The Copy Read Free Page B

she'd reacted to him last night had hurt, even in spite of Geoffrey's warning. But Jeff had chosen to ignore it. He knew his memories stopped when their relationship had been at a high ebb, while hers contained eight further years of betrayals and regrets and careless words spoken in anger yet never reconciled. That's why he'd chosen to ignore her callousness and speak only to the beauty in her, to the love he knew lay dormant there.
    The certainty of her love was a given to Jeff, just as was his love for her.
    He thought of the early moments during their courtship, how he would take her for walks on the beach after dinner though he hated the sand - hated the feel of it on his body and the way it would get into his socks and onto the car mats no matter how thoroughly he dusted his feet - but he would smile as they walked hand in hand and breathe the waves of joy that came off her, every bit as palpable as the salted night air. Often they would lie on the dunes to gaze at the stars, and just as the feel of the sand in his hair would bring him close to screaming she would turn to rest her cheek on his shoulder and sigh, and the look of pure contentment on her face would fill his heart to the point of bursting, the universe fading to blackness save for her perfect face.
    The darker moments were there of course - he wasn't naive enough to think their marriage had been all bliss - but he chose to ignore those. Why bother? They had always reconciled any disagreements. Their rule was to never lay their heads down to sleep on an upset, no matter the hour. And they hadn't. Until that last night. His final memory of her.
    Jeff's phone buzzed on the nightstand. He lifted it and glanced briefly at the screen before answering, keeping his voice low. "Hello."
    "Where are you?" barked Geoffrey.
    "In bed."
    "Christ! It's after eight, Jeff. I'm disappointed in you. I thought we both understood the importance of what we're doing here?"
    "We do. I do. I had a really late night."
    "Fine. Whatever. I need you to get something. See the shield hanging above the fireplace?"
    "No I don't."
    "It's new, you wouldn't remember it. Just get your ass out of bed and step over to the fireplace. Grab the shield on the left side and pull it outwards."
    "Geoffrey, I'm not in the den."
    "Christ Jeff, you just said you were in bed! Then what the hell bed are you in?"
    Jeff slipped from the bed and padded to the bathroom, closing the door as quietly as possible behind him. "I'm upstairs. In the master bedroom."
    "With Camilla?"
    "Yes."
    There was a long silence on the line. Jeff knew himself well enough to know what was going through Geoffrey's mind. He wasn't sure how he would react had the roles been reversed.
    "Did you...?" Geoffrey finally asked in a measured tone.
    "No. We just talked late into the night, then fell asleep. There was so much that needed saying. Geoffrey, you've neglected her signific--"
    "Don't you fucking lecture me!" Geoffrey's voice was hard and cold and Jeff could hear his ragged breath coming over the line. "Get your ass up and dressed, now. Bring the Bentley and meet me at the Avis Car Rental on Longwood Avenue in fifteen minutes. Sharp!"
    "Geoffrey, I didn't mean-"
    "Just do what I said. We'll sort the rest out later."
    The line clicked dead. Jeff tossed the phone onto the counter and stepped into the shower, turning the water up as hot as he could stand it. He let the scalding flow rush over him, clearing his mind of everything but the hiss of water and press of steam, cleansing, purifying him of the dark thoughts that had risen so suddenly during the phone call.
     
    Geoffrey opened the door of the Bentley and slid into the passenger seat even before the car had come to a complete stop. "You're late," he said.
    "I'm sorry." Replied Jeff, choosing not to antagonize him, "Traffic."
    "Whatever. Pull around to the side of the building."
    Jeff eased the big car around the building, out of sight of the rental office doors. "What are we doing