A Prisoner Of Birth

'That's good to hear,' said Danny. 'Oh, and should you ever decide to sell this house… '

'My home?' said Davenport. 'No, never. Out of the question, don't even think about it.'

He closed the front door as if he'd been dealing with a tradesman.

CHAPTER SIXTY

DANNY READ THE report in The Times as Molly poured him a black coffee.

An exchange which had taken place on the floor of the House between the Minister of Sport and Billy Cormack, the Member for Stratford South, was tucked in at the end of the paper's Parliamentary report.

Cormack (Lab., Stratford South): 'Can the minister confirm that she has shortlisted two sites for the proposed Olympic velodrome?'

Minister: 'Yes I can, and I'm sure my honorable friend will be delighted to learn that the site in his constituency is one of the two still under consideration.'

Cormack: 'I thank the minister for her reply. Is she aware that the president of the British Cycling Federation has written to me pointing out that his committee voted unanimously in favor of the site in my constituency?'

Minister: 'Yes I am, partly because my honorable friend kindly sent me a copy of that letter (laughter). Let me assure him that I shall take the views of the British Cycling Federation very seriously before I make my final decision.'

Andrew Crawford (Con., Stratford West): 'Does the minister realize that this news will not be welcomed in my constituency, where the other shortlisted site is located, as we have plans to build a new leisure center on that land, and never wanted the velodrome in the first place?'

Minister: 'I will take the honorable member's views into consideration before I make my final decision.'

Molly placed two boiled eggs in front of Danny just as his mobile phone rang. He wasn't surprised to see Payne's name flash up on the little screen, although he hadn't expected him to call quite so early. He flicked open the mobile and said, 'Good morning.'

'Morning, Nick. Sorry to ring at this hour, but I wondered if you'd read the Parliamentary report in the Telegraph?'

'I don't take the Telegraph,' said Danny, 'but I have read the ministerial exchange in The Times. What's your paper saying?'

'That the president of the British Cycling Federation has been invited to address the Olympic Sites Committee next week, four days before the minister makes her final decision. Apparently it's no more than a formality-an inside source has told the Telegraph that the minister is only waiting for the surveyor's report before she confirms her decision.'

'The Times has roughly the same story,' said Danny.

'But that isn't why I phoned,' said Payne. 'I wanted you to know that I've already had a call from the Swiss this morning and they've turned down your offer of four million.'

'Hardly surprising, given the circumstances,' said Danny.

'But,' said Payne, 'they made it clear that they would accept six mil, as long as the full amount is paid before the minister announces her final decision in ten days' time.'

'That's still a no-brainer,' said Danny. 'But I've got some news too, and I'm afraid mine is not so good. My bank's not willing to advance me the full amount right now.'

'But why not?' said Payne. 'Surely they can see what an opportunity this is?'

'Yes, they can, but they still consider it's a risk. Perhaps I should have warned you that I'm a little overstretched at the moment, with one or two other projects that aren't going quite as well as I'd hoped.'

'But I thought you made a killing on the Mile End Road site?'

'It didn't turn out quite as well as I anticipated,' said Danny. 'I ended up with a profit of just over three hundred thousand. And as I told Gary Hall some time ago, my last agent let me down rather badly, and I'm now having to pay the price for his lack of judgment.'

'So how much can you put up?' asked Payne.

'A million,' said Danny. 'Which means that we'll be five million short, so I fear the deal is off.'

A long silence followed, during which Danny sipped his coffee and removed the tops of his two eggs.

'Nick, I don't suppose you'd allow me to offer this deal to some of my other clients?'

'Why not,' said Danny, 'remembering all the work you've put in. I'm just livid that I can't put up all the capital for the best deal I've come across for years.'

'That's very magnanimous of you,' said Payne. 'I won't forget it. I owe you one.'

'You sure do,' said Danny as he snapped his mobile closed.

He was just about to attack his egg when the phone rang again. He checked the screen to see if he could ask whoever was calling to ring back later, but realized he couldn't when the word voice flashed up. He opened the phone and listened.

'We've already had several calls this morning with offers for your site, including one of eight million. What do you want me to do about Mr. Payne?'

'You'll be getting a call from him making an offer of six million. You will accept his offer,' Danny said before the voice could comment, 'on two conditions.'

'Two conditions,' repeated the voice.

'He must deposit six hundred thousand with the bank before close of business today and he must also pay the full amount before the minister makes her announcement in ten days' time.'

'I'll call you back once he's been in touch,' said the voice.

Danny looked down at a prison yolk. 'Molly, could you boil me another couple of eggs?'

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

SPENCER CRAIG LEFT chambers at five o'clock, as it was his turn to host the quarterly Musketeers' dinner. They still got together four times a year despite the fact that Toby Mortimer was no longer with them. The fourth dinner had become known as the Memorial Dinner.

Craig always used outside caterers so that he didn't have to worry about preparing the meal or the clearing up afterward, although he did like to select the wine himself, and to sample the food before the first guest arrived. Gerald had rung him earlier in the day to say that he had some exciting news to share with the team that could change their whole lives.

Craig would never forget the previous occasion when a meeting of the Musketeers had changed their whole lives, but since Danny Cartwright had hanged himself, no one had ever referred to the subject again. Craig thought about his fellow Musketeers as he drove home. Gerald Payne had gone from strength to strength in his firm, and now that he had been selected for a safe Conservative seat in Sussex, he looked certain to be a Member of Parliament whenever the Prime Minister called the next election. Larry Davenport appeared more relaxed recently, and had even paid back the ten thousand pounds Craig had lent him a couple of years ago, which he hadn't expected to see again; perhaps Larry also had something to tell the team. Craig had his own piece of news to share with the Musketeers this evening, and although it was no more than he had expected, it was nevertheless gratifying.

The briefs had picked up again as he continued to win cases, and his appearance at the Danny Cartwright trial was becoming a hazy memory that most of his colleagues could hardly recall-with one exception. His private life remained patchy, to say the least: the occasional one-night stand, but other than Larry's sister, there was no one he wanted to see a second time. However, Sarah Davenport had made it all too clear that she wasn't interested,