The phone interrupted Peter.
"You're wanted. It's urgent and I can't handle this one." Mark sounded worried.
"I'll be back in a minute." Peter tossed the words back at Jennifer and Andrew as he charged down the stairs to his office. Mark held out the phone. It was Susie calling from next door.
"Get in there and fight. I saw her enter the workshop. You know she's special, so fight for her."
"I am fighting for her, and yes, she certainly is special." Peter threw in a quick reply but Susie had ended the call before she heard his words.
With Susie's message etched into his brain Peter returned upstairs.
"What are you doing for the rest of the day, Andrew?" Peter asked casually. His tone of voice revealed that he had warmed to Andrew although he found it hard to believe that this calm, mature man was the same age as Jennifer.
"I'll be with Jennifer all day but tonight I'm free. Perhaps we could all go to Chinatown."
"No." Peter interrupted. "You're both my guests." He was going to impress Andrew who would prove a valuable ally if Peter were to win Jennifer.
"How would you both like an Indian meal such as you've never had in your life? Promise it won't burn your throat out. Alternatively, you may prefer perhaps Chinese or Thai. You decide."
"Shall we say an Indian meal?" Jennifer spoke for them both. "I'll bring Andrew around to your place at 7.30."
Enjoying her position as boss of the two men in her life, she was all smiles.
"Wait a bit and I'll check." Peter dashed down the stairs again and called Joe over. "That car you mentioned. You said it followed Andrew and Jennifer on Saturday. Is it outside, today?"
"Yes." Joe grinned, reinforcing how astute a thinker he was, as he continued, "I knew you'd want to deal with it so I have a car ready for you to drive straight out of the workshop to 'road test'. It has more than enough power to keep with the car which is following Jennifer and her brother, no matter how fast they go."
The car Joe had standing ready was an ex-police pursuit car he had purchased for re-sale. It was in the workshop for detailing.
"Good man. What would I do without you?" Peter rested his hand on Joe's shoulder for a second and they grinned at each other.
Joe always enjoyed a new challenge.
Back with Andrew and Jennifer, Peter voiced his thoughts. "Right, that's fixed." He walked with them to Jennifer's car. "See you tonight."
Immediately they left, Peter was in Joe's car following the three men who seemed to have such an interest in Jennifer and Andrew. For the remainder of the day he tailed them.
It was a strange procession. Jennifer and Andrew in her green Mini Cooper-S followed by three large men, all generously tattooed and driving a Toyota Camry, followed in turn by Peter in Joe's ex-police chase car.
From his position in the rear, Peter was well placed to observe the dynamics. When Andrew left the car, no one was interested. Whenever Jennifer left one of the tattooed men followed her, leaving Peter satisfied that they were extremely interested in only Jennifer. It was late when he finally rushed home to shower, shave and change before hustling to meet his guests.
Waiting for her outside his apartment, he watched Jennifer's car pull into the curb and noticed the strange car kill its lights before stopping further up the street.
It was still on her tail.
Jennifer didn't care that it was a crush with two big men in the Mini. She had her two men with her and was delighted. Peter gave directions and spent most of his time turning to talk with Andrew in the back while watching the headlights behind, as that strange car seemed glued to them.
At the restaurant, Jennifer handed the car keys to the car park valet.
Dressed in the uniform of one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army, the Madras Regiment, the Indian recognized Peter as he clambered from their small car. In an instant, he drew himself to attention and threw Peter a military salute, greeting him in Tamil.
Without any hesitation, Peter snapped to attention and replied in Tamil.
Another Indian, also in the uniform of the Madras Regiment, led them to their table and he likewise saluted Peter before arranging their seating. The military bearing of the man and his crisp salute showed he was no ordinary Indian.
Jennifer wasn't surprised but her brother seemed nonplussed.
"The sahib shall sit here. Memsahib, you sit here beside the sahib, and the little sahib will sit here." The Indian held the chair for Andrew.
Jennifer couldn't help laughing at the look on her brother's face. The little sahib was shocked at his new title.
When the waitress arrived, -- all dark eyes and beautiful sari - Peter stood to place his hands together in an attitude of prayer, bowing slightly before greeting her in Tamil.
Even Jennifer was surprised - particularly as he began to talk rattle-fire Tamil while the waitress nodded her head, writing the order on her pad. As she walked away, he called, "And add three bottles of ice cold Kingfisher."
"Kingfisher?" Andrew was surprised.
"A Goan beer which is tart enough for an Indian meal," Peter replied.
"Jennifer," Andrew demanded more information, "You said this man was wonderful but you didn't say how wonderful." He laughed and patted her shoulder when, overcome by confusion, she didn't know how to answer.
The Goan Prawns, the Goan beer, indeed the whole meal was outstanding and Jennifer noticed Peter didn't bother reading the bill but merely slid notes into the waitress's hands. He seemed preoccupied and anxious to get them back into the car and away.
As Jennifer pulled into the circular driveway of his apartment block, Peter could see that mystery car still following them. He knew he would have to ask some questions.
"Give security your keys, Jennifer. They'll park the car for you and we can just go without a worry." The grimness in Peter's voice brooked no argument as he'd seen that car pull out and begin to swoop down on them.
He rushed his two guests into the foyer and they were soon in the safety of his apartment.
