Tan peered at the chest of the man lying by her side. In the low light the hairs covering it still managed to give off a ginger hue. His alarm went off, he turned to the bedside table and put it on snooze then slumped back on the bed, eyes closed. Seconds later he opened his eyes and slowly turned his head towards Tan. “Oh,” he muttered.

“Forget did we?”

“Hardly. What’s your name?”

“Marie Curie. Who are you?”

“I like that, suits you. I’m Henry Ford. You’re not bad you know.”

“Are you trying to tell me you think I’m a good root?”

“Yeah, what about me?”

“Still a dud, but a vast improvement on your first one hundred and twenty shots or so.” She ran a hand across his chest. “I remember when I first touched you. You had about five hairs.”

“I was only fifteen thank you.”

“We were both fourteen when we met thank you. Do you know I still have nightmares from when your dad and his pig mate came around and told me I had committed rape and I could be locked up forever and go on the sex register.”

“We had, it was statutory rape.”

“All I thought at the time was both of us in different prisons. What a horrible man your father was.”

“He was just a bible bashing freak who thought he was protecting me.” Tan snorted. “Crap, I wasn’t good enough for his little boy. He used to look at me like I was some scungy stray cat you’d dragged into the house. That’s why he packed you off where I’d never find you. I did try you know, for ages.”

“I’ve just remembered why I called you Marie Curie. You were a hottie!” The alarm restarted, he leaned over and kissed her neck. “You still are.”

“You could stay for a few days,” said Tan. “I’ve only got one appointment at twelve.”

“I’d love to but I’ve got a wine promotion do in Shanghai. I’m way behind this month in sales.”

“Probably for the best, I’d only get fucked around again.”

“Ok, the truth.  I’ve got a son popping out in two weeks. If I stay I’m scared I might miss it.” He jumped out of bed and began getting dressed while providing a rundown of the prospects for Australian wine in China. Tan quickly switched off, the last time she had seen him was when he had been pulled off her by his father. He was sure scared. She was shocked at first, then felt violated as his father leered at her naked body. Henry Ford bent down and looked for a feral sock. It was never Henry Ford, he had forgotten her special name for him. Ford Prefect. She had given him The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as a birthday present and told him one day he would travel to Mars, being an incredibly talented soul. He had at least made China by the sound of it which probably displeased his father. She interrupted his dissertation on wine tariffs in China to suggest in the absence of time for a shower he might use her deodorant. He rushed to the bathroom while she donned a robe and stood at the door with his briefcase. Perhaps in an alternate reality she was the dutiful wife, the one with the three kids and a fourth on the way and hubby was running late for the airport and she would worry some harlot might seduce him on his journey. He burst out of the bathroom, took his briefcase and kissed her. “I’ll always love you Tan.”

“Me too. Have a safe trip.” She let him out and then leaned against the door, teary eyed before going back to bed and staring at the ceiling. “Real clever Tan. How to fuck your mind 101.” The phone rang, she groaned before answering it. “Go on, you can’t do any harm, I’m already fucked in the head. What about you Zoe, how’s your head, been fucked anywhere, had a Manhattan cocktail?”

“Oh dear. Miami vice. Couldn’t be, you’ve only been there a few hours. Then again.” Tan gave a detailed description of her travails, concluding with several repeats of, “He didn’t remember Ford Prefect.”

“Tell me something Tan, of all the bars in all the world in walks your first true love.  Both of you about as far away from where you once lived as you can get. What odds eh?”

“You can be a heartless bitch sometimes. Ok I might have checked him out online and found he was visiting Miami and sent him a message about the coincidence and yeah my mobile number but I hardly expected him to turn up and callously seduce me.”

“Was it nice?”

“God yeah. Do you know I was so addicted to him I couldn’t think of anything else for fifteen months and then it took another six months of trauma before I worked out the cops weren’t ever going to charge me. I was completely conned.  I still have nightmares, sometimes it’s his father looking like he’s going to attack me. Sorry Zoe, what’s happening down there?”

“Nothing, Michael’s away and may not be back until this evening. Did you hear from Bill about your minder?”

“That Manhattan guy is....”  She sighed. “No, mustn’t be nasty. Yeah, he’s meeting me here at eleven. He doesn’t sound very dynamic and he doesn’t believe in carrying a gun.”

“How un-American as you would say. Just be careful, the guy you’re going to interview has no history of violence so you will be fine but if you even have the slightest suspicion something is wrong then pull out. Promise?”

“Of course. I’m not crazy. Rephrase, I’m a gutless lunatic. You do promise to be blunt with Manhattan?”

“Yes Tan, but it will be my bluntness not yours. Anything else?”

“No. Well yeah, don’t fall in love, play hard to get, blah blah blah. I’ll ring after the meeting.”  She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep, waking in a panic. A quick shower and with jeans and T-shirt on she raced down one flight to the mezzanine before creeping from the stair door and looking down at the foyer to see a middle aged lady, a boy and a man around her age intensely engaged with his phone. She noted some abomination in his lapel that presumably was meant to be a red carnation, and a tie that clashed badly with his undertaker’s raiment. Worse, his tall skinny frame clearly precluded his use as a human shield. Even should she turn side on behind him she was bound to lose at least one tit in a gun fight. As for her backside….. She summed up the minder by congratulating herself on her decision not to waste time applying make-up and boldly strode downstairs. His preoccupation was such she sat in an adjoining chair and was able to lean over and watch the game he was playing without him noticing. He groaned and dropped his hands and phone on his lap. The close proximity of Tan’s face occasioned him to turn to her, the face-off continued for some five seconds before he muttered, “Um, Tanami?”  She nodded slowly. “Um, Daniel?”

“Sorry, yes, sorry I wasn’t expecting you, I mean Bill didn’t describe you….. So where are we going?”

“Bill didn’t describe me like what?”

“Like how you look. He’s a bit funny with words.”

“Me too, come on chuck a few funnies at me.”

“Really? Ok, he said you were formidable, a bit scary.”

“Did he? Do you think I’m a bit scary?” He locked eyes with her and blinked three times. “Yep, that’s why I didn’t dare not tell you. I was too scared.”  She smiled. “You’re a quiet riot Daniel. I’m sorry for being ten minutes late.”

“Fifteen actually, but that’s ok, I expected it.”

“Why, because all woman run late?” He shook his head. “No, I knew one that didn’t always.”

“I won’t debate a sexist pig. So you don’t like guns?”

 “No, I don’t like guns, I told Bill that.”

“I know, I just thought you might have changed your mind when you started to think about how dangerous this is.”

“Eh?”

“Just kidding, the guy is harmless, my boss insists on me having an escort in that part of town.”

“Bill said that, also said you were interviewing a guy for a story you’re doing. What’s that about?”

“It’s a long shot, someone’s allegedly pinched a few bucks from a foreign government and he might be able to shed some light on it. He’s a whistle blower. Actually I’ve got no idea why I’m meeting him given I thought I’d been dragged off the story. So why are we still sitting here?”

“Um, maybe because you’re the boss?” Tan held out her hand, “Correct Daniel. Shake on it. I reckon you’d have given Sherlock a run for his money. Let’s find a cab and you can tell me how and when your game addiction started. No, forgot, sit. I need to set up your body cam.” She pulled a tiny packet out of her back pocket. “Ok, this tiny badge has the camera in it, I’ll stick it near that horrible plastic shit flower and yes you have a pocket in your nineteen sixties suit I can use. There we are, stand up please.” She stood close to him, plucked the flower from his lapel and then began adjusting his tie. “I presume this attire is your granddad’s wedding and funeral gear?”  He nodded. “See Daniel, I too would make a great Sherlock. We’re obviously going to make great partners. You whatsApp, me WhatsOn. Though feel free to call me WanksOn.”

“Ok, but I was thinking you’d be more a Sid Vicious, the punk rocker, circa the suit era.”

“I know who he is, my dad has all his records. Thank you for your kind thought, just watch your back. There we are, all done, you almost look human now.”

“Thank you. Did you know Sid’s partner Nancy failed to watch her back? She got knifed by Sid.” They walked to the door where Tan stopped and beckoned him to lead the way.   He put on his best fearful face and boldly stepped forward.

Next Chapter: Chapter EIGHT