“No chicken,” I say politely.
When the waiter is gone, Carter says, “I’m a red meat man myself. When it comes to white meat, I prefer guineafowl when it’s hunting season, but you have to do like my mother used to and hang the bird by the neck for a fortnight to let the meat ripen. Otherwise, it’s tough.” He measures me with cunning interest. “What about you, Mr. Hart? Does your aversion to sampling the feathered population of the animal species stem from the curse of an allergy or from making a standpoint about battery farming?”
From across the table, Gus shoots me a warning look, not that I needed that look to know it’s a test question.
“Neither,” I say. “I’m fond of guineafowl if, like you so accurately pointed out, it’s prepared correctly. As for chicken, the reason I don’t eat it is purely psychological.”
Carter looks intrigued. “Do carry on.”
“My father bought us chicks when we were little,” I explain. “When they grew up, he cooked them.”
Carter bursts out laughing, his baritone voice killing the other conversations in the room. “You’re funny.” Turning to Gus, he says, “I already like him.”
Gus gives me a proud smile. For some reason, that smile makes something expand in my chest. I sure as hell never saw a smile on my father’s face when he looked at me. If anything, it was a scowl.
The maître d’hôtel returns with a bottle of red that’s sure to cost more than the salary Gus pays me per month. After letting Gus do the tasting, he serves three glasses of wine and mineral water.
“What exactly is your role in the business, Mr. Hart?” Carter asks.
“I’m a programmer.”
“An ambitious programmer,” Gus says with approval.
“Ambition is good.” Carter studies me. “What kind of programs do you write?”
I look at Gus. Not everyone is privy to the illegal side of the business.
“He writes the kind of programs you’d be interested in,” Gus says.
“Is that so?” Carter raises a brow. “Enlighten me.”
The waiter returns with three platters of Tournedos Rossini that he sets in front of us.
I wait until he’s done before I reply. “I can create whatever you need.”
Another laugh shakes Carter’s bulky frame. “Where in the world did you get this young man, Gus?”
Gus chuckles. “I told you he was good.”
Rubbing a thumb over his lips, Carter observes me with narrowed eyes. “What car do you drive, son?”
“Aston Martin.”
“I’m all for British brands.” Carter grunts. “German cars aren’t worth the money. It’s all show but not enough horsepower.” His expression turns sly. “Tell me something, Hart. Where does a programmer get the money for a flashy car like that?”
Gus asked me the same question before he employed me. “I’ve been doing a few jobs here and there.”
Carter nods thoughtfully. “You must’ve done good jobs if that’s how well they paid.”
My smile is confident. “I’m the best, Mr. Carter.”
“Fuck,” he says, slamming a hand on the table. “I like you more and more.”
Both my companions laugh as they slap me on the back.
The initiation is over. I’m officially part of the inner circle. Carter is one of the big players. Platinum Consolidated is one of our best clients. The legal side of the operation provides a viable smokescreen for the transactions that are made under the table. Those are the deals that interest me the most. When I introduce my program, we’ll have to advertise it on the dark net. My plan is to release free demos to hook the big fish. Then I’ll set up an auction and sell to the highest bidder. I’ll request a substantial down payment for the second part of the development, plowing some of that money back into the business.
It’s all coming together beautifully. By the end of the month, my position will be secured, and Violet will be living with me. I already bought the best mattress on the market and changed my synthetic pillows for goose down ones. People with LLD often suffer with secondary complications, including hip and back ache, which is why a good mattress and pillow are important. The purchases set me back a good eighty thousand rand. I never realized that a luxury mattress could cost the price of three ounces of gold, but it’s not as if I don’t have the money. Violet is worth every penny. I just have to be careful not to attract too much attention by spending huge amounts.
Since I’m working on building a new life for myself, I live by the same laws as everyone else, which is another reason I need to be a partner in Gus’s business. I can use the legal part of the company to launder some of my stolen money. A big portion is hidden in offshore accounts while the rest accumulates dust in Lesotho. That money will be better invested in shares that will earn dividends.