Criminal Beware: The Lykanos Chronicles 1

Chapter Nineteen

The rest of the day continued in a lumbering fashion as my body went through the motions that my secretary rigidly assigned. Richardson canceled a lunchtime appointment to review marketing ideas before we were to meet with a new agency the following day. By his absence, lunch was a welcome respite, though it was followed by a powerful desire to sleep. I found myself walking to the kitchen to pour myself another cup of coffee, a decision I knew from experience I would regret later. The extra jolt of caffeine, however, did come with a marked increase of focus, and I found myself reaching for the morning's newspaper around three o'clock.

To my surprise, the paper made no mention of Jackson's arrest, an omission that struck me as incredible, considering the weight of such a feature. Perhaps they didn't know enough by the time they needed to go to print, I mused. Maybe, it would be in the evening post a few hours from now. Had the police requested they hold the story until they could release all the details fit to print?

I lifted the telephone receiver and asked the operator to ring Gabrielle. I hadn't devoted any time to thinking about how I would approach our night together, and as the line rang, I realized that I was happy to let her dictate how the conversation would proceed.

"Roussade residence," another woman's voice answered. Thrown, I said nothing until she repeated her greeting over the silent wire.

"Good afternoon, this is Daniel Archer of the U.S. Grant. Who am I speaking with?"

"Hello, Mr. Archer, this is Ms. Roussade's housekeeper, Laura. Ms. Roussade is not available at this very minute. May I have her return your call?

"Yes, of course," I answered, taking a moment before continuing. "Ms. Roussade confided with me - your absence during the unfortunate events of the week. I'm glad to know that you've been able to return. Are you well?"

The girl hesitated to answer and spoke with a tone of concern, "That's very kind of you to ask..."

I heard the sound on her end become muffled as if she'd covered the receiver with her hand.

"Daniel?" Gabrielle's voice asked seconds later.

"I'm afraid the good men of the Gordon Company rather did me in. How are you feeling today?"

"The police are here, again," she said, ignoring my question. "They're in Jackson's apartment above the garage right now."

"Looking for evidence?"

"They won't tell me anything, but I presume that's what they're after. There was no warning, just arrived. I telephoned Jensen, but he won't be here for another ten minutes, at least."

"There's nothing in this morning's paper about him. Didn't you say that the reporters outside your home photographed him yesterday when they arrested him?"

"They did, there were at least three men at the gate, taking pictures as the police drove Jackson off. And not one of them was there this morning. That was the main reason I convinced Laura to come back to me. She wasn't here an hour before that detective, and his men showed up at my front door with a search warrant. They interviewed her right here in my kitchen for twenty minutes about what when she'd seen Jackson come and leave. They also asked her about Johnathan and Eleanor and when they stayed here. I don't know why they asked about them. Johnathan had already told them all about their time staying with me here. I learned this all second hand, of course, because they asked to speak with her alone." Gabrielle lowered her voice so that I could barely hear her say, "I could see the panic in the poor girl's face as she recanted their questions to me. I'll be shocked if she doesn't turn tail and leave me here alone again tonight."

"Do you want me to come back when they're gone?"

Gabrielle hesitated a beat before answering.

"No, let me see how it works out. If she goes, I call you, but if she stays... Let's just wait and see what becomes of this mess," she said.

Gabrielle paused, exhaling softly into the receiver.

"I've been saying that to myself for days now."

"I'm hoping she'll realize that she shouldn't abandon you tonight. You should let Jensen speak to her when he arrives. I'd talk to her on the phone, but I don't know if I would do more harm than good. I've only met her once."

"No, you're right. I'll mention your idea to Jensen when he arrives."

Silence fell on the line between us, an emptiness that amplified my thoughts of what I wanted to say to her. Without notice, I felt the need to tell them.

"I loved being there with you last night. I can't say I wasn't surprised, in either of us, god knows ...but I'm so glad you let me take care of you."

I felt the silence in my chest when she didn't respond. I heard the echo of my voice in my thoughts, if not my ears, and a small uncertainty befell me as time moved forward without so much as a sigh coming through the receiver.

"I was surprised, too, Daniel. Pleasantly so," she added, her voice ringing with a relieved sincerity.

The words that came between us after moved through me without establishing themselves in my memory. To hear Gabrielle admit her feelings to me, her pleasure at my being with her - the words consumed my thoughts. What came after were simple phrases of concern, of assurances of my fidelity while she faced the day's events. These words passed through me subconsciously, and long after I had hung up the receiver, I still felt the sublime comfort of her voice admitting her pleasure.