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‘Hello, Mr Kaden. How are you? We haven’t seen you here for some time,’ the barman greeted with a smile.
‘Try about five years.’
‘How’s everything with you?’
‘Good thanks. Listen, I’m meant to be meeting with Eric Lawson-Peck tonight. Has he arrived yet?’
‘Sure. He’s in his office. It’s on the fourth floor.’
‘His office?’
‘Yes.’ The barman put a bottle of beer on the bar.
‘His office?’ Nicholas repeated.
‘Yes. Mr Lawson-Peck owns the President’s Lounge. Take the door at the end of this room and take the lift to the fourth floor.’
Nicholas took a swig of his beer then crossed the room.
He caught the lift and when the doors opened, there were two large, black men, dressed in tuxedos, stood outside waiting for him.
‘Mr Kaden,’ the larger of the two men greeted.
‘Hey.’
‘If you wouldn’t mind removing all the metal you’re carrying and holding your arms out. Just for a weapons check.’
‘A weapons check?’
‘Yes, sir, it’s just routine. If you wouldn’t mind.’ The smaller man produced a scanning machine.
Nicholas took off his watch and removed his car keys from his pocket. He handed them to the large man, then held his arms out for the smaller man to run the machine up, down and around him like a wand.
The machine let out a loud beep.
‘A belt buckle. Sorry, forgot.’
The smaller man parted the jacket of Nicholas’ suit and revealed the offending item. He then patted Nicholas down from shoulders to toe and even looked inside his socks.
‘Thank you, Mr Kaden. It’s this way.’ The larger man gave Nicholas his valuables back.
The two men led him down the corridor and they stopped at a thick set of double doors. The larger man pressed a button and spoke into an intercom.
‘Mr Lawson-Peck, I have Mr Kaden. Are you ready for him?’
There was silence for a time and then the reply came.
‘Show him in, Fraser.’
There was a buzz. Fraser pushed open the door and the smaller man indicated for Nicholas to follow, while he brought up the rear.
He stepped into the room. There were glass windows at the far end, with a fantastic view of the city below. A big desk sat just in front of that, with a chair either side and a bookcase full of leather-bound books on one wall. There was no one else there.
‘Wait here,’ Fraser ordered, pulling out the chair from the desk.
Nicholas did as he was told and sat down while the two men went back through the room and left.
He was just contemplating standing back up again when a sudden movement to his right made him turn. The bookcase rotated and Eric Lawson-Peck appeared in the room.
