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You have a nice smile, Sara remarked. You should use it more often.
By the time they headed back in, Fiske had a blister on the inside of his thumb from clutching the boom line. They docked the boat and tied down the sails. Sara went up to the cottage and came back with more beer and a bag of chips and salsa. Dont let it be said that I dont feed my guests.
They sat on the boat and drank, and whittled down at the chips. The wind started to pick up and the temperature dipped suddenly as a late night storm rolled in. They watched as the clouds turned black-edged and pops of lightning appeared on the horizon. In her tank top shirt, Sara shivered a little and Fiske put his arm around her. She leaned into him. Then a few drops of rain hit and Sara jumped up. With Fiskes help she pulled out the vinyl covers and snapped them into place across the open compartments of the boat.
We better head in, she said. They walked up to the cottage, ru
Long day tomorrow, Sara said, looking at the kitchen clock while patting her wet hair with a paper towel.
Especially after no sleep last night, Fiske added, yawning. They turned the lights off and headed upstairs. Sara said goodnight and went to her room. Fiske watched breeze in along with some of the rain. A shaft of lightning flared across the sky and co
I thought you might have left.
Thought Id let you sleep in. It was a late night.
A wonderful night, she wanted to say, but didnt. You okay? she asked as casually as she could, unable as yet to fully read the subtle messages behind his words, his movements and expressions. Especially about something as recent as their lovemaking. Was the choice of eggs over lying next to her until they both awoke a bad sign?
Im fine, Sara. He smiled, as if to show her that this was actually so. She smiled back. Whatever youre making smells wonderful.
Nothing fancy. Western omelet.
I usually have dry toast and kitchen sink coffee. Its a nice change. Do I have time to shower?
Make it fast.
Not like last night. She smiled, flicked her eyebrows and turned away. The sheet was fully open in the back. Fiske watched her go, aroused again at the sight of her naked body, the delicate, sensual tensing of her back, legs and buttocks. He sat down at the kitchen table and looked around the cozy space. He had stood on the rear deck for a while and watched the sun slowly rise over him. Dawn always seemed so much purer over water, as though these two essential elements of life, heat and water, produced a near-spiritual performance. He glanced back at the stairs as the sound of the shower started. He had watched Sara after she had fallen asleep. In the darkness of the night, their mingled scents a second skin, it had seemed as though he belonged next to her, and she to him. But then the blunt clarity of morning had come. Fiske lifted the coffee cup to his lips, but then quickly put it back down. If he had called his brother back right away, Mike would be alive right now. Fiske could never dodge that truth. He would, in fact, have to live with it forever. ["C48"]CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Elizabeth Knight also awoke at the crack of dawn, showering and dressing quickly. Jordan Knight still slept soundly and she made no move to wake him. She brewed the coffee, poured a cup, took her notebook and sat out on the terrace and watched the sun come up. She looked over every page of her materials for oral argument today, which included the last bench memo Steven Wright would ever author. His blood seemed to replace the ink on the page. As she thought this, she had to fight back the tears again. She swore to herself that he wouldnt die in vain. Ramsey would not carry this day, this case. Knight already had great incentive to make sure that Barbara Chance and women like her could sue the Army for damages for, in essence, condoning the cruel, sadistic and illegal behavior of its male perso