{Wattys Shortlist 2022}
A one night stand is turned inside out when two strangers discover their shared past.
After a skydiving excursion that ends in a whirlwind one night stand, Camilla writes off ever seeing her handsome instructor again. That...
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I fidgeted with the brim of my hat and the strap of my purse as the server led Jack and I back to the kitchens. Every step brought us closer to the scent of seafood and fresh herbs. Black frock coats and checkered pants zipped about the kitchen: sautéing, mixing, and chopping.
On one hand, I had never been more excited. On the other, I felt like such a fake. What if I messed the case up for Jack by saying the wrong thing or asking the wrong question? I decided the best thing to do was follow his confident lead and learn as much as I could from the private detective.
"What's good, Chuck? Who are they?" asked the nearest chef wearing a sauce-splattered white apron.
The sever clenched his jaw. "I've told you countless times to call me Charles, not Chuck. And these two would like to pass their compliments on to Red."
I swallowed my laughter and turned my head to avoid looking like an asshole, and Charles departed in a hurry.
"Bye, Chuck!" the chef called out.
A burly man with a wiry red arm hair and a potbelly approached Jack and I with a wide grin. "Leave poor Chuck alone, you pups. We have compliments to receive!" The man shuffled forward, removing his apron as stowing it on a hook. "I'm Red, the head chef."
Jack glanced my way, and I took that as his cue for me to say something. I put on my most charming smile and tipped my head to the side, extending my hand for Red to shake. "The meal was delicious. The scallops decadent while still being light. I haven't had something so delicious in years. Thank you."
Red gave me a broad smile. "I'm glad to hear it. But," he said quickly, "I need to get back to it."
Now what? Red was turning around, and we still hadn't asked him our questions. I gave Jack a frantic look, but he merely smiled coolly back at me.
"My colleague and I wanted to ask a few questions while we're back here. It won't take too long."
Jack slipped Red his business card, and the man's jovial expression fell. "I'll be in the office!" he shouted out to his staff before turning to march off over slick burgundy tile towards the back of the kitchen, where it was quieter, and the smell of fish was stronger.
Red opened a metal door for Jack and I, and the three of us squeezed inside a closet of an office. Stacks of paper and old coffee cups cluttering every flat surface. I leaned against the door while Red plopped down in an old office chair and folded his hands over his impressive belly.
"What's this all about? And be quick about it. I'm busy."
"I understand you are a very busy man around here, so I won't waste too much of your time with pleasantries. We are working on a case and heard you might have some information about," Jack dropped his voice, "Les Tenney."
