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Jake guessed the look of horror on his own face, was only wiped away by the force of Tony pulling him down into the chair next to him. Jake searched his mind for some shred of evidence of his affair with Sara which he might have missed and that could have somehow fallen into Tony’s hands. But his brain had turned to mush, just a blank canvas with the weight of Tony’s sweaty arm pinning him to the seat.,

Jake stole a look at Sara; she sat there serenely, like an ice maiden sipping wine, eyes cold, unreadable.
“Where do you want to start Jake?” Tony demanded. He reminded Jake of a bull frog rather than a toad at that moment, thick necked and eyes too prominent. Jake felt like a fly waiting for the strike of a long, sticky tongue. But he wasn't ready to struggle... it would be easier to weigh up this disturbing development, if he played dead for a while. "I'm not sure what you mean?" he stated evenly.
"You're no good at lying Jake... needs more work," mocked Tony, "But then you haven't had time to get your stories straight have you?!"
Jake looked at Sara as she continued to sip her wine, he had no idea what she was thinking, how she wanted him to play this? Had Tony found out about their affair? "What do you want me to say?" Jake threw the question into the air for either of them. "The truth would be nice!" said Sara with a flash of those glittering eyes. Jake didn't trust himself with the truth, it could well end up with him getting a black eye or redesigned nose. But then a rush of adrenaline seemed to hit him ….“Okay,” Jake made the decision, the worst thing that could happen in his life had already occurred… he’d messed up something so special, it took his breath away. So why not speak freely and say what he was really thinking. At least she would know he was a man and not a coward.
“Okay,” he said again with more conviction this time. “I’ll tell you what I think! This situation stinks!” He noted two sets of eyebrows lifting. “I want to know how the pair of you, can sit here, dining out, drinking wine…. when Sara; you know he paid me to entrap you and Tony; you think so little of her, that you will stop at nothing to hold onto your assets.” He paused for breath, “Sara, how the hell can you dress up like that for him, when he treats you with such little regard?” Jake stopped again, he was perspiring, Tony’s grip had tightened on his shoulder…. But was that a softening of Sara’s icy stare or had he imagined it? He decided to push on.

“So, I hold my hands up and admit that I was a fool to agree to do Tony’s dirty work, but I soon gave up any intention of going through with it, because you turned my world upside down Sara. If it had just been a job or bit of fun, why would I tell you about it? Why not just walk away and take the rest of the money? I’ll tell you why, because I bloody well want you, I’m done with playing private eye!!”

“I see,” was all she said, infuriatingly refusing to meet his gaze,“I don’t know what Tony’s told you, if anything” continued Jake, “But I returned all the money to him and gave him nothing else!”
Jake didn’t believe what happened next; Sara reached out and put her hand on top of Tony’s where it rested on the linen table cloth.
So she’d made her choice and it left Jake reeling, he pulled himself free of Tony’s other hand while he was distracted and pushed his chair roughly back. He felt sick to the core, like his future had been wiped out and in his mind he was already reaching for the comforting warmth of the single malt back at his flat.
Then, when he thought nothing else could surprise him, Sara’s mobile rang from the depths of her bag…. The 007 theme was unmistakeable; the ring tone she’d previously said was for her husband…..
So what the hell was going on? Did she have another lover? Had she made a fool out of both of them? Jake could only stare as she turned the phone off and then coolly poured a glass of wine and held it out to him. “You’d better sit down Jake.” she said quietly.
Then she looked at Tony and nodded, “ It’s okay, you can go now.”
“Are you sure, you’ll be alright?” asked Tony with a long look at Jake.
“Yes.”
Jake took a gulp of wine, he couldn’t get his head around this sudden seismic shift in allegiance. He, Jake now appeared to be the ‘bad guy’, while Tony was walking away unscathed… whatever was coming next, he seriously doubted if anything could surprise him….

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