night when the two of you left here.”
“And you haven’t heard from him since?”
“No. What’s going on?”
Nick described the scene he had come across the night before, and mentioned that Allegretti’s cellphone automatically went to voicemail.
Paul ran his hand across his short hair. “You said we were nearly done here. I have a life to return to. Now it seems you’re getting into deeper shit.”
“Do you think this is what I want? If I had my way, neither of us would still be here.” Nick became aware of the sharp tone in his voice.
“Fuck, I don’t want to deal with these guys any more. Or help keep the doors of a corrupt business open.”
“You can’t be any more fed up than I am.”
Paul raised his hands in a motion of surrender.
“What’s Gabriella doing here?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.”
“Does she have access to the safe and the accounts?”
“Yes, she does.”
“Won’t you please check if any unusual withdrawals have been made from the business accounts lately, or from Enzio’s personal accounts? And while you’re at it, check the last time he used his bank cards.”
“There haven’t been any withdrawals from the business accounts, I check every day. But I’ll check his personal accounts.”
Nick’s gaze travelled to Enzio’s office on the top floor. “Maybe you’d better take a look at Gabriella’s personal accounts as well.”
“Okay.”
“Can you do it without her knowing?”
Paul gave him a withering look, turned around and went back to his office.
Nick walked up the stairs. He knocked twice, then pushed open the door.
Gabriella was talking on her cellphone. She smiled when she saw him. A slow, lazy smile. Vincenzo Allegretti’s only daughter and the apple of his eye was a beautiful woman. Too beautiful, perhaps. The world didn’t refuse her much. Nick couldn’t decide who was the more difficult of the Allegretti siblings. He suspected life had given Enzio a few hard knocks while his sister seemed untouched so far.
“I’ll call you back.” She put the phone on the desk. “Nick, my love. I keep deciding to play hard to get, but the moment I see you I lose the battle. I just want to throw myself at your feet.”
Nick smiled, though he certainly didn’t feel like it. “Gabi, the man at whose feet you throw yourself hasn’t been born yet.”
She sat back in Enzio’s big chair and he sat down opposite her.
“What are you doing at the office at this hour on a Monday morning? I didn’t know you could get up so early.” He tried to keep the tone light. He had hoped Enzio would be here.
“Somebody has to run this place. And as my brother seems to have lost the plot, it’ll have to be me.”
“What do you mean ‘lost the plot’?”
“Didn’t you see him on Saturday night? We all like to relax and play, but he doesn’t know where to draw the line any more. So last night I realised, if he lets this place go down the drain, I’m going to lose as well.”
“Paul is here, and from what I can see, he’s doing a good job.”
“I won’t argue, but one of the lessons my dad taught us from a very young age is that no one is ever as loyal to your business as you are yourself. I didn’t listen to all my dad’s lessons, but I remember that one. And you know as well as I do that sending us to Cape Town to open a business here was a test. He’s not going to trust us with anything bigger if we fuck this up.”
She was unusually serious and Nick wondered if she knew more than she was letting on. It wasn’t normal for Gabriella to worry about the business or to act responsibly. He didn’t know if girls who were born with such stunning beauty ever really learnt that life came with certain obligations. Fortune has a way of favouring the beautiful. Protecting them against cruelty and suffering. That’s why the world is always so touched when one of its beautiful creatures comes up against the dark side.
“Speaking of your brother, do you happen to know where he is? I need to speak to him urgently but he’s not answering his phone.”
“How would I know where he is? He’s a big boy.”
“When was the last time you saw him?” he asked.
“Saturday night, here, at the club.” When he said nothing in reply, she asked: “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“I have a lot of things to do.”
“Always so busy. You know what they say about all work and no play?”
“What are you really doing here so early?”
“I told you someone has to see to things. I told Enzio a few months ago that if he doesn’t sort out his shit I’m going to tell my dad. If the club doesn’t bring in money, my dad is going to shut it down, and I refuse to go back to Joburg.”
“So far he’s made a success of it, despite everyone’s misgivings. I think he’s just going through a bad patch. He’ll get back on track.”
“I’m not willing to risk it. Saturday night was his last chance.”
“Where’s Ken?”
“At this very moment? Why do you want to know?”
“I mean, is he in Cape Town, or has he left the country?”
She tilted her head. “Come to think of it, I haven’t a clue. I think he was here on Saturday night, but I haven’t seen him since.”
“He’s your husband. Don’t you wonder where he is if he vanishes like that?”
“Should I?”
Nick shook his head. “To each his own. Maybe you’ve got a winning recipe. If you hear from your brother, tell him to call me urgently.”
“And what do I get in exchange for the favour?”
“I make sure you’re safe.”
“Safety is so boring. There are far more interesting things you could do for me.”
Nick smiled again. “Gabi, you’re becoming a cliché.”
She gave a hoarse laugh. “Nick Malherbe, you can insult me all you like, but we both know I always get what I want in the end.”
Back outside, he dialled a number and asked to speak to Captain Clive Barnard.
