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I can’t even hear what Sid is saying anymore.

The two of them seemed so close. Not necessarily like a couple. At college, I’ve seen Parker countless times with friends, whom he’s hugged and kissed the same way.

But something still doesn’t sit right.

Who is that guy?

Why don’t I know anything about him?

Is Parker even happy with me?

Are we both fooling ourselves?

Dinner with Valentina and Sid is more tense than either of them is willing to admit. They try in vain to include me in their conversation, but my worries keep circling back to Parker. Maybe it would help if I could speak my mind. If I talked to Valentina and Sid.

I watch the two of them. No. That’s out of the question. What’s the point, anyway? Parker might break up with me anyway. Why should I make myself vulnerable? Nope. I hope the mask of indifference I’ve practiced my whole life is firmly in place, and that way I can at least manage to eat a few bites.

Back in my apartment, the silence overwhelms me.

Parker isn’t here yet. It’s way too early, anyway.

I can’t bring myself to keep thinking about him. The horror scenarios I’m imagining are getting out of hand.

I turn on the analysis videos the coach sent us so I can at least keep one promise I made: hockey, hockey, hockey.

Chapter 18 – Parker

The next morning at the agency, after that wonderful night with Evan, Simon is already waiting for me like a bad omen. “Parker, please come into my office.” The afterglow from our sex, which had lasted until now, fizzles out with my boss’s sharp words.

I myself had only learned from Evan a few hours earlier that Valentina wanted to break up. Simon couldn’t have found out about it between last night and this morning. That’s almost impossible. Evan himself doesn’t plan to talk to his coach about it until later today. Leaks should still be out of the question.

It must be about something else.

I have a bad feeling about this. “I’m on my way.”

Simon points to the chair in front of his desk when I enter the office. “I’m sending you a new client. I want you to take on this job exclusively. It’s a delicate matter. We can’t afford to make any mistakes. The client’s management has given precise instructions on what needs to be done.”

I place my hand on the desk. “Do I get this right? Not only do I dislike the nature of the assignment, but I’m also being told how to do my job?”

Simon taps away at his laptop and is ignoring me. “Every job has its ups and downs. The instruction is that no one in the agency is to find out about the assignment. The fewer people involved, the better.” He points to my tablet, which I have on my lap. “Here are the documents. I want daily updates. In person. No phone calls, no emails accidentally sent to the wrong addresses.”

I slowly swipe across my tablet’s screen and open my email account. How funny it would be if Simon had accidentally sent the documents to Parker in accounting. But I find a file that’s password-protected. “Password?” I ask.

Simon dictates a sequence of numbers, which I type in.

In front of me, I see excerpts from an investigation file. The client’s name, a famous singer, jumps out at me right away. I don’t bother reading everything. “What’s this?”

“Allegations of rape of a minor.”

I stare at Simon. “That’s not the area I was hired for, nor is it what my employment contract specifies. Even though I’ve filled in here and there in the past, I have nothing to do with the ‘Criminal Cases’ department. Nothing at all. And I’m not going to touch it. I already said that during my job interview five years ago. Nothing has changed. Besides, I don’t have time. There’s been a development in the case involving Valentina and Evan that requires my attention. Besides, I’m swamped. I can’t take on any new cases.”

“You’ll find a way.” Simon watches me impassively. “You realize what a high-profile case you’re dealing with here. Don’t you know what to do?”

I stare back at him. I’m not going to give in.

“In the file, you’ll find information about the alleged victim: Where she’s been hanging out, what makes her untrustworthy, everything that undermines her statement.”

I tap on my laptop. “Simon, I’m not going to do this. No way.”