Free A Field Guide to Deception by Jill Malone

reflected on the grueling hospital gauntlet, all to discover that she had a concussion and some wicked bruises—and to obtain the prescriptions, of course, muscle relaxants and Hydrocodone. She and Claire had not spoken for hours. Each flipping through the stale magazines, or watching the grumpy children and short-fused adults as though preoccupation could stave off their fury. Fury was exactly what it had become. Fury distressed by the tedious wait and the confined space and the silence between them.
    Why had Claire gone to the Mercury Café? To pick up someone?
It had never occurred to Liv that Claire might—might, what? Have sex with someone else? Date? Liv pried the caps off her bottles, took two of each, then wished she’d eaten first. In her bag, she found a Clif Bar, and choked it down as well. Her back and shoulders were stiff. Her mind unfocused, and she fell asleep.

    Bailey walked up the deck and poked her head in the doorway to the kitchen. “Hey,” she called, “your favorite guest.” In a moment, Claire came down the hallway, Simon trailing behind her like a tail.
    â€œHey,” Claire said.
    â€œI thought I’d make dinner.” Bailey had a bag of groceries with her. “Shrimp and oysters and clams, and I brought a steak in case anyone’s anti-seafood.”
    â€œBecause you haven’t helped out enough around here?” Claire asked, clearing a workspace for her.
    Bailey dragged Simon’s stool over to the counter, and began to hand him ingredients as though they’d had this routine for years. Claire sat at the table, and admired them.
    â€œWell,” Bailey asked, without turning around, “how’s the patient?”
    â€œStill sleeping. I’ve checked on her a couple of times, left her a sandwich and fruit, but she’s slept all day.”
    â€œWhat did the doctor say?”
    â€œA concussion and bruises, no breaks. He said she could expect to be slow-moving and sore. And then he gave her a lecture about smoking. She loved that.”
    â€œSmell this, Simon. It’s lemongrass; you’re going to love it. Well, who wouldn’t love a lecture after they fell off a ladder? Nearly as useful as being told you’re going to be sore. Tell me you love white wine.”
    â€œI do.”
    â€œSimon, I’m going to need those pans again, and that cutting board. Yes, perfect. Right, Claire, how hot is too hot for you?”
    â€œI don’t like coughing while I eat.”
    â€œSo, just a couple of peppers. Good to know. I didn’t hear you come
in last night. Simon, why don’t you start rinsing these, and we’ll just set the strainer here, and, yes, that’s perfect. Claire, if you’ll start the grill? Right, good. OK, I’ll chop chop these. And then we’ll need butter, vats and vats of butter. Simon, say ‘butter is delicious.’”
    â€œButter is delicious.”
    â€œYou are the golden boy. Right, now I’m going to give you kale to rinse. Perfect. Exactly so.”
    Claire was sent to the camper to retrieve Liv. Since she hadn’t helped with dinner, she had no argument to avoid this. Again, she was struck by the Spartan arrangement of the camper. Surfaces clean and clear, clothes folded or hidden away, only a faint suggestion of patchouli incense, and the seemingly naked girl on the bed, striped by the sleeping bag.
    â€œHello?” Claire said, easing into the camper. She left the door opened, crept toward the supine girl. “Hello?”
    â€œHey.”
    â€œWould you like to come up to the house for dinner? Bailey’s cooked a beautiful meal.”
    Liv, her face blank, stared back at Claire.
    â€œOysters and shrimp and kale and some kind of exotic potato.”
    â€œI’ll follow you back,” Liv said. “I just have to get dressed.”

    â€œI shouldn’t have brought wine,” Bailey said when Liv joined them. “You