Free The Returned by Bishop O'Connell

Caitlin held fast.
    â€œTell me.”
    He shrugged. “I just had a feeling like we were being watched.”
    Caitlin looked around more intently this time.
    â€œIt was just for a second,” he said. “I was probably just imagining it.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    He nodded. “Positive. Come on.”
    They resumed their walking, and Edward tried to ignore the stab of guilt when he looked at Caitlin. She’d slipped from carefree enjoyment to suspiciously observant.
    Maybe seeing Henry and Hannah would put it out of her mind.
    He glanced over his shoulder.
    And out of his mind too.
    â€œHey, you,” said a pretty woman about Edward’s age with chestnut-colored hair and a big smile. Next to her sat Henry, whom Caitlin had called a young Don Cheadle. Edward didn’t really see it.
    When Caitlin stepped close enough, Hannah threw her arms around Caitlin, and they hugged like old friends.
    Henry and Edward shook hands and exchanged very manly one-armed hugs.
    â€œIt’s so good to see y’all,” Hannah said.
    â€œYou too,” Caitlin said.
    â€œWhy don’t you two catch up? I’ll go get us our coffee,” Edward said to Caitlin, then turned to Henry and Hannah. “You want anything?”
    â€œAn order of beignets,” Hannah said.
    Henry gave her a sidelong glance, and she wiped some powdered sugar from her lips.
    â€œYes, we had an order already,” she said. “Would you like to comment on that fact?”
    â€œNo, ma’am, I would not,” Henry said. “I was just going to ask for an order of my own.”
    Edward laughed and went to the walk-up window. A few minutes later, he set down the two incredibly hot cups of café au lait and a triple order of light, delicious fried dough. After sitting down, he noticed Hannah’s cup.
    â€œCommunity Coffee?” he asked her.
    â€œI thought the coffee here was famous,” Caitlin said.
    â€œSure, for tourists,” she said.
    Henry laughed.
    â€œThis is what locals drink,” Hannah said, then pointed to the cups Edward brought. “We save that chicory stuff for you Yankees who don’t know any better.”
    Everyone laughed, then slipped into easy small talk: how nice the wedding was, embarrassing college stories, and what to see in New Orleans. After an hour or so, Hannah looked down at her phone.
    â€œOh, damn,” she said. “I’ve got to go.”
    â€œNow?” asked Caitlin. “But it’s Saturday.”
    â€œLife of a professor,” Hannah said.
    â€œProfessor, hell,” Henry said. “You didn’t have a tenth of these meetings before you became the department head.”
    Hannah looked from Edward to Henry. “Yes, because doctors have such reasonable hours.”
    â€œThis is the point in the conversation where you stop talking,” Caitlin said through a grin.
    Henry nodded. “And I wish my wife a good day and kiss her good-bye.” He did just that.
    â€œWe’ll do dinner sometime this week,” Hannah said to Caitlin. “Promise.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Caitlin said.
    Hannah gave her good-bye hugs and cheek kisses, then darted off to her car.
    â€œI really like her,” Caitlin said.
    â€œShe is something special,” Henry said.
    The casual conversation resumed, but ten minutes later, Henry glanced down at his phone.
    â€œDid Hannah forget something?” Edward asked and reached to eat the last beignet.
    Caitlin snatched it before he could.
    â€œHuh?” Henry looked up. “No, it’s a friend of mine,” he said, clearly distracted as he read the text. “I’ve been offering advice and consults on some—” He shook his head. “No, I’m not ruining your honeymoon with this business. We’re not talking shop.”
    Caitlin snorted. “Please. It’s not like any of us have regular jobs. It’s the talking about it that keeps us