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.My hands pull his head closer.He doesn t resist.He s hurtling past thepoint of return.But I can t do it.I can t bring myself to drink from Max.If I do, I risk whatever tremulous hold I haveleft on what s human inside me.And in the instant I realize that, I ve lost him.I m like a surfer who waitsa second too long to make the cut.Max is swept away from me on the wave of his passion, and I m leftbehind, alone, to watch.Chapter EighteenMax is aware that our last coupling was not as satisfying for me as the first.The expression in his eyesmakes it obvious that he s afraid he has broken something in our relationship.I can t tell him the truth.I can t tell him that what happened was not his fault.I can t believe how close Icame to-Page 57Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlI don t want to think about that now, and I don t want to tempt fate again.Instead, I smile and tell himI m tired.Which is true.And that things will be different after a good night ssleep.Which I can only hopeis true.He gets up and goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth.I collapse on the bed and wait for him tofinish.Can t share the bathroom anymore-especially one with large mirrors.Not when you re a vampire.When the phone rings, it s a little after ten.It s my mother. Did I wake you? she asks anxiously. No.I m just lying here-resting.How was your dinner with Carolyn? She never showed up. Mom s voice is a mixture of aggravation and concern. We tried calling her, butthere was no answer.Why would she stand us up? The dinner was her idea.After what I learned about Carolyn today, nothing she does surprises me.To my mother I respond, Maybe she got called back to the hospital and didn t have time to get in touch with you.I m going tosee her tomorrow.I ll ask her what happened. I got your note this afternoon, Mom continues. So I didn t expect to hear from her at all, which iswhy the invitation came as such a surprise. There s a pause. Any word on Trish?This is one of the things I hate most-lying to humans I love.It doesn t get easier, and I see no way it willever change.But I can t share what I ve learned with anyone yet, especially not my parents. I expect tohave some word soon, Mom.Please try not to worry.How s Dad taking all this?There s a sharp intake of breath. Not well.He acts like he doesn t believe Trish is really Steve s.But Ican tell he s scared to death for her.A thought strikes me. Mom, did Carolyn leave Trish s hairbrush with you?Again, a pause.In my mind s eye, I see Mom walking into the living room, looking around. Yes, shesays at last. It s here. I ll pick it up tomorrow.I think we should run that DNA test.You have one of Steve s baby teeth,right? I remember seeing it in a scrapbook or something.The laugh is small and sad. I have one of yours, too.The first you lost.I let a heartbeat go by before responding. Will you leave Steve s tooth with the hairbrush? I think theycan get a DNA sample from it.It seems to take Mom a long time to answer.But finally she does, in a soft, firm voice. I ll leaveeverything on the dining room table in case we re not here when you come.We re returning to fullschedule tomorrow at school and I expect it will be a long day.I promise to call her and check in and then we ring off.Max slips into bed beside me and we snuggletogether under the covers.He falls asleep first and I disentangle myself from his arms and lay staring atthe ceiling, waiting for sleep to dull the terrible anxiety I feel for a young girl I ve known less than a day.Page 58Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlChapter NineteenWednesdayI awaken once, early, when Max gets up in response to the chirping of his cell phone.I drift back tohalf-sleep, aware that Max has gone into the bathroom and that he s showering and dressing.Then he sleaning over to kiss my forehead. I have to go, he says. I got a call.There s been some trouble withMartinez  s extradition.They wantme back inWashington.I struggle into a sitting position. Is everything all right?But his eyes seem to be focusing on everything in the room but me. Max, is everything all right?His lips draw up and I imagine he thinks he s smiling.But the smile doesn t reach his eyes nor does itsmooth the wrinkles from his brow. Of course everything is all right, he says a little too cheerfully. Why wouldn t it be? I hope you lie better than this when you re on the job.He smiles-a real smile this time-and his shoulders lose some of their stiffness.He perches himself on theedge of the bed and tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. It sMartinez.They ve lost him. Lost him? How do they lose one of the biggest drug dealers inMexico ? I thought he was vacationingwith his family inColumbia ? Wasn t somebody watching him?His shrug morphs into a hand dipping into a jacket pocket.His cell phone again.He opens theconnection with a flip of his wrist and holds it to his ear.He listens for a minute, snaps the phone shutwithout saying a word and leans over the bed once more. Sorry, babe, he says. I really do have to go.I ll call you when I get toWashington , okay? His browsdraw together in an expression of concern. About last night? I didn t mean-I reach up a hand to touch his cheek. It s all right, Max.Yoube careful, you hear? I m not through withyou yet.He smiles, relief softening the lines from his face. Glad to hear it.I walk him to the door, noting as I pull the chair away from it that I ll have to call building maintenance toget it fixed.They ll want to know what happened, I m sure, so I ll have to come up with something.I kiss Max and watch until he disappears behind the elevator s doors.I have a bad feeling.Not aboutwhat happened between us last night, though it s a concern.But ifMartinez figured out Max s role in thebust that dismantled his money laundering operation, he will come after him.Not something I can do anything about.Max is a big boy who is certainly capable of taking care ofhimself.I push the door shut.My priority has to be Trish.Page 59Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlI debate whether to call Frey or go to the condo.My plan this morning is to track down Carolyn, but theurge to see for myself that Trish is all right is just too strong.And we have that shopping trip to plan.Aquick shower, a tug of my hairbrush through wet hair, clean jeans and a cotton sweater, and I m out thedoor.Trying to close it reminds me that I have one more stop to make first.Burdick, the building maintenance supervisor, has a ground floor apartment.He s a fussy little man witheyes too close together in a fat, round face.I ve never liked him.He always looks at me as if he d like tosee me served up on toast.I won t miss him when I leave [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]