Page 2 of If She Remembered
"Um...monkey soup," Michael said, matter-of-factly.
Allen raised an eyebrow."Monkey soup?That's quite exotic."
"And carrots," Michael added, as if this detail clarified everything.
Kate found herself thinking about their upcoming wedding, now just five weeks away.They'd planned a small ceremony downtown, with Melissa and Terry bringing Michelle.The guest list was intimate but meaningful, including a few close friends and Allen's brother visiting from Oregon.
The timing felt perfect.Michael would be just over two years old, old enough to participate in the ceremony but young enough to not overthink his place in it all.Kate had already purchased a tiny navy suit for him, complete with a clip-on bow tie that matched Allen's planned attire.
"I was thinking," Allen said, settling back against the couch, "maybe we should add a signature cocktail to the reception menu.Something simple but memorable."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well, considering our unique circumstances, maybe something called 'Second Chances' or 'Late Bloomers.'"
Kate smiled.At nearly sixty, she'd never imagined she'd be planning a wedding and raising a toddler simultaneously, but the combination felt surprisingly natural.Her previous marriage had been built on shared ambition and mutual respect, but this relationship with Allen was rooted in genuine partnership and unexpected joy.
"Bread!"Michael interrupted their conversation, presenting Allen with a plastic loaf."Daddy, eat bread!"
"I don't know if I have room," Allen said, patting his stomach dramatically."I'm still full from that excellent pizza."
Michael giggled and pushed the bread closer to Allen's mouth."Eat bread!"
"Okay, okay, I'll try a little bite."Allen made elaborate chewing sounds and rolled his eyes back in exaggerated pleasure."Incredible.The texture is perfect."
Kate's phone buzzed on the coffee table, displaying Director Duran's name.She glanced at Allen, who nodded toward the phone.“It’s Duran,” she said almost apologetically.
"Take it," he said."Michael and I are busy running a restaurant anyway."
Kate answered on the third ring, smiling."Good morning, Director."
"Kate, sorry to interrupt your morning, but I have something that might interest you.Are you available to review a case file?"
"Depends on the case," Kate said, watching Michael attempt to feed Allen a plastic apple."What are we looking at?"
"We've got a suspicious death in suburban Richmond.Looks to be a fifty-four-year-old woman named Carol Bennett.Local police initially ruled it natural causes, but something's not sitting right with them.They reached out to us through unofficial channels and want to keep things quiet for now."
Kate's attention sharpened."What makes it suspicious?"
"Honestly, I don't have many details yet.The requesting officer mentioned some inconsistencies in the scene, but nothing concrete enough to justify a full investigation without federal involvement.They're concerned about political implications if they pursue it locally."
"Political implications?"
"Again, I don’t have all of the details.Agent Demarco is currently speaking with local PD on the scene for those sorts of details."
Kate considered this.Cases involving potential political complications often required delicate handling.Often, local investigators felt constrained in their approach because higher-ups—namely the bureau or even bodies even higher up the food chain—preferred to oversee things.From time to time, it tended to create a rather ugly back-and-forth between local PD representatives and the bureau.
"What do you need from me?"
"Just a review of the scene, maybe see if you can find some pieces others have missed.I don't expect this to require significant time investment.And honestly, I’d be thrilled if you could prove that it doesn’t need the bureau’s presence at all.”
Kate considered it for a moment.It was a local case, and it focused on a suspicious death involving a woman around her own age.Also, she'd been a homebody for over a week, only leaving to visit the grocery store.This felt like something she should at least examine.
"Sure.Send me the address and I’ll meet DeMarco over there.”
“I’ll send it right now.Thanks, Agent Wise.”
Kate ended the call and found Allen watching her with the resigned expression she'd come to recognize over the past few months.
