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generously.
    “Thanks love, I
can always rely on you for a compliment,” I said with a
chuckle.
    “You know me
Sophe, I say it how it is. What’s the matter?”
    I loved Bennie.
She was great at reading people and especially good at reading me.
She never skirted around the issue she just got straight to the
point. This approach worked for me, I wasn’t big on small talk.
    “Oh, I’ve just
been working hard and it was the anniversary of Katie’s death at
the weekend.” I wanted to add that mine and Toby’s lives were
possibly in danger but I was going to have to build myself up to
that.
    “I did try and
call you on Sunday,” Bennie said apologetically, “but the phone at
the ranch we were staying at was on the blink and then I had to
catch my flight. Well, you know how it is,” she said, seeking my
forgiveness.
    I understood
and I certainly didn’t hold it against her. “Don’t worry hun, I
know it’s not easy when you’re in the middle of nowhere. Let’s eat
before this gets cold.” She followed me into the kitchen and I got
the plates out of the oven. Bennie started to dish out the
food.
    It smelt
fantastic, MSG or no MSG, Chinese food was my favourite. I put the
wine Bennie had brought in the fridge and took out the bottle I’d
put in there earlier.
    “Shall we eat
it in the lounge in front of the fire?” I suggested, pouring us
both a glass. I knew I didn’t have to stand on ceremony with Ben,
eating off our laps was standard practice.
    “Yes please,
it’s taking me a little while to adjust to the change in climate,”
she replied with a shiver. “It’s supposed to be the rainy season in
Kenya but it was unseasonably hot and dry.”
    “That’s global
warming for you,” I said with a wry smile.
    I balanced the
prawn crackers on my plate and carried my wine in the other hand. I
had already pushed the sofa nearer to the log burner and we both
perched on the edge of our seats balancing our plates on our knees.
Not surprisingly Mungo made an appearance at the smell of the
food.
    “Mungo, mind my
drink.” I put my hand down to shield the wine glass by my foot but
he took no notice. It wasn’t the wine he was interested in and
before I could stop him he stole a prawn cracker from the bowl I’d
put on the floor.
    “In your bed!”
I growled and he reluctantly obliged. As far as he was concerned it
had been worth the risk. He skulked off, his tongue smacking at his
lips.
    “Mungo still
looking after his figure I see,” Bennie said as she twirled some
noodles around her fork. I nodded and rolled my eyes. I’d have
answered if I hadn’t just put a forkful of rice in my mouth. I
swallowed. “How was your trip?”
    “Yeah good, the
lion cubs were adorable. I love filming them, they seem to know how
to play to the cameras. We got some really good footage.” Bennie
loved her job.
    “Doesn’t it
ever worry you, being so close to lions that one could rip your
throat out as soon as look at you, especially when they’ve got
young?”
    “I don’t really
think about it, I’m too busy trying to get the right shot, besides
we always have rangers with tranquilizer guns at the ready,” she
explained.
    “I don’t think
I could do it,” I confessed sipping my wine. I felt uneasy at the
lion enclosure at the zoo, somehow the fencing never seemed robust
enough.
    “How’s the shop
going?” Bennie asked.
    My life seemed
mundane in comparison, although the recent turn of events had
brought some unwelcome excitement. I willed myself to tell Bennie
about Ahran’s visit but bottled it at the last minute. “The shop’s
doing well even the locals are catching onto the idea of the
Panini.”
    Bennie
chuckled. “I bet you haven’t converted Mrs Groombridge.”
    “You’re right,
I haven’t,” I replied. “She continues to eye them with nothing but
suspicion. She’d never stray from a toasted teacake and a cup of
strong tea,” I said as I bit into a prawn ball. “Have you heard
anything from