Hidden in the Blood: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 5)

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Tej, Saturday

Tej heard the knock on the door first, since she was still taking off her coat after arriving with the kids, so she went to open it even though it was Joe and Lauren's house.

To her surprise, Agnes stood there. "Oh! Hello!" Agnes said. "Tej, right?"

"Yes! Hi, Agnes. Come in! Everyone's inside."

It was a madhouse inside. Children everywhere, running and playing. Adults preparing food or moving things around to make life more comfortable for the returning man of the hour. The only one not here was Sunny, and that was because he had an early committee meeting for the City, but he said he would be by later to welcome Al home.

Agnes looked a little overwhelmed, so Tej stuck by her side and leaned in. "I have a confession to make."

Agnes blinked in surprise and looked at her. "What's that?"

"I think I might have represented your ex in buying a house."

Agnes nodded. "Huge guy, maritime accent?"

"Yes."

"That's him. He said he purchased a house in Queensborough."

"I have to admit, Agnes, we've all been having too good a time sneaking around the edges of your situation, hoping your ex didn't catch on."

Agnes shrugged. "So far, he hasn't made any comment about it. Maybe he didn't notice the name of the lawyer representing me shared a surname with his real estate agent. It might be a little bit racist, seeing an ethnic name and overlooking it, but it probably worked in your favour."

"Let's hope."

It took them walking into the living room before anyone noticed the new arrival. "Hey!" Lauren shouted, shuffling over to them in her boot and walking stick. "You found the place okay?"

"I did, thanks," Agnes said. "And I need to thank you and Joe for providing the creature comforts at Rachel's place. I brought none of that with me when I fled the Okanagan, so it makes the place feel not so empty."

Lauren smiled, her dimples popping. "It's our pleasure," she said. "That stuff was just sitting around in storage anyway, it lets us get rid of it. Al and Rachel can just keep it for when they move in."

"So, where are Al and Rachel right now?"

"Oh, downstairs, in the renovated basement. Rachel's showing Al the new bedrooms their son helped Joe build."

"Oh, wow. What's the boy's name again?"

"Logan. I think he's down there too."

As if on cue, Logan's sister Emma strode up with Naomi. "Hey, you're Al's ex-girlfriend!" Emma said, brightening. 

Agnes chuckled awkwardly. "Yup, that's me."

"I can't believe Al was with someone before Auntie Rachel," Naomi said.

"I know it seems like they've been together forever," Lauren said, rolling her eyes, "but they only reunited four years ago. He had a life before her."

"What's your name again?" Emma asked Agnes.

"It's Agnes," she said. "And you're Emma, right?"

Emma nodded eagerly. 

"You could have brought your kids today," Lauren said. "We would have loved to meet them."

Agnes' face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, that would have been lovely, but they're with their dad today, and staying overnight at his apartment."

"So, he's back in the picture?" Lauren asked, casting Tej a sidelong glance.