The Mammoth Book of Short Spy Novels by Bill Pronzini (Editor)

Author:Bill Pronzini (Editor) [Pronzini, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781780337364
Publisher: Constable Robinson
Published: 2012-02-29T16:00:00+00:00

The Jacksons came over to the cabin on Wednesday, minutes after Francie’s arrival from the lab. They stamped the snow off their feet, and came in smiling.

“So you doubted me, eh?” Stew said cheerfully. “It came this morning.”

As he fumbled for his pocket, Francie realized that Osborne’s doubts had shaken her more than she knew. She was afraid of the letter – afraid to read it.

It seemed to take Stewart an impossibly long time to undo myriad buttons to get at the pocket which held the letter. Francie stood, looking beyond him, hand half outstretched, and through the windows she saw the shale of new ice that reached tentatively out from the shore line into the lake. She heard Betty prodding the fire.

“Here you go!” Stewart said, holding out another folded sheet of the familiar cheap fibered paper.

Francie took it, her finger tips alive to the texture of it. Betty knelt in front of the fire, bulky in her ski suit, head turned, smiling. Stew stood in his shaggy winter clothes, beaming at her.

“Well go on!” Betty said. “You going to stand and hold it?”

Francie licked her lips, “Could I – read it alone please? It means so much.”

“Read it now, honey,” Stewart said. “We want to share your pleasure with you. It means a lot to us, too, you know.”

She unfolded the letter. At first the pencil scrawl was blurred. She closed her eyes hard, turned her back to them, opened her eyes again.

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