Page 107 of Fe
“Is it supposed to do that?”
“Yes.” Ripley put his palm over the top of the glass.
“Ouch. What are you doing?”
“Doesn’t burn. Look.” He showed Fen his hand. “No fuel for the flame.”
“Okay. Why three coffee beans?”
“They represent health, happiness and prosperity. The flame toasts the beans.” Ripley took a drink. “Have a taste.” He handed the glass to Fen who sipped it.
“It’s nice.”
“Do you want one?”
“No. I’ll probably tip the glass over, flames will shoot up my arm, and my hair will catch fire followed by the room. Could you have picked a more dangerous drink?”
Ripley laughed.
When they were back in the living room, Ripley introduced Fen to a sharp-suited man in his forties.
“Billy, meet Fen. Fen, this is Billy.”
“The most important person in chambers,” Fen said. “Good to meet you.”
Billy’s lips quirked. “Did he pay you to say that?”
“Damn it, you’d have paid me!” Fen glared at Ripley.
“Always best to get the money settled first,” Billy said, then turned to Ripley. “I’ve heard decisions over silk are being made soon.”
“How do you manage to hear everything before anyone else?”
“It’s a skill. One you wish you had.”
“True. You couldn’t persuade William to come tonight?”
“He’d rather be tied to a chair with his eyes taped open and be forced to watch Match of the Day while being fed plain Pringles.”
Fen chuckled. “But the meal was lovely and my interrogation was quite gentle really.”
“Ah, you didn’t warn him of what’s to come, Mr Belmont?”
Fen clapped his hands to his cheeks. “Do we play Monopoly? Truth or Dare? Twister? Swap partners? Have an orgy? Do dangerous experiments?”
Both Ripley and Billy gaped at him.
“Which one is worrying you?” Fen asked.
“All of them,” Ripley and Billy said together.
“Particularly Monopoly,” Billy added. “This lot are cutthroat. Present company not excepted.”
“Matthew and his wife like to come up with something different for entertainment after dinner,” Ripley said. “And everyone has to take part. One year itwasTruth or Dare—that got ugly. You’d think lawyers would know better. Whoever wins gets an exclusive week in August at the Armstrongs’ fully serviced villa in Malaga, which is on a golf course and has a tennis court. And that prize includes private travel there and back.”
“Seriously?” Fen gaped at him.
“Mr Burns has won for the last two years,” Billy said.
