13. Sam
Sam
W hat do you do when all the reasons you have for falling in love with someone are the same reasons that will put that someone in danger?
From the moment I met Iris at the academy, I was attracted to her drive, her moral compass that was so set on making things right, her attention to detail, her passion.
I knew she was going to make a great cop and for a brief time, she was.
I often wonder where she’d be if the pregnancy hadn’t changed her view on her career.
She always says she has no regrets about her priorities changing but we both know she would have been incredible, a far better investigator than me.
When I suggest another dinner with my colleagues to Iris, she hesitates before agreeing. I know she feels awful about what happened last time, so another opportunity like this is the perfect way to help repair the tension between us.
Mum comes over again and Iris gives her the usual spiel about what to do with the children, despite my mum being perfectly capable. ‘We won’t be late,’ I call out to her, and I kiss the three kids goodbye. They’re already fed and in their pyjamas. Fingers crossed they’re good for their Nanny.
‘Have fun,’ she says.
The drive to Alan and Juliet’s is quiet, bordering on tense. As we pull into the cul-de-sac they live in, I sigh. ‘We’re okay, right? No child trafficking stuff tonight?’
Iris mimes zipping her lips and smiles. I return the smile and desperately hope she sticks to her word. Her obsession took over our lives in Rosewood. Her therapist helped her so much, and she’s been good for so long. But the past few months, her questions have been popping up more frequently.
We sit in the backyard as Alan grills sausages and burgers on the barbecue. Juliet pours us a glass of wine and Iris talks about the success of the trivia night.
While Juliet tells me about the team who complained and demanded a full recount of the scores, Iris seems to be in her own world, completely tuned out of the conversation and watching Alan.
‘Iris?’ I say. ‘You with us?’
She snaps her eyes to me and clears her throat. ‘Sorry. In my own world for a minute there.’ She changes the subject but I’m curious about what had her distracted. ‘Are Melanie and Dean joining us again?’
Juliet nods and checks her watch. ‘They should be here any minute now.’
As if conjured, there’s a knock at the door. Dean walks in with a six pack of beer and Melanie carries a salad bowl.
‘Can I help with anything?’ Iris asks, after saying hi to Melanie and Dean.
Juliet brings out her own salad and places it next to Melanie’s.
‘No, no, we are all good to go.’
I glance at Iris and realise my social blunder. I told her we didn’t need to bring anything tonight. She’ll be mortified we came empty handed.
We get through dinner without any drama and Iris insists on the two of us clearing up given we didn’t bring a plate. Juliet objects, but I top up her drink, and she rolls her eyes and agrees.
In the kitchen, Iris and I clear the plates and begin loading the dishwasher.
‘How well do you know Alan?’ she asks.
I turn to her, narrowing my eyes. Is this what she was thinking about earlier?
‘Well enough. He’s a good cop. Why?’
‘Gives me a bad feeling,’ she says, rinsing some tomato sauce from a plate before handing it to me. ‘I’ve also seen him chatting to that dad at kinder who I told you about. Eva’s husband, the bad one. I’m wondering what they would have in common.’
‘They probably exchange polite small talk. I do the same and I wouldn’t have a clue who I’m speaking to.’
She doesn’t seem convinced.
‘It’s been a nice night,’ I say. ‘Just drop it for now, we can ask Alan another time if it seems important.’
She nods and doesn’t bring it up again.