“I didn’t fall far, either. I got a place in Park Slope.”

She didn’t know much about the neighborhood, except that it was in Brooklyn. And she didn’t know much about Brooklyn, except that it was the destination of the creaky, local F train she would never take.

He drove the next few blocks in silence, and she thought about how weird it was to be with him after all this time. Her phone chirped, and she hurried to answer it, but it was only Jenny saying they were still scouting for arm candy for Axel.

As though he felt her stare, he turned and glanced at her. “It’s good to see you, Elaine. You look great.”

“Thanks. So do you.” Elaine was usually good at small talk. It was her stock-in-trade, a power tool in her arsenal. Yet the customary name-dropping and light witticisms would not work in this situation, with this man. He didn’t want to be impressed by her or entertained by her. As he had so many years before, he simply wanted to know her.

And what she feared was that he could already see all there was to know, that she was all surface. Peeled away, there was nothing of substance inside.

Unanswered questions and old business hung in the air between them. He reached down and flicked on the radio, and Christmas music eased through the car. He hummed along with chestnuts roasting.

“I meant what I said earlier. I’m sorry about your friend,” he remarked.

She had to think for a moment about which friend he meant. They were all sorry in different ways. “Oh, Bobbi. I don’t know what to say. It’s a little embarrassing.”

“Unfortunately, one of the things I’ve learned in my line of work is that people are betrayed all the time by people they trust.”

“That’s a cheerful thought for Christmas Eve.” She concentrated on the view through the windshield. Throngs of pedestrians, hurrying and hunched against the thickening snowfall, streamed past brightly lit windows of busy shops. Twinkling fairy lights held every available tree in a choke hold.

Again, the silent questions hovered. Where were you that night? Why didn’t you keep your promise? How come we didn’t fall in love and live happily ever after?

“So who’s Byron?” Tony asked, seemingly out of the blue.

She’d been hoping he wouldn’t mention her ex, but no such luck. He must have developed a cop’s instincts.

“Some guy I was dating.” She downplayed it, of course. Byron was really supposed to be the one. His credentials were perfect. He came from the right family, had gone to the right schools, lived at the right address. Her parents adored him, and his parents admired her. Freddie St. James was already picking out china patterns. Elaine had almost convinced herself that he was going to be her first husband.