The Mind Man

Chapter twelve

Sally emerged from the master bathroom in a long white nightdress and was surprised to find her husband propped up on the pillows in bed reading. "I've never seen you read before."

"Yes I know, but I'm trying to take my mind off what's happening at work. There's even a journalist coming from London tomorrow morning. It never stops. It's not what I need in my life right now. I wish the world would find something else to focus on. I thought if I read a little it would help me get to sleep."

"Ted, you have to learn to switch off. You'll never enjoy your job if you keep bringing it home with you. Look what you did with that car crash. We ended up in the South Pacific."

Sally glanced at the cover of the novel and instantly recognized it. "That's one I was reading in the Cook Islands, it's good you'll enjoy it."

"Yes, you left it on the kitchen bench so I grabbed it."

"I'm tired, do you mind if I sleep?" Sally sat on her side of the bed rubbing moisturizer into her hands.

"No go ahead...I'll only be a few minutes."

Sally turned off her bedside lamp and settled under the quilt cover with her back turned to Ted. She laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, welcoming the warmth and comfort. Suddenly her eyes shot wide open and she bit on her lower lip. Was that the book in which she had written the phone number, she wondered? Her muscles tensed and her toes curled tight. She thought quickly over the events on the beach and tried to recall where she had written it. She thought over the book titles she had taken to the islands and which of them she had read. One book had taken her practically the entire vacation to read so she must have just begun the one that was now in Ted's hands. The phone number could be written anywhere on the first few pages, she was certain.

Her mind was alert and frantic as she deliberated on what action she should take. It was clear that if she did anything it would arouse suspicion. Damn! What was she thinking on the island anyway? What did she think was going to happen? It was just one of those vacation moments when you are unsuspectingly lured away from reality.

She closed her eyes again and waited with her heart pounding within her chest. Ted was no avid reader so she was sure he would lose interest quickly. But the time passed without change. She heard him turn a page and sigh to himself. She began justifying her digression to herself. She had done nothing wrong. Adam had volunteered his phone number, so she had done what was expected of her and wrote it down; so then why did she feel so guilty? She knew exactly why. She had lied to Ted, and for this alone she had no defense. She had been seduced by the islands, allowing herself to be partially seduced by a mysterious man on the beach. Now back in Sacramento, with the spell of the vacation destination broken she knew she would volunteer the number to Ted in a heartbeat if he were to ask. However, after all her self-analysis the guilt remained with her. All she could do was hope that Ted would put the book down before reaching the page with the number. She would be sure to misplace it in the morning if he did. She heard him turn another page, then another.

"Sally."

The sound of her name shattered the tension in her mind like a bullet through crystal.

"Are you awake?" he continued.

"Ah...yes, what is it?" She turned her head slightly.

"While we were in the Cook Islands, if you remember, I asked you if you had a contact for the man you met on the beach. You said no, and I believed you - so what is this?"