‘It’s a vegan recipe,’ she told her. ‘No eggs or butter.’
All of a sudden, Sasha felt her mother’s gaze turn upon her.
‘Jack is a vegetarian, no? Eggs and butter won’t kill him.’
‘He’s thinking of cutting out dairy. I just thought this would give him a taste of what’s in store. I used soya milk and vegetable oil as a substitute, but I’m sure they’ll taste OK.’
Angelica struggled not to pull a face.
‘Listen to you,’ she said. ‘You’re a Savage, Sasha. Savages don’t go vegetarian, let alone vegan. Exactly what is it about this boy that’s turned your head?’
Sasha took the cupcakes across to the table, where she’d already laid out plates, cups and saucers.
‘This isn’t about Jack,’ she said, without making eye contact with her mother. ‘He’s just switched me onto the possibilities when it comes to food.’
‘Well, you can eat well and get on with your life,’ muttered Angelica, ‘or you can put your figure before your happiness.’
‘Mum, I promise you this isn’t about how I look.’ Sasha turned to face her. ‘It’s about how I feel on the inside.’
Angelica was taken aback by her daughter’s force of opinion. Facing her, she looked directly into her eyes and didn’t let up as she appealed to her.
‘Please don’t go vegan. It would be a step to far for your father and me.’
‘And for me,’ said Sasha, smiling now. ‘I was just keen to see how they turned out. It’s good to experiment with food!’
‘At last, we agree on something,’ said Angelica, and some warmth came into her expression. ‘Just don’t tell your father what’s in them.’
‘You mean what’s not in them,’ said Sasha.
It was an exchange that served to further soften the mood between them. For the next few minutes, Sasha and Angelica worked together to clear the kitchen. By the time Ivan joined them, everything was ready for Jack’s arrival.
‘Mmm, cakes!’ the boy declared, and grabbed one from the plate. He moved so quickly that it didn’t disintegrate until it had reached his mouth.
‘Leave that!’ snapped Sasha, but it was too late. ‘Mum, tell him!’
Angelica was used to intervening in squabbles between the pair. On this occasion, watching Ivan’s gleeful expression begin to pinch into distaste, she figured he had just learned not to take food without asking.
‘Eww,’ he said, having struggled to swallow it down. ‘Can I get a drink of water? What’s in this?’
‘Serves you right,’ grumbled Sasha, and set about rearranging the plate of cupcakes.
‘We have a visitor,’ Angelica said, as Ivan hurried to the tap. ‘He’s picky about what he eats.’
Having filled a cup and taken a swig, Ivan switched his gaze to Sasha.
‘The vegetarian is coming here now?’
‘Will everyone stop calling him that?’ demanded Sasha. ‘His name is Jack.’
A trace of a smile crossed Ivan’s face.
‘I hope he likes cupcakes,’ the boy said, as Titus could be heard making his way down the stairs. ‘Especially ones that taste like chalk.’
‘No stirring,’ warned Angelica, pointing a finger at him, which she then dropped when her husband strode into the kitchen. He was clutching a sheaf of papers, and seemed very pleased with himself.
‘Tomorrow is going to be a good day,’ declared Titus. ‘It looks like the deal is about to be done.’
‘The company takeover?’ asked Angelica, trying to sound interested.
‘According to my sources they’ve run out of options,’ he said, and clapped his son on the shoulder. ‘Nobody escapes from the Savages.’
‘Dad,’ said Sasha, having checked her mobile phone. ‘Jack has just texted me. He’s outside. You will be nice to him, won’t you? Promise me you won’t tell stories about me when I was younger, or bring up the subject of… meat.’
Titus smiled, but said nothing in reply as the sound of the doorbell rang through the house.
16
Jack Greenway had expected Sasha to greet him at the door, not the whole family. It was why he had dropped her a line, hoping she would answer alone so he could make a low-key entry. Instead, even her grandfather could be seen at the top of the stairs, peering down in his dressing gown.
‘Sorry,’ said Sasha, grimacing. ‘He probably doesn’t realise it’s untied.’
‘Now is not the time for apologies,’ said Titus, extending his hand from behind his daughter. ‘It’s great to put a face to the name.’
‘Likewise,’ said Jack, and did his best to match the strength of the handshake. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’
‘This is my wife, Angelica.’
‘Mrs Savage,’ said Jack, noting that her handshake was in complete contrast. It felt like he had just clasped a dead fish in his palm.
‘That’s my father upstairs,’ said Titus, before pushing his young son forward. ‘And here is Ivan.’
For a second, Jack’s smile faltered. Ivan, however, grinned at the sixth former who had tried to humiliate him earlier in the week.
‘So, this is your boyfriend?’ he said to Sasha. ‘You should invite him inside.’
‘Well, I would,’ said Sasha. ‘If everyone can stop being so nice and give him some space.’
‘Take Jack into the kitchen,’ said Titus, who continued to sound unnervingly welcoming. Angelica hadn’t seen him smiling this much since preparations for the last feast. She put this down to the business deal, and hoped that he and Jack would at least get along at some level.
Before the front door closed, Vernon English had already identified the Savages’ visitor. A call to an ex-colleague on the police force, which he paid for in pints of beer and a kebab whenever they met for a social, allowed him to trade the vehicle registration plate for a name and address. Vernon was surprised the car belonged to the kid. Jack Olivier Greenway was in his late teens, perhaps, but the motor was one of those sophisticated types that didn’t choke up the environment.
‘Spoiled by his parents, no doubt,’ he said down the line, before closing the call to his man on the inside.
Placing his mobile on the dashboard, Vernon turned up the volume on the bug receiver. By rights, having heard Titus boast of his takeover plans, he should’ve called the company straight away. Vernon had photographic evidence of all the secret meetings Titus had conducted with their mole. That money had changed hands in exchange for inside information was a breach of all manner of regulations. It could easily cause trouble for Titus, but Vernon had his sights on nailing the man for a far more serious crime. The longer he spent tailing the head of the Savage household, and learning about his life, the more convinced he became about his involvement in the death of Lulabelle Hart. The police might not have treated her demise as suspicious, but Vernon had carried out his own investigation. He had travelled to the coast and spoken to staff at the train station and the bus company. Lulabelle didn’t drive, and yet when he produced a photograph of the woman nobody had any recollection of seeing her on the night in question. It didn’t prove anything, of course, but it raised Vernon’s suspicions no end. Unless the model travelled by taxi, at great expense, then her only other likely means of transport involved being zipped inside a holdall in the boot of the Savages’ 4x4.
‘Come on, Titus,’ he said to himself. ‘Spill the beans to your friend, Vernon.’
Tweaking the transmitter dial to improve the reception, Vernon settled back in his seat and listened closely as the Savages welcomed their guest into the kitchen. He doubted very much that he would hear a full and frank confession. What interested him just then was how uptight the daughter had sounded about the way Titus might react to her boyfriend. Worrying that your dad might embarrass you was standard issue in households up and down the land. From what Vernon had picked up, however, Sasha made it sound like the man could spring a horrible surprise.