Jewels of the Past by Jynelle (best classic books to read .txt) 📖

might want to know about your husband." This was hand written in not-so-fancy handwriting, like it was written in a hurry. I wasn't quite sure whether or not I'd be more upset over cursive, or very fancy print. I picked up the packet, and sat down with my legs criss-crossed, pulling the blankets up so they covered my legs and lower stomach. I stared at the cover, wondering who came into my room and gave me this. Did I really want to know? What could Adam possibly be up to to have a whole packet dedicated to him? Flipping the pages, I counted ten pages. Ten pages dedicated my husband. Again, what was so special about him? I didn't think I wanted to know. I put the packed under my pillow, and lay down, pulling the blankets up to my chin.

Suddenly, I wasn't in the mood to sleep. Mainly it was because I was afraid of what I might dream about, and partly because I didn't want something jumping out at me. I left the lights on, though I wasn't sure how much help it would be. Before tonight, I would have loved to keep the lights and tell myself that the monsters won't harm me. But now, I probably might just grab the blankets and pillow and go hide in the bathroom. That didn't really make me feel better either, considering if someone could break into my room through the front door, it shouldn't be too hard to get through the bathroom lock. So I stayed where I was, looking at the blank TV screen once again.

Groaning, I grabbed the packet out from under my pillow. I couldn't hold in my curiosity. I mean, how bad could it be?

Opening to the first page, it started off with simple information that I already knew.

Subject: Adam Jackson Murray
Age when deceased: 35
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Lillian Anna Kay Murray
Spouse Age: 25
City: St. Louis
Length of Residence: 4 years
Length of Marriage: 3 years
Occupation: Treasure Hunter
Spouse Occupation: Housewife

That was all on the first page. I closed the packet, and put it back under my pillow. I hadn't expected it to say anything about me. It was disturbing, and I did not like it one bit. If that packet had anything regarding me in it, I was going to bring in the lawyers, and I hated lawyers. Not that I had anything to hide, because I didn't. Why would I want to read about what someone knows about me? It even stated my full name.

Immediately, I threw the covers off me, and rushed to the bathroom where I had stashed those phone numbers in my suitcase. I stared at the piece of paper with the two names and the numbers. It was near two in the morning, and the both of them were probably working like little bees in my home, but I was terrified of that packet. It had to be evident that someone was spying on Adam to know any of these facts. I picked up the hotel phone, and dialed.

"Yeah?" The voice that answered was gruff, and I knew he was at my home. There was commotion behind him. "Lil? What is it?"

I realized I had froze when he answered, like I had forgotten why I called. Shaking my head, I talked. "Someone sneaked into my room."

"What?" The background was suddenly quiet, which meant Edward either walked into a room where he was alone, or everyone quieted down to listen in on the conversation. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure. They left something for me to read about Adam." I glanced at my pillow.

"Did you read it?" His voice was bland as he said this, but there was something under that blandness that sounded like he was interested in the answer, just trying to hide his curiosity. Of course, it probably was just me being paranoid suddenly.

"Only the first page. Whoever gave it to me had my information. Everything just short of my social, though I'm sure I'd be surprised if I turned to the second page and I'd find it in big numbers covering the whole page."

"If it was left for you, I think you should read it, don't you? It could hold some vital information that we might need to know."

"I'm terrified, Edward." I whispered that last, because I was terrified. I hadn't realized until that moment that I had been clutching the phone so hard my hand was shaking. I didn't loosen my grip. I don't know, but clutching the phone in a death grip seemed to make me slightly better. "I don't want to know if my husband was dealing with the mafia. I don't want to know if he killed anyone. I just want whatever killed him caught and destroyed."

"Okay, don't read it. What's so hard about that?"

"It's staring at me, urging me to read it."

He sighed, long and hard. I could tell he was getting annoyed with me that moment, but I didn't care. "Then go to sleep, or watch TV. Do something to occupy yourself."

"I can't sleep, and I don't want to watch TV. I'm terrified that blue thing will come crashing through my window at any minute. I'm not comfortable being away from my home right now."

He sighed. "I don't know what to say right now. Just stay there for the night, and you'll be able to come home tomorrow." He hung up.

I stared at the phone as the buzzing commenced, letting me know he was gone. There used to be a time when I could count on him. I suddenly realized that when I could count on him was almost ten years ago. He had changed, and I must have forgotten, or was unwilling to accept it.

Sighing, I reached under the pillow and retrieved the packet. I wasn't anywhere near going to sleep, and there was no way the TV was going to be turned on, so why not read? I positioned myself on the bed like I had before when I was reading the first page, and opened to the second page. It was like reading a transcript. Flipping and scanning the rest of the other eight pages, I noticed the whole thing was paragraphs-big paragraphs. I turned to the second page, and began reading what I really didn't want to read.

~*~ 10 ~*~

"Glad to see I'm not the only one awake."

I jumped, nearly spilling my insanly strong hot chocolate, which would have been drastic and painful had I not caught the cup. Turning to my right, I watched as a man took a seat at the bar next to me. My first thoughts immediately told me he wanted to pick me up and possibly take me up to his room. I wouldn't let him take me to his room, but it was nice not to be alone at this hour of the night.

Shrugging, I turned back to my steaming drink. "I've only been here for a few days. I'm still on American time."

He laughed, and that sound sent chills through my body. I took a careful sip of my drink. I burned my tongue, but the chills were still there.

I opened my eyes as the sun's rays warmed my face. The sudden brightness hurt my temples, and I closed my eyes and rolled away from the sun. It felt as if I'd only slept for ten minutes, and, glancing at the clock, was surprised to see I'd been sleeping almost all day.

I had stayed awake reading about my husband's life. It wasn't as bad as I had thought, more intresting than not. I actually didn't mind that it involved me at one point. I'm sure whoever recorded this was careful not to include too much about me. Something that caught my attention, though, was the information about the first night I had met him.

I was in Japan on an after graduation vacation with some of my friends when he introduced himself. I had originally thought he had seen me and meant to pick me up, but what I read made me feel silly to assume that he had eyes for me at that time. What he had told me at the resturaunt last night about him finding the jewel happened the day before he met me. I had thought he wanted to make conversation with me at the bar because I was there, and alone, but no. Apparently, Landen was late with a car to take him to the airport to come back to the states. After meeting me, he had canceled his plane trip to see me more.

I hadn't known whether to feel angry or flattered that he postponed his own death. His friend died the very next day, and he could've died with him.

Remembering those first three weeks together made me smile. I had forgotten about Jack - Edward - and probably had a better time with Adam than I would with my friends. We were together in Japan for three weeks before my friends kidnapped me and forced me to continue our trip to Australia. He didn't follow me, though at times it felt as if he did.

~*~ 11 ~*~

I'd spent the next few days at the hotel, reading the packet, watching TV, and just lounging in my pajamas. I'd had a few calls from Anita about how the cleaning and disinfecting of my dining room was going. She eventually wanted me to come back and help search for the jewel. She said it was very crucial we find it and learn how to destroy it soon, because they had two more run ins with that blue creature. Luckily, no deaths, just some severe injuries and hospitalizations. Not once did she mention Edward, but more than once I found myself thinking about him. Was he okay? Was he even there anymore? I felt so terrible that I had dragged them into these dangers, but how was I supposed to know that some blue person was after that stupid rock?

I had all my clothes packed, and was waiting for my ride to take me back to the house by noon. I was finally at the end of my husband's life, and was unnerved to read about the ordeal of his murder, and my hiring Anita Blake. That meant whoever left this on my pillow was there when Adam was killed, or at least knew about it, more than I.

It seemed it was the blue person who did it, though I pretty much worked that out on my own. According to what this stranger wrote, it hunts down the last person who had possession of the jewel and will search day and night until that person is found. Once that person is found, it somehow disintigrates into a sort of wisp, and enters the body, where it becomes whole again, splitting its host, causing the person to explode. Very gruesome, if I do say so myself. Just imagining this happening to Adam made my insides churn and my head spin.

Landen knocked on the door, letting me know he was there and ready for me, talking from behind the door. He was lucky there was nothing on and I was waiting for him, otherwise I wouldn't have heard him. He's such a soft-spoken man. I figured, other than me, he'd be the most effected by Adam's death. According to the report, he and Landen have been together since Adam was nineteen. Maybe, if I gave him