant's not having what you've got.'

'Dad.' Jesse knew that his father would wash his hands of Grant if he could, but the fact that his father was of the same mind as him regarding the business was music to his ears. However, it was important that his father didn't think Jesse was trying to push Grant out.

'Dad, I'm only number two son.'

'Yeah, but you've worked hard. I am not about to see Grant try to take it from you.'

'Does Mum know about this?'

'She don't need to.'

'Are you sure about that?'

'I won't leave him empty-handed. He'll get what's right, but he ain't getting the business. It's twenty years since Bryn and I agreed that it would be yours and Greer's, and then Freddie's.'

'If he wants it.'

'Why wouldn't he?'

'Because ... there's a world out there and he wants to see it. Just as I wanted to see it ...'

Lauren came in, pus.h.i.+ng the heavy door with her bottom. 'Two lattes.' She put the two chunky pottery mugs onto the coffee table. 'Anything else I can get you?'

'No, thank you, Lauren.' Jesse smiled impatiently.

Lauren took her cue and left quietly, and Jesse turned to his father. He didn't want to look this gift horse in the mouth. 'OK. I'll get on to Penrose tomorrow and make sure that the paperwork is watertight, if that's what you want me to do.'

'I do,' his father said firmly. 'And Bryn agrees with me too.'

'So when are you going to tell Grant?' Jesse asked, stirring his coffee. 'Or will you leave it until you're gone and we're at the reading of the will?'

Edward smiled ruefully. 'I'd like to do that, but it's the coward's way out. No, I'll tell him sooner rather than later.' He took a sip of the latte. 'That way, with a bit of luck, he might not be tempted to hang around.'

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