Isle of Waves Read Online Free PDF Page A

talking to Nibs? He’s one of the enemy.”
    Liam looked alarmed. “Do you want me to go out there?”
    “No, don’t worry. Just make the tea.”
    “Do you want me to poison it?”
    “You don’t know how close I am to saying yes.” Wig pushed through the double doors into the kitchen to find Skandik.
    Chrissie, Mattie, and Jim were cooking and plating; Paul and Skandik were talking in one corner, standing close together.
    Mattie smiled at him. “Morning, Wig.”
    He kissed her on the cheek. “Morning, Mattie, darling. Thank you for helping us.”
    “No worries. Are you and Nibs okay?”
    “Just fine,” he said absently. “I need to talk to Skandik.”
    Skandik dragged his attention away from Paul. “What can I do for you?”
    “One of the men responsible for the break-in is talking to Nibs on the decking. He wants an unknown pair of ears out there.”
    “I’ll go now.”
    “I’ll bring you out some food,” Paul said. He reached up to kiss Skandik and pushed him out the door.
    Skandik settled in one of the outside tables before Wig returned to Nibs with the pot of green tea that Liam had prepared, plus two cups of tea for them. He could see by the dark, flashing look in his eyes that Nibs was furious.
    Sawar curled his lip. “If that’s the speed of your service, no wonder your restaurant is failing.”
    “If I’d had my way, you’d be wearing the tea, not drinking it,” Wig said sweetly and sat down next to Nibs who gave his thigh a warning squeeze.
    Sawar muttered something Wig was sure wasn’t complimentary.
    Nibs took a long sip of tea, then said, “Mr. Sawar was laying out his business plan to buy us out. He feels as we’ve had so many problems with ‘unknown’ criminals, it’s worth half of what he originally offered.”
    Wig’s smile got more saccharine. “Looks like Mr. Sawar has an excellent sense of humor. First of all, we’re not thinking of selling, and secondly, the place is worth double what he offered last time.”
    “Triple,” Nibs said.
    “I suggest you take this seriously. I might not be so generous next time.” Sawar was not impressed by the byplay.
    Wig caught sight of the worried look on Skandik’s face and decided not to snap back with a smart reply.
    Sawar left soon after with another veiled threat, and Wig, Nibs, and Skandik retreated to the restaurant. The morning rush disappeared along with Colin, who’d hung up his apron with relief and left to find his girlfriend. Chrissie had to get back to her pub, but she’d promised to call later to discuss a long-term solution to their problems. Mattie and Jim offered to clear up but Wig could see Nibs wanted his kitchen back. Sam had promised to come back later on to work his magic with the crowd again, but Liam needed a sleep, and Sam didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to sleep with him.
    Nibs and Skandik disappeared into the kitchen to prepare for lunch, and Wig tidied the restaurant, with the assistance of Paul. Wig’s OCD winced at the mismatched crockery on the table, even as he thanked God for his friends’ support.
    They worked in silence for a few minutes, and then Paul said, “I spoke to Sergeant Biggs this morning. No news, but he was interested in Sawar’s little visit. Do you get many of those?”
    “A few.” Wig threw cutlery onto the table and watched it skid across and fall off the other side. He walked around to pick up the spoon and fork, then placed them to one side for cleaning. “He drops in to threaten us on a regular basis. Either him or one of his cousins who work for him.”
    Paul hummed and carried on bussing the tables. “Have they ever threatened you with physical harm?”
    Wig thought back for a few minutes. “Not actual physical harm. It’s more threats to the business. When they first moved in they were very friendly, but it changed when we refused to sell up. I wish we’d said yes when they first asked.”
    “Do you?”
    Wig looked up to see Nibs come out of the kitchen.