Chapter 4

Standing at the entrance of the hotel, I felt the warm morning sun on my face. It was just after eight. I was considering if I should walk or take my car to Mr Clark’s office.

“Good morning Mr Ward,” It was Daniel the Front Office Manager of the hotel.

When I arrived last night, Daniel was behind the desk. While the young lady was preparing the paperwork for my check-in, he welcomed me back, telling me I had a complimentary night as I left early the last time I was here.

“Good morning Daniel. Do you think the weather will stay like this today? I was wondering if I should walk or take my car?”

“When I looked at the weather forecast, it showed sunny all day,” he enthusiastically replied.

Taking off my jacket, I felt the cold breeze go through my sweatshirt and onto my skin. “Daniel, could I leave my coat behind the desk till I come back?”

“Of course, sir,” Taking my jacket, he made his way inside.

The walk to the solicitors took longer than I anticipated, this was due to getting lost. I used Google maps on my smartphone, but still made a couple of wrong turns. I could never get used to the sense of direction on these devices. I always seem to go the opposite direction.

It was just after nine when I reached the office. Pressing the buzzer, I waited for a response. No one answered the door. “It looks like I am not the only one who is running late,” I thought. Waiting for over thirty minutes for Melissa to come, I decided to go opposite to Starbucks. There I could see the entrance of the office when Melissa comes. Crossing the road, I heard a voice behind me call out my name.

“Jason, Jason, hold up,” It was Randolph, running towards me. When he reached me, he stood there out of breath. “Melissa couldn’t come, she told me to come and pick you up.”

Looking at the shoulder sling on his arm, I said, “I want to apologise for...”

Stopping me before I can finish my sentence. “Don’t worry about it. I should have listened to you the first time when you told me to let you go.”

The car he came to pick me up in was a Vauxhall Corsa, if you’re not familiar with this vehicle it is a small hatchback. I stood there watching him as he struggled to get into the driver’s seat. I guess, I thought, he wouldn’t fit in such a small car, a big man like him.

“Are you going to get in or what!” Randolph called out.

Getting into the car myself, I sat there watching him take his arm out of the shoulder sling and resting it on the gear stick, with his other hand grasping the steering wheel tight.

“It’s easier to drive like this,” while pulling his stomach in, to avoid touching the steering wheel.

“What happened to the Merc?”

“Mr Clark hires that sometimes for clients.”

“How comes Melissa couldn’t come?”

He carried on driving, not answering my question. The rest of the journey we were both quiet, not a single word spoken. When we got to the café, it was larger than I thought. Two shops as one, it was a restaurant, with modern fittings, not more than a couple of years old.

“Randolph, give me a heads up of what is going on?”

“Last night, after you dropped off Mrs Jenkins, Jennifer was furious with her. Cursing all night, saying you are only here for the business. Once you sell your share, you’re going to forget about her.” Turning to look at the entrance of the cafe. He then continued. “The atmosphere is not very good in there. When Melissa sent me to pick you up, they started arguing again.”

Getting out of the car, we both entered the café, Randolph first. Walking passed the tables, I was scanning the area to see Melissa. There she was, taking an order from some customers. Reaching the counter, I could see the chef over the stove, his back to us. “Could that be my sister in the kitchen?” I said to myself.

All of a sudden, the kitchen door swung open. “Order for table seven is ready!” The tone of the voice was familiar. For a moment, I thought it was my mother. On seeing her for the first time, I knew she was my sister. The walk, the facial expressions, similar to my mum’s.

When she saw me, she stopped in her path, dropping the plates she was holding onto the counter. It made a crashing sound, startling everyone in the diner. For some seconds, it was silent. Then her gaze went to Randolph, who was standing next to me.

“Randolph why the hell did you bring him here?” She shouted at him.

Randolph took a step back before answering. “Mrs Jenkins asked me to.”

“Well, you can take him back to whatever stone he crawled from under.”

A few hours ago, my adrenaline was high with the thought of meeting my sister. But it seems, she doesn’t even want to look at me. As she said, “I’ll just crawl back under my stone, back in Birmingham.” Walking back to the exit, I felt a hand grab my arm. It was Melissa.

“You’re not going anywhere until this gets sorted out. Jennifer, you get your ass over here now. Lillian, I need your keys to the flat, please?”

“It’s a mess up there Mrs Jenkins,” Lillian called out. She was the lady I saw in the kitchen.

Melissa stretched out her hand, with her palm open. “Now, please Lilly!” she demanded.

We left the shop, going upstairs through a side door. Lillian was right. The flat was not tidy. There were magazines scattered on the coffee table, a drying rack with clothes on it by the window.

“I will be back in two minutes, try not to kill each other in that time!” Melissa ordered.

Standing there, I waited to see what Melissa had to say so that I can get out of there and go back home. Jennifer was avoiding eye contact, with her back to me, she was studying a painting on the wall.

Hearing Melissa’s footsteps, we both looked towards the entrance of the room. “Ok, you two let’s see what we can establish here.” Looking at me, she said to me, “You sit there.” Pointing at the single couch in the corner of the room. Turning to the double couch behind them. She told Jennifer. “Young lady you sit here with me.” With all three of us seated, Melissa continued.

“Let’s start with you Jason, what do you have to say?” Melissa asked.

Sitting there, I stared at the ground, shaking my head.

“Cat bite your tongue, he’s not here for me, he’s here to gain something, then disappear. Can’t you see that Melissa?” Jennifer hissed.

I was about to defend myself when we heard footsteps rushing up the stairs. It was Lillian.

“Mr Sparks and his goons are in the café causing trouble again!” She cried out.

“Great. The highlight of the day,” Jennifer responded, gritting her teeth.

Entering the café, Melissa, Jennifer and Lilian, walked across the restaurant towards the kitchen. Walking into the cafe last, I noticed to my right Cockney was standing by the entrance. Halfway across the restaurant, a lady with two children was sitting at one of the tables. Cockney’s partner leaned over the table to say something to the woman. Suddenly swiping his hand, he knocked the children’s beverages off the table. Calling out, “ops.” The lady just sat there frozen, with the look of fear on her face. The children bringing the knees up to their chest, ready to start crying.

Cockney started chuckling behind me, as I made my way towards his partner. Standing face to face with him, observing the neck tattoo he had. It was little serpents around his throat. Hearing footsteps behind me, it was Cockney coming towards me. With these two big goons, one on either side, I didn’t want to be caught between them.

Snakes started moving, making his hand into a fist. He swung at me. Leaning down, I grabbed a chair from the empty table next to us. Bringing the top rail of the back, into his groin. Dropping him onto the floor, he curled up into a ball. Cockney started coming at me like a bull charging towards a bullfighter. Quickly rising, I pushed him back with my shoulder, he went flying back. Still standing, he pulled out a knife, coming towards me with his arm stretched out. I grabbed his wrist, twisting him round, I smash his hand on the table, knocking the knife to the floor, dislocating his shoulder at the same time.