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CASPER
“C’mon, Rile. You know I don’t do shit like this.”
“When I said ‘everyone,’ Casper, I meanteveryone.That includes you. And here is what I know, my friend. You haven’t celebrated Christmas since Beau died.”
He was right, and I wasn’t about to start now. Four years ago, on the second day of December, I received the visit every family member who has someone serving in the armed forces, an intelligence agency, or other types of law enforcement dreads.
While the CIA agents hadn’t shown up at my house, when the man in charge of the mission I’d been assigned to called me into his office and two others I didn’t recognize were already there, I knew. Beau had been killed in the line of duty.
I immediately asked to be recused from the mission and returned to the home Beau and I had shared in Florida since before we were married. Every year since, I’d managed to avoid Christmas parties, Christmas cards, Christmas everything.
“You’re asking too much of me, Rile. If my refusal to attend means the Invincibles don’t want me on their team anymore, I’ll understand.”
“There’s more at stake, Calla. A new team has formed. It’s headed by Fury Storm and Vex Dunning. At a meeting last week, the two gave us a list of those they’d like to extend partnerships to. Your name appeared first.”
“Tell them to send me a proposal, and I’ll look it over, but I’m not coming to a Christmas celebration to talk business or for any other reason. Nothing is going to make me change my mind.”
“I’m sorry to hear you say those words. I pray something, or someone, will convince you to reconsider.”
After ending the call, I went out to the backyard and sat on a chaise next to the swimming pool. While it rarely got above eighty in December on Di Lido Isle near Miami Beach, today was one of the rare times it got to almost ninety.
Our house, which we’d inherited from Beau’s parents, was too big just for me, but I’d never leave it. The pool was one of the first things we’d replaced once we were able to afford to. After that, we remodeled the kitchen and transformed it into something sleek and modern. Then the bedrooms and bathrooms.
After Beau died, I’d briefly considered selling the place, but quickly changed my mind. While our time living here together had been too short, the memories we made were the best of my life.
I closed my eyes and raised my face to the warmth of the sun, remembering the last time we were here. Four years ago. Thanksgiving. We’d made a feast big enough to serve a dozen people for just the two of us because, as far as Beau was concerned, there was nothing better than Thanksgiving leftovers.
It was warm that week too, not that normal temperatures would’ve stopped us from swimming in the pool, lying in the sun, or making love on the outdoor bed.
“Dammit,” I muttered when my cell rang. If it was Rile again, I’d let it go to voicemail. Instead, it was someone else I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to—Spider.
I let it ring one shy of it going to voicemail before hitting the accept button. “Hi,” I answered.
“Casper. How’s it goin’?”
I smiled, shook my head, and looked up at the sky. “Good, Spider. How are you?”
“I’m in your neighborhood. Thought I’d see if you wanted to meet for dinner.”
I bolted upright. My neighborhood? I lived on a guarded-gate private island. “Where exactly?”
“Actually, not quite your neighborhood. I’m at my parents’ place in Palm Beach.”
I rested against the chaise, breathed a sigh of relief, and laughed. “Yeah, not quite, given you’re at least two hours from here.”
“The invitation still stands.”
Spider was a nice enough guy. We’d gotten to know each other while working a serial killer investigation in the Adirondack State Park. I had no doubt those we worked with believed what developed between us was more than friendship. However, I didn’t care what they thought. I never paid attention to anyone’s opinions about me. Especially after Beau died.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said, jarring myself back to Spider’s call.
“There’s something I want to run by you.”
“What?”
“It’s better if I tell you in person.”
