“I met my new wife, Lucy, in Philadelphia,” Peter explained. “We’re throwing a dinner party this Friday night to celebrate our one-year anniversary.”
“Congratulations,” she said.
“I want you to be there,” Peter said.
“What? Oh, no, I couldn’t?—”
“Please,” Jerod piped in. “I won’t know anyone?—”
“You’ll know me,” Peter interjected, and the men laughed. “I insist,” Peter continued. “It’s at my house in Chevy Chase.” After pulling out his phone, he asked, “Do you still have the same number?”
“I do.”
He scrolled, then got busy typing. Seconds later, her phone buzzed. “I texted you the address.” He put his hands in prayer. “Please, it would mean so much to me.”
She nodded. “I’ll be there.”
“Great! Cocktails at seven. Dinner at eight.” His phone rang and he stepped away to answer.
“How’s life on the outside?” Jerod asked.
“Peachy,” she replied, her sarcasm front and center.
Jerod laughed. “We had a lot of fun working together.”
“Made some arrests too.”
“Those were the good ole days,” Jerod said. “Years back, I got assigned the biggest damn case of my career, then it got yanked.”
ALPHA probably took it.
“Bummer,” she said. “Which one was it?”
“The Bomb Maker,” he replied.
Simone’s stomach dropped while bitter bile rose in her throat. “That was a big one.”
“A career changer if I’d gotten to work it,” Jerod replied. “The Bomb Maker obliterated the hell out of several government buildings in major cities. What a cluster fuck.”
Goosebumps covered her arms, hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and a shiver traveled down her spine. The memories came crashing back into her thoughts like a locomotive thundering down the tracks. The destruction caused by The Bomb Maker was etched into her soul.
Peter returned to the table. “I’ve got to head back.”
“Same,” Jerod added.
The three made their way out of the crowded coffee shop. On the street, she heaved in a breath. Just thinking about The Bomb Maker made her sick to her stomach.
“Let’s do lunch,” Jerod said to her. “I loved going to Rudy’s with you.” He scrolled on his phone, then showed her the display. “Same number?”
She viewed her contact info. “You got me.”
“Red, it’s great to reconnect,” Jerod said. “I’ll text you about lunch.”
“See you Friday night,” Peter said.
The men took off toward the federal building. But they got no more than twenty feet before Peter stopped to speak to someone. Jerod put a hand on Peter’s shoulder, whispered something into his ear, and continued walking.
She waited several seconds, then decided to go for it. Head down, she strode past Peter. Just as she was about to veer toward the building, Peter called her name.
