The Oligarch by Joseph Clyde

Author:Joseph Clyde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Thrillers
ISBN: 9781783340620
Publisher: Gibson Square
Published: 2015-08-15T16:50:24+00:00

19

It was a Saturday and Alik woke in a torment of excitement. The previous night his father had told him that he and his mother would be flying to Canada the very next day.

‘The immigration papers have come through,’ he explained to his son. ‘Now that we’ve got them we have to use them, quickly. So the flight’s tomorrow.’

The truth was that the papers and passports Daudov had procured had been promised for a week earlier, so that they could get away well before the action. The documents would allow the family to settle in Quebec. They were keen on French speakers, Daudov had assured him, provided you arrived with enough to support yourself, and he’d promised to take care of that too.

‘Le Canada – demain? Fantastique!’ His eyes shining, Alik stared up at his father. A second later a shadow crossed his face. ‘But tomorrow’s a Sunday and I haven’t told my teachers.’

Montreal was where they were going, his dad had said, and he’d looked it up on the Internet. The City is located on an island… A whole city on an island! If only he could tell his best friend Fabrice, who lived in a street close by.

‘Can I go round and tell Fabrice? Then he can tell the teacher on Monday.’

‘No you can’t.’

‘It’s not too late. Why can’t I just – ’

‘ – I said no! I told you, I don’t want you telling anyone. Anyone at all.’

It was nine in the morning. The flight, direct from Marseille to Montreal, was at seven that evening. His mother had been up since six, pulling their sparse belongings together in neat piles on the bed, all freshly washed and ready. Now she’d gone off to buy suitcases and provisions for the flight.

Alik had offered to go with her, help her carry the new cases, but his father had said no: he needed him to stay home and keep an eye on things at the flat. He had to go out himself in an hour or so, and wouldn’t be back.

It was the last time he would see his wife before she left and before she went shopping they embraced. Alik stood watching. He’d never seen his father hug his mother so tightly. At the same time, there was a strange fierceness in his expression.

‘We’ll be together soon, I promise. The three of us. A new life…’

When his mother cried he hugged her harder.

‘If only you would tell me why we can’t go together. If only you would say…’

‘There’s nothing to tell you,’ his father interrupted sharply, pulling his face from hers. ‘How many times have I told you? I have things to tie up here, then I’ll come.’ Putting a hand on her neck, he pulled her back to him, his face softening. ‘Just don’t worry. It’s all arranged. Someone will meet you, give you money, take you to a place to stay. You and Alik, you’ll be fine.’

‘I’ll take care of you maman,’ Alik echoed.

When his mother went off to buy her cases, his father retreated to the bedroom and shut the door.

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