Silicon Gulch, Chapter 2

Jeff finds himself in Silicon Valley where he is asked to investigate claims by a gregarious Frenchman that his neural network electronic technology actually works. He meets up again with the enchanting Nancy, the FBI agent he had worked with in Atlantawhere they fell in love while he was still married, and again in Washington DCwhere fortune kept them apart. A surprise meeting with Kathyputs romance back into Jeff’s life as he finds himself hounded by financially-desperate Europeans so determined to push their questionable technology―men so desperate that they will stop at nothing, even Jeff’s murder. The excitement will make the reader gasp, tragedy will make the reader cry, romance will make the reader sigh.

Chapter 2 of Silicon Gulch ... Nancy calls Jeff!

Monday, 6:24 PM: Premonition

Jeff thinks that he will never see Nancy or Kathy again...but then Nancy calls him!

 

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Thanks for taking time, and enjoy!
- Chris Lamela

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Author contact: chris@chrislamela.com, 707-566-8790 PST

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Monday, 6:24 PM: Premonition

     Jeff left the bar heading to the elevators glancing at his watch, only five thirty. Maybe he could take a shower then get a little nap or something. The elevator doors opened, an old man grasping his walker tottered out with a hunched-over woman. Jeff reached in to keep the door from closing on this slow-moving parade, stepping in once the coast was clear.

     An older Chinese man and woman walked onto the elevator followed by a middle-aged man in a suit who stood in front of the button panel. He turned to Jeff, "Floor?" Jeff responded with his floor number, the man punched the number on the panel.

     The Chinese man leaned forward toward the man, "Flo den."

     The man gave a mocking laugh, "What? If you'd spit the rice out of your mouth maybe I could understand you."

     Jeff turned to him, "Come on, cut it out. He said floor ten." Shaking his head, "Give us a break will you?" Jeff turned to the couple with an apologetic grin motioning to the man with a fierce growling face sticking his tongue out at him as the man looked away, the couple laughing nervously.

     The elevator started to move without the man pushing the tenth floor button, Jeff leaned over shoving the man aside to push the button passing a scathing face toward him.

     A moment later he was sitting on his bed shaking his head at what had just happened in the elevator. It was so unbelievably rare here in 1997 to see such a show of racism that he felt baffled but a little proud how he did not just let it pass.

     Scratching his head he laid down looking out at the May sunshine still bright outside, rolled over to call for a wake-up call at six-thirty. That would give him enough time to get a quick shower before heading downstairs for the dinner.

     He laid down closing his eyes trying to sleep but his mind was swirling for no reason at all, pretty sure that he would not get a quick wink before dinner. He had been driving all day and he was determined to get some rest so he lay there anyway.

     His cell phone rang, he sat upright. Shaking his head, the phone rang again. He glanced at the clock that said six twenty-one as he reached for the phone.

     He held the receiver to his ear, "Hello?" he yawned.

     "Hi," it was his wife Donna.

     "Hi, is everything okay?"

     "Sure, the kids are over at mom's and it was kind of quiet in the house, so I thought I'd like to hear your voice."

     "Nice, I've been thinking about you," Jeff replied knowing he hadn't.

     "So how's your trip so far, how was your road trip? I can't believe you rented a car to make that long drive."

     "Hey, you know me, always like a long drive. A road warrior. I'm going to fly back though, it's one thing to drive eight hundred miles down, but not back again. But, yeah, the drive was nice. Stopped in Ashland on Saturday night. Got to watch As You Like It. Very nice."

     He heard her little laugh, "Yeah, I guess it's nice to get a break from Shakespeare drama, huh?"

     He smiled to himself, "I don't know, I really liked The Tempest when we were there last. But the weather was nice, it's definitely better in the summer instead of when it's cold, the outdoor theater is much nicer on a warm May evening." He chuckled, "The rest of the drive was fine, you know I think we need a new saying, something like 'Highway Five leads to everywhere' or something like that."

     She laughed, "And you call yourself a marketing guy?" she laughed again. "How about 'You will take a right on Highway Five to heaven, head south to hell' or something like that!"

     He laughed, "Okay, maybe you're the real marketer here."

     She laughed, "Yeah." Long pause. "Well, hey, I know you probably have things to do."

     "Yeah, just some boring dinner. I drove six hours coming down from Ashland today, so I hope it's an early night."

     "Okay. Take care of yourself. The kids will be home tomorrow night, give them a call."

     "I will."

     "Okay then…I just wanted to…I just wanted to say hi. Take care of yourself Jeff."

     "I will. Thanks for calling."

     "Okay." He knew not to hang up yet. "And Jeff?"

     "Yes?"

     "I love you."

     "I know, and I love you." He knew he should say something about the letters, "And Donna?"

     "Yes?" the anxious reply came.

     "I'm really sorry about the letters. That you found them. But like I said, it's not what you were thinking."

     "I know, we already talked about it. Listen, I've got to go." The line disconnected abruptly.

     He flopped on his back shouting out loud, "Those damned letters! Why does it always have to be those damned letters!" he slapped his cell phone down on the nightstand. Laughing, "And what's with it's not what you were thinking? What other way is there to think!"

     Yes. Those damned letters. Two letters filled with incriminating words about two women each being naked with him, how the women loved him. Atlanta and Washington DC.

     Somehow he had met Nancy in Atlanta. Oh yeah, right. That tiny little coincidence of looking like the fricking twin brother of that crooked congressman! They had one incredible night at the Hilton in Norcross, sex so many times he lost count. They exchanged I Love You that night. He left somehow thinking that they would meet again. Neither he or Nancy made any effort to do so. That always baffled him. She had said that night that they were in the Jeff and Nancy bubble, maybe she was right. The bubble must have popped. He shrugged that they will probably never see each other again, never have the chance to lay naked together, he knew they would never see each other again.

     Then he met Kathy in Washington DC. Didn't want anything to do with each other the first time. The second time they met their magnetism was startling. The first time they found themselves naked together―only to be busted in on by Nancy? Then the poisoned beer? Yeah, nothing like a woman trying to murder a man to put a damper on a relationship! And why he needed so desperately to see her just hours after all that. He has never been able to figure out his frantic need to see her again. But it was worth it for that wonderful hour together, intense love making experiencing the sweep that she does with her hips on top of him. How they said the L word telling each other they meant it. He found himself sighing at the possibilities he had seen in her eyes. In her body. In her heart. But after all that she was banned from ever contacting him again.

     Kathy.

     Ah yes. Kathy.

     Just the thought of her name always made his chest warm.

     But it didn't matter. He sighed knowing he would never see Kathy again either.

     His wife Donna had found the letter from Nancy talking about Atlanta, demanded he move out. He did. Then when she came to Washington DC eighteen months later to surprise him, to try to make up so they could get back together, then seeing Nancy's letter on the nightstand the very second they were about to have sex. Then his wife being kidnapped by the Iranians. Wow, that was a week.

     When he got back she invited him to move back. Two weeks of wonderful make-up sex.

     Of course that short good period had to end in the most likely way.

     She saw his sport coat looked a little road-worn so she sent it to the dry cleaners. Of course the dry cleaner found Nancy's infamous love letter which was folded together with the love letter from Kathy, both letters full of naked and love. And of course a conscientious dry cleaner will take whatever they find in the pockets, pin the items to the coat in a clear plastic bag. Two love letters. Ugh, it made Jeff tired to think of his being kicked out again with the words from his wife in his ears like it was an hour ago, "What is it with you? Every time I want to make up with you a love letter talking about a woman being naked with you and being in love with you shows up!"

     Yep, that is one excellent dry cleaning service, huh?

     And now all he has to remember either of them by was their letters.

     Yes. Those damned letters.

     He sighed that he would never see Nancy or Kathy again. Especially Kathy.

     Rolling out of bed he headed to the bathroom to pee, washed his hands, coming back into the room his cell phone rang again. He glanced at it certain it was Donna again, not sure he had the strength.

     But there was something about a ringing phone that he could never resist, so he stepped over picking it up pushing the TALK button without looking at the caller-ID certain it was his wife calling back like she does to apologize when she has been short with him on the phone, "Hello again," expecting to hear his wife's reply.

     "Hi."

     Jeff sat bolt upright at this voice.

     "Nancy?" Jeff feeling warm air swirling around his head.

     "Nancy? Is that you? Nancy?" his heart bounced around his chest like a tennis ball bounding off each rib before it settled in his throat, sitting on the bed feeling balance tipping.

     "Yes, it's me. How are you?"

     "I'm…well I'm…where are you?"

     "I'm coming to your hotel."

     "My hotel? The Merdian? Where are you?"

     "I'm across the freeway at the Embassy Suites."

     "What are you doing here? How did you know I'm here? How did you know?" He knew she could trace him in a second through his credit card just like they had done in Atlanta and Washington DC on his last adventures with her.

     "That's a lot of questions there mister Jeff. Listen I'm calling because you are going to that dinner tonight, Neurotek, right?"

     "Yeah," wondering how she knew, "some kind of reception dinner put on by Neurotek. I was invited by a congresswoman, her office contacted me, said I should attend. I don't have anywhere else to go tonight so I said yes."

     I said I don't have anywhere else to go when I've got Nancy across the freeway from me?????

     "Good, because I will be at the dinner, too."

     The tennis ball suddenly transformed into a basketball bouncing around inside Jeff's chest!

     "That means I'll see you? Will we have time to talk? Oh god, Nancy I miss you!"

     "I miss you. But no, not tonight. We need to play it straight. Like you've never met me before."

     "Nancy, what's going on?" Jeff suddenly realizing, "You're on a case, aren't you?"

     "I can't talk about it right now, no time." There was a long pause, he heard her breathing into the phone. "Jeff?"

     "Yes, I'm here."

     "Are you up to this?"

     The basketball instantly turned into a bowling ball that just landed with a thud between his thighs!

     Quick! What am I supposed to be up to?

     "Up to what?"

     "Another case. How you manage to find yourself in the middle of my cases I will never know. Never."

     "Does it mean that I get to get shot at, kidnapped, poisoned, blown up, and shot at again?"

     "Probably."

     "And you promise that we won't end this trip talking through a door?" Jeff remembering DC when twice they sat with a door between them like two love-sick teen-agers.

     "I'll try, but I can't promise."

     "Okay then, I'm in."

     "Good. Remember that you don't know me. See you there."

     He went to push the disconnect button on his phone hearing her voice again, putting the phone back to his ear, "And Jeff?"

     "Yes, babe." I said babe!

     There was a pause, "Thank you."

     "Thank me?"

     "Yes, thank you. You just said everything I needed to hear. See you tonight."

     He clicked disconnect, flopped back on the bed. I called her babe!

     How was it that only a minute before that phone rang he decided he would never hear from Nancy again?

     Looking to the ceiling with a sigh he had the strange premonition that this week was about to turn crazy.

     Crazy.

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NOW READ THE NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER OF
SILICON GULCH!
 

http://chrislamela.blogspot.com/2012/10/silicon-gulch-chapter-3.html

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