Page 63 of Silent Menace
Peter spoke for her. “Isn’t that a little too risky? He might be watching the house.”
“It is a risk. Everything is a risk, but I think it’s one we’ll have to take. This party is a great cover, and we’re going to use that to our advantage.”
34
“Surprise!”
Peter joined the gathered guests, supposedly including the undercover FBI agent he hadn’t spotted yet, on the Jessups’ front lawn to welcome Virginia to her party.
The four large pop-up canopies that had been erected on the lawn, along with a few mature trees, provided adequate shade for the partygoers, but they also made it harder for him to get a good overview of everyone at a glance. He didn’t like that element of the setup here. However, anyone potentially watching Hailey would have the same problem. It should make it easier for them to slip away unnoticed later.
Hailey stood close to him, nearly trembling with nerves. He hoped her anxiety over their upcoming meeting wouldn’t give her away. The plan was to be discreet, to have their chat with the FBI agent without any of the other guests seeing them together or realizing something was going on. As with the phone situation a few days ago, he wondered if such subterfuge was warranted, but like before, he decided they’d much rather be safe than sorry.
Surreptitiously, he took her hand in his once again. She didn’t startle at his touch. Rather, it seemed to have the calming effect he’d hoped for.
Though he knew Boris, one of the other guys from the protection agency, was nearby and both Eric and the FBI agent would step in at the first sign of trouble, Peter couldn’t resist scanning what he could see of the partygoers. On the outskirts of the small crowd, he spotted a shorter man wearing a green tee and a denim baseball cap. That was their FBI agent, going by the description Eric had provided. Peter wanted to scrutinize the man, but now wasn’t a good time. He let his eyes slide past him and continued skimming the guests. There were somewhere around forty people here, and he didn’t recognize everyone. No one appeared out of place though. Another look around the area also revealed nothing suspicious. His eyes landed on Hailey’s parents, and he smiled.
Virginia was still standing near the car with her hands over her mouth. By all appearances, she was thoroughly surprised. Jesse stood beside her, a huge grin on his face and a clapping Jenna in his arms. He leaned toward his wife and whispered something. She laughed, and they finally started across the yard, greeting guests as they passed.
“Did you organize this?” Virginia asked when they reached Hailey and Peter.
“With some help.” Hailey grinned. “Were you surprised?”
“Oh my, yes. I don’t know how you managed to pull this off without word trickling back to me.” She glanced at their joined hands, and her smile broadened.
Before she could comment, Jesse placed his free hand on her back. “We should keep moving. They’re waiting for us to start the food line.”
“Want me to take Jenna?” Hailey asked.
“Nah, we’ve got her for now. Besides, she’ll get front-of-the-line service if she’s with us.” Jesse winked.
“Thanks, Dad,” Hailey said. “But let me know when you need a break.”
“Fair enough.” He turned to his granddaughter and made the sign foreat. Jenna emphatically bobbed her head in agreement,eliciting laughter from the adults before Hailey’s parents continued on their way.
As the crowd shifted to line up behind the couple for the self-serve luncheon, Peter gave Hailey’s hand a gentle squeeze. She returned the gesture. She hadn’t pulled away while they talked with her parents, and since she still didn’t seem inclined to break their hold, he didn’t either. Together, they took their place near the back of the queue and waited their turn.
Once their plates were filled with breadsticks and slices of the pizza Bryce and Corina had brought from Zhan’s, Peter scanned the tables. “You have a preference? Looks like your parents’ table is already full.”
Hailey shaded her eyes and looked toward the canopies. “There’s room by my cousins.” But just as she said the words, someone slid into the empty seat next to Allye, leaving only one open spot at the table. Hailey’s shoulders lowered a fraction, then she shrugged. “Or maybe not. Anywhere is fine, I guess.”
Her body language and tone said it wasn’t quite that straightforward. He tilted his head to study her. “You don’t sound so sure about that.”
“I—” She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Let’s just find a pair of open seats.” She started moving toward the canopies.
As he followed her, the truth dawned on him. Her nerves probably weren’t all due to their clandestine meeting. She felt out of place among these people she’d long considered friends. He could kick himself for not realizing sooner how hard it probably was for her to rub elbows with people her late husband had betrayed.
“Why don’t you sit with your cousins? I don’t mind finding another spot.” He would stay close though, even if he had to stand and eat.
She waved him off. “Don’t be silly. There’s plenty of other seats around.”
Plentymight have been a strong word. Most of the tables were nearly full at this point. But he wouldn’t push the issue. It washer decision, and while he hated for her to be uncomfortable, he couldn’t deny being pleased that she wanted to sit with him.
HAILEY LED THE WAYto one of the far tables, the only one that wasn’t quickly approaching capacity. As they sat at the table’s unoccupied end, she glanced back toward the porch. Good. Only two or three people were still grabbing food, which meant she didn’t need to worry about whether they’d run out of seats for their guests.
The two couples on the other end of the table were engaged in a lively conversation and hardly seemed to notice their arrival, but one of the ladies, Officer Gibson’s sister Talia, gave them a welcoming wave before tuning back in to the subject under discussion.
Hailey released a pent-up breath. She’d been afraid whoever they sat with would turn up their noses or greet her with a scowl. This treatment she could handle.
