Another Lifetime

“Peter I have a proposition for
you”

For one awful moment he thought it was that sort of proposition, but thankfully
it was not. Though in hindsight it would have been easier than what she was
wanting of him.

“I hear that you are rather good at getting in and out of places?”

“I am not sure what you mean Beth”

“Come on Peter, I have heard about your other activities, other than playing
hero that is.” She turned and handed him a cup of tea “time to come clean I suppose,
I am not really that girl’s Aunt you know.”

Carefully he arranged a surprised expression on his face “you are not….why did
you say that you were?”

“I want something of you Peter and I wanted to see what you were made of before
I discussed this with you.” She was looking at him over her teacup, studying
him, watching his reaction.

“So who are you then Beth, if that is even your name?”

“Of course it is my name and I am a Great Aunt, Paul’s actually and he tells me
that you are very handy at acquiring things.”

“I think that you are mistaken” he stood, intending to leave.

“Sit down boy” her voice was sharp “because of you and that trollop my nephew
is in prison, you owe us.”

He could scarcely believe what he was hearing, him owe them, the old bat had to
be joking. He wondered just what stories she had been told, how much she really
knew of what her great nephews did.

“Lively boys they are but not a thing wrong with them…” he began listening
again as she continued her monologue.

“What do you want?” his voice was flat.

“A painting”

“I don’t actually paint Ma’am”

“Stop being a smart arse Peter, the painting is at my cousins. It should have
been mine and I want you to get it for me.”

“And if I don’t” he knew that there would be a consequence; he could see it on
her face, in her eyes, hard and cold.

“It would be very easy to find the girl Peter, very easy indeed.”

*

Natalie’s eyes had been inquisitive at breakfast, her questions about Peter
pointed and Kat wondered how long it would be before Ryan knew that some man
had visited her, and spent a number of hours in her bedroom. She should really
be upset, but upon honest examination of her feelings she realised that she
didn’t really care. Ryan bored her to tears, all he talked about what his work,
his goals, his money and although he was very attractive to look at he really
was not attractive at all.

She would have managed though, made do, made something of the situation at
least for a while, if Peter had not turned up.

Now the thought of kissing Ryan made her feel ill, and the thought of sex with
him had her unconsciously shaking her head in an attempt to clear the images
from her brain. She should break it off with him, but she wouldn’t. Peter was
not going to be telling her what to do. Besides she had told him to not come
back.

“So who was he then?” Natalie’s voice cut through her daydreams and irritably
she looked up.

“Who?”

“The guy from yesterday…young, gorgeous” Natalie sighed “looked like trouble if
you ask me.”

“Someone that I knew from home” Kat’s voice was sharp, cold, indicating that
there was no interest in further discussion but Natalie was not one to pick up
on the subtle or even the obvious.

“Old boyfriend then?”

“Nat, I really don’t want to talk about it OK.” Kat shoved her chair back from
the table, walking the short distance across the kitchen to put her plate in
the dishwasher. “I am off to work now and then going to dinner with Ryan so
will see you in the morning.”

“Have a nice time” Natalie’s voice echoed after her as she grabbed her bag and
headed down the hall.

She closed the door behind her and turned.

“Crap”

A gleaming BMW rested at the curb. Ryan inside waving at her, winding the
window down to ask if she needed a lift. She wanted to run.