Chasing What's Already Gone (Second Chances Book 1) (14 page)

To my sweetest Jessica,

This last weekend was the best of my life. I am sorry about disappearing, but I am here for you—forever.

All my love, Daniel xxx

Chapter

Thirty-Four

“Morning, Danny. You’re in nice and early.”

“Good morning, Buck. Yes, plenty to keep me busy at the moment. How can I help you?”

“Well, first things first. I have to say I am mighty impressed at how you have managed to get matters rolling down there. Well done.”

“Thank you, Buck.”

“I’ve been passed the paperwork for the building work contract. Are you happy these people won’t let us down?”

“As happy as I can be in the circumstances. Why? Is there a problem?”

“No, not at all. I have never come across these people before, so we’ve done a double check on their background and they appear to a family business of considerable merit.”

Oh. Am I in trouble for not verifying the substance of Edwin Pedlar and Sons? Is Buck expecting some sort of comment from me? My lips stay sealed, so Buck carries on.

“The contract has had to be modified due to the circumstances, so we will be paying them monthly in arrears to the invoices they raise, which will have to be countersigned by you. But going through their accounts, I don’t think cash flow will be any great problem for them.”

“They’re strong financially?”

“Very strong, Danny. You’ve done well in digging them out.”

More a case of first come, first served, but there is no way I’m confessing to that.

“So we’ll courier the contracts down to you. We need them signed and back with us by Monday, then it’s all down to you to keep on top of them.”

Very subtle, Buck, but I get your point. “Fair enough. I’ll arrange to meet them tomorrow, so we’ll all know that there is a commitment.”

“Good man, Danny. I’m off to Chicago now. I’ll be back in the UK in about ten days—you will be my first call when I come back.”

Buck has such a gentle way of issuing threats. I pick up the phone and ring Edwin Pedlar.

“Hi, Ed. I will have the contracts with me tomorrow. Can we meet up to sign them tomorrow?”

“Hi, Danny. Sorry, I’m away all day tomorrow and Friday. I have a funeral and related business.”

That much time—for a funeral. Oh dear, is he backing out of the deal? My stock within the company is about to drop through the floor.

“I’m sorry about that. Anyone close to you?”

“Very close. Very, very close. My uncle John, my father’s younger brother. I was very close to him. He was a good man, the best.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. Just let me know when is convenient. I wouldn’t normally bother, but my Head Office would like to know I’ve buttoned things up as soon as possible.”

“Of course, I get that. I tell you what. I will have to attend the wake, but that’s not my thing. Where are you tomorrow night?”

“I’m staying at the hotel.”

“Let me think…that could work out well. Oliver will be at the services the same as me. I’m sure he will want to get away in the early evening. I could drop him back and meet up with you. Say sevenish?”

“That would be perfect if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No, it suits me perfectly.”

That Oliver certainly gets around.

***

“JB, Paul Clement’s secretary is on the phone.”

Jess is unhappy that he has decided to call on the very afternoon that she has granted Gemma a few hours off from work. Her PA gives her the extra edge of confidence at times, and any conversation with Paul Clement will always be one of those times.

“JB.”

“Mr. Clement.” Pathetic really, and if she had been granted time to start again she would not have made such a childish effort at putting space between them.

“Whatever, JB. Anyway, down to business. The board has called for an executive meeting for next Tuesday for all European affiliates. The conference will run for three days, so if you could arrange for a Monday evening flight to Paris with a return to England on Thursday evening. I have organised a room for you at the St George.”

“Is that all?”

“For the moment, yes, but I would like to take the opportunity to clear up our…misunderstanding from last year, when you are here.”

“Of course. I will see you on Tuesday. Good day.” She could not put the phone down quick enough.

***

“Hi, Chan. How are things today? You sound breathless.”

Whoops, Jeremiah is back at school. It’s eleven in the morning with no work to go to. I smile to myself and decide not to bypass the chance of embarrassing my sister, although she tries to cover her tracks.

“Just doing a bit of spring cleaning. I had to run to the phone.”

“I wish you’d put some clothes on first.”

“What…how did…Oh, Daniel!”

“Ha, ha. Don’t you tire that husband of yours out. I need him to have some energy left for the next six weeks. But enough of all that. Got some great news I could not wait to tell you. On Saturday I move into my new home.”

“Hey, that’s great news, Danny. I did wonder about all the commuting you would have to do.”

“No, it’s less than ten miles from the new warehouse. I think you will love it.”

“So when are you moving all your stuff out of the old flat?”

“Not given it much thought, but I can probably get all of it into one of our small vans.”

“Danny, are you serious? When you start packing everything you will start to realise what a stupid comment that is. You will need more than a small van—guaranteed.”

“You could well be right. I’ll think about it. The reason I rang you was to say why not come over on Saturday? Bring Derek with you, if you haven’t shagged him to death by then.”

She laughs. “It’s a bit short notice, but that sounds like a good plan. Oh, and Danny—I would like to say that at least
I
have a sex life which can be poked fun at.”

She’s gone before I can think of a riposte. Ten minutes later and I’m still struggling, beaten to the punch line by my own sister. I am quite ashamed. One more phone call before I go back out to the yard.

***

“JB Roberts.”

“DL Pearson here.”

“Hi.”

“Hi, Jess. It’s lovely to hear your voice again. I am so sorry about the last couple of days—there was an emergency at work. I guess the next few weeks are going to be rather hectic, but I’ve learnt my lesson, and in future my priorities will be well controlled.”

“That’s okay.”

“You sound a bit low. Is everything all right with you?”

“Yes, it’s just that there is a convention in Paris next week, which is not great news, and someone is going to be there who I would rather not see or deal with.”

“Oh, that’s not good. I feel bad ringing you now with my good news.”

“Go on then—it might cheer me up.”

“Well, Bill rang me and I have been granted the lease for Cotswold Lodge, but also, I can move into the lodge on Saturday.”

“This Saturday?”

“Yes. How quick is that?”

“Danny, that is brilliant news! I am so pleased for you.”

“I knew you would be.”

“Hang on a second.” I can hear her rifling through some papers before she comes back on the phone. “I tell you what, this Saturday Gemma and I have planned to go to the mall shopping. How about if we called around in the early evening to see how you are settling in?”

“That sounds like a fantastic idea. It’s going to be well overcrowded because Chan and Derek are going to be here, but it would be priceless to see you.”

“Priceless?”

“I know what the word means, Jess. And I repeat, it would be priceless to see you.”

“Fair enough. But this time, keep your phone charged up.”

I have a smile reminiscent of a beaming cherub as I put the phone back down.

***

“Morning, Gemma. Before you do anything else, could you organise me some flights? Out to Paris on Monday evening and back on Thursday evening. I should have done it myself, but I got side-tracked.”

“Or couldn’t be arsed?”

“That’s probably closer to the truth. Every time a Paris trip crops up, I keep thinking maybe this one will be the last.”

“Was it Paul who rang?”

“Who else?”

“He has one hell of a thick skin, that’s for sure.”

“Anyway, onto happier things. Are you still all right for Saturday afternoon?”

“Of course. Why, has something cropped up?”

“No. Well, yes I suppose it has. After we’ve been shopping, could you drive us around to Danny’s new house?”

“The hobbit house?”

“Yes. Will I be coming back on my own?”

“No! I thought it would be nice to show you the place and offer him a bit of support. It’s quite a life-changing event for him.”

“I bet it is. A drive to the seaside, a picnic…and now making his own bed, all in one week. He’ll never keep it up. I’ll pack some Lucozade to take with us.”

“Ha, ha, ha. My ribs are aching. Now go and sort those damned flights out for me.”

***

I could get quite used to living in a hotel. A hearty breakfast and a three-course dinner to end the day with a couple of glasses of wine, and no dishes to wash or beds to change. I finished my meal by nine-thirty and have moved over to a quiet corner of the lounge when I spot Oliver walking across to the reception desk. I wave him over.

“Oliver, please come and share a glass of something with me.”

“A couple of minutes and I will be with you, sir.”

He comes up carrying what looks like a glass of apple juice.

“Please call me Danny, or if you’re more comfortable, Daniel. At least when we are out of earshot of other guests.”

“Certainly, Daniel.”

“I gather you are going to John Pedlar’s funeral.”

“I am.”

“You knew him personally or through business?”

“Both, but we were good friends. We had mutual problems that held us together.”

I can hazard a guess at what they were, but I leave some space for Oliver to elaborate if he should so wish.

“You are obviously a private man, Oliver, and I respect that. I suppose what it is, is that if I am going to be doing quite a lot of business with the Pedlar family, it wouldn’t hurt to get a bit more background on them. Obviously I know that the family is of considerable substance, and Edwin Pedlar strikes me as a thoroughly decent man. But if you could paint a broad picture for me it would be much appreciated.”

Oliver nods and pushes his glass on to the coffee table and leans back.

“Mr. Edwin Pedlar, who you have met, is the third generation of a family business which was originally started by his grandfather just after the Second World War. The proximity of this area to Bristol and Bath meant there was need for some rebuilding, and labour was cheap and available. Business thrived and Edwin had two sons: Edwin, the eldest, and John, three years his junior. The grandfather died fifteen years ago and Edwin took over the reins of the company officially, although he had been running the company day-to-day for at least ten years before that.”

Oliver stops to sip very sparingly at his apple juice, then continues,

“Edwin was a born businessman by all accounts; the company expanded massively under his leadership.”

“And John?”

“John will always be identified as the black sheep of the family.”

I can tell Oliver is unsure if he should divulge too much information and I certainly do not want him to break any confidences, but much of what he has spoken about would seem to be common knowledge.

“Your wording seems to suggest that he was not always the black sheep?”

“I think you have grasped the matter. I would suggest that for the last twenty years, John Pedlar has been anything but a black sheep. He has been a pillar of society, but there was a long period in his life when his behaviour and lifestyle were, in his own words, ‘thoroughly unacceptable.’”

“Before he was working within Edwin Pedlar and Sons?”

“Oh yes, the problems were well before then. He has been on the board of directors for all those last twenty years.”

“But an outsider still?”

“No, not at all. This was all well before my time but from my observations, Mr. Edwin the elder was genuinely found of his brother, and Mr. Edwin the younger was very close to his uncle, very close indeed.”

“It sounds as if something that tore them apart actually made them stronger.”

“I would say that was an accurate assessment, Daniel. Now if you will excuse me, tomorrow would seem to be quite possibly a very long day. Have a good night’s rest, Daniel.”