Page 25 of Endgame

She nods against her father’s chest. ‘It’s my fault. I should have done more to embrace her. There was just so much going on. When Jas told me that she wanted to start a family…I just thought I’d have more time, I suppose,’ she says, resigned.

‘I’d better head out,’ I announce, making my way round the dining table back into the hallway.

‘Thank you for staying, Caleb.’ Ariella extracts herself from her father to give me a quick hug.

‘Chin up. Everything is going to be okay.’ I smile as I lift her chin with my index finger to comfort her. After I move away, I say a quick goodbye to everyone and let myself out.

‘Not bad, Goldsmith,’ I say, impressed, as I am escorted into Jasper’s massive office by one of the receptionists. It is located on the twentieth floor in one of Canary Wharf’s huge glass buildings.

‘Thanks.’ He rises to his feet and adjusts his sharp suit, then extends his hand. I take it.

‘Who did you have to kill to land this?’ I look out of his floor-to-ceiling window to watch a descending plane aim for City Airport.

‘My boss.’ We both laugh. ‘Coffee?’ he offers, pointing to the chair opposite his desk.

‘Nah, mate. Thanks, by the way. For all of this.’

‘No need for thanks. I offered to help. Besides, you’re going to need to resolve your finances quickly now that Melissa is out of the picture and we know her financial dealings are less than pristine.’

‘Yeah. I’m happy to give the flat back, to be honest.’

‘You don’t need to do that. Besides, you can’t. It’s yours. With the financial power of attorney you granted me, I went digging and it all seems above board.’

‘That’s a relief.’

‘I do suggest we cut all ties though, sell it now and get all your money out of Singapore. You could, of course, decide to keep it, because the Ivory Bow rent is great passive income.’

‘I don’t want any of it.’

‘For goodness’ sake, use this to get off your bicycle and get into a car, Caleb.’ Jasper’s rather hackneyed financial analogy can’t help but make me smile.

‘How do you propose I do that?’

‘Do you still want to start your Thai boxing business?’

‘Eventually. Right now, it’s a burden more than anything else. I’m paying a trainer to chase a bunch of young boys around their council estate to get them to their free class, in addition to paying for the actual class itself. I’m due to run a session that will include a bollocking tonight.’

‘I took the liberty of looking up the boxing gym you use.’

‘And?’

‘The owner has two. The one in the north-west, near you, and another in the south-west. His business is not in great financial shape. If you decide to sell the Singapore flat, and with the rent you’ve already accrued, you could make the owner a reasonable offer and buy the business and both buildings.’

‘What am I going to do with two gyms in London while I’m living in Singapore?’

‘Rent it? Keep the owner on a salary and get him to run it? I can look after the finances for you. It won’t take very long. You need a plan for when you leave Singapore, and this could be it.’

‘If the owner that’s here, doing the graft, can’t make a success of it, what makes you think I stand a chance from Singapore?’

‘You’ve got me.’ Jasper shrugs. ‘Let’s start a conversation and see where it gets us. You don’t want cash lying around. Let’s put it into something that aligns with your goals.’

‘I’ll give him a call. See if he’s willing to talk.’

‘It’s better if I make the approach. I’ll also arrange for us to see both gyms before you head back to Singapore.’

‘What’s in it for you, Goldsmith? You better not be secretly plotting to take the deal over and turn it into flats with your property bros.’

Jaspers laughs loudly. ‘No, I promised to help you get rid of your Melissa problem. This is the last thing tying you to her. Once this is done, that’s it.’

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