The Mountain Shadow

‘It’s Evan. I can reveal that Mr Bradley is the recipient of a legacy. As the only living relative of Josiah Bradley, recently deceased owner of the Aeneas Trust, registered in Ottawa, he stands to gain a substantial sum, if I can find him and make the appropriate declarations before duly authorised notary officers.’

‘How substantial?’ Naveen asked.

‘If you will permit me, I will leave that to Mr Bradley’s discretion. I rather think it is his business to tell you the full amount of his inheritance, or not, as the case may be.’

Wilson needn’t have worried about Scorpio George telling us. When we took Wilson in a taxi to the Frantic hotel, enticed the Zodiac Georges to come down to a meeting, and left them alone with him on the street, it was fifteen seconds before Gemini George shouted out the sum.

‘Thirty-five million! Holy Croesus-Christ! Thirty-five million! Dollars, for Chrissakes!’

‘Tell the whole damn street, why don’t you?’ Scorpio scolded, glancing around nervously.

‘What are you scared of, Scorp? We don’t have the money yet! They won’t kill us in our beds for money we don’t have.’

‘They could kidnap us,’ Scorpio insisted, waving for us to join them and Wilson. ‘Isn’t that right, Lin? There are people who could kidnap us, and demand a ransom. They could cut off an ear, or a finger, and send it in the post.’

‘The Bombay post?’ Gemini scoffed. ‘Good luck.’

‘They’re probably planning the kidnapping right now,’ Scorpio whined.

‘Christ, Scorpio!’ Gemini protested, dancing a little with delight. ‘Five minutes ago you were freakin’ out about bein’ mind-controlled by the friggin’ CIA. Now, you’re blubberin’ on about bein’ kidnapped. Can’t you just sit back for once and smell the good karma?’

‘I rather think that Mr Bradley has a point, however,’ Wilson remarked.

‘Mr Bradley?’ Gemini scoffed. ‘Mr Fuckin’ Bradley! That’s worth a million, right there, just to hear that! Scorpio, give Wilson a million dollars.’

‘One thing is certain, Mr Bradley,’ Wilson continued. ‘You cannot stay in this hotel. Not when such a significant change in your financial circumstances has shifted you into a, shall we say, more significant income bracket?’

‘He means a more vulnerable income bracket,’ Scorpio mumbled. ‘He’s already talking kidnapping, Gemini. D’you hear that?’

‘Calm down, Scorpio,’ I said.

‘He’s right, actually,’ Divya chipped in.

‘You see?’ Scorpio hissed.

‘My dad, he’s an expert in kidnapping security,’ Divya said. ‘I’ve been trained in it since I was five years old. All rich people are. Now that you’re rich, you’ll have to learn counter-kidnapping techniques, and have all your friends carefully vetted by the police. You’ll need to stay in a safe place, too, and have an armoured limousine. No doubt about it. Bodyguards and money go together like handbags and shoes.’

‘Oh, no,’ Scorpio moaned.

‘And you’re right about the fingers and ears,’ Divya added. ‘But kidnappers use couriers, not the post.’

‘Oh, no.’

‘One case I know, they cut all the fingers but one, before the family paid the ransom.’

‘Oh . . . ’

‘Divya, please,’ Naveen sighed.

‘In another case, they cut off both ears. Tragic. Had to give away his collection of designer sunglasses.’

‘Oh . . . ’

‘Divya.’

‘And hats never looked quite the same,’ Divya mused, ‘but at least they got him back. And he’s still rich.’

‘Divya, you’re not helping!’ Naveen snapped.

‘Excuse me?’ she retorted. ‘Far as I can see, there are only two millionaires involved in this conversation, Mr Bradley and Miss Me. Hello? So, I’m the only one qualified to talk about rich kidnapping victims, na?’

‘Oh, no,’ Scorpio moaned.

‘Where’s the party?’ Gemini laughed, still dancing.

‘I have taken the liberty of reserving suites at the Mahesh hotel, on my floor,’ Wilson announced. ‘I was hoping that sooner or later I would be successful in locating you, and that I would be able to extend a measure of hospitality. My firm has also arranged for a line of credit to be opened for you immediately, Mr Bradley, for you to use until the legal matters are all resolved and you can receive your full inheritance.’

‘That’s . . . that’s amazing,’ Scorpio stammered uncertainly. ‘A line of credit?’

‘How much credit?’ Gemini asked.

‘I lodged a hundred thousand dollars in your discretionary account. You have immediate access to it.’

‘I like this guy,’ Gemini said softly. ‘Give him another million dollars, Scorpio.’

‘We are hoping that you will retain our services, Mr Bradley,’ Wilson said. ‘Just as your departed great-uncle Josiah Bradley did for so many years. We’re fully prepared to offer you the best possible professional advice, on the management of your legacy. We are at your complete service.’

‘What are we waitin’ for?’ Gemini George cried. ‘Let’s go!’

‘What about our stuff?’ Scorpio George asked, glancing back at the Frantic hotel.