this was purely for her protection.
Despite his best intentions , overpowering feelings of jealousy rose up within him as he watched her on her date. He was intent on confronting her tonight even if he had to drive to her house and knock on her door. No , there would be too many questions of how he had found her. Instead , he decided to follow her on her date. When she came out , he would pretend to run into her on the street and an acting performance would ensue. They would both be dazed at seeing one another after so long. However , there would be another man there. How would it work?
He wondered how serious this date was considering someone had dropped her at the front door and the man was already waiting inside. His colleague had driven him into the city as they followed her. He jumped out when he saw her enter the restaurant and ran across the street. The date didn ’ t start well and the man she met appeared rude. They had shaken hands and then he had not looked at her. Was the man blind? She was breathtaking. Her beauty caused him to catch his breath in his throat , although , there was more to her. She had a way about her , a manner that surpassed physical beauty. Astoundingly , she wasn ’ t even aware of it. He refused to acknowledge it but he was infatuated with her.
After half an hour of watching the couple on their date , he dropped his binoculars. He couldn ’ t do it. He couldn ’ t pretend to run into her with another man by her side and surprise her with his visit. He scolded himself for his lack of courage though it did no good. He left.
TUESDAY
10
The bodyguard wore a shiny silver shirt. He sported a thick beard and a flat nose. He controlled who was allowed in and who was not allowed into the house.
As Antonio de Silva was not answering his phone , Grace decided to drive to the exclusive harbour-side suburb of Double Bay and knock on his door. She wasn ’ t the only one who had thought of doing it. About a dozen media had turned up at the doorstep of Mr de Silva ’ s house in the hope of a follow-up interview.
‘ You ,’ Silver Shirt said , pointing at Grace. ‘ You can come in. ’
There was a collective grunt from the others.
She stepped inside the door to a foyer lined with marble. It was the size of her kitchen and living room combined.
‘ Mr de Silva will see you now , Ms Rose. Follow me. ’
How does he know who I am?
The man led her down a hallway to a large room with Persian rugs and walls lined with glass-door bookcases.
‘ Thanks ,’ she said to the bodyguard. ‘ I like your shirt. ’
He smiled at her.
‘ Grace , come in , please sit down. ’
‘ Thank you , Mr de Silva. ’
‘ Call me Antonio , please. Grace , I ’ m going to get straight to the point. No doubt you have questions ready. I ’ m going to tell you something nobodyno else knows and you can quote me. ’
Grace took out her notepad , looked for the voice recorder app on her phone and pressed start.
‘ I have a foreboding feeling , young lady. ’ He paused , closed his eyes , rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his face in his hands. He sat in a luxurious single-seat , high-back chair upholstered in expensive patterned silk. The sitting room was opulent with pieces of art from around the world. Mr de Silva picked up a glass half filled with what looked like whiskey or scotch , in a toast to Grace , and drank it in one gulp.
Is he drunk at nine in the morning?
‘ Grace , we ’ ve all made mistakes but there ’ s someone who is orchestrating this whole ugly mess. His vulgarity knows no bounds. ’
She wondered what mess he referred to , especially as the trial was adjourned. She had her own thoughts about the voir dire and from past experiences an adjournment indicated there was evidence that required careful consideration. Usually the evidence favoured the defendant and he or she was typically found not guilty.
‘ I can ’ t tell you the deplorable crimes that have
Despite his best intentions , overpowering feelings of jealousy rose up within him as he watched her on her date. He was intent on confronting her tonight even if he had to drive to her house and knock on her door. No , there would be too many questions of how he had found her. Instead , he decided to follow her on her date. When she came out , he would pretend to run into her on the street and an acting performance would ensue. They would both be dazed at seeing one another after so long. However , there would be another man there. How would it work?
He wondered how serious this date was considering someone had dropped her at the front door and the man was already waiting inside. His colleague had driven him into the city as they followed her. He jumped out when he saw her enter the restaurant and ran across the street. The date didn ’ t start well and the man she met appeared rude. They had shaken hands and then he had not looked at her. Was the man blind? She was breathtaking. Her beauty caused him to catch his breath in his throat , although , there was more to her. She had a way about her , a manner that surpassed physical beauty. Astoundingly , she wasn ’ t even aware of it. He refused to acknowledge it but he was infatuated with her.
After half an hour of watching the couple on their date , he dropped his binoculars. He couldn ’ t do it. He couldn ’ t pretend to run into her with another man by her side and surprise her with his visit. He scolded himself for his lack of courage though it did no good. He left.
TUESDAY
10
The bodyguard wore a shiny silver shirt. He sported a thick beard and a flat nose. He controlled who was allowed in and who was not allowed into the house.
As Antonio de Silva was not answering his phone , Grace decided to drive to the exclusive harbour-side suburb of Double Bay and knock on his door. She wasn ’ t the only one who had thought of doing it. About a dozen media had turned up at the doorstep of Mr de Silva ’ s house in the hope of a follow-up interview.
‘ You ,’ Silver Shirt said , pointing at Grace. ‘ You can come in. ’
There was a collective grunt from the others.
She stepped inside the door to a foyer lined with marble. It was the size of her kitchen and living room combined.
‘ Mr de Silva will see you now , Ms Rose. Follow me. ’
How does he know who I am?
The man led her down a hallway to a large room with Persian rugs and walls lined with glass-door bookcases.
‘ Thanks ,’ she said to the bodyguard. ‘ I like your shirt. ’
He smiled at her.
‘ Grace , come in , please sit down. ’
‘ Thank you , Mr de Silva. ’
‘ Call me Antonio , please. Grace , I ’ m going to get straight to the point. No doubt you have questions ready. I ’ m going to tell you something nobodyno else knows and you can quote me. ’
Grace took out her notepad , looked for the voice recorder app on her phone and pressed start.
‘ I have a foreboding feeling , young lady. ’ He paused , closed his eyes , rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his face in his hands. He sat in a luxurious single-seat , high-back chair upholstered in expensive patterned silk. The sitting room was opulent with pieces of art from around the world. Mr de Silva picked up a glass half filled with what looked like whiskey or scotch , in a toast to Grace , and drank it in one gulp.
Is he drunk at nine in the morning?
‘ Grace , we ’ ve all made mistakes but there ’ s someone who is orchestrating this whole ugly mess. His vulgarity knows no bounds. ’
She wondered what mess he referred to , especially as the trial was adjourned. She had her own thoughts about the voir dire and from past experiences an adjournment indicated there was evidence that required careful consideration. Usually the evidence favoured the defendant and he or she was typically found not guilty.
‘ I can ’ t tell you the deplorable crimes that have
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