Kensy and max 8, p.4
Kensy and Max 8, page 4
‘For the shortest of times,’ Mim added. ‘He was my childhood sweetheart. But it turned out his heart wasn’t as sweet as I thought.’
‘He was also your grandfather’s best friend, kids. They grew up together,’ Ed added.
Curtis rubbed his chin. He was thinking that if James Wolf had been married to Mim and Mim was Dominic Spencer’s sister – both of whom were born into Pharos . . . ‘So is James Wolf an agent?’
Cordelia nodded again. ‘He was, but his status has been dormant ever since he walked out on Mim and decided to pursue a racing career. He’s been remarkably well-behaved over the years and, as far as I’m aware, he’s never shared anything. He signed a confidentiality agreement – though he knows full well the ramifications for spilling the beans would be far worse than a lawsuit.’
Curtis blanched.
‘His second wife and daughter were never brought into the fold. He raised Aurelia on his own – his wife passed away not long after the girl was born,’ Cordelia explained.
‘I think Aurelia was probably raised by nannies, not Wolves,’ Mim said.
‘Touché, Mim,’ Fitz said.
The woman smirked. ‘As far as I can tell, she was educated trackside until she was old enough to be sent to boarding school. I was surprised when she returned and took up racing herself – though there is no denying that talent runs in the family.’
‘Is that his daughter beside him?’ Kensy asked.
Mim had taken the extra pair of glasses from Fitz. ‘Yes, that’s Aurelia and her husband, Tom Hansen. He’s chief technician for the team.’
Cordelia looked at Edward and raised her eyebrows.
‘I am not even going to ask how you know that, my dear,’ Cordelia said.
‘Probably best you don’t,’ Mim replied. She passed the glasses back to Kensy and stalked inside.
‘Oh well, excitement over for now,’ Cordelia said. ‘Time to get ready for dinner.’ There was a deliberate tone in the woman’s voice, as if she was not-so-subtly reminding them that they were on holidays – and this incident was really of no more interest at all.
But Kensy was still watching what was going on trackside. James Wolf had departed the scene leaving Aurelia and her husband by themselves. From the look on the woman’s face, she was upset.
Kensy wished she could hear what they were saying, but she’d taken the earpiece for the device apart earlier that day to do some modifications, not thinking she would need it anytime soon. It was still sitting in pieces on the dressing table in the room she was sharing with Autumn.
It was fortunate, though, that she had recently been studying lip-reading. It was a skill they had to work hard to perfect.
Kensy manoeuvred the bee right in front of Aurelia.
‘Oh,’ the girl gasped.
She was quite certain she’d read the woman’s words correctly: ‘Was it an accident, Tom? Was it really? What’s wrong with Claudia lately? She jumps at every shadow. She’s supposed to be all over this – it’s her job to avoid problems. She’s the only one who knows this car inside and out. I told Dad it was risky putting all his faith in her, even if she is a genius.’
Kensy quickly turned Ferdinand around so she could see Tom.
‘Of course it was an accident. I’ll talk to Claudia. She’ll fix it, don’t worry,’ he replied. ‘We all know how much is riding on this.’
Kensy felt as if she was playing tennis, zipping the tiny drone between players.
Aurelia folded her arms. ‘You know as well as I do that if we don’t get this right, it will be the end of everything!’
James Wolf planted his foot on the accelerator as he steered the sports car around the winding bends that led to his hillside villa. Several years ago, he’d had the opportunity to purchase a large parcel of land on the plateau above his home and subsequently spent millions building a private racetrack and factory. Portugal wasn’t known for car manufacturing, but James was about to change all that. It had proven a fantastic test site for his top-secret project – far from the glare of his competitors in Germany and the United States, though he had a feeling that lately there were eyes everywhere.
He hoped it had nothing to do with the problems that were plaguing his biggest rival, Zig Buzbee, founder and owner of Electrobee, aka EB Motors. There had been a spate of serious accidents involving EB’s electric vehicles in recent months – many of them unexplained and, tragically, some fatal.
With the launch of Wolf Motors’ first vehicle only a matter of weeks away, what had happened this afternoon had made James sick to his stomach. He had invested every last cent in the new company. An offshoot of Wolf Racing, James was confident that Wolf Motors was going to provide a reliable electric vehicle that was not only affordable, but aesthetically pleasing too – unlike Buzbee’s cars, which cost a fortune. He likened his project to the development of the Volkswagen Beetle in the 1930s – a vehicle that the ordinary man on the street could afford. That venture had been a massive success over many decades.
James’s vision was much the same, though the technology was cutting-edge. With the advent of electric cars, and his decision to move his entire racing team to Formula Electric a number of years ago, he wanted to use the same advances developed for the race cars in a low-priced vehicle. It would be his legacy – not only would the company provide attractive transport options, but by replacing millions of petrol and diesel cars with greener options, he’d be helping the planet too.
The Wolf Electra was James’s baby. Well, the concept was. The detailed design specs and engineering were the brainchild of Claudia Montez. A brilliant woman, she had been leading a very small team for several years now. But things kept going wrong, and in recent weeks they’d unexpectedly lost two of their best technicians.
First, Patrick had come to James citing that he just couldn’t cope with the pressure any longer and his marriage was about to implode unless he took some time out. Then Antonio had tendered his resignation with the claim that he needed to get home to Brazil to look after his sick mother. Both men were on strict non-compete clauses, meaning they were unable to work for anyone else for twelve months. James paid his team well, but unless the men had come into some money, he couldn’t imagine they’d be able to survive a whole year without any income.
Claudia herself had seemed off her game, which was the last thing the project could afford. Every time James had spoken to her, she’d fobbed him off saying that she was fine – just preoccupied with getting things right. He hoped that was the case. He needed the Wolf Electra to take the world by storm – otherwise everything he had worked for would be gone and at his age, he really didn’t think he could face the idea of starting over.
James sighed as he steered into the driveway of his villa. Two small white dogs were making their way through the fence from the Quinta da Rosa next door.
‘Not again,’ he said aloud, shaking his head. He wasn’t a fan of the woman who owned the place and even less so the steady stream of holiday makers who rented the villa for weeks on end over the summer.
James parked the silver Aston Martin in front of the garage and switched off the grumbling engine.
As he opened the car door he was greeted by the two dogs who, in the time it had taken for him to negotiate the long driveway, had run all the way to the house.
‘Steady on,’ he berated the pair, who were jumping at his knees. He’d have to take them home – if they crossed paths with Vincenzo, his cantankerous Siamese cat, there was likely to be serious damage. The puss had almost taken a Labradoodle’s eye out a while back and James certainly didn’t want to be wasting money paying other people’s vet bills.
The man crouched down and gave the dogs a pat, which stopped them leaping about.
‘So what are you two ragamuffins called, then?’ he said. Truth be told, he quite liked dogs and wouldn’t have minded getting one himself – perhaps when Vincenzo was no longer about.
He looked at the nametag on the collar of the first dog. ‘Wellington,’ he read aloud, then checked the second. ‘And Mackintosh. Clever. Someone’s having fun – Wellie and Mac.’
There was a number to call if the dogs were lost but he wouldn’t bother. It was just as easy to wander down the hill. Besides he needed to clear his mind. Perhaps a stroll would do him some good.
‘Come on then, you two,’ he said, looking up to see Vincenzo staring at them from the top of the vine-covered pergola. The feline’s ears were pricked and he was swishing his long tail slowly back and forth.
‘You stay right there, puss,’ James said, looking up at the cat. ‘I won’t be long.’
Cordelia Spencer glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. She’d been enjoying a solitary gin and tonic while waiting for the rest of the family, but they’d need to leave soon.
‘Ready,’ Max said as he entered the room.
Cordelia turned towards her grandson.
‘You look very handsome, darling,’ the woman said with a smile. She opened her arms for a cuddle and Max walked straight in.
The boy had changed into a pair of navy shorts, a white polo shirt and beige loafers. His hair was brushed to perfection and he had new glasses with navy rims that suited him very well.
‘I wish we’d known you when we were little, Granny,’ Max said, giving her an extra squeeze.
A tiny gasp escaped Cordelia’s lips. ‘Me too, darling, me too,’ she said and kissed the top of his head.
‘Will you come to the beach with us tomorrow?’ Max asked.
Cordelia nodded. ‘Yes, I think I might. Now where are the rest of them? We need to get going. I imagine a table for fifteen is probably half the restaurant seating. I don’t want the owner worried that we’re not going to turn up.’
She’d just finished speaking when, as if by magic, the entire party appeared – except Kensy, who had been intercepted by her mother on the stairs and ordered back to run a brush through her dishevelled hair.
‘Well, it looks like a lovely evening for a stroll,’ Cordelia said and ushered everyone towards the front door.
‘Don’t leave without me!’ Kensy called.
‘It’s all right, Kens – we’re walking,’ her father shouted back. ‘You can catch up. Just do your hair and make your mother happy.’
The temperature had dropped considerably in the past hour or so, thanks to a cooling breeze from the north. The garden quite literally sparkled in the twilight.
Mim and Cordelia strolled arm in arm along the driveway towards the road that led downhill to the village. Anna and Edward held hands, walking behind them. Max, Curtis and Autumn ran and skipped ahead before Kensy appeared, racing to catch up.
‘Did you really do your hair, young lady?’ Anna asked, shaking her head as Kensy charged past her.
‘Of course, Mum.’ Kensy spun around and called back. ‘It’s just that I’m hopeless at it.’
‘Could the twins be any more different?’ Fitz said.
‘It would be very dull if we were all exactly the same,’ Cordelia said.
Hector and Marisol glanced at one another and smiled.
‘One day, our granddaughter may realise that she is ’alf French. She ’as style in her blood,’ Marisol said.
Anna scoffed. ‘Oh Maman, you and I both know that is not true – especially when it comes to me.’
‘You do just fine, my dear,’ Marisol said, though she was wondering what had possessed her only child to pair a pink floral skirt with a navy striped T-shirt and those awful sandals, which looked as if they belonged in an orthopaedic surgery ward. Marisol turned and gave Song a nod. He reciprocated the gesture.
‘You know, Song, there are some lovely boutiques in the village,’ Marisol said. ‘Per’aps you would like to take Anna and me shopping and we can treat ourselves.’
‘It would be my great pleasure, Madame Clement,’ the man replied.
Marisol gave him a wink.
Anna saw the exchange but didn’t say a word. Really, she needed all the help she could get when it came to fashion, and these days she wasn’t too proud to admit it.
The family had just reached the gate when Max spotted Wellie and Mac in the distance. They were with a man who was striding towards them down the road, the dogs running at his feet.
‘Oh heavens, I wondered where those two were,’ Cordelia said. ‘I hope they haven’t been causing trouble. Why don’t you all go ahead? I’ll deal with the errant hounds and catch you up.’
‘I’ll stay with you, Granny,’ Kensy said. ‘I can run the dogs back to the house.’
‘Thank you, darling,’ the woman said. The rest of the group turned right, towards the village. The man and dogs approached down the road from the left.
‘Wellie, Mac!’ Kensy called. The pair sprinted to her.
The fellow kept walking towards them. ‘Look, I’d really appreciate it if you would keep those mutts off my property,’ he called when he was within earshot. ‘They’re lucky to still be in one piece. My cat doesn’t take kindly to intrud–’ He stopped mid-sentence.
Cordelia stared at him. ‘Hello James. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?’ the woman said, a twinkle in her eye.
The man looked as if he was about to fall over. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. ‘Cordelia. What a lovely surprise.’ Though from the strange tone in his voice it didn’t sound like he meant it.
‘Is it?’ Cordelia asked, arching an eyebrow. She was glad that the others had gone ahead, especially Mim.
Cordelia was aware of Kensy watching as the pair considered one another. An awkward silence hung in the air until the woman spoke.
‘James, this is my granddaughter, Kensington Spencer. Kensy, meet Mr Wolf,’ Cordelia introduced the pair.
‘You’re the racing man,’ Kensy said, stepping forward and offering her hand. He looked younger in real life.
‘Indeed I am,’ he said with a frown. ‘But how on earth would you know that?’
‘We saw you before –’ Kensy began, then stopped suddenly, realising that she shouldn’t say a word.
Cordelia saved her. ‘In the distance with the dogs. I must apologise for their antics. They’re used to wandering about at home.’
‘I’m still intrigued as to how a young girl would know anything about an old man like me,’ James said. He wasn’t letting this go.
‘Um, I like cars – racing cars especially,’ Kensy said. She hoped that he wasn’t going to press further, as her knowledge of Formula One and Formula Electric was scant – not much more than what Curtis had told them this afternoon, really.
‘Did you hear that explosion earlier, Mr Wolf?’ Kensy asked, subtly turning the tables on him, Cordelia was proud to note. ‘And see the smoke. Do you know what it was? We were so worried.’
The man shook his head. ‘I’m afraid I’ve been in Lisbon this afternoon. I’m sure it was nothing to worry about.’
Kensy gave her grandmother a sneaky side eye.
‘What are you doing in this neck of the woods?’ James asked bluntly.
Cordelia glanced back at the villa. ‘Kensy, would you mind taking the dogs to the house, please?’
Kensy hesitated for a second. ‘Of course,’ she said, though she clearly would have preferred to stay. There was something in her grandmother’s voice that told her things were about to get interesting. ‘It was nice to meet you, Mr Wolf,’ she said, then called Wellie and Mac, who happily skipped after her down the driveway.
‘We’re here on a family holiday, James. The whole family – minus Rupert, but everyone else,’ Cordelia said.
‘Everyone?’ he repeated.
‘Yes.’ The woman nodded.
‘Well, you keep your dogs on your side of the fence and I’m sure that we won’t cross paths again,’ he said, then mumbled, ‘I’ve got enough to worry about at the moment.’
Cordelia glared. ‘After all these years, that’s what you’ve got to say to me?’
‘I don’t know what else you expect,’ the man said, sounding exasperated. ‘I’ve kept up my end of the agreement. I’ve never breathed a word to anyone.’
‘And I appreciate that, James,’ Cordelia said, narrowing her eyes. ‘I just thought you might want to get something off your chest.’
James scoffed. ‘It was forty years ago. I made my choices,’ the man said, his voice dropping. ‘I left my wife. I left my best friend in the world and I pursued my own selfish career. Don’t get me wrong – I loved it. Being the Formula One World Champion comes with perks you cannot imagine but . . . ’ He sighed.
‘You could have stayed. Dominic would have supported you,’ Cordelia replied crossly. ‘After F1 you could have worked in-house on our own engineering programs. You should see the track we have these days at Alexandria, and Esmeralda – my goodness, she’s come a long way from the old banger who taught you to drive.’
The man shook his head, as if to clear it. ‘The spy world was my parents’ passion. I was born into it – that didn’t mean I wanted to be part of it,’ James said. He glanced at the driveway. ‘Your granddaughter is coming back and I need to get home. I’ve got a lot on my mind.’
‘Anything I can help with?’ Cordelia asked. Though seeing James had been a somewhat unwelcome surprise, she couldn’t turn her back on one of their own, no matter how much water had passed under the bridge.
‘No,’ he said. ‘But thank you for the offer.’ Kensy reached her grandmother and slipped her hand into the woman’s.
‘You’re looking well, Cordelia,’ James said. He gave her a smile.
‘You too.’ Cordelia nodded. ‘I don’t expect we’ll bump into you again anytime soon?’
Although she had phrased the remark as a question, Cordelia and James both knew it was more a directive.
‘Probably not,’ the man replied. But Cordelia could tell from the slight furrow on her granddaughter’s brow that Kensy didn’t feel that was the last they’d be seeing of him either.
Ella Spurling stretched her arms above her head and took a deep breath. Sitting in her father’s old leather chair in the study that was once his made things all the more difficult. Everything Ella had ever done, was to please her daddy, and now he was gone. She missed him more than words could explain, but she would have hated for him to have seen the current state of things.
