Page 27 of Catch a Kiwi
“Do me a favor. Come on. Uber. Or I’ll give you money for a café if you’d rather, and collect you once I get the car. Even better.”
She eyed me narrowly, then said, “This seems very shady. You’re up to something. I’m coming with you.”
I said, “I don’t normally get outmaneuvered by eighteen-year-old girls.”
“Then this will be a new experience for you. Let’s go.”They were definitely cousins, because that was a family resemblance.
An Uber, then, to a block of flats. Up in the lift, and then a knock at a door.
Delilah said, “This just gets sketchier and sketchier.” Sounding interested, not worried.
I said, “It’s not.”
Dane opened the door. My new Director of Operations.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi.” He looked between Delilah and me before stepping back and saying, “Come in.”
“Did Esther explain it to you?” I asked as we went inside. Not a bad flat. Tidy, though that could be for the boss’s benefit. Dane wasn’t much of one for sucking up, though, so I didn’t think so.
“Yeh. That she’s getting me a new work ute. Sweet as. Tomorrow, she said. Pretty quick.” Another glance at Delilah.
“Oh,” I said. “Delilah, Dane. Dane, Delilah.”
“Hi,” Delilah said, sticking her hands in the back pockets of her rescued jeans and looking small and waifish, when I was sure she was aiming for cool.
Dane looked more bemused than ever, and I said, “Delilah and her cousin are doing some work for me. My house in the Catlins flooded, and they’re cleaning it for me.”
“Oh,” Dane said, and that was all.
“So,” I said, “keys.”
Dane said, “Yeh. And the bill of sale. Esther emailed that over. You’re buying it from the firm, she said.”
“I am. Transferred the money earlier today.”
“I reckoned.”
He still looked curious, but handed over the paperwork and two key fobs. I folded the bill of sale fast, but Delilah said, “Hang on. That says twenty-nine thousand dollars.”
“Fair market value,” I said. “Otherwise, it’d be fraud.”
Dane said, “What?”
“But—” Delilah said. “How can that be?”
“It’s got some kilometers on it,” Dane said, “but it’s a pretty good wee ute. Toyota Hilux. Six years old. You sure about this?” he asked me. “I appreciate the new one, but I’d be all good.”
“What,” I said, “you want to see it in your pay packet instead? Not happening.”
“Course not,” Dane said. “You can do whatever you want. Seems odd, that’s all, spending money when you don’t have to. Not like you. If I’m going to be your Director of Operations, I need to be able to say that.”
“It’s a special circumstance,” I said.
“Hang on,” Delilah said again. “That can’t?—”
“Got to go,” I told Dane. “Show us where it is, will you?”
