The Lottery Winners by A J Wills

Author:A J Wills [Wills, A J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cherry Tree Publishing
Published: 2023-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Every day it feels as if my world is spinning faster and faster out of control. First it was Gabriel’s begging letter, then Lee Greenwood’s death, Bianca’s threats and now this. We’ve tried so hard to keep a lid on our win and now it’s about to blow up out of all proportion.

I’m slumped low in Callum’s old BMW with my head down, warming my hands on my coffee cup. At least Callum didn’t insist on bringing the Ferrari. It wouldn’t have been practical with the dogs, anyway.

Is that how the news has spread? Has someone spotted Callum out and about in it and joined the dots? How else would someone on a mechanic’s wages be able to afford a car like that? Maybe one of the neighbours has seen him. The problem is, it’s such an ostentatious car, it attracts attention. It’s no wonder rumours have been flying around.

The only other people who know about our win are Callum’s parents, his sister, and her husband. But I trust all of them implicitly. There’s also Gabriel, of course. But why would he go to the press? It doesn’t make sense.

Not that it matters now. The secret’s out. What really matters is getting a lid on it, and fast.

Callum dials Marco’s number, puts his phone on speaker, and holds it between us as it rings.

‘Marco? It’s Callum Champion. We need your help.’

‘Callum, great to hear from you. Sure, I’ve got five. What’s up?’

‘A journalist from the Post has been sniffing around. He and a photographer pounced on Jade while we were out and took some pictures,’ Callum explains.

‘Right, that is unfortunate. I’m sorry, but that’s always the danger. It’s hard to keep the cat in the bag when there’s so much money involved.’

‘Can’t you do something? Talk to them and tell them they can’t run the story?’

Marco sniffs and his chair creaks. I imagine him sitting in a palatial office with grand views over London, his feet up on his desk. ‘Where did they photograph you?’

‘In the park,’ I say, leaning closer to the phone so he can hear. ‘We were walking the dogs. Callum had gone to get coffee.’

‘Hmmm,’ he murmurs. ‘It’s a public place. There’s not much I can do.’

‘But you can at least speak to them?’ Callum says. ‘Explain to the editor that we don’t want our names and faces published?’

‘My mother doesn’t even know yet,’ I cry.

‘I’m afraid it’s not my place to tell newspaper editors what they can and can’t print.’ It sounds as if Marco’s trying to suppress laughter. ‘It doesn’t work like that.’

Callum shakes his head, frowning at me. ‘But we were very clear when you came to the house that we didn’t want any publicity.’

‘I know, and we respected that, but if the press has found out because someone’s tipped them off, then really there’s nothing you or I can do. People love a good story about a big lottery win. It makes everyone believe it’s possible. But, look, you want my

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