Gray Resurrection Read Online Free Page A

Alma in her present state, so he let the question
lie.  A friend appeared with a glass of water and Grant offered her the
seat next to his girlfriend, then he went outside to call an early end to the
game.
    His guests were understanding and went
inside to offer Alma their support, but by this time she had regained a little
control and assured them she would be okay.  After making some more
consoling noises their friends began to drift off into the night, leaving the
couple alone.
    Alma began to open up, and she replayed
the brief conversation she’d had with her mother.  “Arlan didn’t come home
from school at the usual time and Mama was really angry.  She thought he’d
gone out with his girlfriend, but when Maritess called asking to speak to him
she got worried and called the police.  That was when she found out that
he’d been shot.  The police said it was a robbery, but Arlan had nothing
worth stealing...”
    Her words tapered off as the tears came
again, and just after midnight she finally drifted off to sleep in his arms.

 
    Chapter 2
     
    Sunday 15th
April 2012
     
    Grant woke up on the sofa alone, a thin
ray of sunlight blinding him as it broke through a gap in the curtains. 
He immediately remembered the events of the previous evening and went in search
of Alma, eventually finding her in their bedroom.  She was packing a
holdall with clothes and a few toiletries and she looked up at him as he
appeared in the doorway, her eyes still red.
    “Kumusta?” he asked.
    “I’m okay,” she said, resuming her
packing.  “But I have to go home for the funeral.  I’ll be back in a
couple of days.”
    Grant moved into the room and gave her a
hug.  “I understand.  I’ll come with you.”
    “Are you sure?  What about the
office?  Who will run things while you’re gone?”
    “It’s fine.  Alfredo can manage.”
    “It’s not really safe in Isabela City,”
Alma said, concern etched on her face.   “Maybe you should stay here,
I’ll be back soon.”
    “Darling, if it isn’t safe, I’m
definitely coming.”
    Alma smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
    “How do we get there?” Grant asked her.
    “We can take a flight to Zamboanga City
and then take the boat across the Basilan Strait to Isabela.  There’s a
plane leaving just after two this afternoon.”
    Grant checked his watch, added on three
hours to get through the Manila traffic and realised he only had an hour and a
half to get ready.  “Call and book the tickets and book a taxi,” he said.
“I’ll go and take a shower.”
    He finished washing in less than five
minutes and as he dried himself he realised he would have to call Farrar to let
him know where he was going.  After getting dressed he punched the
speed-dial number and the call was answered on the second ring.
    “What?”
    There’s no end to this guy’s manners,
Grant thought.  “I’m taking off for a few days,” he replied.  “I
should be back late Tuesday night, maybe Wednesday.”
    “Taking off?  Where to?  This
is no time for a holiday!”
    Grant explained the situation but Farrar
was unfazed by the news.  “My condolences and all that, but you’re staying
put.  She can go down there herself.”
    “I wasn’t calling to ask your
permission; I’m letting you know so that you can tell Len and Sonny that the
key to my house will be with my next door neighbour.  Tell Sonny to
introduce himself as cousin Bob and they can make themselves comfortable until
I get back.”
    “You really are the most insolent,
jumped up —”
    Grant ended the call and turned the
phone off.  He considered leaving it in the house while he was away, but
he needed to be available should Alfredo have any problems at the office, so he
tucked it into his jeans and began filling his sports bag with enough clothes
for three days.  In went socks, underpants, T-shirts and shorts, along
with a spare pair of jeans and his toiletries: shaving kit; toothbrush and
toothpaste; and soap.