at me and said, ‘I play computer games. Like Kate.’
I poured the coffee in silence and let the boys play. ‘All a bit sedentary,’ Richard remarked, loading his bowl with fried rice and what looked like a chicken hoi nam.
‘Oh, I work out down the gym,’ Michael said. I believed him. I could feel the hard muscles in the arm pressed against mine.
Richard nodded, as if confirming a guess. ‘Thought as much,’ he said. ‘Bit too pointless for me, all that humping metal around. I prefer something a bit more social for keeping in shape. But then, I suppose it can’t be easy finding people who want to play with you when you’re an insurance claims manager,’ he added, almost as an afterthought. ‘Bit like being a VAT man.’
‘I’ve never had any problems finding people to play with,’ Michael drawled. I had no trouble believing that. ‘What exactly is it that you do to keep fit, Richard? Squash? Real tennis? Polo? Or do you prefer raves?’
Richard almost choked on his food. Neither of us rushed to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre. Recovering, he swallowed hard and said, ‘I’m a footie man myself. Local league. Every Sunday morning, never mind the weather.’
Michael smiled. Remember that poem? ‘The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold’? ‘I’ve never been much into mud myself,’ he said.
‘Had a good evening?’ I chipped in before things got out of hand.
Richard nodded. ‘Been down the Academy listening to East European grunge bands. Some good sounds.’ He gave me one of his perfect smiles. ‘How’s your workload progressing?’
I shrugged. ‘Slowly,’ I said. ‘Michael’s been giving me some background on the art front, and I’ve got Alexis to chuck a few bricks into the pond. It’s a question of waiting to see what floats to the surface.’
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