New Directions (2)

I’d seen Dev Mullur around at the auctions. We were on nodding terms. I could see by the properties he bid on he had a pretty long list. Never going for the ones that would take months to get ready for tenants or turn out to be a bottomless money pit – you soon learn how to spot those. He liked solid places that only need updating or redecorating. He took his time. A regular at auctions he rarely bought, but if he saw something he liked he’d pay well for it.

Early last week at an auction in Cambridge a small group who seemed to know each other were bidding for everything that came up, most of which were derelicts. They were likely local builders. I decided to leave early. Dev must’ve had the same idea. As I was about leave the room he came out from behind a couple of tall punters and we passed into the reception area side by side. He touch my upper arm.

‘Excuse me are you Mr James?’ he said. He kept his voice low. It was a light mid-range one without the accent I’d imagined he spoke with. I stopped and turned around too quickly for him. I noticed him flinch and take a half step back.

‘That’s me.’ I chose a smile. I don’t know what he was expecting, but from the relief on his face it wasn’t that.

For a second he stood looking at me through a pair of rimless glasses his eyes, dark as a bar of pure chocolate, flickered from left to right. He had a head of thick black hair obediently swept back and trimmed neatly around his small ears. His round pleasant-brown face had a slightly curved nose over two full red-brown lips, which ventured the beginnings of a smile. I guessed forty-five. I’m not particularly tall but he’s quite short about five-eight, he had to look up. He’s overweight, but not unhealthily. Losing a few pounds would be a good idea though.

‘I hope you do not mind me button holing you like this, but I’d like to speak with you.’

‘I can’t say I’ve ever been button holed before. It doesn’t seem to hurt.’

Dipping his hand into his blazer’s top pocket he held out a business card. I took it without glancing at it. ‘My name is Dev Mullur. We use the same letting agent.’ he said and added, as if to remind me what letting agent I used, “Daniels and Son.”’

My, ‘Oh?’ didn’t attempt to hide disinterest.

Sensing that he sped up. ‘I have forty-six properties with Daniels. I have a problem with one—‘

‘Better speak to Daniels,’ I cut in. ‘Isn’t that what we pay’em for?’

‘No, no. Not all my properties are placed with them. I have a problem with one of the other ones. I heard you might be able to help me.’

‘It’ll depend on the condition and price if you want me to help you. I am on the lookout though.’ His face went blank then his rupee dropped.

‘Ooh, no no no. I don’t want to sell it.’ His eyes widened like the very idea of selling anything would cause him physical pain. The slight smile he wore exploded into a nervous chattering laugh. He had teeth white enough to shame a photo model.

‘This is a rather more delicate problem. Um it’s about a tenant.’

‘Can’t help you then, Mate.’

Glancing around the empty space he held up a hand and said in a half whisper, ‘She’s overdue on payment.’

‘Like I said, I can’t help you, Mr, um? . . . Looks like you need to talk to a solicitor.’ I waited for him to say his name again. It didn’t come. The mention of a she made me think he had some kind of tangled marriage problem, several options passed through my dirty mind.

‘Oh I don’t want to make it a legal issue—‘

‘I’d say it already is.’

Dev placed a hand on my wrist, ‘Mr James, I think you have misunderstood. Could we perhaps have a chat over some lunch? It’s difficult to go into detail here.’

The day had been a waste of time, there was nothing for me to do other than drive seventy miles back home. Getting a free pint and a bite to eat with a bloke I hardly knew wouldn’t normally push any buttons but Dev’s vague air desperation triggered the one marked curiosity. He didn’t seem the panicky type.