Read Online Confabulation by Ronald Thomas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ronald Thomas
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an apartment complex.
The next morning, Henry awoke in his car. As sunlight and consciousness returned, he could feel the fuzz in his mouth. As soon as his eyes cleared enough for him to drive, he pulled into a nearby McDonald's and ordered two large cups of coffee.
He checked the clock. She’d already be at work.
He headed back to the street that ran in front of Kelly's office.
Another day of watching and he still needed a way in.
He cringed as the acidic coffee landed in his hollow stomach. He fought back the urge to vomit, and chocked another few sips down before returning the cup to its holder. Around eleven, he saw her come out of the building. Watched as she eased into the large sedan along with a tall, older man whom he had seen many times.
"That’s one of the partners. Where are they going?"
He started his car, and followed.
He moved behind them as they exited the garage. They drove past the regular restaurants and merged onto the highway. "Where are they going?"
They exited the highway, and he darted across traffic to follow. Henry waved at the driver behind. The two men in hats and sunglasses didn’t acknowledge him, but they did take the same exit. Henry looked around.
Nothing but hotels. One. Another. And another.
The two men were still behind him.
He tried to ignore them. Just pissed off dudes. They’d get over it.
He kept following.
He started to worry that they’d come here for a reason. He’d been a pretty bad husband lately. Spying. Lying. Never being around. He wouldn’t blame her for cheating on him. He tried to think about something else. Focus on saving her, but he couldn’t get the image out of his head.
His heart jumped when the sedan pulled into the driveway of one of the city’s finer hotels. He didn’t want it to be true, but he felt in his gut that he knew what was happening. He waited several moments, and made his way to the lobby.
He scanned the interior from the window. He was pretty sure Kelly wouldn’t see him, so he entered the hotel. Made his way to the front desk.
"Hi."
"Yes, sir?" The desk clerk was a young man, who reminded Henry of Opie Taylor.
"Did the couple that just came in here check in?"
"No one has checked in for over half an hour, sir."
"No one?" He was sure that the clerk was lying, so he waited until the clerk shook his head. "Okay, thanks." He started back toward the main doors.
"Sir. A couple did recently enter the restaurant."
Henry looked over his shoulder to where the boy was pointing. "Thanks."
Henry walked over and peered into the dining room, searching for Kelly. He soon found her at a table with the other partner and what appeared to be three clients.
"Would you like me to show you to their table?"
Henry looked back and saw the clerk standing next to him.
"They’re speaking with the owner, but I can give her a note if you’d like."
He shook his head. "No, that’s okay. It’s not who I thought it was. Thanks anyway."
"No problem, sir."
A business lunch. He was worried she was having an affair. It was just a stupid business lunch. He felt sick. The stress was getting to him. But he needed to get under control. Needed to focus on what was important.
Keeping her alive.
Hell, that partner or the people they’re meeting could be the killers.
Back out the door, he got in his car.
Waited for her to come out.
CHAPTER 16
Jackson Gray sat behind the large oak desk. It was there when he moved in. Had been since The Founding. Sixty years of dutiful workers had spent their time behind that desk, evaluating candidate and passing the information on. He’d done the same. For fifteen years, he’d watched assets pass the tests, enter the system, and occupy their peg. Fifteen years was enough.
It was his choice if he wanted to keep the mammoth piece of furniture when he moved in. The desk seemed reliable. Years of service behind it, and Jackson had a soft spot for tradition. It was the only area
The next morning, Henry awoke in his car. As sunlight and consciousness returned, he could feel the fuzz in his mouth. As soon as his eyes cleared enough for him to drive, he pulled into a nearby McDonald's and ordered two large cups of coffee.
He checked the clock. She’d already be at work.
He headed back to the street that ran in front of Kelly's office.
Another day of watching and he still needed a way in.
He cringed as the acidic coffee landed in his hollow stomach. He fought back the urge to vomit, and chocked another few sips down before returning the cup to its holder. Around eleven, he saw her come out of the building. Watched as she eased into the large sedan along with a tall, older man whom he had seen many times.
"That’s one of the partners. Where are they going?"
He started his car, and followed.
He moved behind them as they exited the garage. They drove past the regular restaurants and merged onto the highway. "Where are they going?"
They exited the highway, and he darted across traffic to follow. Henry waved at the driver behind. The two men in hats and sunglasses didn’t acknowledge him, but they did take the same exit. Henry looked around.
Nothing but hotels. One. Another. And another.
The two men were still behind him.
He tried to ignore them. Just pissed off dudes. They’d get over it.
He kept following.
He started to worry that they’d come here for a reason. He’d been a pretty bad husband lately. Spying. Lying. Never being around. He wouldn’t blame her for cheating on him. He tried to think about something else. Focus on saving her, but he couldn’t get the image out of his head.
His heart jumped when the sedan pulled into the driveway of one of the city’s finer hotels. He didn’t want it to be true, but he felt in his gut that he knew what was happening. He waited several moments, and made his way to the lobby.
He scanned the interior from the window. He was pretty sure Kelly wouldn’t see him, so he entered the hotel. Made his way to the front desk.
"Hi."
"Yes, sir?" The desk clerk was a young man, who reminded Henry of Opie Taylor.
"Did the couple that just came in here check in?"
"No one has checked in for over half an hour, sir."
"No one?" He was sure that the clerk was lying, so he waited until the clerk shook his head. "Okay, thanks." He started back toward the main doors.
"Sir. A couple did recently enter the restaurant."
Henry looked over his shoulder to where the boy was pointing. "Thanks."
Henry walked over and peered into the dining room, searching for Kelly. He soon found her at a table with the other partner and what appeared to be three clients.
"Would you like me to show you to their table?"
Henry looked back and saw the clerk standing next to him.
"They’re speaking with the owner, but I can give her a note if you’d like."
He shook his head. "No, that’s okay. It’s not who I thought it was. Thanks anyway."
"No problem, sir."
A business lunch. He was worried she was having an affair. It was just a stupid business lunch. He felt sick. The stress was getting to him. But he needed to get under control. Needed to focus on what was important.
Keeping her alive.
Hell, that partner or the people they’re meeting could be the killers.
Back out the door, he got in his car.
Waited for her to come out.
CHAPTER 16
Jackson Gray sat behind the large oak desk. It was there when he moved in. Had been since The Founding. Sixty years of dutiful workers had spent their time behind that desk, evaluating candidate and passing the information on. He’d done the same. For fifteen years, he’d watched assets pass the tests, enter the system, and occupy their peg. Fifteen years was enough.
It was his choice if he wanted to keep the mammoth piece of furniture when he moved in. The desk seemed reliable. Years of service behind it, and Jackson had a soft spot for tradition. It was the only area
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