My breath caught in my throat. I turned my head so I could check the time on the microwave. The carpool would drop off the kids in fifteen or twenty minutes. I didn't have much time to learn more about the other guy that Nicole had spotted on the lane Friday night. "Can I get you something to drink?" I asked. "Some hot tea?" she said. "That would be great. Whatever you have. I love mint." I fixed the cup of tea as fast as I could. I was torn. The news of the presence of another man on the lane left me with a lot of questions for Nicole, but I didn't want her to perceive my curiosity, nor did I want her to still be at the house when the kids got home from school. If Gracie knew Nicole was in our house, the world would know Nicole was in our house. Lauren would have no issue with Nicole's visit. But if Lauren ending up asking me some questions about what else I knew about that night, and more to the point, how I knew what else I knew about that night, I was worried the conversation could go in a troublesome direction.
