The Vision Read Online Free PDF Page B

someone he could feel responsible for. He needed me.”
    Alan nodded forlornly. “Want a drink?”
    “I’ll wait for Max.”
    He drank his Scotch in three swallows. “You’re absolutely sure about him?”
    “About Max? Positive.”
    He went to the window again, studied the night sky for a moment. “I don’t think I’ll be returning to work with you after my vacation.”
    She got up, went to him, took hold of his shoulder and turned him around. “Say again?”
    “I’m a fifth wheel now.”
    “Nonsense. You take care of so much of my business—”
    “That’s nothing a secretary couldn’t handle,” Alan said. “Before Max, I was vital. I was your guide through the visions. But there’s nothing important for me to do anymore. And I don’t need this constant friction with Max.”
    “But what will you do?”
    “I’m not sure. I think I’ll start by taking two months vacation instead of two weeks. I can afford it. You’ve been very generous to me and—”
    “Not generous. You earned your share. Alan—”
    “I’ve got enough money put away to keep me for years. Maybe I’ll go back to the university . . . finish that degree in political science.”
    “Will you move out of the house in Bel Air?”
    “That would be best. I can find an apartment.”
    “Will you live with Jennifer?”
    “She dropped me,” he said.
    “What?”
    “For another guy.”
    “I didn’t know.”
    “I didn’t want to talk about it.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. She wasn’t my type.”
    “You two seemed happy.”
    “We were . . . briefly.”
    “What went wrong?”
    “Everything.”
    “You won’t move far away, will you?”
    “Probably just to Westwood.”
    “Oh, then we’ll practically be neighbors.”
    “That’s right.”
    “We’ll have lunch once a week.”
    “All right,” he said.
    “And dinner occasionally.”
    “Without Max?” he asked.
    “Just you and me.”
    “Sounds lovely.”
    A childlike tear rolled out of the corner of her eye.
    “No need for that,” he said, wiping it away.
    “I’ll miss you.”
    “A brother and sister can’t live in the same house forever. It’s unnatural.”
    The sound of a key in the lock made them turn to the door.
    Max came in and stripped off his raincoat.
    Mary went to him, kissed him on the cheek.
    Putting an arm around her, refusing to acknowledge Alan, Max asked, “Feeling better?”
    “Just tired,” she said.
    “Everything went smoothly in spite of Oberlander,” Max said. “I got the check for expenses.”
    “You always do,” she said proudly.
    During that exchange Alan went to the door and opened it. “I’ll be going.”
    Only minutes ago she had hoped he would leave before Max returned in order to avoid one of those tiresome quarrels. Now she felt that Alan was drifting out of her life, and she was unwilling to let go of him so soon or so easily. “Can’t you stay for another drink?”
    He looked at Max and shook his head. “I don’t think that would be wise.”
    Max said nothing. He didn’t move, smile, or even blink. His arm at Mary’s waist was like a stone bannister against which she rested.
    She said, “We haven’t talked about what happened tonight. There’s so much to be discussed.”
    “Later,” Alan said.
    “You’re still just going to spend your vacation driving up the coast?”
    “Yeah. I’ll spend some time in San Francisco. I know a girl there who’s invited me for Christmas. Maybe after that I’ll head for Seattle.”
    “You’ll call me?”
    “Sure.”
    “When?”
    “A week or so.”
    “Christmas Day?”
    “All right.”
    “I’ll miss you, Alan.”
    “Watch out for yourself.”
    “I’ll watch out for her,” Max said.
    Alan ignored him. To Mary he said, “Be careful, will you? And remember what I said.”
    He went out, closing the door behind him, leaving her alone with Max.
    * * *
    The small, downtown tavern was dimly lit, quite busy as late evening approached, but cozy in spite of the