A Game of Optics

Chapter One

A Game of Optics

"Somebody must have made a false accusation against Josef K., for he was arrested one morning without having done anything wrong."—The Trial, Franz Kafka.

Chapter One

Elizabeth

Silence at last. Elizabeth sank down into her chair, kicked her shoes off beneath her desk, and pulled the plate towards her. With a short sigh, she dug her fork into the linguine and swizzled it around. The pasta was dripping with butter and the scent of garlic overwhelmed everything else. She took a bite and closed her eyes. It was so good it was sinful.

There was a knock at the door and Blake popped through the gap. Elizabeth groaned. What now? "This had better be good." She shot Blake a look.

Blake hesitated. "Your husband's on the line, ma'am."

"Fine. I'll let you off." She downed the fork and picked up the phone as Blake made his retreat. She spoke into the mouthpiece. "I have to warn you: you've just come between me and a plate of pasta."

"Sounds dangerous," Henry said, and the smile shone through his voice. "Do you want me to call you back? Give you and the pasta some time alone?"

"Don't tempt me."

"Talking about time alone...the kids are out tonight, so we've got the house to ourselves."

"Oh really?" Elizabeth switched the phone to the opposite ear, a smile playing on her lips as she twisted the cord around her finger. "Did you have any plans?"

"A few...but it sounds like I've got competition."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll save room for dessert."

"You'd better," Henry said. His tone softened. "I've missed you."

"I know. Things have been kinda crazy lately." When was the last time they had spent more than ten minutes together that didn't involve lying comatose on their bed?

"What time do you think you'll be back?"

She let out a long sigh and stared at the clock as if it could predict the answer. "It depends how this afternoon goes." She picked up the fork from the edge of the plate and raked it through the pasta. Her stomach grumbled in protest. "I've got that meeting with the VP. The adoption bill. I'm dreading it." She dropped the fork again. Just the thought of a whole afternoon spent with Teresa Hurst was enough to dampen even her appetite. "Not the bill; her. Every time she looks at me, I swear she's imaging the lines she'd cut if she ever had the chance to flay me."

Henry laughed. At least someone could see the funny side. "She's just jealous because your approval ratings are higher than hers."

"Yeah, but it doesn't help that Russell promised that Conrad would endorse her." Or that Russell had neglected to tell Conrad that, or that Conrad was planing to endorse Elizabeth when she announced her intentions to run. "Now she's treating me like I'm the other woman."

"Who she wants to flay?"

"Exactly." And even Elizabeth had to smile at how ridiculous she sounded. She spun the chair round to face the small walnut cabinet behind her desk. "I'll let you know when I'm done, okay?" Her gaze fell on the photograph of herself and Henry, sat side by side on a picnic blanket, their lips meeting in a sweet kiss, whilst the sea breeze swept through their hair. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Elizabeth blew a quick kiss into the phone and then hung up. Her heart sank a little the moment that the phone found the cradle; if only she could stay on the line to him forever, so the afternoon would never come; if only the day was already over, so that she could be home alone with him, snuggled in his arms. She let out a terse puff of breath. If only, if only...But first she had pasta, and then the meeting with Teresa Hurst.