"I needed air."
"You needed air for twenty minutes during a festival you are the face of, Garrett?"
He looked at her, and she stopped talking, because in the time she had worked with Garrett Holloway, she had never seen his face look exactly the way it looked now.
"Tell your manager to run a name for me: Brianna Mitchell, sous chef, Magnolia House Atlanta, 2012 through 2024."
"Who is—"
"Run the name, Vanessa."
Three minutes later, her manager came back with a printout. Vanessa read it standing up. Read it twice. Read it a third time sitting down on the same overturned crate Garrett had abandoned:
Brianna Mitchell. Fourteen years on the line in Atlanta. Sous chef at Magnolia House for twelve of them under three executive chefs, the second of whom was Garrett Holloway. Two regional food press mentions for her brine work. Walked away from the kitchen the year a younger chef was hired over her. Filed no complaint. Sued no one. Disappeared until six weeks ago when a hand-built cart appeared on Quarter Plaza.
Vanessa folded the printout once. She set it on her knee. She did not look at Garrett.
"You knew."
"I didn't. Not until ten minutes ago."
"You worked with her for four years."