Heading For A New Life

by Margaret Smith

  — You won't pay off in your whole life! Tony chuckled. - You still didn’t put down to me because I adjusted the work for you. Okay, though, I forgive you this debt. I'll call you as soon as I find out. Don't get yourself into shit, West Point, or old Tony doesn't want to pull you out afterwards.

  — Who was that? Laura asked when he returned to the room. She was sitting with her legs on the sofa, and the tips of her toes peeped out from under her wide gray trousers.

  — Old friend. Chris slid his gaze over them and suddenly became interested in the coffee maker. - I asked him to punch through his channels, maybe someone knows or heard that an attack is planned on your father. By the way, did you understand what exactly he meant?

  — Yes. ”She nodded as she watched him pull the mugs out of the kitchen cabinet. - We were in Hawaii when I was six. Dad didn’t have more time for a joint vacation, and I started classes too ... It doesn’t matter. We have a picture at home, when looking at which my mother always said that only Hawaii has the pinkest sunset. I don't know how a painting can help, but we need to go home and see.

  — First, let's wait until the investigators finish their work. Detective Jones promised he would call. Then we will go under the pretext that you need to pick up something from there ...

  — I really need to get my funeral dress, ”Laura grinned. - When I left to live with Dominik, I didn't take it with me - I didn't think it would be necessary.

  — So we'll wait, ”Chris nodded and handed her coffee.

  — Did you even sleep today? Laura frowned at his sunken face.

  — So just like you, ”Chris chuckled, casting a quick glance over the top of the mug.

  — Thank. She dropped her eyes. - Thank you for being there yesterday. And today too ...

  — There is no one to replace me, have you forgotten? - now he smiled sincerely, urging to support the joke. Indeed - Marcus was in the hospital, his condition is stable, but the doctors had to immerse him in an artificial coma to heal faster. And Peters was busy guarding another politician.

  — Dad was right - you really are a great bodyguard.

  — So far, all I have managed to keep you from is your husband, so the merits are not that great, ”Chris shrugged.

  — By the way! - Laura's face flashed with pleasure, and she leaned forward: - Dominic went to meet, we signed an agreement!

  — Yah! Chris raised his eyebrows in surprise. - And how much did he ask?

  — A house and three hundred thousand, ”Laura waved her off and added with a sly smile:“ We agreed at fifty.

  — And when is the divorce?

  — The lawyer should have talked to the judge yesterday ... - Laura bit her lip and thought. Then she cursed through her teeth and ran into the bedroom, returning after a couple of seconds with the phone. - I turned off the sound! How out of place ...

  She began to dial the number, pacing the room, and then spoke quickly, confusedly, ruffling her already disheveled hair. Chris followed her movements, imagining how he comes up to her, takes the phone from his hands, throwing it aside, and she looks with her amazing eyes and waits, waits for him to finally touch her ...

  Blood rustled in my ears, rushing down. Chris shifted from foot to foot and turned to face the sink, eyes closed. The one who runs everything in the sky clearly mocked him, but how else to call this obsession, which, of course, is just sympathy ...

  Detective Jones called an hour later. By that time, Chris and Laura had time to drink, it seems, all the coffee in the house and discuss plans for today. But before going to the Smith house, I had to turn to Chris to change clothes.

  — If this continues further, you will have to transport some of the things to me, ”Laura joked, watching him leave the bathroom already fully dressed.

  — It definitely won't hurt to start a toothbrush, ”Chris grunted, smoothing down his damp hair. - Are you ready?

  Laura nodded, although both of them knew that going to the house where the assassination took place was another test. The Smiths' mansion was in a painfully familiar area that Chris had seen so often from his windows in a past life. He stifled a sigh, involuntarily walking his gaze down the green street, as if he could make out the brown roof of his home on the other side of Lake Washington. A police car was on duty in the driveway, and scraps of yellow and black ribbons fluttered faintly in the wind.

  —Mrs. Reeds. A young, dark-skinned woman in uniform came forward and held out her hand. “Sergeant Connelly. Ours have already finished there, you can call the cleaning service, really ... - she hesitated. - I would not advise you to go into the office.

  —Thank. Laura nodded and looked up at the house. The Victorian mansion was lined with dark green ivy, the latticed windows were shine washed to a shine glasses. House saw her different: joyful, excited irritated, depressed, but never so scared. Nodding emphatically to herself, Laura pushed open the door and went inside. The spacious oak-paneled lobby could easily accommodate two of her apartments. Father's office was on the left, and Laura, like a magnet, was drawn there.

  — Maybe it's not worth it after all? - Chris began, but fell silent, faced with a warning glance, and followed. Laura froze on the threshold, swallowing a lump, looking at the things scattered on the floor, the streaks of blood on the oak table and the burgundy stain already absorbed into the light carpet. Books, paintings, numerous figurines - everything was turned upside down, as if a tornado had passed through the office. She did not dare to cross the threshold, silently closing the door in front of her.

  — Do you think I can sell it quickly? She asked quietly, turning to Chris. “Considering there was a murder here?

  — The killer's house flew away in two weeks, ”he grinned wryly. And he explained in response to the surprised look: - I lived in Medina *, on the opposite bank.

  — Next door to Gates? - Laura's eyes widened.

  — No, his house was higher, - Chris shook his head, involuntarily remembering his neighbors, whom he had never associated with someone outstanding. But tourists are still being taken on excursions past his house. I wonder who lives there now? ..

  — You probably never cease to amaze me, ”Laura shook her head. - Okay. Let's go upstairs, we need to pick up what we came here for.

  Chris looked back - in the huge house they were, it seems, alone, but

  caution was not worth it. Wide corridors flooded with light, expensive paintings, rich decoration - all this Chris slid with an indifferent gaze, and Laura did not pay attention at all. Opening the door at the end of the corridor, she entered the snow-white room, which turned out to be a bedroom, and resolutely approached a small painting hanging at the head of the bed. The sunset blazed on her in all shades of pink: from a delicate, almost white, to a deep, rich purple. The sky was reflected in the ocean, whose waves ran into the pink sand.

  — Nice, ”Chris remarked as he watched Laura kick off her shoes and climb onto the bed, which sagged slightly under her weight. Carefully removing the painting from the wall, she sat down and laid it on her lap.

  — A magical place, ”she said quietly, running her hand over the slightly rough surface. She sighed barely audibly and turned the picture over, but there was just a beige inside out. “Nothing,” she drawled, disappointed.

  Chris sat down next to him and reached out to take the painting. The fingers touched for a short moment, but it was enough to shock the body. Pursing his lips, Chris ran his hand along the inside, pressing where the picture was held by the frame. Nothing. But the senator could not remind about her in his dying messages exclusively of sentimental feelings! Leaving the canvas alone, Chris began to feel the frame, and Laura, her chin almost touching his shoulder, held her breath as she watched his fingers slide across the smooth matte surface. She sighed softly, and his skin was covered with goose bumps, Adam's apple twitched, rolled from top to bottom.

  — It seems that there is something, - he said hoarsely, carefully moving part of the frame, inside which was a small flash drive and a note. Laura
's fingers trembled as she pulled out a flat black rectangle and a piece of paper with only one word on it: Bradford.

  — Do you know who is it? -somehow Chris spoke softly, as if he feared they would be heard.

  — Yes, ”Laura said slowly, holding the flash drive with two fingers, as if she could sting with poison. - This is my father's friend, he was at our house. Now he is an assistant to the Minister of Energy. Maybe we should give him the flash drive?

  — Will he be at the funeral?

  — I do not know. Laura looked up at Chris with a tense look.

  — First you need to see what's in there, ”Chris said carefully.

  — Not! - Laura even jumped from her place, taking a step back. - We will not look at what killed Dad! Let this secret die with him. And Bradford probably knows what to do with the information.

  — Then let me have it for now. - Chris resolutely took the flash drive and put it in his pocket. - If the data on it cost Senator Smith's life, it is better not to lose it. And now you have enough worries.

  Laura nodded in clear relief.

  — I need to go to the funeral agency again, find out where the buffet after the funeral will take place. They say there will be at least two hundred people. I didn't think my dad had so many friends.

  — Rather, colleagues, Chris suggested, thinking: how many people came to his father's funeral?

  The next two days passed quickly - Laura continued to prepare for the funeral.

  and answer calls with condolences. The day before, she and Chris attended the court, from which she came out officially divorced - Dominic, upon learning of Smith's death, tried awkwardly to offer condolences, for which Laura even felt a little gratitude to him - she expected him to start demanding more money, because now she was the heiress a huge fortune. But it seemed that Dominic himself suddenly became weighed down by the protracted litigation, quickly put his signature and left without saying goodbye.

  Calvery Cemetery was unusually crowded today: lines of black cars filled all the driveways, flowers were still arriving - they were brought from the church where the farewell to Senator Smith took place. Laura stood at the grave, distantly thinking that now she had no one left: her mother was lying next to her, and a little further a place had long been prepared for her. The grief that was supposed to overwhelm, knocking down, never came, and in some ways Laura was even grateful to her dad for the fact that their relationship in recent years was far from ideal. When mom passed away, she thought she would go crazy. Now there was a weight on my heart, but that withering longing was not there.

  Laura was surrounded by many faces, mostly unfamiliar, all day. Someone offered condolences, someone simply shook hands dryly. An unfamiliar woman in the corner burst into tears, and Laura thought that dad probably had a personal life after her mother's death, and she did not even know about it. Again a missed chance, missed warmth, communication, the opportunity to fix everything ... But did she want this? And he? Did you make at least one attempt to get close to her? Not. Laura was not fooling herself - they were both burdened by each other's company. And she should have been wiser, to take the first step, but now it's too late.

  Apologizing to the nextguest,Laura took a glass from the tray of the nearest waiter and went out onto the terrace. It was decided to hold the memorial buffet in the senator's house. The wing in which the office was located was closed, and the festive hall, designed for one hundred and fifty people, easily accepted everyone. In principle, Laura did not give a damn about what they would write in the gossip that she invited guests to the house where her father was attempted when his body was just buried. She did not read the yellow press, her friends did not, and the others did not care at all.

  — Won't you freeze? - Chris walked over and stood next to him. - I would offer you a jacket, but I'm afraid to scare the audience with a holster.

  — It's too stuffy in there. Laura smiled. Next to Chris, problems receded into the background, and one could imagine that everything was still fine. They will give back the flash drive and live a normal, ordinary life. In which Laura no longer needs a bodyguard ... The thought made it sad: would Chris want to be with her? Or maybe she will leave and never return, but she will again plunge into the familiar world, where nothing and no one exists except work.

  — Are you okay? Chris gently touched her shoulder, noticing the change in her expression. He began to touch her much more often, even when there was no need for it, but he simply could not deny himself such a little - to feel her warmth on his fingertips.

  — Yes. She nodded and smiled tightly. Then she turned to the lake, leaning against the white railing, and casually asked: - Can you see your house from here?

  — Not. Chris leaned back beside him. - He's in-he there, behind those trees.

  — Did you have your own embankment?

  — And the beach, to which they brought sand from the Caribbean islands, - Chris grinned.

  — True?

  — No, - he was already smiling openly, - it's all with Gates. We just had a pier and an exit to the lake. But not bad either.

  — It's probably very scary - to lose everything like this, in an instant, ”Laura said quietly, looking thoughtfully at the dark water. The sun sank into the lake, turning it orange; occasionally small boats and sailing yachts passed by on their way home.

  — If you don't mind, let's not talk about it, - Chris said dryly, turning away from the lake and resting his back on the railing. - By the way, where is your Bradford?

  — Until I arrived, I hope that it is delayed. - Laura smiled awkwardly, annoyed that even brought up the topic of his past.

  — Maybe he has already arrived? - Chris unobtrusively asked to leave him alone, and she did not object.

  After looking after her, he turned back to the lake, leaned heavily on the railing and lowered his head. Your mother! The palm sank down hard on the tree. Why now she decided to stir up this tangle, which he so diligently buried all these years ?! This house, the familiar shore opposite, the smell of money and power and the looks that glided past him - few people pay attention to the attendants and security ... Chris assured himself to the last that he didn't care, but a simple question stirred up a long-standing resentment. He could now stand next to Laura, with his head raised high, have a conversation in an undertone about stock quotes and the foreign policy of the White House, he could, without shame of his past, answer the questions of curious relatives about who Christian Labert is and what kind of plans he has for Eleanor Smith. Could give her everything, even a house next door to billionaires golf on Saturday and tennis on Sunday with the wives of Microsoft CEOs. He could give her everything, just not here, not now, never ...

  For the first time, his own fall to the bottom gave off a crushing pain in his chest. Seeing her here, among the audience, not in the hospital, not at home, but here, Chris understood that she was created for such life. AND someday necessarily to her will return, how whatever tried to prove to herself and others the opposite. No, he will not leave medicine, will not complete the practice, but necessarily step higher. Will become the founder own fund, will do research, institute some kind of award named after itself - why not? And all that he can afford is an apartment for rent, which also cannot be paid for forever. And that's all. You are at the bottom, Mr. Labert, and you will never get out of there.

  Bradford never arrived. Laura with a tired smile said goodbye to the guests, glancing sideways at Chris - after their conversation, he no longer approached her, preferring to keep his distance. Why did she have to screw things up when it seemed like a normal relationship was finally established between them? Why remind you of the past, knowing that Chris is probably uncomfortable? Of course, he was not going to just talk about how he felt when he sat down. And she ... Idiot! Zero empathy multiplied by selfishness is what Eleanor Smith is all about. Thinks only of himself! After all, she could not even imagine what Chris suffered when he was imprisoned, his parents died, and the house was sold for debts. It was awful,
and she took it and reminded about it, simply: "Hey, Chris, tell me how bad it was when you sat down?"

  Laura mentally rolled her eyes and sighed, nodding to the couple lingering in the doorway.

  — Everything seems to be. - Smiling timidly, she walked over to Chris, who was standing at the carved wooden column, looking somewhere over her head.

  — It's been a long day, ”he answered dryly, pretending to look at the hall. - Do you want to stay here? Finally, his gaze moved lower, slid across his face with some, as it seemed to Laura, regret.

  — What?She blinked. - Never! And I don't want to stay here for a minute!

  — Then we went home. Chris bowed his head and walked around her, but Laura managed to catch his elbow.

  — Stop! Wait please. - He reluctantly stopped, slowly turn around. - I was wrong, I shouldn't have asked about ... In general, about what I asked. True, this is not my business.

  Chris shook his head, and there was a short, choked laugh. Then his hand covered it and gently removed it from his arm.

  — Everything is fine. Nothing to worry about. Do not worry.

  He turned for a second, smiled briefly, without opening his lips, and hurried to the exit.

  They had to stay late - wait for the waiters to leave and negotiate with the cleaning company to clean in the morning. The silence stretched out to the door of the apartment, and Laura was afraid to even ask: will he stay today? During these days, Chris's presence had become as much a necessity as the air she breathed. But he was silent, watching as she took out the keys, and the words did not come. Pushing the key into the keyhole, Laura frowned - he refused to enter until the end. She made an effort to shove him, and the door suddenly began to open. A hand shot up - Chris abruptly pushed it to the side, light steel flashed in the soft light of the corridor, the trigger clicked. He stepped into the darkness, fumbled for the switch, and turned on the light. He returned a few seconds later, stepped aside, letting Laura pass. The whole apartment was turned upside down. Things, dishes,