The Principle Of Chance (8 page)

‘Appreciate it Frank.’

‘Don’t even mention it, good
thinking.’ Frank added.

How did Frank know everything? He
just did! Now business was taken care of, Justin felt a lot better. However,
who was Amy, and why was he interested in her anyway?!

Back at the house he entered the
lounge; there was Amy sitting in Jack’s favourite armchair, chatting to Frank
and Jack. The guys hung onto her every word.

Amy’s evening had turned into a
pleasant experience – Jack was the perfect gentleman, charming and intelligent.
Frank on the other hand, didn’t say much apart from entertaining Amy with
amusing stories about their younger years. It seemed to Amy this must've been
one of their favourite topics. When the conversation moved to Amy’s work, she
was impressed how much Frank was aware of the law. He questioned Amy as he
would interview a potential employee.

Jack had given up on flattering Amy,
it wasn’t working. Instead he joined Frank interrogating her.

Amy was painfully aware of Justin
appearing and sitting down close to her on the sofa.

‘Are you having fun Amy?’ He asked
casually, not knowing why he sat down so close to her when there were more than
enough other places he could sit.

She could only manage a smile. Her
stomach was doing somersaults.

‘Why don’t we go up to the rooftop,
the air is so fresh up there.’ Jack said, standing up.

‘Now?’ Frank enquired, but he got up
and followed Jack.

Justin held out his hand to Amy.
‘Jack wants to check out the paparazzi we saw earlier, probably hiding in the
shrubbery by the gate.’ He explained.

‘Seriously, – playing detectives?’
Amy asked.

‘Are you interested in this sort of
thing?’ Justin tested. ‘Jack’s hobby is watching the paparazzi perform – and so
they do!’

‘What do you mean, Jack’s a spy?’
Amy enquired.

‘Oh no, Jack is all right, but the
photographers can be very intrusive at times. You can’t even imagine what it’s
like.’ Justin said with a calmness he didn’t feel.

He admired her
so very blue
eyes. He felt nervous standing next to her, wrapped up in her sweet perfume.

Justin hadn’t had many relationships
but he appreciated beautiful women. Who didn’t? The truth was, he didn’t have
time for women and one night stands. What did he do? Worked! Long days and even
longer weekends.

This was about to change, he had
decided to cut down on work, if he couldn’t sell the label right now, he would
do eventually. He wanted to stay in the background and write.

The rooftop was dark, Amy couldn’t
see much.

‘Take a look at that.’ Justin said
pointing to the far end, where Jack was opening up a telescope.

‘How amazing! Can he see anything?’

‘It’s a special telescope made for
Jack, his pride and joy.’

Jack was searching for the car,
convinced it was parked nearby. He stepped away and proudly said; ‘There it is,
told you.’

‘What is there?’ Amy asked.

‘The car, have a look.’ Jack moved
away to let Amy see it for herself.

Amy thought it was quite exiting
watching the paparazzi hiding behind some trees.

Jack called his security to remove
the car as it was still on his property.

‘It wasn’t always like this.’ Frank
said.

‘It’s money now, people are getting
paid cash selling
our
lives. Sad…’ Jack looked at Amy. ‘You must’ve had
some cases?’

‘Not me personally, but yes the firm
I worked for did.’

‘Anyone we know?’ Jack pursued.

‘I can’t tell, Jack.’

‘Stop questioning the girl Jack,
it’s top secret.’ Frank stepped in.

‘No such thing as top secret Frank.’
Jack said confidently. ‘Amy, how about you have a look at my rooftop design.’
Jack pressed a button.

Suddenly the whole roof was ablaze
with hundreds of tiny, twinkling lights. Amy saw a lovely sheltered area with a
jungle of plants and palm trees in massive pots.

‘You can’t see the ocean now, but
trust me, on a sunny day it’s amazing.’

‘I am sure it is.’ She said.

‘It’s better with music.’ Justin
pressed some buttons and soft, classical music filled the air.

Amy was impressed, it was so beautiful.
‘Startling place.’ She said, wishing she could be sitting in that sheltered
hideaway in the corner.

‘Do you think that these two…?’ Jack
asked Frank quietly.

‘Time will tell; - it’s a good start
seeing Justin interested.’ Frank said thinking about his own dilemma.

Justin watched Amy and had to
restrain himself not to touch her.

He saw the guys discreetly
disappearing. The old fixers!

Chapter Ten

Amy’s phone started ringing. Dream
over!

‘Hi babe. I can’t make it to Jack’s
house. I’ve got held up.’ The big-breasted blonde who was servicing Ed couldn’t
agree more.

‘Be a doll and bring the car up to
the house. I am on my way there.’ Ed was gasping for air. The girl was doing a
good job!

‘I don’t think it’s a good idea and
I don’t know where you live Ed!’ Amy was speechless. What? Why would she do
that?

Justin had discreetly backed off
when Amy answered the call, but now he was listening.

‘I live off Mulberry Drive.’ Ed said
proudly.

So what?! Everyone who wanted to be
anyone aimed to live around Mulberry Drive. Amy remembered an ex-boxer who’d
made it into Hollywood movies; for his roughness and blurting out his unedited
thoughts, declaring proudly on a reality show that he lived on Mulberry Drive.

The
road was at least forty kilometres long, Ed could’ve lived anywhere!

‘What number? I am not saying I will
do it Ed, tell me where you live and I’ll consider it.’ Like it mattered; she
was ready to leave in a taxi. She noted the number and cut him off.  A
nice evening….. doubtful.

‘I am sorry Justin, I will have to
go.’

‘I happened to overhear some of your
conversation Amy. Is something up?’

‘Yes! Ed isn’t coming here tonight
but wants
me
to drop his precious car off at his house!’ She wanted
Justin to know for some strange reason, that she had nothing to do with Ed. ‘I
don’t know the guy, nor do I want to get to know him. I made the mistake of
letting him talk me into a ‘date.’ There, she said it, why did she need to
explain?

‘I’m glad to hear that Amy!’ Justin
didn’t want to play the hero, but he also didn’t want her to leave. ‘I happen
to know where he lives.’

‘Ed?’ She asked distracted. ‘You
do?’

‘Yeah, don’t ask me why, I can’t
stand the guy.’

‘You can’t stand him?’ She asked
interested.

‘No!’

Amy picked up her cell. ‘I need a
taxi to take me home.’

‘I can drive you home. Why don’t you
take his car back, I’ll follow you in mine and then take you home.’

‘No thanks, a taxi will do.’ She was
already dialling a number.

‘No, don’t take this the wrong way
Amy. I am only offering a ride home – I promise.’ The last thing he needed was
for Amy to run off. Not that he couldn’t find her, - but he wanted to help her
to get home.

Amy couldn’t help thinking how good
looking he was, especially with that boyish grin.

‘All right, take me home.’ She
grabbed his hand and was pulling him towards the door. ‘Let’s go!’

‘I can’t believe this, a woman in
control!’ Holding Amy’s hand was like holding a live wire. Before he could pay
attention to his feelings she stopped abruptly.

‘Where are the guys?’ She searched
around for Frank and Jack.

‘If I’m not mistaken, in the
library, sampling the brandy!’

‘Drinking!’

‘They are old enough to drink you
know?’ He teased her.

‘Very funny!’

They ran down some stairs and came
out by the front entrance of the house.

‘Do you want to wait in Ed’s car
Amy? I will quickly say goodbye to Jack and grab a car.’

‘What? You mean you haven’t got your
own car here?’

‘You’ve got it. Jack has a few; I am
guaranteed to get one.’ He gently let go of Amy’s hand. ‘I won’t be long.’

‘I should say goodbye too, it isn’t
nice to vanish without a word.’

‘Don’t worry, I will pass it on.’
Justin said and rushed off.

In Ed’s car Amy turned on the
stereo. Classical music filled the air. Ed and classical music didn’t go
together. She fiddled around with the many gadgets in the car.

‘I said your goodbyes, they were
disappointed.’ Justin was back. ‘They want to see you again.’

‘Oh, I am sorry I should’ve gone
in.’ She said feeling guilty.

‘Don’t worry; they’ll get over it.
If you’re ready,….?’

Amy saw him getting into a black
Jeep, indicating her to follow him. She started up the Aston. Wow! It sounded
great.

Chapter Eleven

Frank moved away from the library
window, which overlooked the front of Jack’s house. The envelope he had just opened
held the key. Here was a situation that needed careful handling, but Frank had
a new plan.

‘Here’s the deal Jack. I want to
start filming as soon as possible!’ Frank picked up his glass of whisky. ‘I
don’t want to waste any time.’

Jack nodded. ’Whatever you want, you
can get everyone on board in a couple of months.’

‘I don’t have a couple of months.
I’m talking four weeks, tops.’

‘Weeks?’

Frank was ready to start at that
very moment, but he had to pull some people from whatever they were involved
with. That meant money. He didn’t mind paying – he had experienced that money
made many things possible.

‘One month Jack, you on board?’

‘What’s the plan?’

‘We go to Europe when everyone is
available.’

‘Europe?! Where in Europe?’ Jack
already knew the answer.

‘I want it to be authentic. I want
the perfect setting.’

‘I see, Hungary, is it? It will be
Christmas shortly!’ Jack said.

‘I have arranged to hire a Shooting
Box near Budapest.’

‘You’re not backing out Frank?’

‘No, why should I do that?’

‘Yeah, no reason, we are old enough
to handle the consequences, right?’ They both laughed.

‘This means, you have decided on the
actors!’ Jack continued.

‘I have! You will approve Jack!’

‘I am looking forward to it.’

‘You know me well, old boy, I did
get some actors to audition through Eleanor but I need confirmation. As far as
I know they aren’t involved in anything they can’t put on hold at the moment.’

‘Who are ‘they’ Frank?’ Jack was
inquisitive.

A slow smile danced on Frank’s face.
‘You will find out soon enough.’

Jack had a feeling that this was
going to be something very different. The story was great. It was true and it
involved them both. Justin had captured every minute of the old times. The
difficult but fun times; - how different everything was then! How beautiful the
women were, always dressed in fabulous clothes.

‘Better get things organised, we
have a long trip ahead.’ Jack said.

‘A trip of a lifetime Jack!’

‘Literally, - lifetime!’ Jack
refilled his glass. ‘I’ll drink to that Frank!’

‘By the way, we need to talk about
the
case
.’ Frank said.

‘Why do I have the feeling you want
an end to it?’

‘I don’t! But there is something
else.’

‘What are you saying man?’

‘This!’ Frank threw down the
envelope in front of Jack on the desk. ‘Open it!’

‘What is this? Jack studied the
photos. ‘Is this …?’ He asked surprised.

‘Yes, it is!’

‘Explain!’

Frank was agitated. ‘It’s a long
story Jack, but now the time has come to do something about it.’

‘Why am I looking at a photo of Amy,
the girl I just met for the first time tonight?’ Jack asked, wondering what was
going on. ‘Who is she?’

Frank took a deep breath, ‘She’s the
daughter of my sister’s son. My family, if you like.’

‘
What?
’

‘She doesn’t know. I hired a private
detective to look her up.’ Frank said, thinking why he had to share this with
Jack. In truth; he wanted Jack to know. The difficult task was telling Amy who
Frank was.