Vera showed Sir Richard, John, and the other three security men to the drawing room. Lady Triplet looked up from her book. She slowly closed it and tucked it in the side of her recliner. “You’re early.” She tilted her head to the side and waited.
Sir Richard sighed and lightly brushed his lips against her cheek, before sitting on the sofa, across from her. John and his men hovered a few feet from the doorway. Lady Triplet cut her eyes at John and frowned. “Oh do sit down, John,” she ordered with a wave. “You’re making me nervous standing up there like palace guards. Vera get these men some tea!”
John sat next to Sir Richard. His men sat on the small sofa to the side. Vera left. Lady Triplet waited until Vera was out of earshot. Her mood turned serious as she focused her full attention on her son. “You’re in a real mess this time aren’t you?” she rhetorically asked, shaking her head. “I suppose I’ll have to sort you out again.” She paused briefly to study his eyes, slowly arching an eyebrow. “It’s strange how history has a habit of repeating itself,” she continued, shifting in her chair and quietly clearing her throat. “I wasn’t expecting you, until later.”
Sir Richard groaned. “It’s good to see you too, Mum,” he responded, forcing a smile. “I’m early, because of what Sam Kaliea found out about Tina Phillips, one of our lab techs, at the Centre.”
“You must mean the Korean girl who had been bedding Gary and feeding information to our enemies. She didn’t die of an overdose of cocaine. Did she? You don’t have a clue who killed her.”
Sir Richard shared a worried glance with John. “Mum, how do you find out so much when you hardly ever leave the castle?”
“Richard, you should know by now, nothing gets past me. You sent Ricky and Donna here for protection, and you were right to do so. If they get the chance the hoodlums that slaughtered Wilson and his wife will go after them to get to you. With all the possible ways of getting into the Hall, you should have known it wouldn’t be safe.”
They? John arched an eyebrow. She knows there’s more than one!
Sir Richard frowned. “Mum, how did you know about Wilson and his wife? The police weren’t involved in that. Are you spying on the Hall?”
Do you have to ask? John tucked his chin and softly snorted. Of course, she’s spying on us. Probably by staring into her witch’s cauldron.
Vera served the tea. “Thank you, Vera,” Sir Richard said and gingerly sipped it.
“That’s all, Vera.” Again, Lady Triplet waited until Vera had left the room. “So go on. Tell me what the womaniser found out,” she continued, avoiding Sir Richard’s question.
Sir Richard slowly arched an eyebrow and set the bait. “The same substance that was used to poison Missy cleverly disguised by an overdose of cocaine.”
Lady Triplet narrowed her eyes. “Well… go on. Tell me what it was?”
It didn’t pay to play guessing games with his mother. She was a pro. Her logic was impeccable. Frustrated, Sir Richard groaned. “Cerbera, Mum – sap from what’s known as the suicide tree.”
“The mark of the enemy...” she muttered.
Sir Richard frowned and leaned forward. “Pardon…?”
John watched them out the corner of his eye; seemingly uninterested. The other security men glanced at John. He narrowed his eyes, cleared his throat and scratched his chin, covertly shaking his head.
“The Weng Fe Tong – suicide sap – it’s one of their methods of eliminating their enemies. You’re obviously doing something they’re not happy with, and the Chinese branch of The Order are voicing their opinion.”
“So… you think we’re up against Forrest and The Weng Fe Tong? Is that who you think killed Tina?”
“They’ll likely be working for Forrest, or making him believe they are. Weng Fe Tong wouldn’t be involved unless it was in their interest. From the amount of animosity at your last meeting in Kent, surely you sensed this.”
“Mum, you’re retired from The Order. You know I can’t discuss what goes on in the meetings.”
Lady Triplet smiled condescendingly. “Retirement does not mean ignorance, Richard. Don’t assume, because I don’t attend the meetings that I don’t know what goes on in them! Do you think I would give our enemies that big of an advantage over us?”
Sir Richard’s eyebrows shot up. “You have a spy in The Order?”
“Spy?” Lady Triplet shook her head and chuckled. “What makes you think there’s only one? Anyway let’s get down to business. This is what I know. You have your senior genetics team working on a medical project. You had that womaniser working on it too, but Donna came to her senses and gave him the boot, which was a wise choice. If he hadn’t already, he would have eventually broken her heart. She’s much better off with Ricky, and we both know that. Especially now that she’s carrying his child.”
Sir Richard’s mouth gaped. “Ricky hasn’t slept with Donna. She’s been with Sam ever since she got here!”
Lady Triplet sighed, shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Oh Come on Richard! He’s your son, for heaven’s sake. You don’t think Ricky spent all that time in the States, just so he could hold Donna’s hand, do you?”
Sir Richard cut his eyes at John who looked as shocked as Sir Richard. “Sir, I don’t know anything about this.”
Lady Triplet laughed. “Like I said, Richard. He’s your son.”
“Did you ask them?”
“No, I haven’t, and neither are you. They’ll tell us when they’re ready,” she waved it off. “Now… as to your project. I know you’re going after the death gene, and I know why. Others will want it, but that’s not what Forrest is after. He’s after our Donna. He’s under the impression that she can save his life by giving him a bone marrow transplant.”
Sir Richard narrowed his eyes. “Donna is not related to Forrest in any form or fashion. She’s not even a possible genetic match for him. Why would he think such a preposterous thing?”
“Because his doctor lied to him. Forrest knows Donna is not a genetic match. He screened her and every other employ at D’Netics when he was first diagnosed. This was probably the work of the Weng Fe Tong, as well.”
John scoffed. “As usual, Forrest is trying to save his worthless hide.”
Lady Triplet glanced at John out of the corner of her eye. “Yes! And in Forrest’s condition, it seems his judgement has been impaired. Otherwise, he would never have teamed up with them. They’ll stab him in the back and us as well if we give them the chance.”
A slow smile spread across Sir Richard’s mouth as his mind drifted back to the revelation about Donna. Everything else in the room faded out. Donna is pregnant? Richard is going to be a father. His eyes glossed at the thought. I’m going to be a grandfather!
“Richard! Are you listening to me?”
“What? Oh – yes, Mum. I agree. Where are Richard and Donna? I need to talk to them. I’ve brought the DVD.”
Lady Triplet smiled and stood. “In their love nest. They haven’t poked their heads out for the last two hours.”
“Were you planning on being there, as well?”
“Does that bother you?”
“Of course not, Mum. You can help me explain. Just remember, this will likely come as a shock to Donna.”
“I’m not going to spoil my chance at becoming a great-grandmother. Let’s go refresh their memories.”
“John, you can come to. The rest of you find something to do until we’ve taken care of this,” Sir Richard added as he turned to leave.
------------
Richard was sitting on the sofa reading his Kindle. There was a knock on the door. He frowned, finished reading the rest of the paragraph and laid his Kindle on the coffee table. “Looks like we’ve got our first visitor!” he called out. “Better put the kettle on for tea. It’ll probably be Grandma.”
“I’ll put the kettle on!” Donna yelled back. “You can make the tea.”
Richard grinned as he greeted his guests. “Make that our first visitors!” he called out, turning his head slightly. “Come in and sit down. Donna’s in the kitchen, making a snack. ”
Lady Triplet sniffed Richard’s head and smiled. “I see Donna made you take a shower.”
“I need to do the same,” John groaned.
Sir Richard turned up his nose and followed them into the lounge. “Yes, you do....”
John leaned close to Sir Richard’s ear. “Remind me to add a raincoat to my list of equipment, before visiting your Mum again.”
“Sit down,” Richard said, motioning to the sofas. He helped Lady Triplet to one of the recliners. “I’m going to pop in the kitchen and help Donna with the tea.”
Approaching her from behind, he waited until Donna set the baking sheet on top of the cooker, and then wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the side of her neck. “These smell lovely. What are they?”
Donna softly smiled. “Syrup cookies – my grandmother’s recipe - at least that’s what they’re supposed to be. I had to substitute the type of syrup she normally used with golden syrup. There’s no telling what they’ll taste like.”
“I’m sure they will be lovely, pet,” Richard responded and took out some teacups with matching saucers.
Donna turned off the oven. “I hope so. It’s been years since I last made them.” She started stacking the biscuits on an oval platter.
Richard cupped her chin and softly kissed her. “You know, pet… this would be a perfect opportunity to tell them about the baby. The only person missing is Gary, and we could tell him the first chance we get.”
Donna sighed. “Maybe – we’ll see.” She picked up the platter of biscuits and followed Richard into the lounge. “Good!” she grinned. “I’ve got guinea pigs.”
“Hello, petal,” Sir Richard smiled and sniffed. “Those smell familiar.”
“Well, considering what Richard told me about my past, you might have had them before. They’re my grandmother’s syrup cookies.”
Sir Richard took a bite of one of the biscuits and closed his eyes, savouring the flavour. “Oh yes! I remember these. John?”
John chuckled. “It’s been a while, but there are certain flavours the palette never forgets.”
Richard sat in the other recliner. Donna sat on the arm. Sir Richard looked at John and nodded. John stood. “Donna, why don’t you sit over on the settee with Sir Richard? I’ll get a chair from the dining room.”
“I’m fine here,” Donna responded.
Sir Richard reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a jewelled DVD case. “You can probably see better from over here,” he said, holding it up. “I’ve got something I’d like you and Ricky to watch.”
Donna studied his eyes. “Is this what you were telling me about at the Centre?”
“Yes, petal, it is,” he said, sliding down and making room. “John, why don’t you move the recliner around, so Mum can see the screen, too?”
Lady Triplet propped one hand on her cane and the other on the arm of the recliner, rising to her feet. Donna sat next to Sir Richard on the sofa. Richard sat next to her and laid his arm across her shoulders.
Sir Richard turned. “Donna, I know you’re probably confused that I didn’t say something about this when you asked me to help you find out about your mother, but trust me. If there’s anyone, other than you who wants to know if your mother is alive, it’s me. After you see the video, you’ll understand.”