Page 73 of The Fixer and the Fugitive

Esther moved closer and slipped her arm around Celeste’s shoulders. “I brought you some cookies.”

Celeste laughed. “How did you have time to make cookies before a mission?”

“I already had them at work,” Esther replied. “When I heard we were coming here, I scooped them out of the break room and back into their container. Maggie was not thrilled. She gave me a five minute lecture on the effects of oatmeal on lactation, until I opened up the container and gave her two.”

“Maggie is Ridge’s wife?” Celeste asked.

“Sam didn’t tell you?” Esther said.

“Why would Sam tell…oh. Maggie’s the girl from his life before.”

Esther pressed her lips together, looking miserable. “I have got to stop telling you things.”

“No, you don’t,” Celeste said, resting her head on Esther’s shoulder. “I like you exactly as you are, Esther. Please don’t ever change or think you need to.”

“You sound like Leo,” Esther said fondly. “You two might be the only ones who don’t get offended by my incessant blurting.”

“That’s what makes us the best,” Celeste said.

“Absolutely,” Esther agreed, giving her shoulders another squeeze.

They chatted about nothing at all until Leo came for them. “I think we’re finished. How are you two holding up?”

“Better, if I could keep her,” Celeste said.

“Sorry, she’s too vital, both to the country and to me personally,” Leo said, sitting on Esther’s other side. “It’s nice here, Celeste. Peaceful.”

“Charred,” Celeste noted, staring at the ruined remains of her twisted trees.

“Sometimes the best things come after a fire,” Leo said

“That’s pretty deep talk for a guy I once saw race a fifteen year old across the Nile,” Celeste said.

“Oh, man, don’t remind me. I got a parasite from that. But I had a pretty massive soul-scorching fire of my own. And look at me now.” He bumped Esther’s shoulder lightly with his.

“You look pretty great,” Celeste agreed. “Both of you.”

They sat in peaceful silence a few minutes until someone else joined them. Celeste’s heart gave a little flop, but when she turned she saw Cameron Ridge. “Celeste, could I talk with you before we leave?”

“Yes, sir,” she agreed. Neither of them was in the military anymore, but old habits died hard. She stood and dusted her backside, following him down the short rise to the steps of her house. There was no sign of Sam. Celeste didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.

“Sorry we missed the party. Thanks for letting us crash for a bit,” Ridge said.

“It’s no problem. You’re welcome to stay, if that’s easier.”

“Thank you, but I need to get back, both to work and to my wife and son.” He picked up a pine needle and twirled it between his thumb and finger. “You probably don’t remember, it was so long ago, but we met once before.”

“I do remember. It was sort of momentous,” Celeste said.

“For us, too. I didn’t realize it was you at first, with the name change and all. I didn’t know you’d changed your name. All this time, you’ve been the famed Celeste The Colonel kept talking about.”

“The Colonel talks about me?”

“A lot. You’re one of his favorites, and with good reason. I knew you had something special that night long ago. That’s why I called him.”

She blinked at him, unable to translate what she was hearing. “You. You called The Colonel about me? I thought my commanding officer called him because I was in trouble. I thought you were mad at me.”

“I was mad at myself. There we were, an elite SEAL unit, and an eighteen-year-old kid fresh out of basic snagged our haul. And took down the insurgent. It was humiliating, and also kind of awesome. All my men fell a little bit in love with you that night. I had to put the kibosh on any interest before it could take root or they would have ended in a fistfight.”

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