Page 26 of The Prize

I blew on the surface of my coffee and the liquid rippled. “What I find baffling is you fingerprinted me unknowingly at your home.”

“You touched my door handle.”

“I was a guest.”

“I’d hired you as a consultant. I’m thorough.”

“You don’t let many people in, do you?”

“I practice caution.”

“Control?”

“Think of life as a game of chess. You move the pieces to your liking and if you’re smart you predict the other person’s moves...perhaps avert a disaster.”

“What about their humanity?”

“A person’s true nature always reveals itself.” He sipped his coffee. “Though you’re an enigma.”

“In what way?”

He shook the salt cruet over his eggs. “You refuse to break the rules and yet you’re here with me.”

“I didn’t have much choice.”

He held my stare and his expression marred with confusion as he set the cruet down.

“What I meant was it all happened so fast. I flew off to Arizona and...”

He raised his hands to admit guilt. “I let you down. I have to live with my mistake that put you in harm’s way.”

“I take responsibility for my actions.”

“Which were influenced by mine.”

“You probably wish we’d never met.”

“On the contrary. When I first met you, I found you inspiring. I wanted to protect you.”

“And now?”

“I find myself thinking of you a lot of the time.” He lifted a slice of toast and bit into it and grinned at me. “You’re a living, breathing Titian.”

“Does that line usually work?”

“You know as well as I do Titian favored intelligent subjects whose eyes reflected awareness of their environment.”

“Oh, you’re referring to Titian’s rendition of Salome holding John the Baptist’s head after she betrayed him?” I smirked to show I was joking.

“All of Titian’s subjects reflect consciousness. I don’t believe you’ll betray me, no. If that’s what you’re hinting at.”

Betray him,no, I couldn’t imagine myself ever doing that.

“There are so many times you could have given me up to the authorities, Zara.”

“I suppose.”

“Jade,” Tobias piped up. “PlayRequiemby Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In D minor, please. Play it loud.”