"Anders took the phone, but his attention was on the computer on his lap. It had gone into standby mode. As he waited impatiently for it to start up again, he muttered, "I should have told her." "Told who what?" Mortimer asked, distractedly. "Valerie, I should have told her I love her. But I figured she'd think it was too soon and--" He didn't bother finishing." --