Chapter 27 Chapter Twenty Six

Harry Flint walked up to the reception desk of the Wilton Hotel: "Hello." "Hello." The receptionist noticed the smile on his face, "Is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes. My wife and her friend, an African-American, checked in a few minutes ago. I want to go upstairs and surprise them. What's their room number?" The receptionist said, "I'm sorry. This is a ladies' hotel, sir. Gentlemen are not allowed upstairs. If you'd like to call—" Flint looked around the lobby.Unfortunately, it was packed with people. "Never mind," he said, "I'm sure they'll be coming downstairs soon."

Flint went outside and dialed on his cell phone: "They're in the room upstairs, Mr. Kingsley. I can't get up." Tanner stood motionless for a while, concentrating on his thoughts: "Mr. Flint, logic tells me that they will decide to break up. I will send Caballo to help you right away." In their upstairs suite, Kelly tuned the radio to a pop station, filling the room with loud rap music. "How can you listen to such things?" Diana asked irritably. "You don't like rap music?" "It's not music. It's noise." "You don't like Eminem? What about LL Kool.J. and R. Kelly, and Ludacris?"

"Is that all you listen to?" "No," Kelly said tartly, "I like Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique, Chopin's etudes, and Handel's Almira. I'm especially fond of—" Kelly watched as Diana walked to the radio and slammed it off. "What do we do when we escape the hotel, Mrs. Stevens? Do you know anyone who can help us?" Diana shook her head. "Most of Richard's friends work at KIG, and our other friends—I can't bring any of them into this." She looked at Kelly. "And you?" Kelly shrugged: "Mark and I have been living in Paris for the past three years. I don't know anyone here, except from the modeling agency, and I have a feeling they can't help much."

"Did Mark say why he went to Washington?" "No." "Neither did Richard. I have a feeling that was the key to their murder." "Excellent. We have the key. Where's the door?" "We'll find it." Diana thought for a moment, and then her face turned rosy. "Wait! I know someone who can help us." She walked to the phone. "Who are you calling?" "Richard's secretary. She'll find out." A voice came from the other end of the phone: "KIG." "I'd like to have Betty Buckle on the phone."

In the office, Tanner watched as the blue light of the voice discriminator began to flicker.He flipped a switch and heard the operator say, "Miss Buckle is out of the office." "Can you tell me how to contact her?" "I'm sorry. If you could give me your name and phone number, I'd talk to her—" "Forget it." Diana hung up the phone. The blue lights went out. Diana turned to Kelly. "I have a feeling that Betty Buckle might be the door we're looking for. I've got to find a way to get in touch with her." She frowned. "That's weird."

"what?" "A fortune teller predicted it. She told me she saw death all around me, and—" Kelly exclaimed: "Ah! But you didn't report to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)?" Diana stared at her for a moment in disgust. "Okay." Kelly couldn't take it anymore. "Let's have dinner." Kelly said, "I'm going to make a call first." She picked up the phone and dialed the number for the hotel reception. "I want to make a long-distance call to Paris." She gave the front desk a number and waited.A few minutes later, Kelly beamed. "Hi, Philip. How are you? . . . everything is fine here." She glanced at Diana. "Yeah. . . I'll be home in a day or two. . . …Oh, that would be great. Does she miss me? …Can you get her to answer the phone?” Her voice changed to the tone of an adult addressing a child, “Angel, how are you, baby?  … I'm your mother. Philip said you miss me...I miss you too. I'll be home soon and I'll hug you and kiss you sweetheart."

Diana turned to listen, bewildered. "Goodbye, dear. Well, Philip...thank you. I'll see you again soon. Goodbye." Kelly saw the puzzled look on Diana's face: "I'm talking to my puppy." "Yes. What did he say?" "She's a bitch." "That's right." It was time for supper, but they dared not leave the room in which they were hiding.They asked room service to deliver their meals. Conversations are mixed.Diana tries to talk to Kelly, but to no avail. "So you've been living in Paris?" "right." "Is Marc French?"

"no." "Have you been married long?" "No." "How did you two meet?" None of your business. "I don't really remember. I've met so many men." Diana looked at Kelly carefully: "Why don't you tear down the walls you've built around yourself with your own hands?" "Didn't anyone tell you that walls are there to keep outsiders out?" Kelly said dryly. "Sometimes walls lock people in, and besides—" "Listen, Mrs. Stevens. Don't mind other people's business. It's my bad luck to run into you. Let's call it a day."

"That's right." She was the most ruthless person I've ever met. After they ate in silence, Kelly announced, "I'm going to shower." Diana ignored it. In the bathroom, Kelly undressed, stepped into the tub, and turned on the shower.The feeling of warm water rushing over your naked body is amazing.She closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild... She could hear what Sam Meadows was saying.You know he is madly in love with you.He wants to marry you.I hope his heart is not broken.Kelly knew Sam Meadows was right.Kelly enjoyed socializing with Mark.He's funny, understanding, caring, and a really good friend.This is where the problem lies.I just treat him as a friend.It's not fair to him.I have to stop associating with him.

Mark called the morning after the banquet: "Hey, Kelly. What do you want to do tonight?" Mark's tone was full of anticipation. "Dinner and the theater? Or go to the night market and then—" There was a brief silence: "Oh, I think you and I have—" "Uh, not between us." Kelly stood, hating what he had done to him.It's all my fault for letting things get to this point. "Oh, all right. I'll call back tomorrow." He called the next day: "Kelly, if I offended you in any way—" Kelly had to harden her heart and say, "I'm sorry, Mark. I've—I've fallen in love." She waited.

The long silence was unbearable. "Oh." Mark's voice trembled. "I understand. I—I should realize that we—w—congratulate you. I really wish you well, Kelly. Say goodbye to Angel for me." Mark hung up the phone.Kelly stood, clutching the dead mic in his hand, desolate.He'll forget me quickly and find someone who can give him the happiness he deserves. Kelly went to work every day, smiling across the flyover and listening to the applause of the audience, but there was nothing but sadness in his heart.Life is never the same without friends.She often wanted to call him, but refrained.I can not.I've hurt him enough. Weeks passed without hearing from Mark from Kelly.He is out of my life.He may well have found someone else by now.I am very happy.She tried to convince herself that was the case. On a Saturday afternoon, Kelly was at a fashion show in an elegant hall packed with Parisian celebrities.As soon as she made her way up the aisle, the hall erupted with cheers as usual.Kelly followed a model wearing an afternoon suit and holding a pair of gloves.A glove slipped from the model's hand and fell onto the runway. When Kelly saw it, it was too late.She stumbled and fell to the ground face down.The audience gasped.Kelly lay on her stomach, ashamed.She struggled to keep from crying, convulsed, took a deep breath, got up from the ground, and fled the aisle in a hurry. As Kelly ran into the dressing room, the dressmaker said, "I've got your evening dress ready for you. You'd better—" Kelly sobbed, "No. I—I can't go out and face those people anymore. They'll laugh at me." She became hysterical. "I'm done. I'm never going out again. Absolutely not!" "Of course you will." Kelly turned around sharply.Mark stood by the door. "Mark! What are you—what are you doing here?" "Oh, I—I've been walking around the neighborhood lately." "Did you—did you see—what happened outside?" Mark smiled: "It's beautiful. I'm so glad it happened." Kelly stared at him. "Wh-what?" He took a step closer to her, took out a handkerchief, and wiped away her tears: "Kelly, before you came on stage, the audience thought you were just a beautiful dream that was elusive, a phantom, elusive. When you stumbled On the ground, they will understand that you are a mortal body, and they will love you even more because of this. Now you should hurry back to the outside stage and make them happy." She gazed into Mark's sympathetic eyes, and that was the moment Kelly realized she loved him. The dressmaker was putting the evening gowns back on the clothes rack. "Give it to me," Kelly said.She looked at Mark, smiling through tears. Five minutes later, the audience rose to a standing ovation and thunderous applause as Kelly confidently walked onto the flyover.Kelly stood on stage, facing them, too moved to speak. How wonderful it is to have Mark in my life again.She recalls how restless she was at first... Kelly was always nervous, waiting for Mark to flirt with her, but he was always a perfect gentleman.His shyness made her feel a lot more confident.It was Kelly who started looking for something to talk to him about, and she found Mark to be omniscient and humorous, no matter what the topic. One night Kelly said, "Mark, there's a wonderful symphony opening tomorrow night. Do you like classical music?" He nodded: "I listened to it grow up." "Great. Let's go then." The concert was a great success and the audience was enthusiastic. On the way back to Kelly's apartment, Mark said, "Kelly, I—I lied to you." I should have guessed, Kelly thought.He is no different from other men.it's over.She waited for his answer iron-heartedly: "Really?" "Yes. I—I don't really like symphonies." Kelly bit her lip to keep from laughing. The next time they went on a date, Kelly said, "I want to thank you for Angel. She's an amazing companion." So are you, Kelly thought.Mark showed the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen, and a lovely, sly smirk.She really likes being with him... The water was getting cold, and Kelly turned off the tap, toweled off, slipped on a hotel terry bathrobe, and went into the bedroom. "It's all yours." "thanks." Diana stood up and stepped into the bathroom.The bathroom was like it had been hit by a storm.Water splashed on the floor and towels were thrown all over the floor. Diana returned to the bedroom angrily: "The bathroom is a mess. Are you used to having people clean up after you?" Kelly smiled affectionately: "Yes, Mrs. Stevens. Seriously, I was raised by a group of maids." "Hmph, I'm not one of them." You are not eligible yet. Diana took a deep breath. "I think we'd better—" "There's no 'us,' Mrs. Stevens. Just you and me." They looked at each other for a long time.Then, without another word, Diana turned and went into the bathroom. When Diana came out fifteen minutes later, Kelly was in bed.Diana reached for the bedside lamp overhead. "Don't, don't touch that!" was an exclamation. Diana looked at Kelly and was taken aback: "What's wrong?" "Leave the lights on." Diana said contemptuously, "Are you afraid of the dark?" "Yes. I—I'm afraid of the dark." Diana said with grace, "What's the matter? Did your parents scare you with monster stories when you were a child?" There was a long silence. "good." Diana got into her bed.She lay down for a minute, then closed her eyes. Richard, my dear, I never believed that a man could die of a broken heart.Now I believe it.How much I need you.I need you to lead me.I need your warmth and love.You are somewhere here.I know you are here.i can feel you.You are a gift God lent me, but for too short a time.Good night, my guardian angel.Please never leave me.I beg you. On the bed, Kelly could hear Diana weeping quietly.Kelly's lips tightened.shut up.shut up.shut up.Tears began to trickle down her cheeks.