Traffic (Complete two-hundred pages) (Moving to Kindle Vella in 30 Days! )

11

LIE

JACK'S HEART STARTED BEATING AGAIN. He felt Mr. Golem had trapped him in his own home. Mr. Golem was a trespasser and was now eye to eye with his wife. He was not a guest. Mr. Golem was a dangerous man. Once a paid murderer of the state, and now state delegator of murder. But he was speaking to his wife, and this was to stop at once. If Golem had any ounce of respect in his entire body.

Jack returned down the stairs. His heartbeat shattering the airwaves of people bolstering under summer heat and escapist intoxication. He slithered through the crowd of well-dressed strangers wearing pastel colors reminiscent of the eighties and came finally to a close at the intersection of his wife and his secret boss.

They had been speaking quietly and assertively. But suddenly they both looked up as though at someone they had never seen before. Jack might have thought he had suddenly grown horns.

His attention bore directly on Mr. Golem.

"Hello," he pretended a smile to his wife until Katelyn uttered the damnable lie that made Jack aware of the pickle he was in.

"Jack, this is my friend, Jacob Wolfenstein," she said. (Jack's smile dropped.) "We've known each other since grade school and I see his wife Margaret at the country club on occasion." Jack's eyes moved to Mr. Golem when she said this but he froze as he realized her mistake. He slowly looked to her. Betrayed by her lie.

"What did you say?" said Jack.

She was shocked that he would answer her peaceful statement with so much focus and scrutiny. It was an embarrassing moment for all three of them. Her face flushed. "I said, this is my friend Jacob Wolfenstein. From grade school."

Jack looked over to Mr. golem who also knew he was in no way even related to anyone named Jacob Wolfenstein. Mr. Golem gave Jack a slight smile as though to say Well. It seems your wife is indeed lying to you.

Suddenly unable to trust both sides of his shoulders, Jack was horror stricken. Losing his breath he thought he might start panting like a dog. He held out his hand, which was all he could do in the wake of his wife's public lie. "What a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Wolfenstein."