What the hell did that mean? It struck me how Diana was someone who had recently come into our lives, a ripple effect from her child attacking ours. Maybe little Ted was tasked with singling out Bibi? Could Diana also be working with The Chameleon? Or was she just a pissed-off mum, out for merely metaphorical blood? God, this was getting exhausting.
I walked toward the school gates as my phone pinged. It was Jenny announcing to our group chat that she’d got us tickets to a conference at Balgray Hall in a few days. It was being held in the ballroom, the same location as the Restore Glory party. It was the chance to try and get to know our battleground ahead of our confrontation with The Chameleon.
Bibi bounced into my arms, her pigtails swinging. “I did no hitting today!”
She said it loudly enough that a couple of the other mothers turned to look at us.
“Great, baby, that’s great.” I hugged her close and added, in her ear, “No need to tell me, okay? I’ll just presume you haven’t.” It wasn’t a great idea to celebrate each day she didn’t whack someone.
We got home to find Fox pacing the kitchen and talking on the phone. “I don’t understand this! It’s just ridiculous. Okay…Right…Bye.” He hung up and turned to me. “That was our lawyer. The council are coming after us saying the kitchen extension didn’t have the correct permission. Apparently a law firmrepresenting a couple of concerned locals are kicking up a fuss over the fact it’s three meters bigger than what was put in the original application.”
“That’s insane! We bought the house with this already here. How is it our—” I stopped as something clicked. “Which law firm?”
Fox tapped at his phone as he scrolled through his emails. He looked up at me. “Backhouse Dunne. Isn’t that…?” He trailed off when he saw the rage I was struggling to control.
Backhouse Dunne. The law firm where Diana Morgan was a managing partner. That crazy bitch!
“Ijustsaw her!”
Fox said, “And did you antagonize her further?”
“No.” I paused. “I mean, it wasn’t friendly on either side. Butshewas the one talking about lawyers being a threat. And now it’s clear why!”
Fox shook his head. “This is going to be messy and expensive to sort out.”
“She’s bloody counting on it.” Diana had taken time out of her undoubtedly immensely busy schedule to find a way to fuck with us. In case it wasn’t enough that we had to worry about a criminal organization and an assassin being after us, we also had to deal with a well-connected and pissed-off mother. I really needed to get better at playing well with others.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Fox
The Chameleon and Mike werestill on rotation in my head the next morning. It was too early to drown out my worries through the power of music. I got onto my motorbike and headed to the gym to pound them out instead. Revving the engine. Beating the punchbag. I was perhaps overdoing being over-manly.
I couldn’t get into the zone. I lost track of how many reps I was doing. My back started to hurt. I must’ve slept funny. Was that all it took these days?
I hit the showers and went to change. Standing opposite me was a short man in his twenties. He had the most incredible six-pack. Was that really all through working out? Not steroids? Just youth and hard work? He caught me staring at him and smiled. I nearly smiled back, but then realized that staring at a topless man in the gym locker room might be misinterpreted. How could I explain I wasn’t lusting after him, but my own lost youth? I finished changing quickly, grabbed my stuff off the bench, and rushed out.
I was just through the gym’s double doors when I heard an “Excuse me!”
I turned around to see the man standing there, still smiling. Oh god, he’d definitely got the wrong idea.
“I’m straight!” That was all I could think to say.
The man nodded. “Good for you, Daddy. You picked up my gym pass.”
Ah.
Awkward.
Of course.
How could I think a young guy like him would even want to ask me out?
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize. My mind’s all over the place.” I rifled in my gym bag where I had flung my workout clothes, and handed him back his gym pass. I rushed out to the car park without a backward glance.
Getting into the car, I sat and checked myself in the rearview mirror.
He’d called me “Daddy.”
