The chili and muffins were exceptional—June liked her chili with a little kick to it, something she didn’t share with the elderly on her meal route. But Logan thoroughly enjoyed it. Since they’d run into each other at the store, Riley told him the truth, that it was her mother’s chili, and it was a good thing she did because Maddie wasted no time in selling her out.

 Riley and Logan started off with a glass of wine and she arranged the flowers. The table was set, the chili was in the Crock-Pot, she put the muffins in a basket to warm in the microwave. The house was, as usual, immaculate.

 “How was your day, dear?” Logan said.

 “Perfectly ordinary. Yours?”

 “It was a day full of reports, meetings, paperwork and no fun stuff.”

 “What’s the fun stuff, I’m afraid to ask?”

 “Chasing bad guys. Haven’t done hardly any of that lately. George and I have been on this task force with feds and we’ve been sorting through a lot of paper. Feds love their paper.”

 “What kind of task force?”

 “I’m not allowed to talk about it yet, but give it a few more weeks and when it’s behind me and closed, I’ll tell you all about it. It will help you sleep. It’s boring.”

 That’s when Maddie came into the kitchen, was introduced to Logan and poured herself a Diet Coke.

 “Wow,” she said, eyeing the table. “Fancy. Watch out, Logan—when she sets a fancy table it usually means something serious is coming down.”

 “Is that right?”

 “That’s affirmative,” she said, mocking police lingo. “My Gramma made the chili because my mother really doesn’t cook much.”

 “I’m a pretty good cook. I just don’t have a lot of time and Gramma loves to cook so we eat over there a lot,” Riley said. She put the flowers on the table and they all sat down.

 “Will Gramma be making Christmas dinner?” Logan asked.

 “Oh, most definitely,” Maddie said before Riley could open her mouth. “She’d be brokenhearted if we changed tradition. And so would my dad!”

 “Your dad?” Riley asked.

 “We always spend quality time together around the holidays and he usually comes over to my Gramma’s at least for dessert. He was there on Thanksgiving. We’re kind of a close family.”

 “We are?” Riley asked.

 “My parents might not be married but they get along very well. What do you do on holidays?” she asked Logan.

 “Go to my mother’s,” he said. “I have a sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew.”

 “And are you divorced?”

 “Maddie!”

 “What? It’s a getting-to-know-you dinner, right?”

 “That’s okay, Riley. I am divorced. Eight years and yes, we’re still friendly. No kids.”

 “Do you wish you’d had kids?”

 Logan leaned toward her. “I have an unmarked police car. Want to go outside and press the button for the lights and siren?”

 “Gee, tempting as that is, I’ll pass. Mom, want me to help you dish up?”

 “I thought we’d visit a little first and then I’ll serve, Maddie,” she said slowly, measuring each word. What was this? Riley wondered. Asking about his divorce?

 “So tell me all about the family, Logan,” Maddie said. “Mom, Dad, sister, et cetera.” She leaned her head on her hand, waiting.

 And so it began. Maddie interviewed Logan. Logan did great at avoiding and evading and punctuating with his own questions because he was, after all, a detective. But Riley was soon horrified. Maddie managed to insert lots of information about Jock, making her dad look like he was extremely desirable and quite accomplished.

 My dad is in electronics. He has a business degree. He works for Mackie’s. It’s a national chain and he’s the manager of one of their biggest stores. Oh, my mom and dad still spend a lot of time together—they go to all my games and meets together and they chaperoned the homecoming dance together. My dad was all-conference in high school and he’s still as athletic as ever—are you interested in sports, Logan?

 “Yes,” Logan said to that last question, beginning to look annoyed. “I’m very athletic. I frequently throw very large men over the hood of my unmarked car and cuff them. And I often chase bad young men and women who have committed crimes and I always catch them.”

 “I’m going to put on the coffee,” Riley said. “And I have cheesecake. Store-bought.”

 “May I be excused?” Maddie asked.

 “Absolutely,” Riley said.

 “Thanks,” she said. “Really great to meet you, Logan.”

 “Likewise,” he said. “Please tell your gramma the chili was outstanding.”

 There was no sound in the kitchen but the dripping and bubbling of the coffeepot and then, the closing of Maddie’s door. Riley and Logan let out their collective breath.

 “Logan, I’m sorry about that. That was the last thing I expected.”

 “Don’t worry about it. I think I can get her a job if she’s interested in grilling hardcore criminals.”

 “You handled it great, but I have no idea what she’s talking about—that I spend a lot of time with her dad. I don’t. At least, I sure don’t feel like I do. We try to coordinate plans so I know where Maddie’s going to be on a given—”

 “I don’t think that had anything to do with her dad,” Logan said. “But I think we got a close view of her preference.”