Imminent Affair

Daniel sniffed the tomato and basil in the air and said to his dad, “I knew you’d make a pot of spaghetti.”

“It’s lasagna, son. I’ve got a big pan of it in the oven.”

“Whatever it is, I’ll bet it’s going to be good.”

“Always.” Ernie grinned. “You used to be pretty handy in the kitchen, too. The Deer Runner men have always been the chefs in the family.”

“I cooked?”

“I taught you everything I knew.”

Daniel glanced at Allie, and they exchanged an amused look. He could barely boil an egg now. But the humor in his eyes died quickly, and Allie suspected that hearing about his old self made him feel like a stranger in his own skin.

“I didn’t know you used to cook, either,” she said, offering what she hoped was comfort. “You never fixed anything for me. Of course we were too busy fighting witchcraft crimes to do much of anything else.” A strange time for all of them, she thought. She’d been cohabitating with Raven and hadn’t realized that she loved Daniel until he’d been shot, and the possibility of losing him became a reality.

“And now you have a new crime to fight,” Ernie put in.

“So it seems,” Allie responded. Daniel was still being quiet.

Was he wondering about his past relationship with her? The things they’d never done? Never shared? Or was he thinking about the purpose of this meeting? The dead girl from his past?

Daniel glanced at his watch. “Rex is late.”

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Ernie gestured to the kitchen, where a Formica table with chrome detail and red vinyl chairs made a vintage statement. “Have a seat, and I’ll pour some wine.”

“I don’t want a drink, Dad.”

“I do,” Allie piped up. Anything to take the edge off. She made a beeline for the fifties-style kitchen and a sullen Daniel followed.

Ernie seemed happy to play the host. But Allie knew that he liked to keep busy. He also liked to keep things simple and having an amnesiac son appeared to be taking its toll on him.

The older Deer Runner poured two glasses of Chianti, one for Allie and another for himself. He clanked her glass and flashed a troubled smile. “Here’s to catching bad guys. Or girls or whichever.”

“That works for me.” She took a sip.

Daniel kept glancing at his watch, obviously annoyed that Rex still hadn’t arrived.

Ernie set a plate of biscotti on the table, offering Allie a nutty-flavored treat before the meal. She went ahead and indulged.

“Dip the cookie in the wine,” Ernie coaxed. “I heard that’s what they do in Italy.”

She tried it. “It’s good.”

Daniel shook his head. “What are you trying to do, Dad, turn an Indian girl into an Italian? Look at her with all of that blue bling.”

“Cut it out.” Allie swatted his shoulder. Blue bling was slang for turquoise jewelry. “Stop talking like a rez boy.”

He shrugged, and they exchanged conspiratorial smiles. They’d both been born and raised in Los Angeles. She was a city-slick Native, and so was Daniel—even if he barely remembered his upbringing.

Ernie relaxed, too, grateful, it seemed, that his son’s mood had improved.

Then the doorbell rang, and everyone tensed all over again.

Daniel stood up. “I’ll get it.”

He probably wanted to ream Rex for being late, Allie thought. Or maybe he just couldn’t stand to sit there and wait for the P.I. to glide onto the scene whenever he so pleased. Rex possessed a nonchalant air. Allie assumed it was the playboy side of him. He was quite obviously a ladies man, a guy who took his God-given charm in stride.

While Daniel went to the door, Ernie checked on the meal. As he prepared a pan of garlic bread to go with the main entree, Allie popped up to help. She couldn’t seem to sit still, either.

Soon Daniel returned with Rex. The handsome Sixkiller shook Ernie’s hand and gave Allie a quick kiss on the cheek, drawing a scowl from Daniel.

By the time they sat down to eat and discuss the business of the dead girl, Allie’s pulse ricocheted. Now she was nervous about Daniel’s past, too.

To keep calm, she sipped a second glass of Chianti and complimented Ernie on the food. He’d made marinara sauce for the lasagna, creating a vegetarian dish for her, but he’d also cooked fennel-seasoned sausage for the meat eaters.

Rex started the conversation, speaking directly to Daniel. “The girl was someone you were affiliated with during your senior year of high school. Her name was Susan Delgado. You were with her when she died, along with a group of other kids. You were all swimming in the L.A. River and the current pulled her under. Several of you tried to save her, but…”