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“Magnet, I need to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is your gut telling you something is going to happen to Schön?”
“No. Yes. No. I don’t know. It’s just…God, this is who she is, and she’s so fucking good at it. I don’t want to be that guy who tries to stop her from doing what she loves.”
“That’s different than your gut telling you something’s off, mate.”
I stared into my best friend’s eyes. “I can’t separate it.”
He nodded and switched on his comms. “Ares, we need to make a change.”
“What’s that, Zep?”
“I’m on Schön’s detail.”
“You got it. I’ll take your place with Magnet.”
Zep switched off his comms. “I’ll look out for her.”
“Thanks, man.”
I showedup thirty minutes after Nonna Vella’s opened, and was greeted by Charlene, who, once she saw me, smiled.
Everything I’d planned went perfectly. Since it was the slow season on Gozo, she wasn’t worried about the restaurant being busy and was happy to take a walk with me.
We’d decided there was better coverage at the park, so I led her over to a picnic table and asked about her life.
“I can’t remember if I told you this the last time we were together, but I lost my wife.”
Her eyes scrunched, and I panicked momentarily, remembering the last time we were at the restaurant, Schön had asked about her mother and I’d said she had a migraine.
“Was it recent?” she asked.
“Yes, very much so.” Maybe that would be a good enough explanation.
“What about you? Ever married?”
She looked off in the direction of the beach and nodded. “A long time ago.”
“What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“He died.” More than sad, she appeared angry.
I leaned closer to her. “Were you married long?”
Charlene shook her head. “Two years only.”
“I’m so sorry. Did you have children?”
“One. He died too, but before he was born.”
“Oh. A miscarriage?”
She nodded. Again, her body language didn’t communicate hurt or pain. She was angry.
“Have you always lived on Gozo?”