“She cracked that case, Teren. Didn’t you, Alex?”

Alex looked at her plate. “It was a team effort, Sarah. Everyone worked together.”

There was nothing but the sound of forks against plates.

Finally Teren broke the silence. “Maggie, you are an excellent cook. This chicken is perfect.”

“I’m glad you like it, Teren. I’ve always liked cooking. Sarah does the baking, but she’s terrible with anything on the top of the stove.”

“Really? Well, I can’t even do that. I nearly burned the house down the last time I tried to make toast.”

Everyone laughed. Even Alex chuckled.

“What about you, Alex, do you cook?”

“No. I don’t have time for it.”

Sarah leaned toward her friend. “Oh, come on, Alex. You’re a great cook. You used to make the best lemon chicken, and your beef teriyaki is legendary. I used to look forward to coming home on Fridays, just because I knew you were cooking.”

“Wait, Sarah, you mean you and Alex used to be together?”

“Well, yes, we were.”

Alex glared at Sarah. “It didn’t last long.”

“And yet the three of you are still friends? I think that’s great.”

Sarah smiled at her guest. “It is great.” Then she returned Alex’s glare. “Most of the time.”

Alex reached for her glass of wine and sipped it. “So, Teren, what do you do for a living?”

Teren smiled. “Actually I teach hand-to-hand at the FBI office. When you come up for recertification, I’ll probably be your instructor.”

Maggie looked at Teren. “What’s recertification?”

“To remain on active duty, a field agent must prove that he can handle him or herself in a fight. Agents are tested at least quarterly on their proficience with their weapon, and at least twice a year they must pass a hand-to-hand combat test. They can study karate, or some other martial art, but they have to be able to defend themselves against many different kinds of opponents.”

“Alex is a kickboxer,” Sarah said proudly.

“Really?” Teren’s eyebrows rose. “I didn’t know that. We’ll have to spar sometime. I used to do a little kickboxing, though I don’t think it’s as good for self-defense as tai-kwan-do or jujitsu.”

Alex kept her eyes on the figure across the table. “It depends on whether you’re defending yourself on the streets or on the gym mat. Personally, I think kickboxing is better for street fighting. It always surprises an opponent.”

“It would, unless the opponent is skilled in any martial art. Then, the edge goes to said opponent.”

“I have found that even those with good martial arts skills can be surprised when faced by a kickboxer. I know I’ve surprised a few people.”

Teren smiled. “I’m sure. I bet most people wouldn’t expect someone of your size to do something as strenuous as kickbox. That would be a surprise, I suppose.”

Maggie and Sarah laughed. Alex sipped her wine.

“You’d have found it a surprise, I think.”

The words were said quietly, but they were enough to stop Teren as she brought her fork to her mouth. It finished its journey, then Teren reached for her wine glass.

“Yes,” she said. “But it would have been a pleasant surprise.”

Their gaze met, and held.

Maggie and Sarah couldn’t help but notice. The two of them smiled at each other, thinking they were right. Sparks of some kind seemed to fly between their friend, and their guest.

“Well, if everyone’s finished, why don’t we go into the living room? We can talk in front of the fireplace, and get to know each other a little better.”

Sarah winked at Maggie as Alex and Teren stood, picking up their glasses of wine.

“Sarah will you help me clear the table?”

Teren turned towards the couple. “I’ll be glad to help.”

“No, no, you go get comfortable in front of the fire. After all, you did build it.” She glanced at Alex. “And besides, you and Alex both worked all day. Sarah had a half-day and I didn’t work at all. We’ll take care of this. You two go get comfy.”

Alex cringed inwardly at her friend’s blatant attempt at matchmaking. She knew she’d have to have another talk with Sarah about her and Maggie’s choices of dinner mates. But right now, there was nothing she could do. Maggie and Sarah gently urged them out of the kitchen, and she and Teren found themselves in the living room, alone.

Alex tried to focus on something other than the ice-blue eyes that watched her. Her gaze landed on the chess set arranged on the side table. Teren saw it as well.

“Do you play chess, Alex?”

“Yes. You?”

“All the time.”

Alex nodded. “I smell a rat.”

“What do you mean?”

She motioned towards the kitchen. “Those two don’t play. At all.”

Blue eyes met green again, and for the first time, they both laughed.

“Well, we might as well let them think their plan worked.” Teren motioned to the set. “After you.”

“Would you prefer black or white?”

“Black.”

“Really. I would have thought someone like you would want to move first.”

“On the contrary. I’ve discovered that those who move first usually lose.”

“I see.”

They seated themselves, Teren behind the black pieces, and Alex across from her, behind the white.

“It does seem rather odd that this was already set up, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. The last time I saw this table it was piled with books from Maggie’s workplace.” Alex moved her queen’s pawn forward two spaces.

“Where does she work?” Teren countered by moving her king’s knight.

“She’s the manager at a bookshop, near DuPont. It’s not far from my home.” Alex brought her king’s knight in front of her pawns.

“I see. And Sarah?” Teren moved her queen’s pawn forward.

“Sarah works for a real estate firm. She’s an appraiser.” Alex countered with another pawn.

“How did you and Sarah meet?” Teren took Alex’s pawn.

“Why are you here, Teren?” Alex moved her king’s pawn.

“Because I got invited to dinner by two students in one of my night classes at the women’s center. You?” Teren moved the pawn from in front of her knight.

“Are you saying you didn’t know I was going to be here?” Alex pushed her pawn forward to meet Teren’s.

“No. But I didn’t know until last night.” Teren replaced one of Alex’s pawns with her own.

In response, Alex used her queen to take Teren’s pawn. “So, you’re saying this is a total coincidence.”

“Yes and no. Sarah actually made the invitation last week, long before we met. But I was going to turn her down last night when she reminded me. Then she told me she wanted to introduce me to her friend Alex, who was an FBI agent.” Teren moved the pawn from in front of her rook. “I figured there couldn’t be more than one of you, so I agreed.”

“I see.” Alex moved her rook’s pawn two spaces up. “And you wanted to see me, why?”

Teren swiped another pawn from the board. “To check in. Find out how you were doing.”

“That’s all?” Alex countered with her rook, removing Teren’s pawn.

“Well, that, and I wanted to congratulate you.” Teren moved her queen’s knight in front of her bishop. “You found the hotel room, I hear.”

That stopped Alex for a second. She took a moment to recover, and moved her king’s bishop across the board. “Yes. Are you the one who stripped it?”

“No. My sources found it just a couple hours before your guys showed up. It had already been stripped.” Teren countered with her queen’s bishop.

“Any guesses as to who did it?” Alex’s king’s knight went forward and right.

“Someone who doesn’t want you to find them.” Teren moved the pawn from in front of her king.

Alex placed her knight two squares from Teren’s king, taking the pawn that had occupied the square. “Obviously. Can you give me a name?”

“No.” Teren slid her queen over one square. “But I can tell you you’re on the right track. And the money angle was the right one to follow.” She glanced up at Alex. “I trust you didn’t find anything amiss in my bank records.”