The Darkness of Bones Read Online Free PDF Page B

minute,” she mouthed, smiling.
    Jack held up his hand. “No hurry,” it said. Glancing quickly away, he began studying the other paintings peppered throughout the gallery.
    It was less than one minute before she appeared at his side, a kiss awarded to each cheek. “Into the office, darling. Great news,” she proclaimed.
    “You shouldn’t leave your door open like that,” said Jack, annoyance in his voice. “It’s an invitation to criminals. Violent crime is on the increase, and there are a lot of dangerous people out there.”
    “I know, but I have my own personal protection. Don’t I?” Sarah smiled as she led the way down a small corridor towards her office.
    Entering the office, Sarah walked to a large mahogany desk, easing out a drawer before removing a cheque.
    “For you, darling.” She handed Jack the cheque.
    Looking at the amount, he appeared slightly rattled. “This is a wind-up. Right? All this money for that last painting of mine?”
    “Less my twenty per cent, of course.” Sarah replied with a businesslike smile. “This isn’t a charity shop.”
    “Do you know how long it would have taken me to earn this sort of money as a detective?”
    “Well, you’re no longer a detective; you’re an artist. I always advised you not to sell yourself short. I certainly won’t!” She laughed a throaty laugh. “Hopefully, it will encourage you to give up that horrible private investigating and turn professional, as an artist. Now, what’s the mystery you couldn’t tell me on the phone, this morning?”
    Jack sighed. “There’s no easy way to say this, Sarah, but I don’t think we can see each other for a while.”
    “Oh?” Sarah frowned. “May I ask why?”
    “This isn’t easy, but this morning I had a conversation with Adrian. It made me feel a right bastard. It was about his mother, how he misses her.”
    “Of course he misses his mother. What son wouldn’t?”
    “I’ve hardly spent any time with him lately. Any spare time I have, I’m with you or the business. It just isn’t right.”
    “I know exactly what you are saying and the reason for it, but isn’t it time to live again?” said Sarah. “How long are you going to use Linda’s tragic death as an excuse? I’m sorry if that sounds rude and ruthless, but I’ve never been one for diplomacy or self-made martyrdom. Your marriage was already on the rocks when I came along. Don’t forget that.”
    “I’m not accusing you,” replied Jack, defensively.
    “Sounds like it.”
    A strong silence sneaked between them. Sarah was the first to break its hold. “Okay. I surrender. If our relationship is making you unhappy, I’ll not cause a scene. You can have your way—for now. I’ll leave you alone for the next few days, see how you feel. How does that sound?”
    “I really don’t deserve you. Know that?”
    “You’ve probably never uttered a truer statement, Jack Calvert.” She leaned towards him, and kissed him on the lips.
    Directly across the road, hidden from view, a figure watched as Jack and Sarah emerged from the gallery. Less than a minute later, Jack entered his car, hit the ignition, and then waved goodbye.
    Sarah blew him a kiss, in return.
    The figure’s hands were balled, fingernails cutting angrily into palms. When the hands opened again, the skin was bleeding profusely.

Chapter Eight
    “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”
    Proverbs 26: 11
    B Y CONJURING UP a mental map of the forest, Adrian tried to rediscover the exact location of his find two days earlier. He failed. Too white. Too blindingly white. There was texture but no shape, like a frozen lunar landscape.
    Understanding now that he hadn’t a hope of finding the location, he cursed himself for not having marked the place with something to guide him back. He should have pissed his name on the area, instead of wasting it cleaning the bone, the bone he now wanted to be human. But what if there were no more bones? Even