Life after death

Her mind drifted and she floated back into the warm womb of sleep.  The hum of the swimming pool generator gently massaged her thoughts as the early morning sun of the Mediterranean bathed her in sensual warmth.  The flight had been in the early hours and she had not slept since the previous night having only dosed fitfully on the aircraft.  She had never been good at travelling and she could never sleep whether on plane, train or coach. She could have stayed in bed but chose to rise, take a vigorous shower and lounge on the thickly padded sun-bed by the pool with its glass still early morning complexion.  No early morning dip although she had already decided that she would attempt to get into the habit over the next few days.  As she lay she could smell the coffee that she had just brewed mingled between the smell of chlorine from the pool and heady smell of geraniums.

The villa was in a quiet residential area a mile from the small town centre with its nearby beach.  There was a mix of ex pats, holiday lets and indigenous residents in the area and folk were used to changing faces.  The single story, two bed villa was private with its own pool set in a small landscaped garden. The floors were stone with a marble tiled kitchen and bathroom. The main furnishings were plain, robust and functional with a number of interesting antiques scattered about.  Not in the least opulent but comfortable.

 

She heard the footfall echo in the silence of the Sunday morning calm.  The heavy side gate to the villa opened with a rich metallic screech and she saw him enter, closing it behind him with his foot without turning. He wore kaki shorts, an open-neck linen short sleeve shirt and a pair of heavy sandals.  He carried a plain plastic carrier bag in his left hand weighed down with goods. In his right hand he held a folded copy of the Independent, which he read as he walked.  He dropped the folded newspaper on the table beside her. 

‘Breakfast Miss Moneypenny?’ McKay offered in his heavy Glasgow accent.  ‘I’ve got some eggs, bacon, bread, chirozo sausage, fresh milk and some cheese…..how about an egg, bacon, sausage and toast with coffee ?’

‘Sounds great’ she replied.

He headed for the patio door into the kitchen of the villa, placed the bag of shopping on the worktop and started to remove the contents.

‘It made the front page’ he called to her across the patio.

She reached for the paper, shaking the fold out before flicking the pages back so that the headline page stared out at her.

‘Double killer on the run from secure unit’ screamed the banner under which was a poor picture of John McPherson

She scanned the piece without taking it all in. It made her catch her breath.

‘Don’t worry.’ he said seeing the look of horror on her face ‘we’ll be fine here’

‘I hope so’ Sonia resigned weakly ‘God what an awful time, I just want it all to end.

‘It will be over soon’ McKay reassured her before turning to the grill to flip over the bacon which sizzled sending its unmistakable aroma wafting over the pool.

‘God I’m starved’ she said.

McKay had bought the property some six years previous. An investment he could afford on his current salary and many years in senior positions in the health service. He loved Spain and came over as much as he could, often bringing a group of friends from work. They would get up early go for a short jog before heading for the gym. Spend the bulk of the day lounging on the beach women spotting before heading for the casino or a club until the early hours.

McKay carried the tray with three plates laden with thick cuts of fried bacon, two chirozo sausages and one fried egg with yolks like the hot Mediterranean sun, a plate of thick sliced lightly toasted crusty local bread and three glasses of cold orange juice. He placed it on the table by Sonia’s elbow and returned to the kitchen to pick up the second tray with the coffee-pot, milk sugar and three mugs.  He turned with the tray and walked to the half open bathroom door.

 

"John...breakfast is served!" he announced grandly before turning and going back through the kitchen to the poolside where he placed the second tray down before beginning to pour the coffee.

 

"God this seems idyllic Jim” commented Sonia "No wonder you come out here so often"

"The service leaves a lot to be desired but the natives are friendly" quipped Mckay turning towards the patio doors of the villa as John McPherson in shorts and stripped 'T' shirt stepped out onto the poolside his eyes squinting through the brilliance of the sunlight.

"Well good morning sir." Mckay prodded jovially in a whining nasal drawl "Would sir like to take breakfast with the hired help?

""Just pour the coffee Manuel" replied McPherson leaning forward to kiss Sonia on the top of her head.

"Si Senior!" Retorted Mckay as he poured the rich dark liquid into the third cup

"The kids are still fast off" McPherson said to Sonia "They must be exhausted" She replied.

"And excited...and confused" Cautioned Mckay.

"Yes wouldn't you be?" Reasoned Sonia as she threw McPherson the folded newspaper, "One minute you are living with your grandparents, your mother dead and your father in the asylum. The next you are on a plane heading for sunny Spain with Dad’s new partner; like any other family jetting off on their hols."

"Well the next few days will be even more confusing for them." Warned Mckay. "Tonight you catch a flight to Sarajevo within three hours of landing you take off for the sunny climes of Northern Cyprus.  Hey presto you have your life back."

"Very James Bond, James." McPherson commented "How did you manage it?"

"You don't need to know." Replied Mckay bluntly.  "The less you know the less chance of dropping one of my friends in it for helping out. Don't forget I've been coming here for a long time, they see me as indigenous; well almost, I can’t stand paella."

“I know you visited John at Newtown Lodge but how on earth did you get the key to him and arrange the car?” asked Sonia

“I didn’t I had help. Don’t forget how long I’ve been around. Anyway let’s not talk about that now, you two will soon be safe, out of harms way and able to live some sort of life together.”

"I don't know how to thank you Jim. All of this is unbelievable" said Sonia gratefully.

"Trust and friendship, friendship and trust, whichever way you look at it is what makes the world go round. Talking of which Victor is expecting us for a round of golf at his club at eleven thirty" Mckay concluded biting joyously into a bacon sandwich and studying the front page of the Independent.

 

 

 

Reviews

[John Alexander McFadyen]

on the contrary he knows me intimately.

[Claire Twinn]

Hmmmm, feeling a bit cheesed off he's got away with it now.... Does this Mckay guy have no morals?