If I live forever, I can live now

37

"David's father did it, and his mother is trying to protect him, pretending that she's helping them."

"Why would she help him? She stole his first big research work. Plus, David suggested he doesn't believe she's really interested in helping Lucy."

"Did he tell you why?"

"No."

"Maybe it's just a feeling, maybe he just senses that, because she's lying for his father."

I shook my head.

"But, Africa, why would he do it? For what purpose? Besides, we are forgetting something here. In order to find out about my work, he would have had to look for it specifically. I didn't share it with anyone apart from Luke. Not even Professor Abbey knew about it. So why would Hugh make efforts to follow my steps, if he didn't have a lead about what he could find?"

"Maybe Professor Abbey did know about it. Maybe he didn't tell you because he was waiting for you to tell him, but he shared it with his dear old-friend Hugh." she said, imitating Professor Abbey, and she made a face. "God, I still remember the way he said that at Fleming&Florey's party. He is almost in love with that man, Tessa. He found out, and he told him. It has to be that way."

David and the rest of the girls were still laughing downstairs.

"We should have a look in Hugh's room." I whispered.

Africa nodded. We made our way through the corridor, and we finally found a room that looked  like a suite at the Four Seasons.

An immense, white four poster bed stood in the middle of the room, on top of a dark blue and beige Persian carpet. The sun was rising, and the orangey morning light that entered the window drew shadows on the blue flower-patterned high curtains. An open novel and a pair of glasses were the only objects on the white wooden table in front of the window, apart from a white rose centrepiece.

Africa run to the table and quickly passed the pages of the novel, then tossed it at the blue suede armchair next to the table.

"Africa, leave things exactly where you found them." I whispered.

"Oh yeah, like he will actually remember where he left his copy of The Notebook."

I chuckled, then walked to the window and looked at the astonishing view of Holland Park. The trees were naked, but the sunshine glistened through their branches as if it was a leafy forest. There were hardly any flowers, but I could spot some English daisies and some purple pansies on a far corner. Nature was still fulfilling its cycle. We weren't. We had ceased to be a part of nature. We had been artificially modified. We had been polished and programmed.

"Hey, Tess, come and look at this."

Africa was kneeling in front of an ivory dresser. She had opened every drawer, and had taken some papers out of the one at the bottom. I run to her and she passed them to me.

"What?" I asked, as I superficially screened the sheet. "This is just some stuff about the house."

"It's the selling contract, Tessa. And look at the date."

I quickly shifted my eyes to the top of the first sheet.

"January 4th... Gosh.... This was two months ago!"

Africa nodded.

"Now we know how an ordinary doctor bought a detached house full of ivory and marble at Holland Park."

"It can't be true." I said, frantically shaking my head. "It just can't be. This isn't proof. This might have another explanation."

Africa raised her eyebrows. My hands were sweating as she took the papers from them and took a picture.