Page 71 of The Facilitator, Part 2

He climbed on the bed beside me. “I know. I guess long gone are the days I could pull an all-nighter and then get straight back in the office the followingmorning.”

“What’s next?” Iasked.

“I’m meeting with the family lawyer and with Gabriella and Alex, to let them know what I’ve discovered, then we have their party this evening. Maybe you want to chill out here? You’re more than welcome to come with me, ofcourse.”

“I think a chill out on the beach would be just fine. I can catch up on more sleep,” Isaid.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be with him, but it was his business, and I wasn’t sure if they all gotbusiness brutal, I’d feel comfortable. I knew they’d pull up the drawbridge and if it came to it, Jerry would be left outside. More so if it was discovered Daniel had stolen from the family. Mackenzie gave a brief kiss to my lips before heleft.

I took a shower and then headed down. My stomach grumbled, but I was still jangling from the coffee I’d drunk in the early hours. I found the tea in the cupboard and the smell of staleness scuppered the idea someone had searched in preparation for my visit. I suspected it had sat in the cupboard for ages. I laughed, still deciding to use the teabag, of course. I opened the fridge and found some fruit already cut up in a bowl. I grabbed a yogurt and took the fruit, and my tea when brewed, out to theveranda.

I could hear the tinkle of laughter and far away voices float up from the beach. Although the part in front of the house was private, there were no fences to stop people wandering past. I sat with my feet propped up on the opposite chair and raised my face to the sun. The smell and sounds of the ocean, of the heat from the land, and the wood of the house creaking as it expanded and contracted lulled me into a doze. It was the slam of the front door that jolted meupright.

“Mackenzie, Lauren?” I heard. The throaty crackle that came after could only have come fromMack.

“I’m out here,” I called out, swinging my legs off the chair. Just as I stood, he walkedout.

“There you are,” he said, with asmile.

“Can I get you a drink, a coffee maybe?” Iasked.

“I think there is a cold juice in the fridge, I’d prefer that. Coffee’s not so good for my heart nowadays,” he replied. I caught the wince as he lowered himself into one of the woodenchairs.

“Be back in a minute,” Isaid.

I grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge door, filled a glass with ice, and took that back out to theveranda.

“How are you feeling?” I asked, as I sat. “I saw you wince a littlethere.”

“Old age, and the big C. I’m sure Mackenzie has been told,” hesaid.

“He has. I think he would have loved to hear that from you, though,” I said,gently.

“I would have preferred that as well. Damn Sandra, always trying to meddle in myaffairs.”

“She’s lovely, perfect for keeping you in check, Iimagine.”

As much as he didn’t want to, he smiled at mywords.

“Where ishe?”

“Gone to meet with Gabriella and Alex, work related,” I said. I wasn’t sure what Mackenzie would want anyone to know, and it sure wasn’t coming fromme.

“Shame, I thought we could catch up for an hour orso.”

“I know he wants to meet with you before we leave, and we’re not heading over to Bostonnow.”

“I’ll see him at the party this evening, Iguess.”

“Mack, will you tell me about the bigC?”

“You know, I was sick for a while and I think I always knew. But I watched my beautiful wife wilt away—shrivel to nothing—and in so much pain. I guess I refused to acknowledge it. Now, it’s too late. Got it in the balls, Lauren,” hesaid.

I wasn’t sure whether to cry orlaugh.

“Fancy that, huh? I’m sure you didn’t want to know all that, but, hey, it is what it is,” he added. “I want to spend some time with my son before Ican’t.”

“You need to tell him that,” Isaid.