Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard (heaven official's blessing novel english txt) 📕

And she was still distressed, struggling to focus on her other cases while this investigation looked to potentially expand around the globe. She was waiting to hear from Jeremy about the Middle Eastern piece. He’d offered to try to identify it. No sense in notifying other agencies—like the FBI Art Crime Division or Homeland Security—until she had solid information to share.

Terra made a list of more people to talk to. She wanted to speak with Jim’s daughter, Abbie, again, and Neva’s family as well. She tucked the list away for later before heading to Gramps’s to quickly change and then to the restaurant to meet her longtime friends.

Heart pounding, Terra rushed into Fazzori’s Italian Restaurant, where the hostess greeted her. The aroma of garlic and basil and cheese made her mouth water. “I’m here to meet—” Erin waved at her from across the crowded restaurant. “Oh, there they are.”

Terra left the hostess and weaved through the tables, finally plopping down next to Alex and across from Erin, who smiled. With silver hoops dangling from her ears and her long blonde hair stacked on top of her head, her friend looked elegant as always. And Alex flashed his roguish grin. Terra had always thought Alex could model for GQ, and that hadn’t changed. He wore a crisp white button-down shirt, and his thick brown hair was neatly trimmed and his gray eyes serious.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Erin said.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“I was afraid you got caught up in something work-related. No such pressure on me.” Erin angled her head at Alex.

Alex quirked a grin but said nothing as he picked up his menu and seemed to bury his head in it.

Terra took a calming breath and a sip of water from the glass placed before her. “It feels good to finally be here. We don’t get to do this that often anymore, since you guys have both moved away.” And even if they lived closer, would their busy lives prevent them from getting together?

Erin laughed. “You’re one to talk.”

Her friend referred to Terra’s time living in Colorado.

“Well, I’m back now.” Terra grabbed a menu and stared at it.

Would they share their secrets like they used to, or hide behind menus and Italian food?

“And since I’m back, I’ll say that I hope you both will move back too,” she added. “That would make things so much easier to keep in touch.” They’d been her lifeline for so long, after all.

Well, shoot. She shouldn’t put pressure on them like this.

“I admit that I miss living here,” Erin said. “I would be closer to Mom. But I’m not sure I could find a job with the locals as a criminal psychologist. Nor would I want to, considering Nathan’s a detective here. I don’t think I could work with him.”

Erin gave Terra a look over her menu. Terra knew exactly where Erin’s mind had gone—straight to Terra and Jack’s current joint investigation. “That stinks, Erin. I’m sorry.”

“Instead, I’ve been trying to get Mom to move out to Seattle to live with me.” Erin closed her menu and placed it next to her plate.

Oh? Terra hadn’t known about that. Disappointment crept in.

Alex still perused the offerings.

“What about you, Alex?” Erin asked. “What are you up to? I don’t even know who you’re working for these days.”

Alex set down his menu. “I’ve decided what I want.”

“Oh, I get it,” Erin said. “Your job is classified. Secretive. You always said you—”

He lifted a hand. “I don’t need you psychoanalyzing me, thank you very much.”

“I’m not psychoanalyzing, but I get it. You can’t talk about it.”

He leaned on folded arms. “I’d prefer not to talk about work tonight, all right, ladies? Now, what I’m really wondering is why you two gorgeous women aren’t married yet.”

Great. Terra hadn’t wanted to get into those issues, because that could lead to talking about working with Jack. But leave it to Alex to cut right to the more sensitive topics. And she’d wanted them to share their secrets, hadn’t she?

Terra gave Alex a friendly arm punch. “I beg your pardon. Why is it that we’re supposed to be married already? What about you? You’re a real catch, Alex. Bad attitude and all. You’ve got so much more going for you than that six-pack underneath your button-down shirt.”

He eyed her. “And how would you know about that?”

“It’s just a guess. You’re in great condition, and it’s easy to see you work out. You have to stay in top form for your job. Am I right? Or am I right?”

The waiter brought a basket of bread and seasoned olive oil for dipping, took their orders, then left. Alex cut a slice of bread, dipped, and chewed. Terra figured he had no intention of answering her.

But he finished chewing, then surprised her. “I’m no catch. The truth is, after what happened to us, seeing families torn apart in one swift tragedy, seeing the brutal world out there, I’m not sure I want to suffer through the pain. You guys, you’re my best friends. You’re all I need.”

Terra wanted to scoff a laugh. “And as your friends, we know that we are certainly not all you need.”

She considered Erin and Alex the closest people to her, but the truth was that life had torn them apart. Alex especially was becoming a stranger to her. Kind of like Owen had when he left. She felt helpless to do anything about it.

The waiter reappeared and set steaming plates of lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, and chicken parmigiana before them. The aroma was heavenly.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thank you. I think we’re all good,” Erin said as everyone nodded in agreement.

Terra cut into her lasagna to let it cool while Alex didn’t seem to be bothered by a hot dish and started right in on his chicken.

“You know what,” Erin said. “I feel like we’re not as close as we once were. As