The Anatomy of Deception - Lawrence Goldstone [70]
“You are completely correct,” I went on. “I have behaved like a fool and a cad. I do trust you … I think I do … but … it is simply …” I felt my breath gush out. “It is simply that I am terribly attracted to you and I fear betrayal.”
“Or perhaps my father and brother are correct. Perhaps you are attracted to our money,” she said. She seemed on the verge of sneering at me and I became desperate to turn her anger.
“Why would you accuse me of that? What cause have I given you to believe such a thing?”
“What cause have I given you to believe that my motives are deceitful?” she retorted. “If you insist on thinking the worst of me, why should you protest when you are afforded the same treatment?”
“I deserve everything you have said,” I agreed, in full surrender. “There is no reason that you should believe it, but circumstances would be so much easier for me if it were your money. The sad fact is that I think about you obsessively and constantly.”
She smiled, a soft and beautiful smile. An actress onstage could not change mood so often or so quickly. “Is that how you think of it? As sad?”
“I fear that will be the upshot, at least for me. I can think of no reason why it should end any other way.”
“Can’t you?” she demanded.
“Are you still angry? You have every right to be.”
“If people were held to every stupid thing said out of passion, the species would soon go extinct.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling hauled back from the edge of a precipice. At that moment, I knew that I would do anything to help her, and spewed out those very sentiments.
“I find you very gallant, Dr. Carroll,” she said, “when you are not being churlish, of course. Perhaps we might try to begin anew.”
“I would like that,” I said.
“Please sit down, then, and let us go on. We must find Rebecca quickly. She may have simply secreted herself, but she may also be ill. It has been two weeks, and I feel certain she would have contacted us if she were able. It has been dreadful, sitting here helpless. I love her as I would a sister. Can you not understand that?”
“Yes, of course I can,” I replied. I placed my hand on hers and she did not resist. “But I need more details.” If my hypothesis for the overall chain of events was correct, the news, I feared, would not be good, but I owed Abigail the truth.
“I cannot provide them until I speak with Thomas,” she said plaintively. “We made a pact and I will not break it. If Thomas agrees—and I’m sure he will—we will tell you everything we know. Until then, I would ask that you act on faith a bit longer.”
“Of course,” I said, trying to live up to the reputation for gallantry with which she had endowed me. “Why was it that you wanted to see me if not to give me information?”
“The situation has become more complicated. Jonas has grown suspicious of Rebecca’s whereabouts. I’m not sure what aroused him but we must be more careful.”
“What is he likely to do?”
“One can never tell. But Jonas is dangerous. He has already killed at least two men.”
“Killed?”
“The first was in California when he was just starting out in business. Jonas did not come from means, you know. He shot a man who had cheated him in a business deal. It was called self-defense, but Father told me that Jonas had paid the local sheriff to give false testimony. Then, just after he arrived in Philadelphia, about ten years ago, a footpad accosted Jonas and Eunice as they were leaving a restaurant. The man had a knife and demanded money. Jonas disarmed the thief and then beat him to death, right there on the street. The police called that self-defense, as well.”
“And you didn’t feel the need to mention these incidents when you enlisted my assistance?”
“I had no idea that matters would become this complicated. I’m telling you now because I care about what happens to you. I would understand fully if you withdrew.”
“No,” I replied. “I’ll continue on.”
“Thank you, Ephraim.”
We both stood. Abigail moved opposite me, very close. I could feel the heat from her