When Ben came out of the shower, Squeezy was in the bedroom, rummaging in their wardrobe.“Where’s that fucking suit I borrowed for your cous—?That black one from that fuckingly expensive place?”At Ben’s silence he added, “I gotta go to a fucking funeral next week.Old CO before I joined the regiment.You okay?”
Ben nodded and found the suit for him.
“Shirt?”
Ben handed him a new one still in its packaging.
They went into the kitchen for tea, Squeezy immediately starting to play with Radulf.“The bastard out?”
Ben nodded.“Riding.”
Squeezy laughed.“You knew who I meant.”
Ben smiled weakly and put the kettle on.
“You remember that time we went skiing to Berghof Urban with the REME, or is that in your big fucking memory gap?”
“No, I remember.”
“Remember that colonel who drank you under the table?He was there with his daughter?He was my old CO in 1 Para.Killed on his bloody quad bike last week.It rolled over on him.Funeral’s in Salisbury Cathedral.Dead posh.PM’s gonna be there an’ all—course he’s General McConaughey now.Was.Shit.What a fucking stupid way to—”
Ben stared at him.“General McConaughey?The AG?”
“Was, yeah.Retired now, course.Probably too old to ride around on quad bikes, if you ask—What’s wrong?”
“Fuck.He did it.That stupid fucking bastard.”
“Who did what?”
Ben turned away and went into the main living area to the study.He sat down at one of the computers and tried to turn it on.He swore, brushed past Squeezy and went across the swim lane into the private rooms at the back.Squeezy trailed after him.Ben tried Nikolas’s computer too, but swore once more.
“What’s up, Diesel?”
Ben took a deep breath, but before he could answer they heard Nikolas talking to Radulf in the kitchen.Ben pushed past his friend again and followed the sound.
* * *
Nikolas was windblown, cold, and extremely invigorated.He was about to make a move on Ben, when he spotted the other man behind him, so instead he veered to the counter and asked what the suit on the back of the chair was for.Ben ignored this.“Why have the computers all got passwords on them?”
“What?Why—what do you want to know?”
Ben hesitated.“I want to go out to eat.I was going to look for somewhere.”
“Okay.We can go out.I’ll go and change.”He raised his brows at Squeezy as he passed, and the man gave the tiniest shrug, silently communicating with each other, “What’s up with him?No idea.”
Nikolas took longer than he’d planned because he got a text from Emilia with complex questions about her grandmother’s schedule, totally beyond his texting ability to reply to, so he’d told her he’d email her.Once he got on the computer, he checked his recent investments.Then he had to shower and dress.
An hour later, he was in the kitchen, tossing the keys from one hand to the other and annoying Squeezy, his standby when Ben wasn’t available.He checked his watch.“What did he say he was doing?”
“He didn’t say anything to me.I thought he was in the shower, shagging you.”
Nikolas winced.“No.I thought he was with you.Ben?”
There was no sign of him in the house, which although it was made of glass was extremely large and took some time to search.They ended up in the main living room, having gone in opposite directions to find Ben.The computer was on—Google homepage.Nikolas stared at it.“How did he bypass?—he guessed the password.”
“What?”
“Ben!He guessed the password.I just used my own name.I didn’t have time to think one up.”
