‘How did it go?’
‘Fine. We’re pals again.’
‘Did he tell you why he wasn’t speaking to you?’
Christ! She’d got it completely wrong. That was a first for Susie. . well, maybe not, if you count Mike Dylan, but he’d fooled everyone, so I’ll let her off with that one. I chose not to correct her. ‘We didn’t talk about the past.’
‘So what did you?’
‘The excellent shape of his golf game at first, then families and people.’
‘Let me guess, you took Ellen’s new boyfriend apart between you.’
‘Shrewd as ever, my darling. My dad thinks he’s a wanker too.’
She grinned, mischievously. ‘Then you’re both off the mark, according to what Ellie told me last time we had a girlie talk. Seriously, though, I’d advise you both to try to like him, because she does.’
‘You’d better include Jonny in that warning too.’
‘Jonny liked Darius: any new boyfriend was going to find him a tough nut to crack.’
‘I like Darius too, but I never thought for a minute that he would last. Ellie needs attention, not just an occasional shag when the pair of them can fit it in. That’s why her marriage broke up: it died because of her isolation and boredom. That’s the thing that worries me most about this guy: when I met him he struck me as self-obsessed. ’
‘Your whole bloody profession’s self-obsessed, Oz, my love.’
‘Not completely. I, for one, find time to be completely obsessed by my wife and children.’
‘You’ve learned from past mistakes, have you?’
I whistled. ‘Ouch! Which mistakes are you talking about?’
‘I meant your second try at marriage.’
‘I hope so. Speaking of which, or whom, whatever it should be, my dad had a visit from Primavera.’
I could see her bridle. ‘Did he now? What did she want?’
‘Nothing, he said. It was purely a just-passing, drop-in, “How’re you doing?” sort of thing, or so she assured him.’
‘But you’re not assured?’
‘Not for a second. Prim doesn’t do casual.’
Susie snorted. ‘Neither do you: everything has to have a purpose, like this morning, for an example. When you swanned off, I knew you were up to something.’
‘But you let me go without a word?’
‘Sure, because I knew you’d come back and tell me. So, did she ask Mac about you?’
‘Apparently not. She probably subscribes to Empire, the movie magazine. But she wants to talk to me, though.’
‘Did she tell him that?’
‘Not directly.’ I described the way that Prim had let him know that she still had the same mobile number. ‘Like I said, that wasn’t innocent. There was a purpose to it.’
‘Maybe she fancies him.’
I frowned at her as she topped up my glass. ‘Don’t say that, even in jest.’
‘Hey, don’t get so serious,’ she exclaimed. ‘Call her.’
‘You’re joking again.’
‘No, I am not. If you’re right and she really does want to contact you, she’ll work out a way, or eventually she’ll pluck up the courage to come here. I don’t fancy that, so I’d rather you just phoned her and got it over with.’
‘That’s pretty magnanimous of you.’
‘Like hell it is. I don’t want anything to do with the woman, and I don’t like the idea of ex-daughters-in-law calling on my father-in-law. But I don’t want her hanging over us like a black cloud, so bloody well call her, and if you have to, bloody well see her.’
‘That’s pretty generous, then, or is it brave?’
‘Brave?’ she said, almost incredulously. ‘Why should courage come into it? My love, do you think I’ve achieved what I have in business without being just a wee bit self-confident? I’m sure of myself and I’m sure of you. I can see off Prim any day of the week.’
She could too. ‘All right, I’ll give her a ring, but not tonight.’
She winked at me. ‘You’ve still got her number, then?’
‘Good question. I don’t think I do. I’ll get it from my dad.’
‘No need. I’ll have it in the database on my computer. I never throw away anything like that.’
We moved through to the dining room: Susie had cooked an all-in-one meal in our three-tier steamer and the housekeeper had left us a salad starter. She and Willie the gardener are the only members of our small staff who don’t live in. Ethel, the nanny, has a suite in the big house, while Audrey and Conrad have the gatehouse.
We ate without much conversation; when Susie cooks she likes her efforts to be appreciated. We had reached the cheeseboard when we heard wee Jonathan bawling upstairs. I went to check on him, but by the time I got to the nursery, Ethel had things in hand, rubbing Bonjela gently on to his angry gums.
When I went back to the table there was a piece of paper beside my cheese plate with a mobile number written on it in my wife’s clear hand. ‘There you are,’ she said.
‘Tomorrow,’ I told her.
‘You’ll be busy: you have a few other calls to make. You’ve been in demand today.’
‘By whom?’
‘A man from a television company rang about something he’d like you to be in.’
‘No detail?’
‘No, and at that point I didn’t have time to interrogate him, because your friend Mr Potter came up on the other line. . Remember? The accountant at the airport? He said if you still want his firm to pitch for the business you mentioned, he’d like a brief so he can put a proposal together.’
‘We’ll put something together tomorrow.’
‘We?’
‘Sure, your financial situation’s interlinked with mine. This is a joint venture and we don’t do anything you’re not happy with.’
Susie grinned. ‘I’m glad you said that: you saved me the trouble. After him,’ she continued, ‘Roscoe rang: he’s talked to people since he got back to LA. Everything’s fine and all the numbers are agreed.’
‘Great. It makes Potter’s pitch all the more important. I’ll talk to him face to face tomorrow, over an Internet link. Was that all?’
‘Hell, no! Your future brother-in-law called.’
‘Harvey January?’
She nodded.
‘He didn’t call himself that, did he?’
‘No, that was just me winding you up. He said that he’s appearing in the High Court in Glasgow next week, and he wants to invite you to lunch.’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘I told him Rogano, on Tuesday, upstairs, and you’re paying.’
‘You what?’
‘You heard.’
‘I’m sure I’m doing something else on Tuesday.’
‘What?’
‘Anything. I’ll think of something.’
‘You have to get to know the man, Oz. He’s not going to go away.’
‘Maybe I could persuade him.’
‘Don’t even try. This man’s a lawyer: you can’t intimidate him.’
‘I suppose you’ve booked a table too.’
‘Twelve thirty, in your name.’
‘Bitch from hell!’
She smiled sweetly. ‘When I have to be.’
‘Fine. I’m going to call Ellie, though, to see if she knows about this.’
‘Don’t you dare!’
‘Why not? You scared she’ll savage him if she doesn’t?’
‘Maybe. I know you and your sister: you’re a bloody coven, the pair of you.’
I beamed back at her. ‘No. She’s the witch: I’m a mere imp.’
‘Don’t sell yourself short. You’ll meet him, though?’
‘Okay, if you’re asking nicely.’
‘I am, really.’
‘Fine. Want to watch some telly?’
‘If you can find anything worth watching, okay.’ She paused. ‘Oh, shit, I nearly forgot. There was one other thing. You had a call from Everett Davis.’
That was another one I hadn’t been expecting, but it was welcome nonetheless. Everett, also known as Daze, is the president of the Global Wrestling Alliance, which he founded and built, from its original European base in Glasgow, into one of the world’s top sports entertainment companies. He’s a great friend, and I owe him a lot, because he, along with Miles Grayson, was responsible for getting me into the movie business.
‘That’s magic,’ I said. ‘Is he in town?’
‘No, he’s in the US, but he didn’t tell me which part. All he said was that he’s upset with you, and he wants to talk to you about it.’