Once there, Jerod said, “Being around you two feels like old times.”
Only it didn’t. Fred was dead, Simone was paired with an assassin to work the case, and The Bomb Maker was back.
“Jerod, do you remember Frederica Salgado?” Peter asked.
Pain sliced through her.
Jerod shook his head. “Name doesn’t sound familiar.”
“Years back, she was a Special Agent on my team,” Peter said. “And Simone’s close friend. Unfortunately, she passed away in a home gas explosion.”
“Ohgod, that’s tragic,” Jerod said. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” Simone forced down the lump in her throat.
She couldn’t talk about Fred. If she did, she’d lose it. Glancing around, she saw Lucy alone in the kitchen.
“I’m going to see if Lucy needs some help,” she said.
“I should go,” Peter said.
“I got this.” Simone returned to the kitchen. “Lucy, can I help you?”
Lucy had just pulled a skillet of sautéed chicken breasts from the oven, her cheeks red from the blast of heat. “I would love some.”
“What can I do?”
Lucy handed her a water pitcher from the refrigerator. “The dining room table’s already set. The goblets are in there.”
Grateful to be of use, Simone filled the glasses.
When she returned to the kitchen, Lucy handed her a serving spoon. “Help me get the chicken onto the platter.”
As the women worked, Lucy said, “I don’t think Peter’s mentioned you, but he doesn’t bring his work home with him.” She smiled. “Correction. Hedoesbring his work home with him. He’s a workaholic. But he doesn’t talk about his job.”
“I worked for him several years ago when I was a Special Agent. He was a great mentor.”
“I hear that a lot,” Lucy said. “His career means everything to him.”
Lucy called the guests in, they served themselves, then sat around the large oak table in the dining room. Before joining them, Lucy lowered dimmed the chandelier.
Peter raised his wine glass. “Happy anniversary to my Lucy. It’s been a busy, crazy, fun first year.” He glanced over at Jerod then back at his wife. “Love you.”
“I love you, Peter.” Lucy raised her glass to him across the table. Everyone toasted them, then sipped the wine.
“Delicious,” commented one of the guests. “What is this, Lucy?”
“Simone brought it,” Lucy replied. “I thought it would be fun for everyone to sample. It’s a Santini Chianti.”
“Out of my price range,” one of the guests said. “I like to keep my wine purchases under twenty.”
Simone was sitting to the right of Peter, who was positioned at the head of the table. She slid her gaze to him. If he was angry she’d brought a Santini wine, he didn’t show it. In fact, he was having a side conversation with Jerod, and wasn’t paying them any attention.
The meal was delicious, but Simone’s guts were in knots. She managed to eat enough that it didn’t draw attention. After dinner, while Peter was making coffee, she decided to call it. It wasn’t the right environment to talk to him in private, plus, she wasn’t about to pummel him with questions.
She wandered in to find him placing coffee mugs on the counter while Jerod relaxed on a counter stool at the island, his attention glued to his phone.
“Peter, thank you for inviting me,” Simone said.
