down that makes these. They're unbelievably good."
The smell of sugar and vanilla teased Ryan's nostrils and he found himself digging into a still-warm cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting. So far Chicago had him going back to a hell of a lot of bad habits.
Like Mariah, for instance.
Note to self. You need to go for a long run tonight. Stay away from her.
"So tell me more about that night. We were all doing shots and talking about Hawaii. Then Mariah and I left. What happened after that?"
His brows pinched together, Theo didn't answer immediately. "Shit, I'm not sure. Like I said, that was a long time ago. I think I danced with your sister Liza, and then I went to play pool again. Brad and Caro were talking and drinking but then I think she must have left because Brad was talking with someone else. I'd met a girl that wanted me to teach her to play pool and ended up leaving with her right after they announced last call."
"You didn't go home together?"
With a sheepish grin, Theo shook his head. "What can I say? I got lucky that night."
Ryan couldn't help but think that a best friend disappearing wasn't all that lucky. Apparently, the reality of what Theo had said dawned on the other man and the color drained from his face. He'd gone from smiling to almost crying in less than sixty seconds.
"Shit, that didn't come out right. You know what I mean. Of course, I don't think that it was lucky that Brad died. He was my best friend. We were like brothers. I loved him. I really did. If I had known something would happen to him that night...fuck. I never would have left him. I thought he'd be okay. It wasn't the first time one of us went home alone. If he'd met someone, he would have done the same."
When Ryan didn't respond right away, Theo hopped up from the couch and began pacing in front of his desk.
"I know this looks bad. I mean...it's such a coincidence...but I swear that wasn't the only time that he and I went home separately. It happened more often than not because he'd either be going home with Caro or some other girl."
From what Ryan remembered, that was true. But it was a strange coincidence.
"Who else knew you were leaving separately? Were you at the bar when you told him? Could someone have overheard you?"
Pausing in front of the table, Theo stroked his chin. "He was at the bar with some girl. Caro had already left. He told me she was mad and he'd make up with her in the morning. I told him I was leaving and he laughed and told me to have a good time. I don't know if anyone could have overheard us. The music was so loud in there. I guess the girl could have overheard."
"Do you remember her name?"
"No, he didn't mention it and she never said. In fact, I don't remember her saying anything. She was pretty, though. A redhead. Petite. Nice figure."
"Had you seen her before?"
Theo perched on the edge of his desk. "Yeah, I think so. She'd been there a few nights before. She was good-looking, someone you would notice, if you know what I mean. I got the feeling that Brad was planning to go home with her."'
Ryan made a mental note to somehow try and find out who that woman was, although the odds weren't in his favor.
"So you left? You didn't see him again after that?"
"When I left, he was still at the bar." Theo scraped his fingers through his short brown hair. "That was the last time I saw him alive. It's been years and I still can't believe he's gone. Every now and then I'll reach for my phone to call and tell him some good news."
"What about other girls?" Ryan asked, already knowing part of the answer. "Brad wasn't exactly faithful to Caroline. How many others were there?"
"A few. They didn't mean anything. Brad just wanted to be free and have a good time. He wasn't looking to settle down. Caro could never understand that. She wanted them to get married as soon as they graduated from college. Then have a kid the next year. She had it all planned out. Brad used to tell me about all of her plans. Hell, she'd even picked out the neighborhood she wanted to live in and the car she wanted to drive."
"Why didn't he ever