Pawned Virtue - #wattys2015 BK4 TPBS - Completed 1st draft

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Not edited.

Lucas knocked on the door and waited. Looking around the street he was acutely aware that Ellie lived in one of these houses. He scanned the cars for one that he'd recognise as belonging to one of his men. If he saw them close at all he'd have Tara packed up within the hour.

"Hey Lucas. Tara isn't here."

Lucas turned towards the older man, his face grim.

"Hello sir. May I come in and talk with you?"

Peter looked at the distinct rigid stance of Lucas' body and felt his blood run cold.

"Is something wrong with Tara?"

"Not at the moment sir but that's something I'm trying to prevent."

"You better come in." Peter stepped back leaving room for Lucas to step past him.

"Come into the kitchen. I was taking a break from writing and making a cake."

"You're a writer?" Lucas was surprised. That piece of information didn't show up in the file he'd requested.

Peter chuckled that Lucas had picked up on that bit of information and not the fact that he was cooking.

"I resigned a month ago from a dead beat office job and having been somewhat successful I decided to give full time writing a shot."

Lucas followed the man while shaking his head.

How did he not know?

Peter seemed to sense the quandry Lucas was in.

"If you're wondering why it wasn't in the write up you have about me it's because I don't use my own name."

Lucas looked at him in surprise but decided to let the obvious question pass.

"You have a pseudonym?"

"That I do... and no, I won't be telling you what it is. There's some things a man likes to keep private and this is one of them."

"It's enough for you to live on?" Not that Lucas was actually worried about Peters income as such but the idea of someone choosing a career as a writer made him curious.

"Easily, well now it's easily. It wasn't in the beginning, I wouldn't have been able to even buy noodles in the beginning. Now it's fairly lucrative, I get what I need as well as paying for anything that Keiran and Tara need or want with change to spare."

"Tara's my wife so I'm happy to pay for all her expenses and for you and Keiran if I can help you with anything you can't..."

"There's no need. I said I was somewhat successful but the truth is that my books are being read around the world and my name, my author name, is becoming rather well known."

Lucas sat in the chair Peter indicated to him and watched as the older man moved around the kitchen as if it was his second home.

"I have to say sir I never expected you to be a writer."

Peter nodded once before answering.

"Not many people would believe it either. I lived a pathetic existence before. I was never happy with my life, especially after Keiran's mother left and when I started looking for excuses not to go to work I knew it was time to move on."

Peter stopped suddenly as he put two coffee mugs on the counter near where the kettle was boiling away.

"Do you like what you do Lucas?"

Lucas sat quiet for a moment.

"For the most part. I changed alot that my father set up because the way he did things didn't always sit well with me."