CHAPTER TWO
"I just cannot believe they are doing this!"Paul declared, as he had done several times already.
Leo was following him around the penthouse carrying Abigail. "I know it's not what you planned…"
"Not what I planned? Not what I planned?" Paul gave a hollow laugh. "This is exactly the opposite of what I planned. That family should be out on the streets begging for scraps, not all set for a new lease of life. And why did Udagawa bankroll them?"
"Well, Terese was going to do it at first,"Leo reminded him. "It must have seemed like a good investment."
"Yeah? Well, they can stick their investment." Paul stormed off in the direction of the lift.
"Maybe you should just let it go and concentrate on Lassiters?"Leo suggested hopefully. He was rewarded with the lift doors slamming shut without answer. Leo looked round and saw Harlow sidling back into the room. "You heard all that then?"
"Oh yeah,"Harlow confirmed. "Every decibel."
"Any idea what we should do?"
"You know what? Maybe my compassion fatigue is kicking again but I really can't be bothered to do anything. Grandad's going to do what he's going to do. There's no stopping him, and joining him nearly cost me every friend I had."
Leo wished he could think up a response but couldn't. "Perhaps you're right."
Harlow held Abigail's hand briefly. "You've got a daughter and your own business. Concentrate on them, not on Grandad's latest meltdown. Now, I'm going to go and grab a coffee before my shift."
Not long after, Harlow could be found sitting in the coffee shop. "Anything else?"Nicolette asked her.
"No,"Harlow admitted. "I guess I was just hoping to run into some friends."
Nicolette looked over at the door and smiled. "I think you might just be in luck."
Harlow looked round and her face lit up as she saw Hendrix and Mackenzie coming in, Hendrix hobbling slightly but looking very much alive and well. "Hendrix!" She ran over and gave him a hug, then pulled back quickly. "Sorry, are you a bit too delicate for that?"
"He'd better not be,"Mackenzie replied. "I've been hugging him as tight as I can pretty much since he came round from the operation."
"And it's been very nice,"Hendrix assured her, patting her hand.
"I'm surprised you're up and about so quickly,"Harlow commented.
"Well, I had three weeks staring at the walls in hospital. As nice as our new flat is, I don't like it enough to sit there watching the paint dry."
"We should have you over some time,"Mackenzie suggested. "Once Hendrix is feeling stronger."
Hendrix nodded. "Our first dinner party. Look at us, it's like we're married."
"It is,"Mackenzie agreed, trying hard not to sound too pleased about it.
Zara had sidled over during the conversation. "Is there a hug for me as well?"
Hendrix pulled her into a quick hug. "Course there is, munchkin."
"Oh, is that what you're calling me now?"
"It's something I'm trying out." Hendrix drew Zara out of earshot of the others. "Thanks for coming to see me in hospital."
"I was never more happy than when I got to give you all those videos back. So, are you definitely out of the woods now?"
"Looks like it. Guess I'll get to show young and stupid Hendrix's farewell message to people when I'm old and grey."
Not too far away, Mackenzie was chatting to Harlow. "Is this really not weird to you? Me married to your ex?"
"Not weird at all. It tends to happen once you live on Ramsay Street. The real difficulty is for the people who can't move on."
And at that moment, Paul was having a secret meeting round the back of the complex. A young man with close-cropped hair was waiting there. "You Hally?"
"I am today,"the character answered. "Tomorrow, who knows?"
Paul decided to let the banter slide. For him, this was all business. "You know what the job is?"
"I know. You got the money?"
Paul handed him a nondescript brown paper envelope. "Here."
Hally checked the money, counted it and stuffed it inside his jacket, satisfied. "So, how thoroughly do you want this place wrecked?"
"Completely. I want every single piece of equipment to fall apart the moment someone touches it."
"Seems a bit extreme."
"Well, I'm feeling rather extreme at the moment. I want the Quills' little exercise yard dead and buried. And if they end up with a whole heap of litigation into the bargain, so much the better."
