Page 30 of The Do-Over

As soon as he’s gone, I open all the windows and spray air freshener in all the rooms to get rid of the scent of Oily Pete, before calling Rebecca myself.

‘How did you get on?’ she asks the moment she picks up the phone.

‘I can see why you gave him the nickname,’ I tell her.

‘Yeah. He’s a bit creepy, but apparently he gets results. He’s lived around here all his life and knows the place like the back of his hand.’

‘How do you know him?’

‘He was the agent John bought my house through. He described him as “a slippery bastard, but he gets the job done”. So, are you all set?’

‘Yes. Are you sure we’re doing the right thing though?’

‘I knowI’mdoing the right thing,’ she says, laughing. ‘I don’t really have any other options, do I? You can still pull out if you’re not sure.’

‘What, and leave you living with my mum without me there? Can you imagine what that would be like? She’d probably disown me in favour of you and Rollo. I’m sure she already sees him as a surrogate grandchild.’

‘Nonsense. Your mum adores you, she just didn’t really understand your old job. I’ll let you into a secret if you like.’

‘What?’

‘Nobody outside a law firm understands your old job. John used to try to explain it to me, back in the days when I actually gave a damn about anything he said, but it used to send me straight to sleep.’

‘Thinking of my old job, I’ve started work on the contract between you and me. I’m going to get it all finalised and then, when we find somewhere to buy, we just need to fill in the amounts we’re each putting in and sign it.’

‘Don’t we need to get it notarised or something?’

‘Nope. As long as all the necessary legal elements are there, it’s binding. It doesn’t even have to be a document. Did you know that you could legally enter into a contract using Morsecode or semaphore? Even nodding your head could enter you into a contract in some instances. We studied it when I was training.’

‘Bloody hell, I’d better be careful not to nod at anyone then. I think I’m pretty safe on the Morse code and semaphore. I’m so excited. I’ve been scouring the online auction sites to see what’s coming up in central and East Kent, and there’s loads.’

‘Anything promising?’

‘Nothing has grabbed me so far, but the fact that there are so many has to be encouraging, I reckon. I’m trying to be as hard headed as possible. We’re looking for something to make a profit, not something to love.’

‘You sound like a consummate professional already.Homes Under the Hammerwould be proud of you.’

‘Ha. I’m doing my best. Did I tell you that I’ve also found a school for Rollo near your parents’ house? We’re going down to visit on Friday.’

‘It’s not St Justin’s, is it?’

‘It is, actually. Why, is there something I should know? Is it dodgy?’

‘It’s fine,’ I reassure her. ‘It just happens to be the school that Saffy and I went to when we were kids.’

‘You could come with us if you like. Unless you have a better offer, of course.’

‘Oh, yeah. I’m flooded with social engagements. Sure, why not? It’ll be a chance to exorcise some old ghosts.’

‘Is that the school you were at when your dad…?’ she asks tentatively.

‘Yup.’

We’ve shared pretty much our entire life stories with each other, so I wasn’t surprised by the question. I’ve told her about Dad, and in return she’s been candid about her difficult relationship with her now estranged mother, and how that madeher vulnerable when John Curbishley turned on the charm. I still struggle to grasp the concept of John being at all charming, but she’s assured me he could bring it when he needed to. To be honest, the idea still makes me feel a little queasy.

Oily Pete evidently does know his stuff, if the stream of people who are traipsing through my house is anything to go by. I did a bit of research and, in the end, I decided to have coffee on the go as well as the biscuits. I’ve also cleaned from top to bottom so the house is looking its very best. Oily Pete is so confident that he’s decided to take sealed bids, and I notice he’s collected a fair number of envelopes already, so I’m optimistic as I take advantage of a brief lull to call Rebecca.

‘How’s it going?’ I ask when she picks up.

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