The Book Keeper (27 page)

Dear Cohen,

Please let me know about dinner tonight.  Missing you already.

xx Georgia    #youlookedreallyhotinyourblacktrousersandlongsleevedwhiteshirttoday

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: Tonight

DATE: December 31 2012   12:30

TO: Cohen Darcy

Dear Cohen,

I need to feel your lips on mine again. Contact me.

xxxGeorgia   #ireallywantotbreaktherulesofthebook

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: Tonight

DATE: December 31 2012   13:00

TO: Cohen Darcy

Cohen, I will track you down.  I have my ways.  Dinner tonight – 8pm?

xxxxGeorgia
   #thegingerbreadboysarearmedanddangerous

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: Tonight

DATE: December 30 2012   15:00

TO: Cohen Darcy

If you happen by chance to open your emails on your faithful blackberry, would you please mind responding to my request for a dinner date?  Or, is it that you are indeed old fashioned, and object to me asking you out? Please let me know whatever way, so that I can plan my evening.

xxxxxGeorgia
   #whateverhappenedtotalkinginrealtimeonatelephone?

My Georgia…..

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT: real telephones

DATE: December 31 201
2  15:10

TO: Georgia Harrison

Dear Georgia,

I am old fashioned in some ways of the world.  I can’t have dinner with you at 8pm because I am working on a case till late.  You have no idea how much I would love for you to track me down.  I hope that the gingerbread man and woman make thousands of babies. You can talk to me in real time on one of the numbers listed below, anytime x.

xCohen   #Ihavebeenthinkingaboutyouallday<3

Send ……

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: Rejected

DATE: December 31 201
2   15:13

TO: Cohen Darcy

To My Cohen,

Sigh……

xxxxxxGeorgia   #youareforeverinmyheartandmindx

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT: Sigh

DATE: December 31 201
2   16:30

TO: Georgia Harrison

To My

I am sorry to disappoint you.

xxCohen  #stillreminiscingaboutseeingyoutoday

Send…

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: Disappointment

DATE: December 31 201
2   16:32

TO: Cohen Darcy

To My Cohen ,

Which night are you free to dine with yours truly?

xxxxxxxGeorgia  #willwebeabletohavedesert?

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT:
You can’t have your cake and eat it to

DATE: December 31 201
2   16:45

TO: Georgia Harrison

Dear Miss Harrison,

Work commitments come between us right no
w
  We are about to make a break through in solving the case.

xxxCohen  #
waitingforthecollisionofourlifedestinies……

Send….

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: One Day

DATE: December 31 201
2   16:52

TO: Cohen Darcy

Dear Mr Darcy,

Biding my time until we meet again.  The
Excellence Awards in Medical Innovation is this Friday, 8pm.  You did say that you would go with me….

xGeorgia   #
hope:tolookforwardtowithdesire

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT: My Word

DATE: December 31 2012   16:57

TO: Georgia Harrison

To My Dear Georgia,

I
never
go back on my word.  I will be there with you.  Give me more details.  It will be the highlight of my week.

xxxxCohen  #special:distinguishedfromwhatisordinary.

Send…

FROM: Georgia Harrison

SUBJECT: My Prince

DATE: December 30 2012   17:00

TO: Cohen Darcy

To My Dear Cohen,

8pm.  City Hall
Restaurant. Creative Black Tie. Can’t Wait.

xxGeorgia  #ihavememorizedyourfaceyoureyesyourlips

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT: My Princess

DATE: December 31 201
2   17:03

TO: Georgia Harrison

Miss Harrison,

8pm. City Hall
Restaurant. Creative black Tie.  Can’t Wait Either.

Back to work for m
e


xxxxxCohen  #justthesmellofyourperfumeacceleratesmyheartbeat

Send……

A gentle tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality. 

Crimes to solve. Suspects to interview.  Minds to read.

Dreams to dream
…later.

The next four days dragged along painfully, like the
pulling of a tooth at the dentist in slow motion. Friday arrived delayed.  Well it felt that way anyway.

I hadn’t heard from Georgia since Monday, and it bothered me.  I missed her quirky emails. I missed our back and forth cajoling, innuendos and heart x-rays.

I pulled out my blackberry.

FROM: Cohen Darcy

SUBJECT: 8pm

DATE: January 3 201
3   10:03

TO: Georgia Harrison

Miss Harrison,

8pm. City Hal
l Restaurant.  Creative Black Tie. Counting down the minutes.

xxxCohen  #Ihavegotmydressreadywithmatchingshoesandearrings

Send……

No reply.

Chapter 22

Coloured lights decorated the arched windows of the exterior of the City Hall Restaurant. Planter boxes of dark green foliage plants bordered the historic frontage leading to the main entrance.

The large glass door was closed, lest the coldness from the outside world enter the
cosy inside world of the restaurant.  I entered, enjoying the décor and memorabilia, and headed towards the Granite Room.

The stately Matradee greeted me with impeccable manners, checked my ID, and  welcomed me into the function.  The Granite room was abuzz with atmosphere. Men and women everywhere beautiful in their creative black tie.

I smelled her sweet perfume first, and turned towards her.  She stood by the grand piano.  I stopped and breathed in deeply.  Her beauty had taken my breathe away.  She wore an elegant black satin evening gown.  It was sleeveless with a round neckline revealing a little of her breasts. The bodice had ruching in a cross over effect. 

Her
wavy brown mid length hair was tamed in a flattering updo.  She looked pure, noble, sophisticated.

My Georgia.
   My. Georgia.

I grabbed
two flutes of champagne as I strode towards her, taking my time, drinking in her beauty, her presence.  As I came closer to her, I could she that she was engaged in a conversation with a dark haired man.  He kept touching her.

MY Georgia.

I changed my tact, and approached her from behind. I stopped directly behind her, then leaned in to speak into her left ear.

‘I could smell you as soon as I entered the Granite Room Miss Harrison. You look stunning,’ I whispered for her ears only.

She turned her head slightly to her left as I spoke to her, then turned around and faced me.  Her eyes smiled first, and then her face lit up in happiness.

‘Cohen,’  she whispered, and then hugged me, longer than I thought that she would.  She stepped back away from me then,
her eyes drinking me in, from head to toe.

‘
Mmmm….classic tails Mr Darcy. Suits you, very suave,’ she stated, taking the champagne flute from me.

I dropped my head and smiled shyly.

‘Thank-you.  Dance with me Georgia,’ I said, my voice low, holding out my hand for her to take.

My senses
heightened as I felt her finger tips touch mine. I took a deep breath to settle my hyperventilating mind.

I looked deeply into her eyes as I pulled her towards me slowly
and held her close as we danced.  Her breath was warm, gentle against the skin on my neck.

‘Have I told you how beautiful you
are Georgia ?’ I whispered into her ear. I felt her smile against my skin.

‘
I recall the word stunning Mr Darcy, ‘ she whispered back at me, kissing my neck lightly, instantly sending tingles throughout my body.

I moved my lips toward her bare shoulder and kissed her lightly.  Then I rested my head against hers.

‘Georgia,’ I whispered.    
I love you……I want you……

‘You smell delicious Cohen. Are you armed tonight?’ she asked.

‘No.  I didn’t want to scare you Miss Harrison,’ I said quietly.

‘You could never scare me Mr Darcy,’ she replied looking into my eyes.

‘Good,’ I replied, and then kissed her lips lightly, lingering.

The music stopped and we were seated for the Ceremony.

The awards were detailed, structured, grouped.  I sat amongst gifted doctors, surgeons and medical researchers, both men and women.  Their united goal to help, to heal, to honour, to give hope. 

I was humbled by their presence, their knowledge and discoveries of the human anatomy, and the dedication to their profession that reached out to others.

And I was mesmerised…..by Georgia.  She made my soul sing, my heart melt, and my brain buzz with the liquid of the love potion. The strength of my love for her was unbreakable.
I had to tell her.  I couldn’t keep my feelings for her inside me any more.  It was time to bare my soul, expose my heart, and make the connection of hearts and minds with her.

But after the ceremony, she was taken away from me. 
A tall dark haired doctor stole her away.  He took her by the hand, and pulled her into a close embrace on the dance floor.  He held her like she was his, and my heart hurt.

I leaned back in my chair and breathed in deeply, running my hand through my hair. I wanted her back with me.  But perhaps she did not feel the strength of love for me as I felt for her. 

Don’t overthink Cohen,
I told myself.

I closed my eyes, I could not watch him look at her full of lust anymore.  She was mine, wasn’t she?

Loud screams forced my eyes open.  I looked over and saw Georgia standing alone on the dance floor, her partner gone. To her right a masked gunman stood.

I flew over to Georgia and hurled her from the dance floor and backed her up to one of the walls, covering her body with mine.  Fear lived in her eyes, in her heartbeat.

‘Don’t move.  If I get shot, stay under my body like you are dead as well.  It is your only chance of survival,’ I whispered into her ear in a calm voice.

‘You would take a bullet for me?’ she asked, her voice
shocked, surprised.

‘Without a second thought Georgia.  I will protect you with my own life. I lo…..’

I sucked in a sharp breath.

The entry of the bullet into my body was different to what I thought it would be.

I thought that I would feel a sudden intense, sharp and unbearable pain.  But it was not like that at all.  At first I felt a very soft poke. It was nothing really.

And then
the intense painful burning sensation hit me, like a hot searing knife moving about inside of me. I held Georgia in my arms as we fell to the floor.  I tried to cushion her impact as much as I could as the blackness overcame me, and my lifeforce left the strength of my muscular frame.

Then
there was nothing,  no memory, no thoughts, no pain,  just……………nothing.

Chapter 23

Brain fog. A muddy, sludgy weight holding my eyes closed, stopping my brain from gaining access to control  my body. I badly wanted to open my eyes, but I couldn’t.  They wouldn’t move. They were too heavy.