into the room, pausing for a moment by the table before heading to the stove. Abbie was right behind him.
âSoup and sandwich, Ana?â she asked. âIâm sure youâre famished.â
âSure. I really appreciate it.â
Abbie placed a tray of sandwiches on the table and brought bowls of soup ladled from a well-loved copper pot. The soup was thick and hearty, most unlike the thin soup from a can Ana was used to. She watched as Emmett tossed two sandwiches onto a plastic plate heâd fished out of the cupboard. He stuffed a paper towel into his back pocket before turning toward the table.
âFive oâclock sharp,â he said to his plate.
No one responded.
âIâm talking to you.â
He looked directly at Ana, waiting for her to meet his eyes.
âFive a.m. out in the field,â he continued. âThat means youâll be standing next to me at that time, not walking out of the house. Wear comfortable layers, the sneakers you have on now, and find a wider brimmed hat.â
âOkay,â Ana said, having forgotten she was already wearing a cap. She removed it quickly and smoothed down her hair. âThank you.â
âDonât thank me yet. This is a trial period.â
Emmett walked past the table and out the screen door, taking his dinner with him. A dog barked in the distance.
âPlease eat,â Abbie said, sitting down next to her and taking a bite of a sandwich in hand. âThese are good, right? The secret is extra crunch and a bit of caramelized onion.â
Ana nibbled the sandwich, careful not to inhale it whole. She took a few spoonsful of soup, surprised by how it coated her throat with a savory sweetness, and told herself not to appear too eager or ravenous, despite how delicious it may be. The chimes of an old clock filled the kitchen.
âYou must be tired from your trip,â Abbie said.
âIâm okay,â Ana said, keeping her gaze down at her plate, taking a rest between bites. She was starving, but her stomach was clenched with nerves.
âYou can barely keep your eyes open. I can show you upstairs if youâd like.â
âThe food is great, really.â
âYouâre not hurting my feelings if youâd rather get some sleep. Iâm sure itâs been quite the whirlwind day. Iâll send you up with some oatmeal cookies. Who doesnât want dessert for dinner?â
Ana stood up abruptly, nearly knocking her head on the light fixture hanging above the table. She fumbled for her baseball cap before picking up her plate and reaching for Abbieâs.
âShouldnât I clear all this first?â
âJust leave it here, hon,â Abbie said with the same warm smile. âCâmon. Iâll show you to your room.â
Ana followed as Abbie led the way out of the kitchen, guiding them with a small plate of cookies in her hand. Ana couldnât help but wonder if she was being put to bed early because of something Emmett said about the ride from the airport. It wasnât the first time sheâd been sent to a roomânever hers, always sharedâbut either way, she was relieved to have time alone to ruminate on the day.
Abbie stopped at the top of the landing and waited for Ana, who gazed down the long upstairs hall. It was lined on either side, top to bottom, with built-in bookshelves, tiny bursts of color popping from the multitudes of spines.
âYouâre welcome to take any of these youâd like,â Abbie said. âIâd like to think of it as a lending library, but I donât get many visitors up here anymore.â She snorted or swallowed, Ana couldnât tell. âI mean, itâs pretty much just me in the house most of the time.â
She gestured to the open door on the left. Ana followed her into the room, which was like walking into one of those wallpapered home stores she had visited once when living with a family in Pasadena. Though
Learning to Kill: Stories