Page 151 of A Night with Damien Spur

‘Yes,’ he said to himself. ‘Laura’s still here to haunt me.’

Let’s face it, Damien, you’re jinxed by your past. But, hey, change the patterns and you stand a chance. Dance the dance. Move yourself. Shift your mind. Human kindness. That’s what really matters. Don’t mistake a kick in the teeth for love.

Yes, he’d see her again.

‘Bye, Frances. Go to bed. It’s 1 a.m. I’ll call you soon.’

But damn it. She’d ruined his schedule and he’d overslept. Missed his early morning run.

And now the stress of making a phone call with a stranger who could be a nutter. A gift? What gift? He’s from Greece. Beware Greeks bearing gifts.

But perhaps he was just an enthusiastic fan. Damien’s books sold well in the capital. Maybe he’d brought him halloumi or baklava.

Damien poured a handful of the finest Columbian coffee beans into the hopper of his antique grinder and cranked the handle. He loved the pleasure of opening the little wooden drawer and spooning the sandy granules into the cafetière. Hisfavourite morning ritual.

No rush, take your time, the Voice said.Ring him later. When you’ve had your espresso.

He settled himself at his desk in the living room and picked up the landline. First, he dialled 141 to withhold his number.

‘Hello, Theo… this is Damien Spur. My agent said you have a gift for me. Which is very kind, but why? I need to know more about you.’

‘I can’t say any more,’ the young man replied. ‘The gift will explain everything. Please could we meet?’

‘Look, I’m just asking you a simple question. What’s all this got to do with me?’

‘I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you on the phone. It’s too risky.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you might not believe me and then I’ll never get to see you.’

‘Theo, I’m going to have a shave and I’ll get back to you in a few minutes.’

***

‘Well… what do you think?’ Damien asked his reflection in the bathroom mirror. ‘Is he a psycho?’

Don’t ask me, said the Voice.

After he’d shaved, Damien rang again.

‘Theo,’ he said in a kinder tone, ‘I admit that your mysterious behaviour has piqued my curiosity. It will be interesting to see if the big reveal is as fascinating as you’ve had me believe.’

‘I think it will be.’

‘Well, I could meet you in my agent’s office or in a cafe…’

‘I think if you knew what the gift was you definitely would want to meet in private. Please, I know it’s kind of crazy, but this could change your life forever, and mine.’

Wow! Drama, drama. This boy’s got a hell of a pitch, said the Voice.

‘All right. But it’s definitely against my better judgement to meet a stranger from abroad, who has a gift for me but won’t say what it is and wants to meet me in private.’

‘Think of it as one of your stories,’ Theo said.

‘If I’d written the story, the guy would definitely be a killer.’

‘Too predictable.’

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