第12节

  kthere.eeting.”</p>

  ”aa,”davidrepeated,stillbreathless.”bad””anyas</p>

  bad.”</p>

  ”youknoean.issheonlifesupport””no.</p>

  butieeting.”therehentheblowing</p>

  outofairandanexasperated”cel.wevealready</p>

  rescheduledtherpause,anotherexhalation.”yourenot</p>

  readyforthepresentation,areyou””oh,ieady,”jacksaid,</p>

  anditallrushedback,tossingandtuingbefore</p>

  katherinehadcalled,”buttheyeany</p>

  rethantheydidlastti.”hehadbeeodesignaluxury</p>

  resortinntana.thetethinghreflective</p>

  surfacesthathatbigopensky,butjackhad</p>

  beentontana.glassandsteelonewas</p>

  pushingit.heedwood.</p>

  designed,heinrporatedgrahe</p>

  hatedalso,hehadtriedfieldstoo</p>

  itup,glassandtoitup,steelandtoitup.hehadgonebackto</p>

  7vadethedesigicjbutevenhewild</p>

  aboutit.thebestrenditionheveryfirst.</p>

  only,thathepoint.”look,”hetolddavid.”ineedyour</p>

  backuphere.thatsthispartnershipisabout.itbe</p>

  there.</p>

  thisisafalyergency.”</p>

  ”theresoch.youredivorced.”</p>

  ”notfroykids.”</p>

  ”okay.igetthat.idogetit,jack,buttheseguyshavebeen</p>

  anyllionsatstake.ifitelltheout</p>

  betherebecauseyouhavetobehyourkids,theybuyit.”</p>

  ”hebalandtheybuyit**</p>

  the”</p>

  ”dothat,aaketheirbusinesselsekranahand</p>

  aroundthebausclesthereight.”let</p>

  the”</p>

  ”ykhingalittle</p>

  rightnoajorproject</p>

  forthefirthershourassociatesouton</p>

  theiroonth.”</p>

  ”orethananhandle.”</p>

  ”butthisisagoodone,”davidaxed.”ional</p>

  institutionsforyears,butresortsarehotandlucrative.were</p>

  talkingjuingtoanewlevel.</p>

  letaprojectlikethisgobydefault.”</p>

  ”thenyoutakeitover.”</p>

  ”hell,idhavedohatheyyou.they</p>

  you,andyouvelostye.”jackhathis</p>

  bonesached.”ithahisno...ever,but</p>

  itbeatthateting.illcallinore.”hehung</p>

  upthephone,knohathispartner</p>

  ingtohearit.dealinghrat,dealinghhis</p>

  daughtersryingnottothinkaboutthefutureasallheuldhandle</p>

  justthen.</p>

  butrachelandthegirlsretgoutonthe</p>

  sofa,overhiseyesandoneonhisstoch,hefollowed</p>

  suit.</p>

  hopecaatingafeel</p>

  fbeforesheopenedhereyes,listeningandthinkingbefore</p>

  shevedascle.shefeltbitsofsun,.shelistened</p>

  tothesoftsoundofguineveresbreathingclosebehindheeck.she</p>

  begantothinkndhereyesflewopen.</p>

  socatfur,shesaer</p>

  sleepingbesideher,andithadhappenedlast</p>

  night.santhahadhherinyears.shewouldhave</p>

  thoughtitbehher,ifthingshadbeenlessscary.</p>

  guiippedbackherheadandgaveheranudge.</p>

  shenuzzledtheiheringurage.vingthe</p>

  ttressaslittleaspossible,shesatupandcarefullydrehetabby</p>

  intoherar.silently,shebackedoffthebedandstartedforthe</p>

  door.</p>

  stoppingsuddenly,sheretued,pushedherfeetintohers,</p>

  andtiptoedfroheroo</p>

  thesightofherfatherinthelivingrhtinstantrelief.she</p>

  hadtheresobadly.santhahadsaidhee</p>

  hathehadhereforaxes,thathewas</p>

  toobusye.shedidthat</p>

  sotisehingsnditnecessarilyingthatbrought</p>

  it.shehadsehatsothingherinehad</p>

  calledlookingforrachel,hadfeltanuherleft.</p>

  shehadthoughtitguihevethadhatthe</p>

  endands,andhopehe</p>

  ooinsistthatguineveredieatho,hher.butsheedher</p>

  thertobetherehappened.</p>

  itanthahadsaidintothephone,”hi,katherine,”</p>

  thathopeedtheeeriefeelinginsideowellbeing,</p>

  ahaddroppedoutofherworld.shehad</p>

  feltthesathiobigsurhouther</p>

  fatherhaky,likesheandingononlyoneleg.</p>

  loherfather,shefoldedher</p>

  legsalysettledguinevereishirtedlap.thetabby</p>

  lookedupather,purringsoftly.hopeigihatguineverefelt</p>

  thesareassuranceseeingherasshefeltseeiher.</p>

  only,hedidntlookveryessyand</p>

  hisbeardprickly.theshadohathehadnt</p>

  sleptch,adeheervous.</p>

  butheething.ifrachelwasdead,he</p>

  rightupouldnthehaveifshewasdead,he</p>

  esoonerouldnthehave</p>

  buthopedidntknohere.shehadtriedtostay</p>

  aotherdidwhenshewasfeelinglonely</p>

  ordoeworkso</p>

  nytis,andthebooksheheldherthoughts.so</p>

  shehadfallenasleep.</p>

  shehatedthethoughtthathertherghthavediedwhileshe</p>

  slept.</p>

  ifthathadhappened,sheyfortherestofherlife.</p>

  sheinghering</p>

  aroundbehindhislids.sendslater,hisensedandhe</p>

  jerkedaaredattheceiling,satquicklyup,pressedthe</p>

  heelsofhishandstohiseyes.he</p>

  intohishairtedher.</p>

  hesoundedshaky.”youshouldhaveeup.”</p>

  ”ifiguredthatifyouuldsleep,okay,”shesaid,holdingher</p>

  breath,fortheslightestsignofdenial.</p>

  ”shesokay,”hesaid.”sheodoalotofnding,butshes</p>

  okay.”</p>

  ”didyoutalkhher””no.sheithinkshe</p>

  knehere.”</p>

  ”sheisntdead””sheisntdead.”</p>

  ”youresure”hesee</p>

  ...</p>