Page 53 of Finding Jacob
“I wish we could skip forward six months. Still be pregnant and whatever, but...have met six months prior to when we did. We’d know more about each other,” I said, hoping that made a little sense.
He frowned at me. “My parents were old when they had me, their only child, they died of natural causes, old age, nothing sinister. I had an amazing childhood. My father owned land, he’d been in the air force in his younger days, and my mother was a stay-at-home mum. I sold the main farmhouse and most of the land, as they wanted me to, some years ago, kept a smaller cottage. I did have an aunt, but we weren’t close, no idea if she’s still alive, I highly doubt it. As for friends. I have friends, I’m not apeopleperson, as such. When you’ve been in the military for as long as I have, and then do the job I do, cultivating friendships outside of that circle isn’t done. Do you understand that?”
I cocked my head. “Not really, but then I haven’t been in the military. I’m curious about your company, though.”
He sipped on his coffee. “I supply security to businesses all over the world. You’ve heard of piracy, haven’t you? I supply armed guards on ships sailing in dangerous areas to prevent that. We guard pipelines that get attacked, we provide the government with military personnel. That kind of thing,” he said, shrugging his shoulders as if everyone should know whatthat kind of thingmeant.
“Are you in danger?” I asked quietly. I wasn’t sure how to word the question.
“No, because I live the way I do. I’m not flash, I don’t court friends from the wrong side of town,” he said, laughing. “Now, let’s get back to us. Nathan would have been my choice; he is the closest to family I have. I’m pleased that you asked him.”
I recognised that he was shutting me down, Nathan did the same. Always turn the questions or discussion back to me. I accepted it, however.
Before I’d finished my tea, Jacob received a text to say Nathan was outside. We left our drinks and some cash, then fought through the throng of incoming people to get to the car.
Nathan and Jacob loaded the boot while I slipped into the cool of the car. Whether it was pregnancy or not, I was starting to get sweaty on a regular basis.
“So, shall we tell him?” Jacob whispered as he slid beside me.
I nodded.
“Mate, do you want to know whether you’re going to be godparent to a girl or boy?” he asked.
Nathan looked in the rear-view mirror. “You know?”
“Found out today.” Jacob put his hand on my stomach as he spoke. “We’re having a girl, Nathan.”
Both men stared at each other, then smiled. “A girl?” Nathan replied. “We are in for a tough time, and she is going to hate us for protecting her.” Both men laughed.
I leaned forwards and squeezed his shoulder. “How are you holding up?” I asked.
“Okay, I got a call from her sister. Did you know she had a sister? Anyway, she was going through Jules’s phone, and I was the only male listed.”
“No, she hasn’t got a sister. She had a brother, he emigrated to Canada years ago. That’s really odd, Nathan.”
“I thought so, as well.”
“What did she ask?” Jacob enquired.
“She wanted to know what my relationship with her sister was. I said I was a work colleague, nothing more. She pushed to know names of friends, it seemed no one in her phone admitted to being a friend. I wanted to know why she was calling me; she gave some bullshit about the funeral arrangements.”
“How do you know it’s bullshit?” I asked.
“Gut feeling.”
We fell silent. Jules did not have a sister. I’d known her all her life, mostly. Although younger than me, I think she first became friends with my sister when they were about five or six. They had sleepovers, spent days at each other’s houses. Our mums knew each other. Never, was there mention of a sister.
“Could it be her brother’s wife?” I asked.
“She was English, had a northern, Yorkshire, I’d say, accent. Not to say it couldn’t have been, of course. I’m going to do some digging.”
“Resources are available should you need them,” Jacob offered. Nathan nodded to him in the rear-view mirror then quickly glanced at me.
“Should I even ask?” I said. Jacob just clasped his hand around mine and squeezed.
I was dropped off to work with a promise to collect me in a couple of hours. Jacob and Nathan continued to... I had no idea.
The day was spent reorganising my diary, finally sending that condolence card, and making the call to Jules’s parents. They were curt, but said they appreciated my call.
