“Hey, Detective Silva. Good to see you again.” Marcia smiled, her gaze on him for a moment too long, the mug overflowing, spilling beer onto her hands. “Oh!”
Rain waved to him. “You’ve come to join the madness. She’s back at the Team table with most of the gang.”
“Thanks. I know the way.” Darius threaded his way between crowded tables, warmth blossoming in his chest when he saw.
Sasha sat, surrounded by her friends, an enormous bouquet of pink and yellow roses beside her.
Her friends were taking care of her.
All eyes were on the screen, where a young woman with a dark ponytail seemed to move up the rock wall like a spider, reaching the top in seconds.
Cheers went up, Sasha applauding.
“That’s a new women’s speed climbing world record! Way to go, Akari!”
Megs was the first one to see Darius. “Make room next to Sasha for the brave detective. Herrera, that means you. Yes, you. Move your butt.”
Sasha turned, her face lighting up when she saw him, the brightness of her smile putting a hitch in his chest. “Dare!”
Yeah, he was a goner.
He sat beside her. “Deputy Marcs says hi. What’s happened so far?”
“This is the women’s speed climbing finals. Akari Kiyama from Japan just set a new world record. I think Maritza and Daryna Andrusenko are up next.”
“Maritza Braun is one of Sasha’s best buds,” Megs explained, all but shouting so he could hear her. “I’ll be cheering for her, and so will you.”
Darius chuckled. “Got it.”
Sasha took a sip of what looked like iced tea. “Speed climbing isn’t her strength—or mine. It’s always my worst event. My best time on a fifteen-meter wall was seven-point-one-two-eight seconds.”
“That’s such a narrow margin.”
“It is, but it matters.” While Sasha explained how scoring worked at the world championships, Cheyenne took Darius’ drink order.
The chatter stilled as the two women stepped up to the wall and got ready, their hands on the first holds. Three loud beeps, and they were off, flying up the wall in seconds.
Sasha cheered when her friend topped out. “Way to go, Mari! Not a world record, but a solid seven-point-two-five-one. She’s still in the lead. That’s the best speed climbing time of her career.”
“Go, Maritza!” Sasha drew out her phone and tapped in a message, presumably congratulating her friend.
On the screen, a reporter motioned a smiling Maritza off to the side.
“That was a new personal best. How do you feel going into the bouldering portion of the competition?” The reporter held the mic out for Maritza to answer.
“I feel great.” Maritza shook out her arms. “I’ve been training hard all season and competing well. I’m going out there to do nothing less than my best.”
The reporter asked another question. “Do you think you’d be in the lead right now if Sasha Dillon hadn’t wrecked her bike and withdrawn from the competition because of her injuries?”
Darius glanced at Sasha, saw her cringe at the question.
Maritza’s expression changed to an angry scowl. “Why do you journalists keep talking about Sasha Dillon? Sasha isn’t here. She is the past.”
As Maritza stormed off, the brewpub exploded with loud boos and shouts.
“You’re just jealous!”
“That’s not true!”
