Читать книгу The Blade of Gilgamesh - Jeff Edwards - Страница 9

Chapter 1

Lew Reynolds made his way to the ornately carved bar in his sitting room and took down the bottle of scotch to pour himself a drink. It was late afternoon and as he was now retired, he decided to have a drink in the garden before supper.

His wife Judith was in the kitchen and Lew could hear the clatter of pots and pans as she prepared the evening meal.

He reached for a thick crystal glass which he then placed on the bar, but several minutes passed without any further action on Lew’s behalf as he stood staring at the bottle in his hand.

Eventually he felt a hand on his shoulder.

‘Let me help you,’ offered a well-dressed young woman, as she took the bottle from his hand and unscrewed the cap.

‘No!’ he exclaimed, snatching the bottle back, ‘I can do that!’ he yelled excitedly.

Lew poured himself a large slug of liquor and banged the bottle back down onto the bar in frustration.

Pushing past the upset young woman he made his way into the kitchen, ‘I’m going for a walk,’ he said crossly as he placed his untouched drink on the kitchen table.

‘Supper will be ready soon.’

‘I’m not going far,’ he replied with a grimace as he let himself out the back door.

The tall, middle aged man, crossed the rear yard of his property and opened the gate that led to the path which wound its way along the bank of a wide river.

He was upset and angry with himself because of the petulant way he had spoken to the young woman, but the reason for his angry outburst was not only his inability remember how to open the bottle, but the fact that he couldn’t recall the name of the young woman who had been seated with him in the study of his own home. He knew he should know it, but as hard as he tried he couldn’t bring her name to mind.

Still trying to solve the mystery, he made his way to his favourite spot overlooking the river.

***

Back at Lew’s house, the young woman made her way into the kitchen.

‘Dad picked up his bottle of scotch and couldn’t remember how to open it.’

Judith looked glumly at her daughter and nodded, ‘The doctors said that sort of thing will start to happen.’

‘It’s going to get worse, isn’t it?’

‘I’m afraid so Elizabeth,’ she replied with the hint of a tear in her eyes, ‘It must get worse because there is no cure.’

‘How long did the doctor’s say?’

‘It’ll be years, but they can’t say how many. They estimate between three and ten. Each day he’ll forget a little bit more, and eventually there will be no more to remember and he’ll die.’

‘Oh my God! How can you stand by and watch it happen?’

‘What else can I do? I love your father and we’ve been together for forty years now.’

‘How is he taking it?’

‘You saw him just now. Most of the time he’s fine, but occasionally he’s like a spoilt child. I think having to give up his work has been the most soul-destroying thing in the world for him. You don’t go from being the senior partner in the family accountancy firm to being an unemployable layabout and not feel inadequate.’

‘I know John and the rest of the staff miss him.’

‘Your uncle Tony and your husband will soon have the firm back onto a firm footing.’

‘Yes, they’ve managed to persuade most of the clients who walked out to return to the company after they explained what caused the problem.’

‘I feel so sorry for all those poor people who lost money because of your father’s illness!’

‘I wouldn’t worry too much. The company had insurance. It was more the loss of client confidence that hurt.’

‘Well it’s over now, and your father can’t do any more damage,’ Judith sighed.

***

At the river bank Lew Reynolds moved off the well-worn path and took a much less travelled track down to the water’s edge. Here, there was a small clearing open to the sky which was created when a large willow had fallen down some years before.

Now the dead tree’s weathered and moss-covered bulk stretched across the glade and Lew sat on a patch of the trunk that had been worn bare by his regular visits to the site.

This was his most favourite part of the river bank because the fallen tree allowed an uninterrupted view up and down the river’s length, while its seclusion allowed him the peace and quiet to contemplate his current predicament, and his doubtful future.

Suddenly a name popped into his head. Elizabeth!

The young woman in his house was his daughter Elizabeth! Now it was all coming back to him!

She was his only child, and married to John Landers. John was employed in the family’s accountancy firm and would probably be chosen to take over from him as a partner in the company.

John was also a fellow member of the Freemason Lodge in which he and his brother Anthony had attained the most senior ranking. Here again Lew was aware that John hoped to emulate the other members of the family.

This new thought brought a frown to Lew’s forehead and turned his mind to an entirely new topic. A topic of such great importance that he knew he had to concentrate with all his might.

What was to be done? After the fiasco at their accountancy firm would anyone believe him? No, probably not.

He had to do something, especially after the German woman had come to ask questions. He had refused to answer them of course, realizing that his refusal would only serve to confirm her suspicions, and if she knew enough to ask her questions then there would surely be others who knew the secret as well.

My friends and I have already hidden the precious objects and now that they are gone it’s up to me to decide who should be trusted with their safekeeping.

Lew knew that he could no longer rely on the old ways because it was obvious that someone within the lodge must have betrayed them, and while he had his suspicions, he couldn’t be positive, and that meant that none of them could be relied on. Not even his brother Anthony. He had to find someone else, someone outside the circle? But who?

There was one other person, but Lew wasn’t sure he would be willing to undertake the task. The person he was thinking of would be more than capable of succeeding but was not the sort of individual who considered ancient mysticism of any worth.

‘I have to do it in such a way that he will be given no choice but to undertake the task. Matters can’t be allowed to remain as they are. The danger is too great. There must be changes.’

Nodding to himself, Lew began to make plans. ‘It must be done now and it must be done quickly,’ he thought to himself, ‘I can’t take the risk of my condition taking a dramatic turn for the worst.’

Lew’s unseeing eyes turned to the flowing river before him while his mind churned through the plan that was formulating within his deteriorating mind.

Suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder, and he jumped at the shock.

‘Sorry! Did I frighten you?’

‘John!’ exclaimed Lew, ‘I was a million miles away and didn’t hear you. Have you been there long? How did you find me?’

‘I just arrived. Judith told me where you were and sent me to find you. Supper is ready.’

Lew nodded, ‘Well, we had better not keep the ladies waiting, besides I need to apologise to Elizabeth.’