Million Dollar Gift

by Ian Somers

‘Is she the love of your life? The one and only? A person you cannot be apart from?’

  ‘No, she’s just a mate.’

  ‘Then you’ll both be able to live without each other for a while.’

  He went back to the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. ‘Let’s get going.’

  ‘You’re cunning, Romand. Real cunning … I hope I can buy my dad that villa, and pay him that compensation. I’d hate him to think I was lying to him …’

  ‘Someone in my group will arrange for money to be sent to him, now get into the car.’

  I grudgingly returned to my seat and we were soon on the move again. It was now past midnight and the city was behind us. I had no idea where we headed, but I trusted Romand. When our minds had joined at the hotel I sensed there was no malice in him; he only wanted to protect me. I actually felt safe for the first time since I’d arrived in England.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN -

  The Hideout

  I was in that strange place between the world of reality and the world of dreams when the car hit a bump and snapped me out of it. I opened my eyes to see the beam of the headlights scanning the grey stonework façade of a farmhouse. Romand parked the car in the front yard next to an old 4x4 then shut off the engine. I had a quick look around as I stepped from the car and noticed we were in the countryside; there was nothing but darkness beyond the stone boundaries of the property.

  The farmhouse looked old, but was well maintained and, with its hanging baskets full of flowers, had a certain charm to it. This place looked homely and was a welcome change from the emotionless architecture of the Golding Plaza. There were small windows deeply set in the weathered stonework; all were dark apart from one on the ground floor, which I figured was a sitting room. The grand front door, which looked robust enough to withstand a tsunami, was ajar and I could see a shadow moving in the hallway.

  ‘Who lives here?’

  ‘It is the home of a very good friend of mine. She is taking a risk by allowing you to stay here so you should try to be nice.’

  ‘I’m always nice.’

  ‘Like hell you are.’

  We stepped from the car and Romand smiled at me. ‘Oh, make sure you show respect to the dogs at all times.’

  ‘Not really a dog lover, me.’

  I didn’t like the way Romand laughed. I followed him towards the house and monitored the yard for any sign of vicious sheepdogs. As we neared the house I looked in through the front door to a warmly-lit hallway with a glossy wooden floor and large portraits on the walls.

  As we were about to cross the threshold, two giant shapes appeared from a room inside. I immediately jumped behind Romand and used him as a shield.

  ‘What the hell are they?’ I gasped. ‘You said dogs, not polar bears!’

  ‘They are dogs and I told you to show them respect.’

  ‘Are they civilised?’

  ‘They are more civilised than you or I.’

  I peered round Romand’s strong shoulder and spied two enormous hounds with short tan coats, enormous black faces and fangs as long as my fingers. I’d never seen dogs as big as them, not even a Great-Dane would come close.

  ‘Hello, doggies,’ I said quietly. ‘I’m showing you respect, please don’t bite me.’

  ‘That’s better.’ Romand said. ‘A little respect can go a long way.’

  He smiled and shook the paw of the older of the two dogs. ‘These are Pepe and Bebe, Kurdish kangals. They are the largest and strongest breed of dog in the world. They are also very intelligent … particularly these two.’ He looked at the younger of the two, who was slightly smaller than the other, but was more lively and seemed very excited to see him. ‘Am I right?’

  The dog nodded at him as if it had human intelligence. It then looked in my direction and seemed to narrow its eyes at me.

  ‘Am I still dreaming?’ That dog just nodded at you, no dog is that smart!’

  ‘You’ve left the world of the blind behind you, Ross. You need to open your mind if you are to survive in the real world. Most people are blind to what really exists and to what is possible. You cannot be so short sighted from now on.’

  ‘Are you trying to tell me those dogs can understand what we’re saying?’

  ‘Yes and no.’

  ‘You know, you’re very vague!’

  ‘You’ll have all the answers in time. Let’s get inside. I’m hungry.’

  The colossal kangals left the house and allowed us to pass. Before I entered the hall I noticed that both dogs lay down outside and closed their eyes. It was all very, very strange … I never thought the world could be so colourful and I had a feeling that much more was to be revealed to me. I’d taken a first step into a world that ordinary people knew nothing about.

  The house was cosy and tidy inside and I followed my companion down the hallway into a large, two-tier kitchen. We walked through the cooking area that was framed with old wooden counters to a lower level that was dominated by a rectangular mahogany table where we sat. There was an old-fashioned kettle boiling on the stove and the room smelled of chicken soup and freshly-baked bread. It was so different to the hotel room I’d spent the last few days in, and also Romand’s car, which wasn’t very comfortable and stank of cigar smoke.

  ‘Do we help ourselves?’ I was practically drooling at this point; I hadn’t eaten all day. ‘I’m starved.’

  ‘We are guests, and guests always wait for their host before they eat. It’s called manners.’

  ‘I was only asking. You make me out to be some sort of spoilt brat. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around, so I thought—’

  ‘You thought exactly what a hungry teenage boy should think,’ a woman said.

  I turned to see her entering the kitchen. I guessed she was about sixty years old, but she looked strong and alert despite the late hour. She had long grey hair elegantly tied in a loose plait that hung over her shoulder and her clothes were colourful without being gaudy.

  ‘Have you eaten at all today, Ross?’

  ‘No, but I wouldn’t want to put you out. It is quite late and—’

  ‘And your mother once told you never to fill your stomach so late at night, didn’t she?’

  ‘How did you know that?’

  ‘No need to get defensive.’

  ‘I’m not. I’m just curious how you knew.’

  She smiled at me and made a point of crossing the room and gently squeezing my arm. ‘All mothers tell their sons that. It was just a lucky guess.’

  ‘This is June Atkinson,’ Romand said, smiling. ‘She is our host and my very dear friend.’

  She turned to smile and curtsy.

  ‘This is Ross Bentley,’ Romand added.

  ‘Oh, I know who he is. He’s been on the news all week and in every newspaper. He’s all the young girls in town talk about.’

  I was a little embarrassed, which wasn’t helped by Romand reaching over the table and pinching my cheek. ‘You are so dreamy, Ross!’ he jeered.

  ‘Get off, Romand!’

  ‘How are you dealing with your newfound fame, Ross?’

  ‘I haven’t been. I’ve spent the last week in hotel rooms on my own.’

  ‘Sounds awful,’ June said. She was pouring tea for us both and laying bowls and cutlery on a large tray. ‘You’re with friends now though. Would you like a hot cup of tea and some food?’

  ‘Big time!’

  ‘Romand?’

  ‘Yes, please.’

  ‘Oh, yes, please, Mrs Atkinson.’ I had forgotten my manners and I got a nod of approval from Romand.

  ‘No need to be so formal. You can call me June.’

  She brought two cups to the table then poured some soup for us both and took a loaf of fresh bread from the oven. When she had brought everything from the counter she sat at the head of the table and smiled.

  ‘Tuck in. Come on, before it goes cold.’

  After we finished our meal, Romand poured himself a glass of red wine and told June how we had escaped
Golding’s men. She seemed very entertained by it, not at all shocked, as I was expecting. After an hour or so, he told her that I had been in a foul mood ever since he destroyed my phone. Romand certainly had a strange sense of humour.

  I wasn’t impressed and told him he should have destroyed the SIM card instead of breaking a perfectly good phone.

  ‘You can never be too careful,’ he shrugged.

  ‘This comes from the man who sat watching TV in my room while there were armed guards outside who wanted to kill him!’

  ‘It’s late and emotions and fatigue don’t make good bedfellows,’ June said, interrupting the heated discussion. ‘I think it’s time you both got some rest. Romand, you go on upstairs. I’ll show Ross to his room in a few moments.’

  Romand drained the wine glass and said goodnight to us both before leaving the kitchen. I heard his heavy footsteps on the stair and asked June how she knew him.

  ‘It’s a very long story. I’m sure he’ll tell you about it in time. He’s a little difficult at times, but Romand is a loyal friend and he would risk his life to save those he cares about. Just like he did for you today.’

  ‘But he doesn’t even know me.’

  ‘Even more reason for you to cut him some slack.’ She stood up and said, ‘Come on, I’ll show you which room is yours.’

  She led me up the creaking staircase and along a very narrow hallway with rooms on both sides. I passed one room with an open door and saw Romand sprawled across the bed, fully clothed, and snoring like a rhino.

  ‘Poor Romand,’ June laughed, ‘he’s barely had a wink of sleep all week and that wine must have gone straight to his head. The room at the end is yours. Hopefully she’s already—’

  The door swung open and a girl, about the same age as me, stepped into the hall with a large bag over her shoulder.

  ‘I don’t see why I have to give up my room for him!’

  ‘It’s only for a few days, Cathy,’ June said, giving her a scolding look. ‘Ross, this is my daughter. You’ll be staying in her room for the next while.’

  ‘And I have to sleep in the dusty old spare room!’

  ‘Sorry …’ I said, ‘I don’t want to put you out …’

  I stared at her as she moved towards me. She was utterly stunning, impossibly perfect in every single way. She had extremely long red hair, pale skin with a peppering of light freckles across her button nose, large green eyes and strong cheek bones. She was quite tall, almost my own height, and athletically-built. It was difficult to draw my gaze from her, even though she was scowling at me.

  ‘Don’t go rummaging around in my stuff!’ she said as she moved past me and dragged her bag down the stairs. ‘I know where I left everything.’

  ‘Pay her no mind, Ross. She’ll get over it.’

  ‘Hopefully. I really do appreciate all this, June.’

  ‘Think nothing of it. Sleep tight.’

  I took a step into the room and closed the door. I was about to leap onto the bed but froze halfway across the floor. One of the kangals, Pepe, the younger of the two, was in the room and sniffing around under the bed. I turned around and opened the door.

  ‘Er, June? That dog is…’ There was no one in the hallway and the lights were off. I turned back. ‘Out you go, doggie. Come on. Out.’

  The kangal was still sniffing around the room blissfully unaware of my presence. I liked dogs and this one seemed cheerful enough, but I didn’t want to be sharing my room with one. Especially one this big. I kept the door open for about five minutes, but the dog wasn’t interested in leaving.

  ‘Out! Don’t have me to—’

  Suddenly the dog’s mood was completely altered. It turned to me slowly and let out a low growl. It stopped panting and became very still.

  ‘Okey-Dokey … but I better not get fleas from you!’

  I closed the door and edged nervously into the room as the dog watched me very carefully. I gave him a wide berth and carefully got into the bed. The dog sat beside the bed, towering over me. It was only inches from my face and the gaze from its large black eyes deepened.

  ‘Stop looking at me.’

  He continued to watch me.

  ‘You’re weird. You must be Romand’s dog.’

  The lights went out and I nestled my face into the pillow. I was so tired, but it wouldn’t be easy to sleep; the dog was panting right beside me and Romand’s snoring was like a hurricane in the house.

  I focused on the light switch and the overhead lamp came back on. The dog was still watching me.

  ‘What do you want? I have no food. I have nothing for you.’ I was getting seriously irritated at this point. ‘Get lost or I’ll—’

  The dog growled again. It was going to be a long night.

  Romand kicked the bed and I leaped in the air and screamed, ‘What is it? What’s going on?’

  ‘Breakfast.’

  ‘Are you for real? You could’ve given me a heart attack waking me like that.’

  ‘It was funny though.’ Romand turned to the doorway. ‘Don’t keep us waiting.’

  Pepe was still sitting next to the bed, it seemed to me like he hadn’t slept or taken his eyes off me the whole night.

  ‘Don’t you sleep?’ I mumbled as I got out of bed.

  I stood in the centre of the room wearing just my boxer shorts and stretched my weary limbs; the journey in Romand’s beat-up Citroen had stiffened up my joints. I became aware then of the kangal. It wasn’t just staring at me now. It was looking me up and down in a way that made me suspicious and also made me feel downright uncomfortable.

  ‘You’re a real weird dog, Pepe!’ I snapped and quickly put on some clothes.

  I cautiously rounded him and walked along the hallway. Pepe was right behind me all the time, but I didn’t dare threaten him again like I had countless times during the night; he had growled at me every time I told him I’d make him fly out the window. I decided that ignoring him was the best course of action.

  When I entered the kitchen I found June and Romand both sitting at the table and eating. There was a pot of tea, a stack of toast, marmalade, butter, boiled eggs and some ham. I took a plate and heaped as much as I could onto it.

  ‘Leave some for the rest of us,’ Romand grumbled.

  ‘Oh, Romand,’ June sighed, ‘stop harassing him, boys his age have big appetites.’

  I smirked across the table. ‘Yeah, Romand.’

  The dog had followed me and was now sitting by the table. It was so big that we were practically face to face. The stink of its breath almost put me off my breakfast.

  ‘I see you and Pepe are getting very attached,’ June said.

  ‘You could say that.’

  Pepe did the same thing I had seen him do the previous night; he lay on the floor, closed his eyes for a moment, then got back up. He was now acting like a normal dog and was sniffing at the kitchen table and wagging his tail like crazy.

  Romand snorted into his mug of coffee.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ I asked.

  ‘Someone likes you or doesn’t trust you.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Oh, nothing.’

  I noticed that he and June were grinning at each other. Something odd was going on and they weren’t sharing it with me. I’d get to the bottom of it sooner or later though. I didn’t like mysteries.

  Cathy breezed into the kitchen a few moments later. ‘Hi Mum. Hi Romand,’ she said before she sat opposite me. She took some toast and a single egg then poured herself a cup of tea.

  ‘Cathy…?’ her mother said.

  ‘Morning, Ross. Sleep well? I know I didn’t.’

  ‘Can’t say that I did, what with Pepe staring at me and Romand “The Hurricane” over there with his snoring.’ I looked up at her and smiled. ‘The bed was really comfortable though.’

  She scowled at me and took a vicious bite from her toast.

  ‘I’m done,’ Romand said. He lifted his plate and cup and brought them to the sink an
d washed them. ‘Time to get busy.’

  ‘Busy?’ Cathy asked.

  ‘Yes.’ He looked at me and grinned deviously. ‘Training starts today.’

  Cathy took her plate to the sink. ‘This I have to see. I’m in need of a good laugh.’

  ‘Training?’ I asked, with my mouth full of half-chewed toast. ‘You don’t mean dog training, do you?’

  Cathy and Romand looked at each other and shared a smile that was full of devilry.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN -

  Psychokinesis For Dummies

  Romand led me from the back of the house, through a colourful garden and across a field of long grass. He’d kept the plans for the day to himself, but I guessed he was heading towards a tall barn, a few hundred metres down the field, for training. Cathy followed us from a short distance, flanked by Pepe and Bebe.

  I glanced over my shoulder to see her strolling through the long grass with her red hair dancing in the breeze. She was so beautiful and carefree, now that she wasn’t scowling at me. I had a feeling she was watching my every move so I tried to walk in a macho way, like Romand. Not that anything was ever going to happen between us. She obviously hated my guts! I did feel the need to impress her, though, which was making me nervous about what Romand had planned. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of her.

  I hurried alongside Romand and tugged at his shirt. ‘I’d prefer if she,’ I nodded at Cathy, ‘wasn’t around while I’m doing this.’

  ‘Are you afraid you’ll make a fool of yourself in front of her?’

  ‘No … Okay, yes. I tend to get a little anxious around girls. Especially good-looking ones … Not that she’s good-looking or anything!’

  ‘Marianne is a girl and you could not afford to be nervous in her presence. And she is attractive is she not?’

  ‘Marianne?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I guess she’s kinda cute in a demented way, but certainly not my type. What’s she got to do with this?’

  ‘There may come a day when you have to face her and when it does, it would be wise not to hesitate just because she is a member of the opposite sex. Cathy stays. She’ll help you conquer your fear of women. She might even come in useful during some of the exercises.’