The Jade Garden (The Barrington Patch Book 2) by Emmy Ellis (reading diary txt) 📗

factory and changed her life. She was dead now, but he’d given her a good few years.

“I hear you’re looking for work.” He released Nuwa’s hand, hoping, if they took him up on his offer, she’d have riches and could afford cream to smooth away the washerwoman effect.

Li Jun nodded. “Yes. We come from China. Arrived a month ago. We work as cleaner.”

Lenny couldn’t stand their gaunt faces any longer. “Hungry?”

Li Jun flushed, his pride taking a bashing, and Nuwa bowed her head. Seemed they were ashamed of their circumstances, and he’d tell them to never berate themselves for doing an honest day’s work—nor a dishonest one if they accepted employment from him. Work was work, and all money looked the same no matter how you earnt it.

He swallowed a lump in his throat. Fucking thing. “Sit your arses down. I’ll get you some grub.”

Lenny left them and ordered bangers, mash, peas, and gravy, plus a nice bottle of house white wine. They could share that instead of the bloody lemonade.

“You going soft?” Joe asked in the lull between songs.

“They’re starving, I’d bet my last quid on it. No one can think straight on an empty stomach. The brain doesn’t aid well in negotiations when your guts are growling.” Lenny didn’t have to say more than that. Yes, he’d gone momentarily soft, but it was to his advantage. Play the good host, or boss if he had his way, give them what they craved—food, a good life, money in their pockets—and he’d have them eating out of his hand. He’d have done a good deed as well as coining it in.

“You’re a good bloke underneath it all.” Joe nudged him. “Even though you make out otherwise.”

“Yeah, well, keep your mouth shut about that. We don’t want everyone knowing.” Lenny held the open wine bottle by the neck and carried the two glasses in his other hand, the stems forming an X. At the booth, he placed them down and sat next to Li Jun. “Food will be here shortly.” He poured wine and gestured for them to drink up. “Now then, can you cook?”

Nuwa clutched her glass and stared at the contents as if it contained liquid gold. “Li Jun learn from young. He very good.”

Lenny beamed. “Music to my hearing equipment, love.”

“Eh?” Nuwa frowned.

“Never mind.” Lenny leant forward. “I just so happen to own the Jade Garden down the road. You know the place I mean. You can manage it for me if you like. We need to discuss a few things first, but if you’re up for it, the place is yours, rent-free, and there’s a flat upstairs. You get to keep all the money made by selling takeaways if you do something for me—I’ll buy in the first lot of what you need food-wise, and after that, you’re on your own in that regard. You treat it like any other business, buying in the goods and whatever, paying your taxes.”

“Do something for you?” Li Jun still hadn’t touched his wine.

“Yeah.” Lenny shifted closer and whispered into Li Jun’s ear what he had in mind. Told him who he was, what he expected, what the consequences were if this pair fucked up.

Li Jun snatched up his glass and downed the contents. He shivered. “That is naughty.”

Lenny held back a laugh. Naughty. This bloke was mint. He’d get on with him. “It is, but it pays. As well as earning from the food takings, I’ll give you a grand a week for the other part. All you need to do is what I just told you—and keep your mouths clamped.”

Nuwa frowned between them.

“And make sure your lovely wife here knows the score, too.” Lenny stared at Li Jun. “Got any family here?”

Li Jun shook his head. “We moved here to earn money so they can come.”

“I’ll be blunt. You’re cleaners at the minute. That’ll take years to save enough. If you do what I want, they’ll all be here by next month, I guarantee it. I’ve got empty flats that need tenants. I own a high-rise. They can help in the business, and everyone’s happy. What d’you reckon?”

The golden egg. Lenny was offering it to them—with specifications—but he had a feeling the opportunity was too good to pass up. All right, he’d already let him know if anyone blabbed they’d be dead, but it was a simple process—run the Jade, pass over the drugs, hand Lenny the money every week, and live the high life.

“I must ask Nuwa,” Li Jun said, scared out of his mind by the look of him.

A waitress appeared with the food then, and Lenny stood. She placed the plates on the table, handing over knives and forks wrapped in white napkins, the crest of The Doncaster Arms in one corner.

“Enjoy your meal.” She smiled and walked away.

Lenny grinned down at his new friends. “Get your laughing gear around that lot and have a chat. Mind you make the right decision, though. You’ll be loaded, never go hungry again. Same for all your family. You know it makes sense.”

Nuwa took the napkin off her cutlery and cut a sausage. The poor cow must have thought she’d walked into Heaven and Lenny was Gabriel.

Lenny strode to the bar and elbowed Joe. “It’s in the bag, you wait and see.”

Joe raised his eyebrows. “That quick? And they didn’t flinch about selling the gear?”

“He’s having a natter with the wife, but I can’t see them turning it down, can you? Look at the state of them.”

Joe studied the optics ahead. “It’s a big ask. Drugs stored on the property. They’re the ones selling it, therefore, they’re the ones who’ll get nicked for it. You’ve got one hell of a job on your hands spreading the word folks can get weed and whatnot with