The Penitent One (Boston Crime Thriller Book 3), Brian Shea [best non fiction books of all time .TXT] 📗

The crunch next to his ear was loud. Kelly turned to see a bit of broken bacon disappear inside Embry's mouth, the remnants of the salty evidence still crusting the corner of her lips. "If you eat all the bacon before we mix it in with the sprouts, you're going to ruin the flavor."

"The secret is…” He leaned in close and whispered in his daughter’s ear, “Nobody likes Brussels sprouts. That's why we bury them in bacon."

She giggled and finished the second half of the piece still in her hand.

Kelly rolled his eyes in defeat. He'd been battling with the bacon thief since he'd fried up the pound of center-cut, maple-flavored goodness.

The cooked pieces drained on a paper towel next to the stove. Kelly used the leftover bacon grease to sauté the Brussels sprouts, softening them and adding in bits of crushed bacon as he went. He salted and peppered the rugged vegetable, drizzling in a touch of Worcestershire sauce and a dab of soy, not following a specific recipe. He’d gotten hooked on cooking shows. It was his secret obsession. Watching the television chefs, Kelly had picked up some tricks of the trade. His favorite thing to do was pour in a little red wine, deglazing the pan and adding a little caramelization as the sugars cooked down. Never letting a good glass of red go to waste, Kelly sampled as he cooked. The downside to his cooking was he could never repeat the process. Each meal, even though he used the same ingredients, always resulted in a different taste. He just hoped this version of sprouts proved to be as good as his last, and enough to win over his daughter’s discerning palate.

Embry’s resistance to the hearty vegetable was long-standing and stalwart. The deal brokered in the Stop & Shop aisle was worth the trade-off. Brussels sprouts for his seat next to Barnes.

Embry reached across and grabbed another piece of bacon before Kelly could stop her. To his surprise, she bypassed her mouth and crumbled it into the sizzling pan. The smell of the sprouts cooking in the bacon fat carried the note of maple and caused his empty stomach to rumble.

"I'm starving. When are we eating?" Embry asked, as if reading his mind.

"In a few minutes. The sprouts are last, and they’re almost done. Everything else is ready and warming in the oven."

She bounced off the stool and skipped into the living room to make the announcement to Kelly's mother and brother, who were watching the football game on TV.

Kelly peeked out, happy to see his brother sipping on an O'Doul's. Ever since coming out of rehab, Brayden had stayed the course set by his in-patient therapy. But on a day like today, he was worried his brother would be tempted by tradition. One in which his younger brother would drink to excess and end up face down before dessert.

Kelly thought it would be okay for him to have a near beer, at least give him the flavor of normal without the negative fallout. He just hoped the taste of it wouldn't send him into a frenzy. When Brayden had bottomed out before, it had taken a heavy toll on the Kelly family. With him living at home again, everybody was making an adjustment.

Brayden had steered clear of the dope, remaining drug free since leaving rehab. He was the healthiest Kelly had seen him in recent years. He finally saw the shadow of his brother's former self in the man sitting in the living room, giving him hope the worst was behind him. Brayden was even picking up a couple hours at the package store.

"Dinner's ready," Embry sang out as Kelly turned off the burner.

The gas feeding the flame flickered and popped before going out. He slid the sprouts into a blue ceramic bowl and then, wearing floral oven mitts, removed the turkey from the oven.

Brayden entered the kitchen. "Smells great! Maybe you should quit being a cop and open a restaurant." He gave Kelly a punch in the ribs, soft but still hard enough to remind Kelly of the playful nature in which they used to box as children. “Let me give you a hand.” He grabbed a hot plate and set it on the center of the table before helping remove the potatoes from the oven.

His mother hobbled into the dining room area, forgoing the use of her cane. She was doing this more often as her hip improved. The doctor told her to move without it as often as the pain would permit so that she would begin to strengthen the muscles.

She took her seat at the head of the table, Kelly and Embry sat side by side, and Brayden across from them. For the first time in a long time, as Kelly surveyed the group, he felt like their family was whole again.

Ma Kelly raised her glass. "Family first!"

Kelly, Brayden, and Embry responded in unison with, "Family always."

Dinner ended. The pumpkin pie rested on the warm stove. Kelly handled the dinner while his mother had always taken pride in the sweeter part of the meal. Unlike much larger families, the Kellys didn't overdo the dessert or the food, making just enough with a little left over.

Kelly prepared a plate of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a handful of Brussels sprouts. He wrapped the plate in foil and set it on top of the stove, which was still warm from the pie.

The odor of the kitchen transitioned from the savory to the sweet as the pumpkin spice filled the air.

Kelly nervously downed a second glass of wine as he awaited Barnes’s arrival. A knock at the door suddenly doubled his anxiety. It would be the first time Embry spent time with Barnes knowing their new relationship status.

"Coming," Embry yelled, sailing down the hallway toward the front door.

Kelly was happy to see his daughter so excited at the prospect of meeting his colleague and, for