Page 105 of Analysing Her Assets

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His father was propped up in the hospital bed, with a laptop, checking data from the Spanish facility. Yehoshua seemed to get better when he was allowed to follow matters in Berdiplast. Ignoring the nurses’ protests, Gideon let him work. He told his father about his conversation with Adva and that also cheered him up.

He stepped out into the corridor and slumped on a hard plastic chair in the small visitors’ area out of the ward. He put his head in his hands, tired and dispirited. He wished Tamar were here. He wanted to talk to her, about everything. He wanted to hear her laughter, answer her questions. He wished it so hard he could have sworn he felt her presence.

“Hey, Gideon.” He jumped with joy.

But it was Tally.

“How did you find me?” He nodded his assent at her silent question to sit.

“How is your father?” Tally asked.

“Do you really care.” He didn’t try to be civil.

“Nah, I really don’t,” she said, and he chuckled. “Tamar said your father was hospitalized with a heart attack and that there’s a complication. I know this hospital really well from when my mother was here. I visited two cardiology wards before finding you here.”

“Did Tamar send you?” She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. Probably alternating between telling the truth, half-truths, and outright lies.

“Be honest, Tally. You lied to her and to me the last time.”

“No, she didn’t,” Tally said in the end. Gideon was disappointed, but not surprised.

“So, you’re here because...”

Then he had an ugly suspicion.

“Isn’t she the lead collateral on your loan? Is that why you’re talking to me? If you think I’ll pay your debts just because I’m rich, you’re wrong.”

“No! Look, I don’t know why you’re ghosting my sister. You texted her only once or twice. That’s mean of you.”

“How do you...?”

“I have the password to her phone and I snooped,” Tally confessed.

“I really don’t like you.” Gideon meant every word.

“Yeah, I’m not proud of myself, either. She told you in her texts that she was sorry about something happening in your company, that she should have told you even if she wasn’t one-hundred percent sure. But she likes to be one-hundred percent sure about everything, right? She’s going through some really tough times right now.”

Tally was correct. He owed Tamar an apology. A big one. He would have figured it out by himself eventually, when he was less tired.

“Tamar will clear her name. You’ll see. Yelena brought recordings of Danny. She has us. Our T-team is united behind her, but she needs you. She really does.”

“Do you think she’ll have me?” he asked.

“Are you too scared to try?” asked Tamar’s sister, sounding just like her.

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