The London Property Boy

Chapter 1 Disaster

Chapter 1

Total Disaster

Toothless, with a broken nose and a comprehensive collection of tattoos, Billy O'Bryan was quite a tough guy. Because he was short and very strong, he had excavated the party wall footings of the two West London terrace houses almost single-handedly.

The walls needed to be underpinned to take the weight of an extra floor. The local authority required this measure so that a further floor could be added to the two terraced houses, together with a new mansard roof and balcony.

'The lads and I have had a talk, guv, and if it will help you we have agreed between us to work for a week for nothing.'

The ganger's voice, with his rich County Wexford accent, echoed through the empty building, although he had intended his remarks to be confidential. Billy had been in charge of the same team for almost a year and couldn't remember having worked with such a great bunch of lads before, or for such a good boss.

Mike Mostyne had never heard anything like it before in his life and, fighting back tears, didn't know what to say for a while. There was loyalty in these men which Mike had never encountered before, or expected.

'Look, Billy, it's difficult for me to tell you just how much that would mean to me, but I can't ask you guys to work for nothing. And to be quite honest, it wouldn't make much difference to my problems now. But bless you all the same, and I will never forget your offer – that I promise you.'

The stage had been set earlier with an official notice. Delivered by hand to the site on the dot of eight o'clock that morning, it was from Cork Grimshaw, the official receivers. It stated that Mike's building company was insolvent and that it had been trading with insufficient funds. Consequently, it was being wound up by the shareholders and put into voluntary liquidation, a matter which the attached letter stated quite clearly.

For and on behalf of Berryfold Developments Ltd

THIS IS A LEGAL NOTICE

As from today, Monday, all men, plant and equipment, any goods and materials not owned by the Company, and any items belonging to professional or third parties, must be removed from the site forthwith, pending the arrival of the Receiver's representatives at midday.

Signed: Messrs Cork Grimshaw, Official Receivers

Mike Mostyne had had as much foreknowledge of this event as the working men and contractors. Despite this maddening fact, what was more important was to discover who had been responsible for calling in the receivers and why the whole incident had been such a secret. What had Berryfold's CEO been up to, and why had Mike not been informed?

He felt completely numbed by the whole episode, and despite frequent attempts at phoning the bank – and Robert Thomas, his partner and the company CEO – he could not get through to them. They could not, or would not, answer their phones. A shiver went down his back, his mouth felt dry and his face felt as though it were made of cardboard. Mike recognised it as the first signs of fear.

In his early thirties, he had worked very hard for ten years, and despite the usual hiccups – mainly caused through the negligence or incompetence of colleagues – he had kept afloat simply through hard graft.

Unlike Robert, his Berryfold partner, over the years Mike had become used to rising early and getting to work by eight each morning. Building work was like that. If you were on site early, most of the day's planning and problem-solving could easily be achieved, resulting in a smooth-running day. But now his days were numbered.

He put his hand in his pocket in order to find a ten pence piece for the nearby phone box, but there were none to be found; and since there was no phone on the construction site, he decided to go home.