Intimate Knowledge Read Online Free

they were searching for her in the vicinity.
    “Jenn, you need to be careful—”
    “I know. I’m taking this really seriously, believe me.”
    She didn’t raise her voice as she headed for the café. Heart pounding, she wondered why she hadn’t thought of hiding there herself. She regularly spent a lazy Sunday morning reading the paper and sipping hot chocolate at Mel’s. Their friendship was superficial, but genuine.
    “Where should I meet you?” Jennifer asked, more to keep her mind off her fear of being caught. “How about Hyde park? It’s huge, we can easily hide there as long as you need.”
    “It’d be too easy to be followed there. Not to mention it will be practically deserted in an hour. No, I’ll meet you at Buckingham Palace. You can easily catch the Underground there. Friday night, even in this miserable weather, there should be crowds for us to get lost in. Remember where we had that picnic and then hosted the treasure hunt for Sydney’s birthday a few years ago?”
    Jennifer wondered why Saul spoke in such a roundabout manner, but she knew the section of the Royal Parks he referred to. One of their mutual friends had requested a scavenger style treasure hunt for his thirtieth birthday party. She and Saul had put together a large part of the list and had a ball organising it.
    “Yes. Saul…” Her words trailed off as she wondered what and how much she should say. If Saul didn’t want to go into details over the phone, surely she shouldn’t ask about it or draw attention?
    Paranoia crept up on her. She glanced around, her gaze fearful as she studied the people that were around her. Jennifer hated this feeling, the jitters creeping back into her every action.
    “It’ll be okay,” Saul soothed. “I’ll see you there, Jenn, very soon, I promise. I’ll help you sort this out.”
    “But…but how? Saul, I have no idea of what’s going on. How can we fix something if we don’t understand it?”
    “One thing will lead to another. That’s how these things go. We’ll catch a hold of one thread, give it a pull and after a time we’ll be holding enough threads the entire thing will unravel.”
    Jenn sucked her lower lip into her mouth, nervously grazing it with her teeth. A tiny part of her wondered if she should drag her best friend into this mess with her, but selfishly she wanted his help, his comfort and support.
    “Jenn, do you trust me?”
    Saul’s voice was low, soft. Jennifer sighed. Just the sound of him soothed her and offered her the strength and comfort she so desperately needed. Warmth suffused her, the certain, rock-solid knowledge this man would do everything to protect and help her. Never had she loved him as much as she did right then.
    “I do. Completely.”
    “Then we’ll be just fine,” he finished.
    Jennifer smiled. She could hear the grin in his words.
    “I’m glad you called me, babe. I’m relieved you turned to me.”
    “There’s no one I trust or…can depend on more. You know that.”
    Jenn shook her head, annoyed with herself. She’d almost said ‘love more’. A few times over the years they’d both come dangerously close to expressing more than just friendship to one another. One or the other had always backed off at the last moment. Jennifer wasn’t sure why Saul had never explained his emotions fully, but for her part the thought of losing his friendship was enough to send her on a downward spiral.
    She couldn’t imagine her life without Saul. If that meant they remained friends and not lovers, then so be it. One of the things she’d needed to decide in the Forest of Dean was whether she should more actively seek love, open herself to new possibilities.
     “You should be close to Mel, now,” Saul spoke a little gruffly, breaking into her thoughts.
    “I’m nearly there. I can see her front door. The lights are still on and there’s people sitting inside.”
    “Okay, hang up and call me again the minute you’re out and on the street again.