Monday 2:30 pm

“What kind of trouble are you in this time, Tony!” Asked Marco.

“Never mind about that, for a minute. Tell me what’s been going on with you.”

“Well, I’m still working at the local TV station. I’ve been promoted to Head of Graphic Design. Old Ben retired and I was the only one who knew what was going on down there so I got the job.”

Marco paused while he dipped his biscuit into his tea. He seemed to be thinking about what to say next.

“I have a little problem too,” he said. “I’ve fallen in love and this time it’s for real.”

“Why’s that a problem?” asked Tony.

“Well, firstly she is young — only nineteen. Secondly, she is Pakistani. And thirdly, and most important, she has three very protective and traditional brothers.”

“How did you meet her?’ asked Tony.

“We met at the art school where I teach a class once a week. Her name’s Saphia. She works in her parents’ restaurant in the evenings, so needless to say, I am a regular customer. Nobody knows about us. It’s hard keeping it secret, especially as her family is so protective.”

“That’s tough. How do you get time alone together?” asked Tony.

“Her parents think she’s enrolled in a class on Tuesday mornings but she comes over here instead, and I get Tuesdays off as I work on Saturday mornings. Other than that I just see her at the college and at the restaurant—and we have to be very careful there.”

“So she’ll be here tomorrow. I’ll be in the way.”

“No, no, mate, I’d love you to meet her. It will be great and maybe bring a bit of normalcy into our relationship. So what’s been happening with you? I haven’t heard from you in so long.”

“You’d better make another pot of tea. This is going to be a long story.”

Tony filled in Marco on what has happened in his life over the past couple of years. He explained how he married an American who was a model—Marco had already read about that in the tabloids. What he didn’t know was that she was a drug addict and had caused Tony all sorts of trouble. 

He told Marco how he had become involved with some of London’s most notorious criminals, he needed the money they could provide to sort out the financial problems caused by his wife. Without revealing details, he said that he was on the run from his wife and the criminals and needed to get out of the country.

Marco knew that Tony was not telling him everything. Marco had always had a special talent to be able to know when people are not being truthful. In school, he had a his instincts never failed and he spent time developing his gift by studying body language and psychology.

Tony asked Marco if he could stay with him for a couple of days while he arranged his travel plans.

No thoughts on “Chapter 23”