Empire of Gold

by Andy McDermott

‘You mean Mum,’ Eddie rumbled.

  ‘What is your work?’ Nina asked quickly. ‘Eddie said it was something to do with shipping.’ His actual words had been ‘shipping, or some bollocks’, but she kept that to herself.

  Larry gestured at a shelf. ‘Julie, there are some of my cards on there – can you get one for Nina?’ Julie stood and retrieved one, and handed it to Nina.

  ‘Thanks,’ Nina said. A stark, modern logo in deep blue stood out at the card’s top above the company name. ‘Chase International Logistics?’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Larry with a smug smile. ‘I left the old firm ten years ago and went into business for myself. And it’s worked out rather well.’

  ‘So what does international logistics entail?’ Not wanting to seem rude by discarding it, she slipped the card into her breast pocket.

  ‘Getting things from where they are to where they’re wanted as quickly as possible with the minimum of hassle. Including from officials. I go all over the world, getting to know the right people. A word in someone’s ear can mean the difference between a package being held up by red tape for a week or clearing customs in an hour.’

  Eddie took another chug of wine. ‘And it’s all totally legal, obviously.’ His voice was full of sarcasm.

  ‘Everything’s above board, if that’s what you’re implying,’ said Larry, frowning.

  ‘Well, yeah. After that time you got investigated by Customs and Excise, I suppose you’d want to make sure all the paperwork’s in order.’

  Nina and Julie exchanged awkward looks as Larry stabbed his fork into his last piece of beef. ‘That was just a random audit. They do hundreds of them every year.’ He put the meat in his mouth and chewed on it ferociously.

  ‘But they don’t normally come round to people’s houses and take all their files away, do they?’ It was Eddie’s turn to look smug.

  Mouth full, Larry couldn’t reply, but from his scowl it was clear he was planning a retaliatory shot. ‘So, everyone finished?’ Julie said hurriedly. ‘Larry, love, can you help me put the plates in the dishwasher?’

  Once they had gone, Nina put her head in her hands. ‘God, Eddie.’

  ‘What?’ he said, shrugging innocently. ‘Just being nostalgic.’

  ‘Can you be less aggressively nostalgic? Please?’

  Dessert was served, baked peaches stuffed with mascarpone and almonds, both Eddie and Larry washing it down with more wine. Nina was grateful to Julie for steering the conversation away from anything that might spark another round of sniping between father and son. ‘It sounds like you have an amazing life,’ she said to the archaeologist. ‘One great big adventure!’

  ‘It’s not all adventure,’ Nina assured her. ‘I spend more time than I’d like in an office. But we’re doing some fieldwork at Glastonbury tomorrow, in King Arthur’s tomb.’

  ‘Wow. And archaeology’s how you met Eddie?’

  ‘Yes – he’d been hired as my bodyguard. He’s kept me safe from the bad guys since then.’ She smiled and put a hand on his arm.

  ‘That’s really romantic,’ said Julie, ignoring Larry’s faint but dismissive huff. ‘And exciting, too. Eddie, how many bad guys have you had to deal with?’

  ‘Oh, a fair few,’ said Eddie, for the first time that evening giving an answer without any snarky undertones. ‘But I used to be in the SAS, so I can handle myself.’ Julie was highly impressed by the revelation, deepening Larry’s irritation. ‘A punch in the face usually sorts ’em out.’

  ‘Well, that’s one thing you were always good at as a kid,’ said Larry loudly as he took another drink. ‘Hitting people, I mean. What was the name of that boy you used to bully? Peter something – Peter Clackett, that was it. I remember when his parents came round to complain about you beating him up.’

  ‘Larry . . . ’ Julie implored.

  But he was on a roll. ‘Of course, it was the police who started coming round when you got older. Still,’ he continued, addressing Nina, ‘I’m glad he’s finally put his, ah, talent to constructive use.’

  ‘Well, personally, Larry,’ said Nina defensively, ‘I think Eddie’s a fantastic man, and I wouldn’t change a thing about him.’ That wasn’t entirely true, but she hoped it would divert the discussion down a less argumentative path. Though in truth she was startled to hear that her husband had been a bully as a child – and that he had made no attempt to deny it.

  ‘Thanks, love,’ said Eddie, to her relief sounding cheery rather than angry. He ate a piece of peach, following it with more wine, then said, ‘Mind you, I might have turned out better as a kid if I’d had a good role model. Not someone who was hardly ever there ’cause he was off giving backhanders to crooked customs men and shagging other women behind his wife’s back.’

  Larry banged down his spoon. ‘Oh, God,’ Nina moaned under her breath.

  ‘But after I left home,’ Eddie went on, ‘the army knocked some sense into me, so I turned out okay in the end. You know, serving my country, saving lives . . . ’

  ‘Marrying terrorists,’ said Larry, turning to Julie. ‘Did you know his first wife was Sophia Blackwood – the woman who tried to blow up New York?’ Julie was too embarrassed to reply.

  ‘Still, I managed not to cheat on her,’ Eddie snapped. A sarcastic sneer. ‘So, what contributions to humanity have you been making for the last twenty years? Bit of this, bit of that, makin’ deals . . . playing with your toy trains.’

  ‘Maybe I should have been around more,’ Larry growled. ‘I would have knocked some respect into you.’

  ‘Oh, you would, would you?’ said Eddie, challenging. ‘Big man, hitting his kid, eh?’

  ‘I certainly wouldn’t have let you run riot like your mother did.’

  Eddie jumped up, jolting the table and knocking over his wine glass as he jabbed a finger at his father. ‘Don’t you fucking dare criticise Mum! Not after what you did to her.’

  Larry also sprang to his feet. ‘Don’t you swear at me in my own house!’

  ‘Why, what’re you gonna do? Spank me? Or maybe you’re going to knock some respect into me. Come on, give it a try!’

  Both wives stood too, trying to calm their husbands. ‘Eddie, Eddie, come on,’ said Nina. ‘We should probably get moving, huh? It’s getting late.’

  ‘Suits me fine,’ said Eddie. ‘Thanks for dinner, Julie. We’ll see ourselves out.’ He stormed from the room.

  Nina shot Larry a disgusted look- he had, after all, been just as responsible as Eddie for the evening’s unpleasant turn – before facing his wife. ‘I’m sorry, Julie.’

  ‘So am I,’ she replied, equally apologetic. ‘I hope the rest of your stay is . . . better.’

  ‘Me too. Bye.’ With a sigh, she followed Eddie, who had already donned his leather jacket and was waiting at the door. ‘What the hell was that?’ she hissed as she collected her own jacket. ‘You couldn’t stay civil for two hours?’

  Eddie walked out. ‘What? He bloody started it.’

  ‘You were both as bad as each other,’ she said, catching up. ‘Yes, he was acting like an ass, but you didn’t have to do the same!’

  ‘I didn’t want to fucking come at all, remember? The whole thing’s your fault for dragging me here.’

  ‘Oh, right, blame me! That’s really goddamn mature, Eddie.’ They reached the car, Eddie heading for the driver’s side. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Getting in the car, what does it look like?’

  ‘You’re not driving, not after all that wine.’

  He slapped the key on the roof with a clang. ‘Whatever, fucking fine. Maybe I’ll walk back instead.’

  ‘Don’t tempt me,’ said Nina, tight-lipped. She took the key and unlocked the Mondeo.

  Eddie dropped heavily into the passenger seat and slammed his door. ‘Well, if you’re so fucking embarrassed to be seen with me, I’ll save you any social humiliation and not go to Glastonbury tomorrow. You can find your own bloody way there. I’ll spend the day with Nan, like I promised. At least I
know there’s one member of my family who appreciates me.’

  ‘Fine. What-ever.’ Teeth clenched, Nina started the engine and, over-revving, powered down the drive.

  4

  Eddie departed the hotel the next morning without breakfast or even a word, leaving Nina in a bad mood. She was still mad at him – and Larry – for their sheer childishness.

  Her outfit from the previous night was on a chair; she folded the skirt and blouse to return them to her suitcase. The creased business card dropped to the floor. She glowered at it, then found her wallet and slipped it inside. Amongst the phone numbers was Larry’s home; though she had no particular desire to talk to him, she might still want to speak to Julie, if only to apologise again.

  But for now she had work to do. Though she had spoken to the trustees of Glastonbury Tor from New York, the hastiness of the arrangements meant she wanted to check that all was in order before setting out. She started making calls.

  Half an hour later, everything was confirmed. Nina tied her hair back in a ponytail and was gathering her belongings when her phone rang. Eddie? No, Macy. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hi, Nina!’ From the background noise, Macy was apparently in a car, and going at considerable speed.

  ‘Hey, Macy. Where are you?’

  ‘On the freeway. M3, I think it’s called. I’m on my way to you.’

  ‘Did you bring either of the statues?’

  ‘I’ve got both of them! Mr Penrose persuaded Dr Assad to let the Egyptian one go on vacation, and your friend at Interpol – Mr Jindal? He said yes right away about the other one. Are you still in this Bournemouth place?’

  ‘Yes, I’m at the hotel.’ Nina gave her the postcode.

  ‘Okay,’ Macy said after entering it into the satnav, ‘it says I’m seventy-five miles from you. Also says it’ll take an hour twenty-five to get there, but pshht! I can do better than that.’ The engine note rose.

  ‘There’s no rush, Macy,’ Nina told her. ‘They’re not expecting us there until lunchtime.’

  ‘No problem. You and Eddie can show me round England first.’

  ‘Eddie’s not coming today.’

  ‘No? Huh. Why not?’

  ‘Personal reasons,’ was the only answer Nina felt like giving. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

  ‘Where’s Nina today?’ asked Nan.

  She and Eddie were on a clifftop road overlooking the sea, Bournemouth’s pier jutting into the English Channel to the west. He was pushing her along in a wheelchair, an oxygen cylinder on its back connected to her breath mask; though unhappy about the enforced helplessness of her situation, for now she had resigned herself to it. ‘She’s gone to Glastonbury, Nan,’ he told her. ‘Some archaeological thing.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Why haven’t you gone with her?’

  He was still simmering from the previous night, but kept it to himself. ‘Because you wanted me to take you out for a walk,’ he said instead. ‘So here I am!’

  ‘But what if something happens to her?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘I don’t know, but things always seem to happen to you two. Like the last time you were here, and the Imax got blown up.’ She pointed at a tower crane inshore of the pier, marking the site where a group of Russian mercenaries had come to a fiery end. ‘They had to demolish it, you know. Which was marvellous, it was a hideous building! But I do worry.’

  ‘Well, there’s nothing to worry about at the moment. Far as I know, we haven’t upset any cults, there aren’t any ancient civilisations somebody wants to keep secret and nobody’s trying to kill us.’

  ‘That’s as may be, but I can’t help it. And I’m sure Nina would feel better with you there.’ They continued along the road for a short while before Nan spoke again. ‘What are you going to do today if Nina’s not here, then?’

  ‘You make it sound like I can’t do anything without her permission.’

  ‘You know what I mean – you’re a couple, you usually do things together.’

  He hadn’t actually thought any further ahead than what he was now doing. ‘I dunno. Maybe spend the afternoon with you and Holly and Lizzie.’

  ‘Holly’s gone out with her friends.’ She looked back at him with a knowing little smile. ‘But I’m sure you and Elizabeth will have lots to talk about.’

  ‘Yeah, right.’ His relationship with his older sister was brittle enough at the best of times, and since she would certainly have called their father for a report on the previous night, Eddie didn’t doubt that she would have plenty to say on the matter. ‘But I don’t want to just abandon you.’

  ‘Oh, don’t be silly! You don’t have to hang around all day with an old goose like me. There must be other people you can see while you’re here. What about your friend, the Scottish gentleman?’

  ‘Mac?’ Nan had met him on a couple of occasions, most recently a party to celebrate Eddie and Nina’s first wedding anniversary.

  ‘Yes, him. He was very charming. Where does he live?’

  ‘London.’

  ‘Well, that’s less than two hours away on the train. You should call him.’

  Eddie considered it. ‘You know, I think I will.’

  ‘You see? Your old nan still knows what’s best. You should always find the time to catch up with your friends – you never know when you’ll see them next.’ She pointed again, this time to a scenic overlook. ‘Oh, Edward, can you take me over there? It’s one of my favourite spots.’

  At the height of the summer holiday season the clifftop was thronged with tourists, but people were good-natured enough to clear a space for an old lady in a wheelchair. ‘Will you help me up?’ she asked Eddie.

  ‘You’re supposed to stay in the chair, Nan.’

  ‘I’m not a cripple, Edward. Come on, give me a hand.’ She pushed herself from the seat.

  Reluctantly, Eddie helped her to her feet, aware how light and fragile she felt in contrast to the firm and busy figure from his childhood. It was evidently a struggle, as she took several heavy breaths and forced back a cough, but she managed to stand and lean against the fence. ‘Thank you. Oh, look at that! Isn’t it lovely?’

  It was indeed quite a sight. The air was clear, providing a panoramic view along the coast to Poole Harbour and beyond. The sea glittered under the noon sun, the long beach dotted with hundreds of sunbathers. Seagulls drifted lazily overhead, gliding on the warm rising air. ‘Yeah, it is,’ Eddie agreed, the view lifting his mood.

  Nan regarded it in silence for some time, taking the sun on her face, before eventually lowering herself back into the chair. Eddie helped her sit. She coughed again, harder, then cleared her throat. ‘I’m glad I got to see it again. Especially with you. I do like the sea. You know, I’ve told Elizabeth that when I go, that’s where I want my ashes to be scattered.’

  Eddie didn’t like the new turn in the conversation at all. ‘You can see it again whenever you want, Nan. And I’ll be back to see it with you before too long, don’t you worry.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not worried about me, Edward. I’ve had a good run. But your old nan is . . . well, starting to fall apart.’ She tapped the oxygen mask. ‘I don’t want to hang around if I have to be tubed up in some hospital. I’d rather just fall asleep and never wake up.’

  He had heard her say similar things before, but always jokily. This time, though, it was almost in resignation. ‘Don’t talk like that, Nan. You’ll be around for a long time yet.’

  She smiled up at him. ‘You’re a good lad, Edward, thank you. But I’ve done everything I wanted. I’ve got grandchildren, I’ve got great-grandchildren, and about the only thing I still want is to see you and Nina give me another one.’

  ‘Not sure when that’ll be,’ said Eddie, ‘but if that’s what it takes to make sure you don’t go anywhere, then I’ll see what we can do.’

  Another smile behind the mask. ‘That’s nice. But it’s your world now. Nobody should stay around past their time.’

  Her words made Eddie’s throat tighten as thoug
h he was being choked. He looked away, following his grandmother’s gaze across the peaceful sea.

  Nina didn’t need the satellite navigation system of Macy’s rented Range Rover Evoque to tell her how far they were from their destination. The tiered hump of Glastonbury Tor, the ruined tower of a medieval church atop the green hill, stood out for miles on the plain of farmland surrounding it. ‘There it is.’

  ‘Good,’ Macy replied. ‘I didn’t know driving in England would be so stressy.’ After being stuck behind a slow-moving horsebox for several miles, she had finally lost patience and blasted past it on a near-blind corner, to Nina’s armrest-clutching dismay.