Dark Market

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Savage let himself into the Wilson-Armstrong house. Someone was already working on the front door. The simple pleasures of disposable cash. He scanned the living room and then walked through to the kitchen at the back of the house.

Vi and Scott stood around the central worktop sipping teas. The kids sat at the table. Two girls. The rascally years between toddler and teenhood.

Both parents looked up, neither of them said anything.

'We need to talk,' Savage said.

'Who are you?' The older of the two girls said. All big eyes and wavy hair. Her little sister tried to eat and draw at the same time. No one said anything. Vi eventually came up with, 'He's a friend Rosie.'

'He doesn't look very friendly,' she said, and offered him a frown. 'How do you know my mummy and my daddy?'

Savage looked to her parents for help. They shrugged and smarmed, 'Our kids, aren't they wonderful?' they seemed to see say. Parents.

'I work with your mum and dad,' he said. 'Sort of.'

She thought about it. Took another bite of toast. 'What's sort of?'

'Well—'

'Is it like sometimes Pussy comes over my house—'

'The neighbours cat,' Vi added.

'—and sleeps the night. But,' her legs started to swing vigorously back and forth, 'Pussy is not my cat, but when she sleeps over she sort of is.' Her feet banged the bench behind her. 'Is that sort of?' she turned the big eyes on Savage.

'I'd say that's a big yes little lady,' he said.

She threw down her toast in disgust. 'I'm not little I'm a big girl now. Mum, tell him.'

'Yes love,' her dad said, 'You're a big girl now.'

'How did the meeting go?' Vi said. Back to business.

Savage thought about it, and looked at the girls again. The smaller one was banging her toast on her plate and had a glass of juice in her hands that looked ready to fall over in her lap. He watched her. Fascinated.

'It went well,' he said. 'Constructive.'

The girl didn't spill a drop, Savage relaxed a little.

'You might want to spend a few nights out of town though, just to be sure.'

'What are you talking about?' Rosie said.

'Work dear,' her dad said.

She mouthed oh, 'Boooring,' and went back to her toast.

'We can't leave.'

'Fine, get a hotel near the office. Something expensive. Good security.'

They nodded their heads without conferring. Thinking thoughts separate from each other. Savage hoped for the kids' sakes their parents had thick skins. Smaller things broke insecure couples.

'You'd better pack and get a cab.'

More silent nods.

'What about the money?' Scott said.

'If there's any of his stake left, send it back. Anything else you'd better put back from wherever you got it.'

They both looked panicked.

'Tell me.'

'I'm not sure I can.'

'What do you mean?'