Page 49 of The Facilitator: Part 2
“He would have lost his job for that, I imagine,” Isaid.
“Funnily enough, no. The knowledge that he had was too valuable, but he most certainly had made his position very awkward. Lloyd’s wanted to keep their losses quiet and he didn’tagree.”
“Wow, I remember when it all happened. Some of those investors committed suicide,” Isaid.
Mackenzie nodded. “Alex holds himself responsible for that. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea, really. If he kept quiet, he was complicit in the largest fraud of the time, if he spoke out, thousands of investors lost every penny they had. His father was one of those investors who decided he couldn’t live with the shame. He’d put all his family assets on the line and lost thelot.”
“Jesus, poor Alex.” There really wasn’t much more I could add. His actions had caused his father to take his own life; I don’t think anyone could ever comprehend what that felt like. “How the fuck do you ever recover from that?” Iadded.
“I think he only started to when he fell in love with Gabriella. She has the heart of a lion and the soul of an angel. She can be ruthless as well, when needed. When she decides someone needs help, it makes no difference if they agree or not,” he said with achuckle.
“You’re going to miss her, aren’t you?” Isaid.
“I am, although I have you to soften that blow a little,” he smiled as hespoke.
“Would Alex have left had I not been on the scene?” Iasked.
“No, because there would have been no need. I flew back and forth constantly. I don’t want to do that now. I want to get settled. Whether that is here or there, is for us to figure out oneday.”
“I don’t think I could leave my mum permanently, although, you’re leaving yourdad…”
“I wouldn’t ask you to, and my dad and I haven’t been close since…Well, for manyyears.”
There was no need for me to ask anymore, it was clear when his mum died, Mackenzie’s father went into a depression. Why would Gabriella’s mother take care of him otherwise? Then to lose his business and suffer a cardiac arrest would have been enough to have himwithdraw.
“It’s not something we have to think about for a long time yet,” he said, taking my hand inhis.
I settled back in my seat and we continued the journey home insilence.
* * *
Three days later,in the early evening, I was hugging Gabriella at Heathrow Airport. We both cried, despite our resolve not to. We knew we’d be seeing each other again in a few days, but it would be the last time we’d be on UK soil together for awhile.
Mackenzie placed his arm around my shoulder and walked me back to the car. I dabbed at myeyes.
“I’m being silly,” I kept saying, trying to convincemyself.
“You’re not. Well, maybe just a little,” he said, teasingme.
“I know we’re going to see them in a couple of days, but it’s not going to be thesame.”
We climbed into the back of the Mercedes and were driven home. Just as we turned into the street, a security guard, doing his rounds in his van, waved for the car tostop.
“Mr. Miller, we believe there was an attempted break-in at your property. We have contacted the police. They haven’t rushed to get here, but we have CCTV images of someone trying to access your garden via a neighbouringproperty.”
“Where are these images?” Mackenzieasked.
“I have them in theoffice.”
We followed the security guard to his small office at the end of the street, parked up, and followed him into a small hut that smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. We stood while he accessed the CCTV from hiscomputer.
A hooded person was seen crossing the neighbour’s garden, a property owned by a middle eastern gentleman that sat empty. The person climbed the wall, and before they could drop down into our garden, our security lights were activated. They faltered while astride the wall. The neighbour to the rear had a dog that started to bark, which seemed to change any potential burglary intent. The person slid back down the wall and ranoff.
“How you do know that person was intending to break in to my property?” Mackenzieasked.
“Mr. Khan’s property is empty, the rear and other side of you aren’t and both were occupied allevening.”
“Someone knew the Khan property wasempty?”
