Ribblestrop

Read Ribblestrop for Free Online

Book: Read Ribblestrop for Free Online
Authors: Andy Mulligan
and firing into the air. The second bodyguard was behind Ruskin but ten meters away: his training was in karate and he knew from bitter experience that assassins are better living than dead. He cartwheeled dramatically over the one table that was in his path before landing heavily on Ruskin, feet first. As he fell he pinched the schoolboy’s neck and shoulders between his legs, locking his feet in the famous “Kiss of the Scissors.” The third bodyguard unloaded his machine gun, raking the doors and windows just above the heads of Millie, Sam, and the head waiter. The explosions of glass had just the desired effect: everyone dived to the ground and lay still, hands over their heads.
    Amazingly, nobody screamed. The shock was so total that apart from the orgy of breaking glass, the whole drama was performed in silence. Andreas Sanchez was the one to break the silence. Luckily for Ruskin, his purple, suffocating face was just in the boy’s sightline, and he said simply: “Hey! It’s my friend! It’s Ruskin!”
    *
    Emilio Esteverre Sanchez was not a man to feel foolish and a millionaire’s sense of humor tends to be contagious. When he started to laugh, the other guests started to laugh. Gunfire was not unknown in Benders—the waiters took it in their stride and a case of champagne hastily distributed round the other tables soon greased the wheels of apology. Like a scene change in a fast-moving play, tables were righted and relaid; brooms swept away debris with lightning efficiency; and Ruskin was soon in a chair, head between his knees.
    â€œ ¿Qué pasa? ” said Mr. Sanchez to his son. He switched to Colombian-Spanish when speed was essential.
    â€œ Es un buen amigo, padre .”
    â€œ El gordito! ¿Un amigo? ”
    â€œ Si! Empezó el trimestre pasado, como yo. No haría daño a una mosca, es un caballero! ”
    â€œ Ai, soy un idiota! ”
    Sam and Millie looked at each other, wondering if they really had entered a movie. Guns were replaced in shoulder holsters, and a man was babbling into a walkie-talkie. A pianist appeared and started to play.
    Millie said: “What the hell is this?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Sam replied. “But I think that’s the boy I was hearing about.”
    â€œRuskin,” said Sanchez. “You never met my father! Come and meet him.”
    Jacob Ruskin looked up but couldn’t focus on very much. He was helped to his feet. Hands dusted the dirt and glass from his blazer, and a chair was thrust under his backside.
    â€œMr. Sanchez?” panted Ruskin. “I’m so sorry I disturbed your meal.”
    Mr. Sanchez erupted in laughter. “Look at this!” he shouted. “Does anybody believe this, eh? He comes all the way to see my son, to say hello, and what do we do? We nearly shoot him in the head! How many lives you got, my friend?”
    â€œI don’t know. One less, I suppose!”
    â€œOne less, he says!” There were peals of laughter. “Thank God—imagine! Only, no, let’s not even think. Again, you see, God is watching. And friends, more of them. Look, join us here. Everybody, come and eat. Sit!”
    Introductions were made. Hands were shaken and cheeks were kissed. The language rippled from English to Spanish and back to English; suddenly there was champagne in everyone’s glass, and Ruskin’s proper color slowly returned.
    â€œSo you mean,” said Mr. Sanchez, “this is a total coincidence, uh? Absolutely no plan, no rendezvous? And you the boy I wanted to meet, you the very good friend of my son, the one who is looking after him?”
    The laughter rose up louder still and spread, it seemed, to other diners. The pianist grew hysterical in his playing.
    â€œListen, all of you,” he said. “Sammy, and . . . whass your name? I forget, I’m sorry . . .” He was looking at Millie.
    â€œMillie,”

Similar Books

Cochrane

Donald Thomas

Spook's Secret (wc-3)

Joseph Delaney

Unstoppable

Nick Vujicic

Will of Steel

Diana Palmer

Cutter's Hope

A.J. Downey

Aaaiiieee

Jeffrey Thomas