The Discovery, A Novel Read Online Free PDF

ourselves. You enjoy your . . . retirement.”
    “Oh, I will.”
    We hung up. I looked over at Jenn. She had pieced together our conversation. “No Helen,” she said.
    “Nope. Guess I’ll have to fend for myself while you’re gone.”
    “Somehow I think you’ll survive,” she said. “Let’s go to the grocery store. I made a list back at the house.”
    “How about first I get on my phone here, and we find out the nearest Mini Cooper dealer?”
    Jenn smiled. “Did you make sure the money’s in our checking account?”
    I smiled. “Jenn, let me show you. I looked at our balance before we left. There’s an obscene amount of money in there, more than I’ve ever seen.” I got on the internet and logged into our account. “Here.” I held the phone up so she could see.
    “Michael, that’s just crazy,” she said, staring at the screen.

7
    I t was late afternoon. Jenn and I had returned to our new home on Legare Street with an antique lamp. An authentic 1860s white, opalescent coin dot oil lamp to be more precise (at least I think that’s what the antique dealer said). It was far less a prize than what I hoped we’d be bringing home.
    We had a blast at the car dealership, looking over the inventory of Mini Coopers, and test drove one like the one we wanted. Smooth ride, great pickup, incredible sound system. Problem was, it was red. Had the white roof, white stripes down the hood, but it was shiny and red.
    I would have been happy with it. But I knew, for Jenn, the dream was the blue one. The Charleston dealer didn’t have a blue one fully loaded. But he promised he’d have it here in two days. Jenn was heading back to Florida tomorrow to start her last two weeks at work. We reminded ourselves that such disappointments hardly amounted to anything close to suffering. As we drove off the lot I remembered an antique lamp Jenn had her eye on the day we came into town. But it cost six hundred dollars.
    That day, way out of reach.
    I looked over at her now, holding it on her lap, rubbing the bottom half with her palm. “I know exactly where I’m going to put it. On that table in the foyer, next to the phone.”
    “It’ll look great there.” Of course, she knew I knew nothing about such things. But the lamp said “I love you” and that I felt bad she wouldn’t get to drive the Cooper for two weeks. The iron gate closed as we got out of the car. “Why don’t you take care of the lamp, and I’ll get the groceries in the house?”
    She walked around the front of the car, holding the lamp, and gave me a one-armed hug. “I love you,” she said.
    “Love you too.”
    I popped open the trunk and stared at the grocery bags. My cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. Rick Samson. I couldn’t believe Rick was calling me again. I was supposed to call him, planned to right after I put the groceries away. Was Rick Samson actually pursuing me?
    “Hey, Michael, is that you?”
    “Yeah, Mr. Samson, it’s me.”
    “You forgot—”
    “Actually I was just about to—”
    “—to call me Rick. I know I’m an old guy, but we can still be friends, right?”
    I laughed, probably a little too hard. “Sorry, Rick. I was just about to call you. We were out running errands. Just got home, so—”
    “No problem. I’ve got an appointment that’s going to eat up the rest of my afternoon. Thought I’d try and reach you before it got too late. Got a few minutes?”
    He was pursuing me. “Sure, uh . . .” I looked down at the groceries; there was some milk and frozen things in there. I wondered how long we’d be talking. What was it, ten bucks worth? Heck with it. “I’ve got time. You said earlier you wanted to talk about a book deal.” I leaned back against the rear fender.
    “I did. I’ve been talking with your grandfather’s publisher. As expected, sales are way up on his books. Seems like a great time to get something out quick. I’m assuming your grandfather left you enough money to quit your day