Free Double Doublecross by James Saunders

supermarket. Perhaps it was the mall.”
    â€œOh, forget it. It’s not important. It’s just things bug me when I can’t remember. One of the joys of getting to middle age, I guess. Well, goodnight all. We’ll see you again soon.”
    With that she grabbed Jake’s arm and hastened him to the car. She got in the car, and shutting the door, she turned to Jake.
    â€œI remember now when I saw her, Jake. It was at the ladies’ lunch I go to every month. It was the day before yesterday in the Golden Butterfly—you know, the Chinese restaurant on Main Street. She was at a table with a tall, blonde, good-looking man about thirty or so I would say. Looked a lot like her but not the same, if you know what I mean. Very well dressed, not wearing the casual outfits that you see these days. He could have been a business man.”
    Jake looked at her, “Does it really matter? It could be her brother, uncle or long lost cousin for all you know,” Jake said casually.
    â€œIt’s not like that, Jake. He was definitely not her brother, I can tell you for certain. More like a boyfriend if you ask me.”
    â€œGive it a rest,” said Jake. “It’s none of our business, is it?”
    â€œWhat about Rick? Does he know? He’s fond of her, and I’d hate to see him get hurt. He may be a bit of a fly by night, but he’s a great guy and we’ve known him for years. I think I should tell him about it, in a nice way, of course.”
    â€œOkay, but don’t go poking your nose into something that doesn’t concern you.”
    The following morning Rick rolled out of bed, showered, shaved and dressed for the office. He made a pot of coffee, grabbed a Danish pastry from the bread bin and made his way to the connecting door of the garage. Disturbing Sara did not seem like a good idea, and he left the coffeepot warming for her.
    Getting in his car, he backed out of the garage. It was a damp, cold morning with a veil of fog hugging the ground and shrouding the shrubs in a shimmering shower of crystal-like beads. He looked at his watch. It was just coming up to thirty minutes past eight.
    He rounded the circular drive and cautiously made his way into the street pausing to allow a tall blonde man to pass his driveway like a ghost in the gray, damp fog that hung in the air. ‘Strange to see someone on foot in this weather,’ thought Rick. ‘People prefer to run around in their cars particularly on a day like this.’ Within ten minutes Rick was in the office parking lot and ready for the day ahead.
    Sara watched Rick pull out of the drive narrowly missing Phil Speed who was walking in the road close to the house. She waited until Rick had cleared the house, stripped off her nightdress and slipped on a bathrobe.
    Opening the front door, she crooked her finger at the shadowy figure of Phil Speed half hidden by the mist. Leavingthe door slightly ajar, she waited for him. She met him as he entered the hallway and they kissed passionately, Sara letting her robe fall to the floor exposing her beautiful body. Phil Speed picked her up and carried her into the bedroom where they made fiery and eager love.
    Eventually, breathless and spent they laid back and rested. Nestling in each other’s arms, they began discussing the current situation between themselves, Rick and Carl Regis.
    â€œThere’s no romance between Rick and me, darling. He might believe there’s something but he’s mistaken. I’ll just make use of him until it’s time for us to leave together. Carl has something big going on, and we might be able to profit by it. He said something about striking it rich. He’s always saying that, but this time he seemed more self-assured than usual, so let’s wait and see what he’s up to,” she said.
    â€œI don’t like this one bit, sweetheart,” Phil said irritably. “I haven’t seen or heard from Carl for about