by Dan Latus
When she comes into view, he lets out the breath he has been holding and gets to his feet. As she walks steadily towards him, he can see the smile grow on her face.
‘I am here!’
He holds out his arms and she runs the last few paces.
It went well, she told him later. Perhaps it took a little longer than she had hoped, but so what? In the end, the sale went through fine.
‘In New York?’
‘In New York,’ she confirmed. ‘The same auction house where Nicci bought it. They were pleased to see it again. This time it sold for just over fifteen million, in sterling.’
‘More than you hoped?’
She shrugged. ‘A little, perhaps, but not too much. Nicci had got it cheap.’
‘So what happens now to the money?’
‘It goes into a joint account we established. Kunda can withdraw no more than half the balance, and the same is true for me. Now we must find out where to send our share, the money for the insurance company.’
Jake thought it through. One thing still bothered him.
‘We’re free of Fogarty now, but what’s to stop Kunda coming after you for the rest of the money?’
‘It is simple. First, he and I are in agreement. Our association is at an end. Second, I know too much about him and his business life. I have deposited copies of a detailed statement about them with lawyers in different countries. If anything happens to me, they will be opened and Kunda will be destroyed.’
He had to admit it, he was impressed. All over again! She had thought of everything. She had handled everything that had come her way. Never faltered. It was a lot to live with, for them both. Could they do it?
He rather thought they could. After all, despite everything, she had come back to him, just as she had said she would. What more could he ever have asked or hoped for?
He got up and disappeared into the house for a minute. When he returned, he was carrying an opened bottle of wine and two glasses.
‘I know it’s a bit on the cool side,’ he conceded, ‘but let’s do it anyway.’
‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘It was what we were doing that evening all those months ago when you got the first phone call.’
He poured the wine.
‘So what next?’ he asked after they had toasted each other.
‘Here is good for now, I think, Jake. Then in the spring, when we have our share of the money and we are recovered, we should go again to Northumberland and rebuild your cottage. What do you think?’
‘I like the sound of that!’ He laughed. ‘You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?’
As enigmatic as ever, she said neither yes nor no. She just smiled.