Page 28 of Little Hidden Fears

I walked past her toward Simone and Hunter. I suggested they take a break and leave the office, returning for our scheduled meeting in an hour—a suggestion they were happy to accept. As they made their exit, I went to the kitchen, fixing myself a cup of tea, which I took to my office. Thinking some relaxing music might help ease the tension, I flipped through my playlists, finding one of my meditation soundtracks.

A few minutes went by and then Zoey stood, straightening her shirt before sauntering in my direction.

She entered the office and crossed her arms, looking at me like she was waiting for me to say something.

“Are you feeling any better?” I asked.

“I ... yeah, a little.”

“Good, take a seat. Can I get you a glass of water, or some herbal tea, or a soda?”

She glanced at my teacup and scrunched up her face. “I’ve never cared for tea. You have anything stronger?”

It was ten o’clock in the morning, but given how wound up she was, I had no problem doing whatever was needed to make her comfortable.

“What’s your idea of stronger?” I asked. “Coffee?”

“Gin, if you’ve got it, and if you don’t, coffee will have to do.”

Gin wasn’t something I kept on hand. When I did indulge in spirits, I much preferred vodka. Simone, on the other hand, loved a gin and tonic, and I was sure she wouldn’t mind sparing a shot or two for a good cause.

“Let me see what I can find,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”

I found gin, and a variety of other things, in a small cabinet in Simone’s office. Poking my head out of her office door, I said, “How do you take it?”

“I’m partial to Negroni’s, but I don’t expect you have anything to make a cocktail.”

“I can make a gin and tonic.”

“That works.”

I nodded, whipped up her drink and then returned to my desk.

“I heard about Dominic,” she said, as I handed her a glass.

“I figured.”

She sniffled a few times. “I also heard you were there around the time he ... you know ... offed himself.”

“Who told you?”

“Lenore called me about an hour ago.”

“Were you aware she visited Dominic a few times after Noelle died?”

“What do you mean?”

“Dominic told me she stopped by to see him more than once.”

“Lenore said she bought him a casserole this morning, and the police were there. One of the neighbors told her they’d overheard Dominic was dead. She’d overheard a cop saying something to another cop about Dominic taking his own life.”

“It’s funny she brought him another casserole.”

“Anothercasserole?”

“Yeah, she took him one yesterday too.”

“I wonder why she’s been by to see him so many times.”