Page 106 of Analysing Her Assets

Tamar Strikes Back

(24 days to end of year)

51. Tamar

Tamar stared across the street at Danny’s building. Her heart thumped so loudly she was certain Marina, who stood next to her, could hear it. Her armpits were sweaty as were her palms, which she kept swiping on her jeans.

Three days ago, she called Danny and asked to speak to him, to apologize. Ilan had helped her write the script. She told Danny on the phone only the truth. That she wished she had never suspected him in the first place, that she shouldn’t have tried to investigate him. Her genuine remorse made it through. Danny invited her to his place to talk, and the ‘wire’ operation was on.

Ilan found this apartment, which had a direct view of Danny’s living room. The ISA rented it. Ilan and his IT man Aviad set up a telescope, audio equipment, and cameras, all aimed at Danny’s apartment.

Danny wasn’t home yet, but Ilan wasn’t taking any chances. He’d ordered the living room and kitchen area, which were visible from Danny’s building, to remain in total darkness.

“Hey,” Marina whispered. “Are you okay? Let’s go to the rear bedroom where there’s lights. Come on, Tally is there already.” She tugged at Tamar’s elbow, and Tamar’s feet somehow obeyed her deadened brain and moved with Marina.

She asked to have the entire T-team with her, but Ilan, being a secretive, need-to-know basis kind of guy, had allowed only Tally because she would help dress Tamar, and Marina, as moral support. Together with Marina, Tally had been her rock. She was upbeat and cheerful whenever Tamar’s spirits collapsed, which happened pretty often.

“Okay, let’s dress you.” Tally smiled at her encouragingly. “Come on Tamarindi.” She hugged Tamar, calling her by their father’s favorite pet name. “You’ve got this.”

Tally brought several options for Tamar to wear, all on a rolling hanger, the kind they have in fashion shows. Tally’s organizational skills and forethought was impressive. The apartment was empty of furniture and dirty from building materials, so there would have been no place to lay the garments.

“Here, Gideon loved this one,” Tally said, unzipping the first bag and exposing the red dress. “Every man who sees you in it will salivate.”

“Too obvious.” Tamar wasn’t going to another man’s house with a dress that had so many Gideon memories tied in it. “What else did you bring?”

Her sheer nervousness for the past hour had surpassed the thoughts of him. She hid the tears in her eyes by turning away to slide a cloth hanger. She unzipped the dress and pretended to examine the black dress Tally had made for Eilat. Lately, she found herself doing a lot of compartmentalization, but trying not to think about Gideon was proving to be the most difficult one.

“This one. I worked on it the last couple of days, thinking of this operation,” Tally said and revealed a lustrous navy-blue dress. “It’s not chenille. It’s real velvet.”

She helped Tamar slide into the perfect fit. The sophisticated cutting and inner lining narrowed her waist. The top encased her heavy bust, leaving an enticing bit of cleavage. Her hips rounded out beneath the flared skirt which ended a little above her knees.

“Phew, Tamari,” Marina said. “Where did you hide all this?”

“I can’t believe I’m dressing like this for Danny.” Tamar loved her reflection and hated it at the same time. Gideon would love this dress, too. How stupid to realize she was in love with him a minute after he broke up with her.

“You’ll need pantyhose,” Tally said. “Sorry, I know you hate wearing it, but...”

Tamar leaned on Marina and rolled up black sheer pantyhose that reached all the way to her navel and made breathing difficult. From another bag Tally produced a pair of almost new black heels.

“The last time I wore them was at your wedding. These are bad luck shoes,” Tamar said to her sister.

“We’re changing their luck, as of now.”

“It’s the only thing that still fits me,” Tamar said.

“You’re prettier now.” Tally hugged her.

“Ohhhh, group hug!” Marina cooed and joined them. With her sister and best friend with her, dressed to kill, she was a little more prepared for battle.

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