walked past tables full of youths eating heartily. Stephen steered her to the serving hatches.
Lifting her head, she caught his eye, holding his gaze for several seconds too long. David stood behind the counter, dishing up sausage, egg and chips, to a line of giggly youths.
‘You made it?’ he said when he finished serving his latest hungry mouth. A few youths in the line winked at him, elbowing each other in the ribs, knowingly.
He took off his apron and handed it to one of the other servers, quickly stepping through to the dining room. ‘Time for the grand tour.’ His face was calm, yet wary, as they were joined by a guide.
‘Who are all these people?’ she asked David, genuinely curious.
‘They’re either current or ex-gang members. This is what Alan Inglebrook does. It’s why someone is trying to shut him down! You needed to see it for yourself.’
‘What’s this for?’ Taylor walked into a side room, set out in rows with desks.
‘It’s our classroom,’ the guide said easily.
An elderly man was placing a set of papers on each desk. ‘Good afternoon,’ he smiled jovially, as his three chins, just like Kevin’s, wobbled in unison.
The guide introduced them quickly, before moving on, to individual counseling rooms, a games room and Internet suite. After an hour of introductions and talking to several of the youths, it was clear to Taylor that they didn’t know David personally.
At the end of their tour, they were shown into a counseling room, set with places for two.
‘They don’t know you here, so what’s your involvement?’ she challenged him.
‘Is this on or off the record, Taylor?’ His eyes blazed into hers, making her squirm in her seat.
‘Our deal was off the record. That stands until seven tonight. I don’t break my promises.’
‘In that case, I bankroll it. We show youths an alternative style of life, giving them experiences and challenges they could never hope to have, if they experiment with dangerous life choices.’
A knock at the door broke her gaze, while two young boys dressed in chef whites walked in with bowls of steaming lentil soup and fresh bread. Her napkin was shaken out and placed gently in her lap, while the soup was proudly placed in front of her.
Taylor flashed a bright smile at the boy who served her. ‘Did you make this?’ He nodded repeatedly; keen to impress this unexpected VIP, then turned and left them alone. Her eyes misted as the realization of what Alan was actually doing sunk in. He was giving these youths the chance to learn valuable skills. Ones they could use in the workplace.
‘Why doesn’t he just tell them? If his lawyers knew about this, he’d find it easier to fight the charges against him.’
‘He can’t Taylor. If what he’s doing gets out, it’ll be shut down. He’s keeping quiet to let these kids have a chance at a good life.’
‘Can’t you do anything?’
‘Jack Collins has it in for him. He’s a powerful man, and not one to be crossed. We’re working behind the scenes to try and free Alan, but if he won’t help himself, there’s not much we can do.’
‘What about the murders?’
‘I honestly don’t know, but they seem to have stopped.’ She scanned his face, looking for anything that might give away a lie. She couldn’t find anything. In the way she distrusted Jack, every nerve ending in her body was telling her to trust David.
Their waiters returned, clearing away the soup plates and serving up a main course of Caesar Salad.
‘Are you David Burton?’ One of the youths was more bold than the other.
David winked. ‘Can you keep a secret?’ he asked, putting his index finger to his lips.
‘My lips are sealed!’ the young lad said before he left, dragging his thumb and index finger along a pursed set of lips.
When they left, David brought up the subject she was dreading.
‘What Lindy and I did, was a long time ago, and
Lifting her head, she caught his eye, holding his gaze for several seconds too long. David stood behind the counter, dishing up sausage, egg and chips, to a line of giggly youths.
‘You made it?’ he said when he finished serving his latest hungry mouth. A few youths in the line winked at him, elbowing each other in the ribs, knowingly.
He took off his apron and handed it to one of the other servers, quickly stepping through to the dining room. ‘Time for the grand tour.’ His face was calm, yet wary, as they were joined by a guide.
‘Who are all these people?’ she asked David, genuinely curious.
‘They’re either current or ex-gang members. This is what Alan Inglebrook does. It’s why someone is trying to shut him down! You needed to see it for yourself.’
‘What’s this for?’ Taylor walked into a side room, set out in rows with desks.
‘It’s our classroom,’ the guide said easily.
An elderly man was placing a set of papers on each desk. ‘Good afternoon,’ he smiled jovially, as his three chins, just like Kevin’s, wobbled in unison.
The guide introduced them quickly, before moving on, to individual counseling rooms, a games room and Internet suite. After an hour of introductions and talking to several of the youths, it was clear to Taylor that they didn’t know David personally.
At the end of their tour, they were shown into a counseling room, set with places for two.
‘They don’t know you here, so what’s your involvement?’ she challenged him.
‘Is this on or off the record, Taylor?’ His eyes blazed into hers, making her squirm in her seat.
‘Our deal was off the record. That stands until seven tonight. I don’t break my promises.’
‘In that case, I bankroll it. We show youths an alternative style of life, giving them experiences and challenges they could never hope to have, if they experiment with dangerous life choices.’
A knock at the door broke her gaze, while two young boys dressed in chef whites walked in with bowls of steaming lentil soup and fresh bread. Her napkin was shaken out and placed gently in her lap, while the soup was proudly placed in front of her.
Taylor flashed a bright smile at the boy who served her. ‘Did you make this?’ He nodded repeatedly; keen to impress this unexpected VIP, then turned and left them alone. Her eyes misted as the realization of what Alan was actually doing sunk in. He was giving these youths the chance to learn valuable skills. Ones they could use in the workplace.
‘Why doesn’t he just tell them? If his lawyers knew about this, he’d find it easier to fight the charges against him.’
‘He can’t Taylor. If what he’s doing gets out, it’ll be shut down. He’s keeping quiet to let these kids have a chance at a good life.’
‘Can’t you do anything?’
‘Jack Collins has it in for him. He’s a powerful man, and not one to be crossed. We’re working behind the scenes to try and free Alan, but if he won’t help himself, there’s not much we can do.’
‘What about the murders?’
‘I honestly don’t know, but they seem to have stopped.’ She scanned his face, looking for anything that might give away a lie. She couldn’t find anything. In the way she distrusted Jack, every nerve ending in her body was telling her to trust David.
Their waiters returned, clearing away the soup plates and serving up a main course of Caesar Salad.
‘Are you David Burton?’ One of the youths was more bold than the other.
David winked. ‘Can you keep a secret?’ he asked, putting his index finger to his lips.
‘My lips are sealed!’ the young lad said before he left, dragging his thumb and index finger along a pursed set of lips.
When they left, David brought up the subject she was dreading.
‘What Lindy and I did, was a long time ago, and
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