Page 19 of Speak No Evil

“That’s all?” he asked.

Gwen nodded, and the server turned to him. “I’ll have the BLT on wheat with fries.”

“They have BLTs here now?” Gwen raised her dark brows. “They didn’t used to.”

He pointed to the item on the laminated card.

“I’ve already had a sandwich, but with all the running around we did, I need something more.”

He nodded, knowing well how stress could deplete a person.

“Besides, bacon’s my weakness.” She turned to the server. “I’ll have a BLT on white. Chips instead of fries.”

The waitress nodded. “Anything to drink?”

“Water for me.” Will set the menu aside. The waitress jotted their order and left. Gwen sighed.

He folded his arms on the table, one part of his attention watching those around them and the other the cars turning in off the street. “I would have thought visiting your family would be relaxing.”

“Are you kidding? I was dodging questions right and left.”

“What kind of questions?” He slid the menu card behind the ketchup.

She said nothing for a moment. “The usual sort relatives ask single women.”

“I got it now.” He nodded. “‘When am I going to meet your girlfriend? It’s time you settled down. That sort of thing.”

“Ohmigod.” She leaned forward. “You really do know.”

“Same thing happened to me, but I didn’t mind. Your uncle and aunt were so busy asking me about myself they didn’t want to know why we were so late.”

Giggles erupted from the booth behind them where four high school kids sat. Will turned back to their table. “Were you serious as a teen?”

“I don’t remember, but it’s not bad to be focused.”

“It’s admirable. A skill I’m sure you use as a research assistant, whatever that means.”

“I work for a professor studying viruses. I’m his senior lab assistant.”

That didn’t give him much more information. Was she being intentionally vague? Or merely modest? “I’m not clear what that entails. Can you share or is it a secret?”

“I get my name on the research papers he writes along with some of my other lab colleagues. I get to help present our findings at conferences and local seminars. We gave one at the university a few weeks ago, very well attended, too, because my boss is famous.”

“You’re a science star.” Will had trouble reconciling that with his own preconceived notions about her as a frazzled woman with a messy ponytail.

“No, Dr. Hepler is. I like the work and knowing that maybe we can create a vaccine to cure some of the world’s worst diseases.”

“That’s impressive.” He clasped his hands on the table.

“Not really. I’m just his lab assistant.”

Will didn’t believe a lowly lab assistant would be listed on the publications. But again, he appreciated her modesty, which was rare these days. “I’ll bet you have an advanced degree.”

“I do. A masters.”

And scientists theorized ahead of time about their expected results. This went a long way to her having preconceived ideas about him. But knowing this beautiful woman had given him enough thought to visualize him stirred a strange awareness inside. Strange, because he couldn’t remember ever feeling this way before.

Their sandwiches arrived, along with Gwen’s malt. By mutual consent they concentrated on eating. He had popped a fry into his mouth when high headlights swept the parking lot outside. He stilled, pretending to be studying the menu card while keeping an eye on a large, black SUV entering the restaurant lot.

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