The Collectors Book Five (The Collectors Series 5) (38 page)

              The doorbell chimed. “That should be Bear, Jocelyn and one of her bridesmaids. I invited them for dinner.”

              ”Isn’t Alysa her bridesmaid?”

              “She is but you’ll love number two.”

              Bemused, he stared at her. “Who is it?”

              “Open the door, it’s raining.”

              Petros sprinted to the door. Bear grabbed and hugged him. “Even without me you found trouble.”

              “You were where you needed to be, rescuing my wife.”

              “I forgot to play by the rules. They won’t be bothering Maria again.”

              “You didn’t?”

              “Not in a million years.”

              “Hi, Jocelyn. My God, Lucy. You’ve grown so much since I last saw you.”

              Lucy grinned. “Mother Superior tells me I’m twelve now.”

              She was the last person he expected to see. He lifted and drew her close.

              Jocelyn frowned. “Can we come in?”

              “Sorry. I’m so thrilled to see Lucy.” Petros carried her into the kitchen. “Alysa, come and meet your adopted sister.”

              Alysa, with Charlie, at her side ran into the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Lucy in the arms of her father. “Daddy has a picture of you in his office. You’re African and my daddy found you.”

              Petros lowered Lucy to the floor.

              Charlie wagged his tail and nuzzled Lucy’s hand.

              Alysa saw the strange look on Lucy’s face. “Yarlie my friend and he likes you. I like you. Want to see my bedroom?”

              Lucy glanced at Bear and Petros and smiled. “Yes please.”

              Alysa grabbed her hand as they raced up the stairs. Charlie chased after them but slid to a stop at the bottom.

              “She’s still a little girl but I doubt for much longer. Great choice for a bridesmaid. Why didn’t I think of it?”

              “We didn’t either,” said Jocelyn, “until the mother superior from her convent school in Luanda telephoned.”

              “Is there a problem?” asked Petros.

              “It would seem our Lucy has outgrown her schooling in Luanda. She dreams of becoming a doctor and used to assist in the convent infirmary. The difficulty is she requires academic qualifications to enter medical school.

              “While you were away playing with boats, we decided to help. The mother superior discussed the situation with Lucy and explained she would have to leave the school and her friends. She jumped at the chance to come to England, knowing you and Bear could be trusted. Let’s face, it you risked your lives saving her from those people traffickers. She’ll never forget. Anyway, she arrived a week ago and lives with us for the time being.”

              “We’ll need to arrange a school.”

              They smiled at each other.

              “Dusted and done,” said Maria.

              Petros laughed. “Good job I know what you mean. May I suggest the company continues its donation to Lucy’s old school and we share the fees for whatever school you’ve chosen?”

              Charlie pushed Petros and barked. “He wants to go outside.”

              “In this rain?” said Jocelyn.

              He shrugged, let the dog out and watched as the animal headed for the trees. He vanished for a few minutes before charging back, his paws pounding the saturated ground. Once in the house he stood on his carpet and waited. Petros rubbed him with a towel.

              He looked at his wife and friends. “I suppose we’d better discuss your wedding.”

              “You’re my best man.”

              “I know. Two weeks Saturday, Marylebone Registry Office, two o’clock.”

              “Right in one but while you’ve been away cruising in the Med, arrangements for the wedding and reception have been organised. You need to be brought up to speed.”

              A thin smile creased his mouth as Petros shook his head. “It’s getting late. Tell you what, rather than Maria cooking, let’s discuss your plans in the local restaurant. Bear, they make a brilliant beef and ale pie. You can have it with chips or baked potato and we can take Alysa and Lucy.”

              “Give that man a coconut. How far is it?”

              “Top of the hill. I’ll give them a ring.”

***

Maria ran up the stairs to Alysa’s room to find the two girls side by side on the carpet. Alysa’s eyes never left Lucy as she showed her how to use her Ipad.

              “Wash your hands, girls. We’re going out for a meal.”

              “Mama, is Lucy my real sister?”

              Maria sat on the edge of Alysa’s bed. “You understand the story of how daddy and uncle Bear found Lucy?”

              Alysa nodded.

              “Well daddy and uncle Bear decided to help and sent money to the village where she lived and later to her school. It appears Lucy is a clever girl and so she’s come to live with uncle Bear and go to another school. So in answer to your question, she’s not a real sister but an adopted one. She’s adopted us and we her.”

              Alysa frowned, thinking. “But if I want she can be my real sister?”

              Lucy grabbed her hand. “We are sisters. Come, we must wash our hands.”

              Maria returned to the kitchen. “The girls are getting ready. Charlie watch the house.”

              When the two girls descended the stairs Bear ran outside and drove his Mercedes as close to the door as he could. They all jumped in as Petros locked the door and set the alarm.

              Bear engaged gear and drove out of the drive.

***

Maria came out of the en-suite naked and grinned at her husband. “I missed you.”

              “Are you tired?”

              She crawled onto the bed and sat astride him. “I’m demanding payment in full.”

              “Be gentle with me.”

              She turned out the light.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Two days prior to Bear’s wedding, Petros stood in the doorway of his house and watched the rear lights of Maria’s car disappear through the entrance.

              Petros glanced at his watch and turned to Bear. “Time for a shit, shave, shower, and change of clothes, then we’re off to the Black Swan. The owner has given us the backroom and promised a beef curry to end all curries. Once eaten we’ll drink and tell stories until...”

              “Until what?”

              “Until you’re rat-arsed and I bring you home.”

              “Couldn’t we simply have a night in front of the tele and a takeaway?”

              Petros chuckled. “You’re getting old. You’re here with me until Saturday, when I deliver you, booted and suited for Jocelyn. Back out now and you’re a dead man.”

              Bear gave him the sort of smile meant for idiots. “I’m staying sober. I know you and the others and what you’re likely to get up too.

***

The Black Swan was an old pub with numerous rooms on the ground floor. The landlord, an ex-soldier from the guards, met Petros and Bear as they arrived in the public bar. He guided them to a large room at the back. “You can make as much noise as you like and not disturb my regulars. He pointed to a tall, thin girl with long black hair. “Susie will serve drinks and keep a tab running and with regards to bad language, she knows more than you do. She was a red cap and can kick arse with the best of them. Oh, and by the way, her husband’s my chef and he’ll serve the curry in half an hour.”

              As the door opened, a cheer rang out from those present.

              “About time. We’re on our third pint,” said Zack.

              Bear shook hands with everyone and sat in the largest chair.

              “Bear, do you remember that brothel in Bagdad?”

              “It was a sweat box. Fifty men getting pissed and five women working overtime for the fat slob who owned the place. How could anyone forget? If nothing else it kept the medics busy.”

              “Didn’t those two Bulgarian women with legs all the way to their bums fancy you?” shouted Brian.

              “In the thick smoke and with the lights out they were still ugly. And no I didn’t.”

              “They closed the place down after six nutters with AKs walked in and shot the place to ribbons.”

              “Wouldn’t be surprised if it opened a couple of days later under different ownership but with the same girls.”

              The stories continued and the beer flowed until the steaming curry and a ton of rice arrived.

              Each man ladled the sweet smelling brew onto a soup plate, grabbed a nan and returned to a table.

              In a short time spoons rattled in empty plates.

              Bear wandered over to the bar and spoke to Susie. “Your old man does a mean curry.”

              She smiled. “Staff Sergeant in the catering corps for twenty two years. If you’ve all eaten your fill I’ll clear the table.”

              “Leave the pot, there’s plenty left. I might need a top up after a few more beers.”

              She laughed. “I’ll leave some clean plates.”

              “As I’m paying, if you fancy a tot or two, help yourself.”

              “Maybe later. I need a clear head to keep score for the boss.”

              Bear strolled over to where Petros’ three brothers and Andreas sat. “Did I ever tell you the first night out your brother and I had in town?”

              George, Pavlo and Stavros glanced at each other.

              “If we said you have,” said George, “would that stop you?”

              Bear sat and took a gulp of beer. “We’d arranged to meet in The Crown of Thorns, my local. Not the most salubrious of establishments. You know the type, drab interior, smoke-stained walls and ceiling but it served a good pint. For my sins, I arrived late to find PK ready to take on the whole bar.

              “The blonde barmaid, Fiona, hated the world and if she didn’t like you filled a pint glass with slops. Anyway, she thought he was a copper and told him to fuck off. PK eventually convinced her he was waiting for me and she served him.

              “While he leant against the bar three of the local yobs came in and told him to take a hike.

              “
Your brother decided to finish his pint which wound them up. As half-wits they decided to have some fun. Petros floored the three of them with a bar stool. That’s when I arrived and told him to wind his neck in, replace the bar stool and drink up.”

              George lifted his head as the music to the stripper blasted out of twin speakers on the far wall.

             
A leather-clad motorcyclist with curves in the right places entered the room. With long strides, she stomped across the floor and stood legs apart in front of Bear. In time with the music, the crash helmet fell to the floor.

A red-haired woman shook her hair free, the smile on her face tantalising. “Hello, big boy.”

              In controlled movements, she undid the heavy metal zip on her jacket revealing her bare breasts.

              Bear attempted to stand but James and Zack held him on the chair while the others formed a circle.

              He shrugged as she straddled his knees and pushed her pert breasts into his chest.

              She stood, turned, and sat on his lap, gyrating her hips to the music.

              Bear sat there with his hands behind his head, smiling.

              Her hands grabbed his and attempted to pull him onto the floor.

              With a grin, the dance continued until she circled the others, discarding her clothes until naked.

              The music stopped, she bowed to Bear and gave him a big kiss on the lips, collected her clothes and vanished into the toilet.

              “Passable,” said Bear, “Bit thin, small tits but a nice arse.”

              “Any more than a mouthful is a waste and when you’re stoking the fire, size doesn’t matter,” said Zack.

              “When did you last get your leg over?” asked James.

              “You know when. You had the ugly sister.”

              “Don’t remind me. She was a proper double bagger. Get the beers in.”