Chapter 1
“Did you manage to get any sleep?” asked Hugo, without interrupting his work.
“Not really. I was thinking … Wouldn’t it have been better to hire drivers to pick up the guests? Wasn’t it kind of risky giving out our address?”
“Whoever paid for this dinner is as complicit as we are, Dante. Relax.”
I saw his point and peeked inside the oven, where the hearts of palm were roasting.
“It looks amazing.”
“It is amazing,” he corrected me.
I nodded, smiling. The combination of aromas was intoxicating. I went to get some juice from the fridge but was nauseated by a hideous odor coming from that side of the kitchen.
“Do you smell that?”
Hugo took a step back from the counter and inhaled deeply. Immediately, his face contorted in disgust. Hands still wet, he ran to the freezer and opened the door. The putrid smell barreled out with full force.
“Holy shit,” he said.
I came closer, in disbelief. At some point in the night, when we were storing the meat, the power cord must have snapped, shutting off the freezer.
Inside the drawers, slimy red-and-white liquid pooled beneath the packaged steaks.
You didn’t have to be a chef to know the meat had been completely spoiled.