Page 106 of Don't Believe A Word

Lukas and David decided on lobster, Cristy went for the seared tuna while Gabe ordered shrimp pappardelle.

The menus were taken, and toasts of welcome were made – and next thing, almost as if they were picking up on a recently abandoned conversation, Lukas and David were engrossed ina detailed discussion of the financial markets. Evie smiled on happily, clearly proud of her man, while Gabe tilted his head to one side seeming to listen, although he had nothing to add. Apparently realizing she was watching him he turned to her and said, ‘Are you a golfer, Cristy?’

‘Uh, no, I’m not,’ she replied, feeling absurdly as though she might be letting him down. ‘Are you?’

‘Mm, I play most days. Did you know that they call Naples the golfing capital of the world? Some say it’s Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, but for me it’s right here. What about tennis, is that your game?’

Caught by the suddenness of the question, she replaced her glass on the table and said, ‘It was, some years ago. I haven’t played in a while.’

‘Pity. How about pickleball?’

‘I don’t actually know what that is.’

‘Very noisy. Evie’s quite good at it.’

‘It’s kind of like badminton, but not,’ Evie explained. ‘There are courts here. I can show you if you like.’

Cristy smiled back at her and felt once again as if she were in some sort of parallel universe where the real world was something that happened a long way from here.

‘We’re not Trump supporters,’ Lukas was telling David. ‘The man is fiscally and judicially ignorant, although he likes to think he’s king of all he surveys. Of course, everyone around these parts has Republicanism running through their veins, so it’s best not to get into a conversation about politics. Not the done thing, old boy,’ he added, affecting an accent almost as British as Gabe’s.

‘We have some very interesting wildlife here,’ Gabe announced. ‘Especially the birds.’

Cristy turned to him uncomprehendingly.

‘Gabe conducts bird tours,’ Evie explained. ‘He’s very knowledgeable. They call him an avian consultant.’

‘Amongst other things,’ Gabe chortled. ‘If you’re interested I’ll be happy to show you around while you’re here. We have a pair of ospreys on Pines 9 that you ought to see. I’m very keen on the American Kestrel, myself – you’ll know that as a sparrow hawk, I expect.’

‘Tell us about the Florida Wood Storks,’ Evie urged. ‘I know they’re one of your favourites and you speak so poetically about them.’

And so, bizarrely, for the next hour or so, they listened to George Symmonds-Browne waxing lyrical on his specialist subjects (which also included wildflowers and turtles’ mating habits) while tucking into some delicious food and becoming, in Cristy’s case, increasingly fascinated by the dynamic between these three. How on earth had they ended up here together, and who in the heck was paying for it all? It surely wasn’t coming from the proceeds of Gabe’s earlier career, or maybe it was. She was, of course, dying to ask, but clearly this wasn’t the time or place, and she wasn’t sure she could anyway, when there seemed no way in through the shiny, happy carapace they exuded, not a single crack nor a shadow of an opening.

Finally, they were walking back to the cars, David side by side with his new best friend, Lukas, and Cristy between Evie and Gabe who’d very gently taken her arm.

‘Were you followed here?’ Gabe asked quietly.

Startled, she said, ‘No, I don’t think so.’

He nodded and Evie said, ‘There’s nothing to worry about, Gabe. We’ll be home soon, safe and sound.’

*

Barely waiting until David started to drive out of the club’s grounds behind Evie’s car, Lukas following in his, Cristy said, ‘What is it with Gabe? He doesn’t seem … He’s so … not what I expected.’

‘I know what you mean,’ David responded, ‘but if you ask me none of them are.’

‘You appeared to get along very well with Lukas.’

‘Sure, he comes over as a regular guy, very knowledgeable about the world of finance … Wasn’t he a builder, a plumber, a delivery driver, back in the UK?’

‘That’s what Natalie Irwin told us, but that was ten or more years ago. He’s obviously upped his game since coming to work for Gabe.’

‘And has in that time amassed himself – or Gabe – a small fortune.’

‘Did he tell you that?’

‘He didn’t have to. No one who knows the stock market the way he does isn’t playing it and winning. So I’d say, they’re pretty well covered financially speaking.’