"Trish said you were alone up here." Mrs. Bennett raised the cans of soda in her hand.
"You're a welcome sight," Jenny lied.
Mrs. Bennett looked at Jenny and then shook her head. "You look a mess." Mrs. Bennett glanced beyond Jenny into the apartment. "Almost as bad as the apartment," she added.
Jenny brushed off her face with the back of her hand. "Thanks, I needed that," she said, stepping aside to let her landlady in.
"The police were taking statements all last evening. They were back again this morning."
"I only hope they catch who did this."
Mrs. Bennett handed Jenny a soda. "Here, it looks like you need this."
"What I could use is a stiff drink," Jenny replied.
"I've got the fixings downstairs." She turned as if to leave.
"No. I was just kidding," Jenny quickly added, and then glanced around. "I would offer you a place to sit..."
"I saw the couch in the dumpster."
Jenny shook her head. "If I get my hands on him... "
"Jenny, I didn't come up here to talk to you about the apartment," Mrs. Bennett stammered for a while until she found the right words. "Benjamin told me about John," she finally said. "I just thought you might want to talk about it."
"In time, maybe." Actually John was the last thing on her mind right then.
Mrs. Bennett set her can of soda down, and then took Jenny in her arms. "I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted him to return."
Jenny sighed. "Deep down, I guess I knew all along he wasn't coming back."
"There was always hope," Mrs. Bennett quickly added.
Jenny shrugged her shoulders. "I find it hard to believe I'm left waiting all these years with the government insisting he was missing in action. And then, in the past twenty-four hours two men come forward and tell me he is dead. One claims to have been with him at the end."
"Look at it this way, at least you know."
"It doesn't make me feel any better, though."
Mrs. Bennett took hold of Jenny's hand and held it firm. "Who is this man Benjamin's been telling me about? He took you away last night."
"I don't even know how to explain his involvement. It has something to do with the man who was using John's identity. I think he was in trouble with the government for some reason. No one really cleared that up, and so much has happened recently I forgot to ask."
The two women talked for almost an hour, and then Jenny finally excused herself. There was still a lot to do and very little time to get it done.
Once Jenny was alone she walked over to the sketches on the coffee table. She shoved her sketch aside and then picked up the one of John. She kneeled on the floor to assess the damage. Part of the face was smudged, and Jenny was afraid Benjamin might not be able to fix it. A tear rolled down her cheek as she traced her finger on the contour of the parchment. All the old memories came flooding back, the walks in the park and the picnic lunches. There was a heavy sadness in her heart that would not let go.
Jenny shut her eyes and tried to remember what it was like to be in his arms. Tears flowed, but unlike those in the past, she was saying goodbye. There would never be a tomorrow for them. She missed John, and was angry that Delaney and Gideon made it back, but he did not. It hurt to think of him buried over there, forgotten by everyone but her.
Suddenly she felt claustrophobic. She found it difficult to breathe or stay in the apartment that held so many memories of the man she loved. The need to get out and get some fresh air was overpowering, but she did not know where she would go, all she knew was she could not stay. Quickly she grabbed her sweater and rushed out. Jenny ran down the stairs, passing Mrs. Bennett's door. The warm September air felt good on her face as she walked out of the apartment building. The streets were full of people even at that hour of the night. It was not until she crossed the street and the park loomed in front of her that she realized what it was she was running to. It was the memories of all the good times the park held. She wanted to relive them all one last time.
The park was dark, and the night-dwellers had taken over, along with some students, but mostly people with nowhere else to go. In recent years she avoided the park after dark because of the seedy characters who hung about. She almost took the perimeter, avoiding the park altogether, but then quickly decided against that. She was too engrossed in her thoughts to notice anyone. As she neared the center of the park, she heard footsteps behind her. Jenny stopped and looked around, but saw nothing. When she walked again, she heard the noise from behind, and then when she stopped, it stopped.
Jenny instantly regretted walking through the park and feared the person in the hospital room. Quickly she walked down the path. Once she reached the fountain Jenny suddenly veered around the statue and hid in the bushes. It was clear she could not lose whomever it was who followed. Besides, she was curious. Although it was dark, there was still enough light. She crouched and waited for a few moments. When the footsteps neared the statue, she made her move.
Quickly she sprang out. "What do you want?" Jenny yelled.
Gideon drew his weapon at the voice from the shadows. His knees bent, his body arched in ready position. He stood with both hands on the dark piece of metal. Just ten feet separated him from the girl of his dreams.
Jenny did not move for fear Gideon would pull the trigger. The expression on his face sent chills through her body. His eyes mesmerized her, and even in the darkness she could see the dark circles haloed by white.
Gideon was paralyzed, too scared to move for fear of what he might do. His finger gripped the trigger firm. Once he felt in control, he took a deep breath, and then dropped his hand and stood up. Gideon rubbed his temple until the pain subsided. He took a deep breath, glaring at Jenny.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled, turning his back to her as if to walk away, but quickly faced her again and waited for her reply.
"I wanted to see who was following me," she said as she backed up until she was resting on the edge of the fountain.
"You could have gotten yourself killed with that move."
Gideon walked over to where she sat and stood for a moment, looking down at her. He finally leaned on the fountain next to her. Slowly, he reholstered the gun. His hands shook while all he could think about was the fact that he'd almost killed her.
"How was I to know it was you?" Jenny asked casually, trying not to show just how upset she was.
"Where are you going anyway?" Gideon turned and looked up at the night sky.
"Someplace for dinner," she answered nonchalantly.
"Weren’t you going to clean your place?" Gideon took a deep breath.
"Yes, but I do have to eat," she replied. "There wasn't much food in the apartment before they destroyed it. Now what was edible is in the garbage."
Jenny reached in the fountain, scooping up a handful of water, and then splashed her face. She repeated the act until her face was cool and the night air sent chills through her. It was a good feeling. Jenny looked down at her hands: they were shaking.
"How are you doing with the cleanup?" Gideon asked finally.
"We've got a lot of it done. Trish left for Benjamin's, I just got tired and hungry."
"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked.
"Be my guest." She didn't feel she had a choice in the matter. If she did not invite him, he would follow her anyway.
"I'm starved," was all Gideon said.
He took hold of her arm as they walked through the park. Jenny could feel her heart still pounding. It startled her that Gideon had such quick reflexes. He’d almost shot her a few moments earlier and now acted as if nothing happened. Jenny looked up at Gideon. In the dim light she could see the beads of perspiration on his forehead and realized he was more shaken than she originally thought.
"Do you like Italian food?" Jenny asked.
"Some of it," Gideon replied.
"Well, that's what I'm having tonight." She did not give him a choice in the matter
.
Jenny wondered how long he had been watching her. There was so much work. She had not given him a second thought and then she remembered the phone conversation earlier. It had slipped her mind, but Jenny really did not think they would have someone watching her night and day. She now realized this might only be the beginning.
Gideon did not say anything until they got to the corner of Thompson and Bleecker Street. Jenny did not mind. After what had happened in the park, she needed time to collect her thoughts and her nerves. The fresh air felt good; it reminded her of other walks in the city, but that was a long time ago, a lifetime ago for her.
"This is the place," Jenny said, as she waited for Gideon to open the door.
Papa Joe greeted them at the counter. Gideon took her arm and followed Papa Joe to a table in the middle of the room. Jenny glanced over at the booth in the back and then out the window. The silhouette of people walking past the small cafe was all she saw through tears that formed. Quickly she wiped them away.
The waiter walked up to the table and gave her a curious look. "Would you like something to drink before you order?" he asked.
Jenny was quick to respond, "Whiskey sour," she replied while Gideon ordered a club soda.
It was not long till the drinks came. Not realizing what she was doing, Jenny drank hers within minutes. Gideon just sat back and watched.
"You better ease up, it's not good to drink on an empty stomach," he said looking at Jenny with concern.
It then hit her how shaken she still was. "You look down the barrel of, what is it you carry?" she asked, staring at him while waiting for a response.
".357 Magnum," Gideon replied frankly. He reached across the table, touched her hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered. His eyes were soft as the candlelight danced across his face.
It reminded her of a time long ago, a time long since forgotten. She wanted desperately to remember what it felt like but all she thought about was the man in front of her. Those deep, intense eyes that saw into her soul and the brooding smile that was not a smile at all. Jenny noticed the scar above his right ear again. She wanted to touch it, to feel the warmth of him, to make that pain go away. Most of all, she wanted to feel loved. The room spun. It was the waiter who brought her back to reality.
"Would you like another drink?" he asked.
"No," Gideon replied before Jenny could order again. "Bring a pot of coffee."
Once the waiter came back with the pot, he took their orders. Jenny ordered the spaghetti with Gideon following her lead.
The waiter turned to Gideon. "Would you like anything to drink with the meal?"
Gideon glanced at Jenny, and then turned to the waiter. "A bottle of wine, but bring it with the meal."
"My, my. Aren't we being maternal?" Jenny mocked.
Gideon poured her a cup of coffee. "Sugar or cream?" he asked.
"Black," she laughed to herself. Jenny picked up the cup, took a sip of the hot liquid, and then savored the aroma and its warmth as she held it in her hand. Jenny glanced over at Gideon and smiled. "Can you drink on duty?"
"I'm not on duty," he replied, his eyes never left her.
It felt good to hear him say the words, but she did not believe him for a minute. A person like Gideon was never off duty. It would take more than one whiskey sour for her to forget why he was there and what she had that he wanted.
The waiter did not listen to Gideon and brought the wine to the table with two glasses. Gideon poured Jenny a glass, then sat back and watched.
Jenny was determined not to get lost in the alcohol or the candlelight atmosphere of the tiny restaurant. They talked about everything and nothing for almost half an hour before the food was served. Jenny found herself enjoying Gideon's company. She knew if they spent any more time talking, she would tell him the deep secret she harbored, and feared it was only a ploy of his to win her confidence.
As the waiter set the platter of spaghetti in front of Gideon, his eyes just stared at the large plate of pasta.
"You know, I never did like eating this stuff in public," Gideon said glancing up at Jenny. He did not wait for her to answer, just continued, "My mother used to cut the spaghetti up for me, but I'm too embarrassed to do it in public."
Jenny smiled politely. It was hard to imagine Gideon LaMont as a little boy. His dark eyes seemed to shine like silver in the candlelight and she found herself mesmerized by his smile. And for a brief moment there was nothing that came between them. Delaney meant nothing. She was just someone enjoying an evening out with a friend.
"It's simple," she told him. "You take the spoon in one hand and the fork in the other. Now take a few noodles with the fork, like this." She showed him how it was done, and then quickly added. "Put the spoon at the end of the fork like this. Turn the fork, and voila! See how easy it is?" she said, watching him try the same trick.
But the end result was a big ball at the end of the fork. Gideon laughed. He slid the noodles off his fork and then picked up a few noodles, this time with better results. They talked while they ate and laughed some more. It was the first time in ages that Jenny had felt at ease. Somehow she forgot about all that had troubled her earlier, but the feeling would not last. It was Gideon who broke the spell.
"Did you notice whether anything was missing?" he asked when he finished the last bite of spaghetti.
Getting back to the business at hand, Jenny thought to herself—so much for not being on duty.
"Just a few odds and ends," she said looking at him, hoping he would drop the subject.
"Like what? Gideon asked.
Jenny could not lie to Gideon for some reason, and feared if he started asking questions about Delaney she would tell him everything. She could not understand why Delaney had put such a burden on her in the first place and then to tell her not to trust anyone. Who did he mean, why wasn’t he more clear?
Finally Jenny glanced up at Gideon, who was waiting for an answer.
"John's letters, for one thing," she said.
"Was there anything else?"
"It's hard to tell. One of these days I'll need something and probably discover it was taken. I know it was not robbery, though," Jenny said, watching the expression on Gideon's face change.
"Why would you say that?"
"My grandmother's brooch was still there. When my mother gave it to me, she told me it was very valuable."
Jenny was uncomfortable once the interrogation started. She had the distinct feeling he was prying and then other times it was like Gideon might genuinely be interested in her and what she said. She fidgeted with her wedding ring. For some reason it was binding her finger and hurt.
Jenny avoided his gaze. She looked out the window and focused on the sign across the street, mesmerized by the flashing of the neon lights.
Gideon sensed her reluctance to talk. He drew her back into the conversation, first by talking about the University and then life in the Village. It was nearly twelve when they were done and started for home. The air had turned brisk for September. It felt as if there might be an early frost in the air. Gideon noticed Jenny shivering as they started down Thompson Street. He offered her his jacket, but she declined. The walk home would not take long and she didn't mind the cool night air.
"What are you going to do now that it's all over?" Gideon finally asked.
"Do you mean, now that I'm a widow?" Her voice quivered, it had been the first time she thought of herself in that way. It didn't seem real for some reason.
"I'm sorry. I didn't quite mean it like it sounded."
"It's hard thinking about John not coming back."
"I'm surprised you waited this long."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You waited five and a half years, that's a long time."
"John was someone special. I never met anyone with such insight into how I felt."
Jenny looked up at the sky. The stars twinkled. The moon wasn’t visible. She remembered other nights with John walking the city streets, and the
burden of his loss ached in her heart. How could she explain to this stranger that in her marriage vows she promised to love her husband until the twelfth of never?
Jenny did not say more after that, just walked along in silence. She felt like she had just emerged from a cocoon. It was when they entered Washington Square Park that Gideon finally broke the silence.
"This is a pleasant little park," Gideon said. Without waiting for her to answer, he just continued. "It's hard to believe you're in the heart of a busy city."
"That's why I like it so much. People can get lost in their own little world without ever being bothered by the outside."
The park was deserted; only a few people walked the outer perimeter. Jenny stopped near the fountain. Lights from the traffic on the outer edge streaked across the fountain frame. The sky was clear, and the stars were brighter than Jenny ever remembered in the past. It was a quiet, serene night, and in the distance she could hear music. It had a soft melody, one that was familiar to her but could not place at the moment. Jenny started to walk away, but Gideon reached and pulled her back. She turned, and as she did he took her in his arms.
"I've always loved that song," Gideon whispered in her ear as he held her close.
Jenny thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, but instead they just swayed to the music, and he continued holding her firm. She remembered it now. It was a song about people needing people. Gideon's hand was cold on her back, sending chills up her spine. It was a good feeling to be close to him. Jenny shut her eyes. For a moment she forgot who he was and why he was there. She went back in time, to a time where there was only happiness. She rested her head on his shoulder, and warm feelings of love came rushing back.
"John, I love you so much," Jenny whispered.
Gideon stopped abruptly. The music continued but they just stood there, not moving as he still held her firm.
Jenny was no longer cold, they stood like that until the music stopped and still he did not release her. Finally the music started again, but instead of a soft melody, it was hard rock and the spell was broken. She felt his arm loosen around her, and for an instant she missed the warmth, wanting to pretend again it was John. Jenny glanced up into Gideon's eyes, those deep intense eyes that sparkled in the night. She saw in them something she was unprepared for.
The Twelfth Of Never: A suspense mystery romantic thriller Page 18