Death Benefits
Page 31
I hope your friend did not suffer serious injury. I aimed wide, trying only to scare him. He showed great courage.
Why am I telling you this? I can’t hope to receive your absolution. Perhaps I can receive your understanding. When Arthur Nevins and I formulated our plan, we were partners and there was no Rachel Gold. You changed everything, including me.
We never had our celebration, Rachel. Should you ever want to, just send a message with the date to the post office box at the bottom of this letter. I’ll bring the champagne. As I told you, the black sand beaches are marvelous and the sunsets are spectacular. I promise separate cabanas and no strings attached.
Rafe
The roundtrip airplane ticket was to a city on the coast of Africa.
As I reread the letter for the third time, Ozzie came padding down the pier to where I sat and shook himself off all over me. I quickly stuffed the letter and airplane ticket into the envelope and back into my beach bag as Benny approached.
“C’mon, Rachel. Read your mail later. Ozzie and I are starving. Let’s go put on the feedbag.”
“Okay,” I said, standing up and hoisting the strap of the beach bag over my shoulder. I gave him a brave smile. “So tell me about this hot date last night,” I said as we stepped off the pier onto the sand.
“A big letdown.”
“Oh?” I said, only half listening.
“You ever met some guy who just—pow! you go nuts for him, it doesn’t matter how crazy it might seem, you just know he’s for you? But then you spend some time with him, and you realize that what seemed so awesome wasn’t really, Rachel?”
I had stopped by a trash can. Reaching into my beach bag, I removed the thick envelope and stared at it.
“What’s up?” he asked.
I tore the envelope in half and jammed it into the trash can.
“What was that?” Benny asked. “One of those goddamn solicitations?”
“Sort of,” I said as I turned toward him, reluctantly raising my eyes.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Sure.”
“What’s wrong, Rachel? You’re—your eyes are—”
“Hold me, Benny.”
“There, it’s going to be okay. Ssh.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as I burrowed against him.
“It’s okay, Rachel.” He gently patted my back. “Everything’s going to be okay. Hey, guess what’s playing up at Northwestern tonight? One of our favorite movies. We can have dinner at Dave’s Italian Kitchen and then head on over to see it. Wanna guess? I’ll give you a hint.” He cleared his throat. “We came down the Yulanga River.”
I smiled against his shoulder. God bless him.
“Well?”
I sniffed and lifted my head. “That’s impossible,” I said with a German accent.
Benny tenderly wiped a tear from my cheek. “Nevahtheless,” he said.
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