Page 57 of Heating Up (Nugget)
“Are the kids in trouble?” Dana asked.
“I gave them a pass because it was an accident. A boneheaded accident, but an accident just the same. McCreedy is punishing his boys by making them clean the firehouse. I didn’t have the heart to tell him the kids are gonna love it.”
“You certainly do.” She laughed. “Are your brothers as passionate about being firefighters as you are?”
“Yep. We’re all crazy in the head.” He smiled at her. “So what are the new circumstances that make you think Rosser will take less money?”
The waiter brought their appetizers. Aidan took a bite of the calamari and it was freaking fantastic. Dana served him a crostino.
“The rumor is that Ray Rosser plans to take a plea bargain, which means he doesn’t need to pay his lawyers for a lengthy trial.” She passed him the antipasto platter and speared a calamari with her fork.
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Darla, who heard it from her dad and told Harlee and me.” She dipped the calamari in the bowl of lemon aioli and popped it in her mouth. “Harlee tried to pin it down for a story in theNugget Tribune, but no one would talk. You think it’s true?”
“I would have no way of knowing,” he said. “What are they knocking the charge down to, do you know?”
“No. But he’s facing first-degree murder if he takes it to trial.”
“Is that why you think he’ll accept your client’s counter?”
“Not exactly,” she said and served him some of the cured meats. “Try these, they’re delicious. His lawyer seemed optimistic, like they just wanted to be done with the negotiations and get the place into escrow. Of course it’s up to Ray. At least I think it’s up to Ray. There are some rumors that he’s already signed the property over to the lawyers . . . that they’re the ones pulling the strings.”
The server returned with their entrees.
“I’m already stuffed,” Dana said.
Not him. He could probably eat both their meals. “Take a stab at it.”
He cut into his veal and took a bite. Dana had been right; the food here was amazing.
She stuck a forkful of her osso buco in his face. “Try this. I’m serious.”
He dutifully complied, and hell yeah, it was good. It made him wonder how many places like this he had missed in Chicago, eating at Sue’s food museums.
“How’d you find this place?” He suspected she’d come here with Griffin, which made the food feel heavy in his stomach.
“It’s been here a long time. When Paul was alive this was my family’s favorite restaurant.”
“Your parents don’t come anymore?”
She gave a mirthless laugh. “No. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I was here. But the quality is still good, right?”
“Absolutely. The food is fantastic.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “Is it difficult . . . does it remind you of your brother?”
“In a good way,” she said. “It was our happy place, the place we came to celebrate things.”
He lowered his voice. “Is that why you wanted to come?”
At first she didn’t answer; then she said, “I guess subconsciously, yeah.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me,” he said. “I’ll tell you what: When you close the deal we’ll come back.”
“Can I ask you question?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “How is it possible Sue could’ve ever let someone like you go?”
He didn’t get a chance to answer because his phone rang. His captain. Someone had tried to burn down the sporting goods store.
Chapter 11
