Page 35 of The Key to the Last House Before the Sea

GABRIEL

Gabriel paced his bedroom at Driftwood House and picked up his mobile. Then he put it down again. This was ridiculous. He was going to have to tell his father sometime.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the phone and rang his father’s number. It was picked up after two rings.

‘Gabriel. I hope you’re calling with good news.’

His father’s voice was clipped, with a hint of irritation at being disturbed. Around him, Gabriel could hear the sounds of the office, even though it was a Saturday – a low hum of conversation, phones ringing and doors closing. His father was busy. His father was always busy.

‘I have good news and bad news,’ said Gabriel, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt and feeling grateful that it wasn’t a Zoom call. He’d caught the sun and his nose was pink.

‘I don’t like bad news,’ said his father, in a low tone.

The sounds of the open-plan office faded away. He’d obviously retreated to his own office for some privacy – though privacy in a glass-walled box was limited. Gabriel sometimes thought his father looked like a caged animal at his desk, staring out at his workforce, ready to pounce.

He cleared his throat, annoyed that he still felt like a child when talking to his father. He was over thirty, for goodness’ sake.

‘The good news,’ he said, trying to sound as confident and adult as possible, ‘is that you’re right, and the site is perfect for the development that’s planned… in many ways.’

‘In all ways, surely?’

Gabriel stared out of the window and tried to focus on the sea, which, today, was as blue as he’d ever seen the Mediterranean.

‘I’m afraid not because there’s a slight problem.’

‘What kind of a problem?’

‘A young woman who has a lease on one of the properties on site.’

‘I didn’t think there were any properties. I thought they were all in ruins.’

‘Most of them are. All of them, in fact, except for one cottage at the back of the site, which is more sheltered and has fared better over the years.’

‘And let me guess, this woman has a lease for this particular cottage.’

‘That’s right.’

‘And yet you’ve only just found this out now?’

There was silence after that from his father. A silence that Gabriel remembered from his school days. His father would read his school report and then stare at him for a few moments before launching into a litany of disappointments. It didn’t matter how well Gabriel had done, he always managed to disappoint his father in some way or other.

‘The lease is old and has only just come to light,’ said Gabriel briskly. ‘But I’m dealing with it.’

‘It should have come to light when we were acquiring the site.’

‘I know, but it didn’t.’

His father breathed out loudly. ‘Who dealt with the buy-up?’

‘Barry in Acquisitions.’

‘Then I want to see him in my office, immediately.’

‘That might be a problem because you sacked him a month ago.’ Gabriel waited for his father to speak but when he remained silent, added: ‘It is unfortunate, but I’m aware of the lease now and I’m sorting the situation out.’

‘I certainly hope so because the whole site must be cleared. I won’t have some old wreck left in the corner, bringing down the asking price on my new apartments.’ Billy Gantwich paused. ‘So, is this lease watertight?’

‘No. Well, maybe. I’m not completely sure. It’s very old.’ Gabriel swallowed. He was making a hash of this. He took a deep breath. ‘I’m getting a copy of the lease and I’ll take it from there.’

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