The Poppy Drop

by C L Bauer

  Lily had collected herself by the time they reached Gretchen’s door. Apparently the door man had alerted her and there she was with the door open, striking a pose like an old Hollywood siren.

  Gretchen looked every bit the star, tons of makeup and an ensemble of a leopard tunic over tight leather leggings. For heaven’s sake it wasn’t that cool outside to be dressed for “The Graduate” seduction scene.

  “Darling, oh and you’ve brought guests, your boyfriend and I don’t seem to know this other young man.”

  Lily rolled her eyes and Agent Fullerton was looking around to see if someone had followed them up.

  “Hello, Gretchen, may we come in?” Lily asked but just keep walking with the two agents in line behind her. Gretchen’s smile vanished as they all stood in her elaborately decorated living room. This wasn’t a social call.

  “What is this about Lily? I don’t understand.”

  “Well, you will,” Lily motioned to Fullerton. “This is Agent Fullerton of the FBI.” He quickly showed her his badge.

  “And this is not really my boyfriend. This is Agent Pierce from the DEA. We need to discuss the wedding we had at the Hayden house earlier this season.”

  Gretchen wasn’t a very good actress but her nonchalant face reminded Lily of Nora Desmond, bored with life and quite possibly in need of a colonoscopy.

  “Everyone, sit, please. Agents, may I get you something?” She was acting the perfect hostess and Lily just knew she was already plotting revenge.

  “No, we’re good,” Fullerton answered. “We need to know what you did with the boxes from the wedding. Mrs. Hayden said you took them with you to use the next week for some function you were working on. Actually, we need to know where the ice blocks went that were in those boxes.”

  “Well, I don’t know. That was months ago.” Lily shook her head. The woman was rude to everyone even federal agents.

  Dev sat forward on the sofa. “Gretchen, if you can, could you possibly try to remember? It would be so important to me, to us, if you could tell us where those items are or what you did with them?” Lily was suddenly nauseous again as Dev held eye contact with the coordinator and had that little slip of a smile. His eyes were actually twinkling; he was flirting with her. Lily looked out the window. She knew he was just getting his information but jealousy was rearing its ugly head for no reason at all. Besides, she was still mad at him. Had the words in the elevator been an act like this? Or had they been a whispered wish to fall on her heart?

  “Well, honey, let me think,” Gretchen sat forward too, her leather-clad legs now touching Dev’s. “I had that event at the Nelson.” She pulled her phone out to check her calendar.

  Lily watched her contort her face as though she was in actually pain from the stress on her little brain. She probably was. Thinking took a lot of effort for someone like Gretchen. And why couldn’t she just say the event was at the art gallery, or on a Wednesday? Why say the “Nelson” dramatically as though it was some English nobleman’s castle?

  “It was for the Junior League.”

  Dev nodded and Lily continued to be sick to her stomach. She looked over at Tom Fullerton and grimaced. His face showed nothing, absolutely nothing until Lily sighed with disgust. A thin smile formed on his lips and he winked at her. Lily’s patience had never been her strongest attribute. Right now she just wanted to grab Gretchen’s phone and shove it up…

  “Oh yes, that wedding off the parkway. I had you leave the boxes in the garage. It was so hot and I needed them to transport the bouquets. I saw those blocks in there. I threw the boxes away.”

  Dev’s head dropped first, followed by Lily’s and Tom’s. They were sunk. “But I kept the blocks. Is that important?”

  Now they were all drawn in attention at the woman.

  Dev casually responded. “Well, it could be. Where are they now or do you even still have something as simple as those things?”

  Really, really, Dev, Lily wanted to scream. All of this anguish and he was treating her like a queen? An idiot queen at best, but still after the interrogation she had been through and the trials of this entire situation, Lily was losing her patience.

  “Gretchen, do you have those two damn ice blocks or not? If you do, where are they?” Lily yelled out loud. She thought she heard Dev and Tom both cuss.

  Gretchen viewed her with contempt. She stood up from the sofa and promptly left the room. Dev glanced at Lily but saw Tom Fullerton holding his head in his hands.

  “What did you think you were doing?” His eyes were no longer twinkling. He definitely wasn’t her boyfriend now.

  “I was getting us some information. As long as you were taking, I thought maybe you all were going to go out to dinner and dancing. I’m so done.” Lily’s announcement had Fullerton laughing out loud and Dev glaring.

  “Way to go, Lily. I should never have involved you in any of this.”

  “Well, I never wanted to be involved but you all decided to catch more Cartel bad guys so we are even, Agent Pierce.”

  Dev didn’t respond. Now he was looking at the view over her head. He figured she knew they had been using her all along. It was for the mission.

  “Enough you two,” Fullerton whispered. “I’m beginning to think you two need to go to dinner and get a room.”

  Silence. Unpleasant, uncomfortable silence coupled with a lack of air filled the room. They didn’t look at each other and there was nothing more to be said. Gretchen entered the room and solved everything. In each hand was a white package of mush.

  “Are these what you boys are looking for?”

  Nora Desmond had produced the scene stealing moment of the play!

  “I’m pretty sure these are the ones. I was keeping them for when I went down to the lake. I use them in the cooler when I catch fish.”

  Lord, Lily thought. Gretchen fished? Actually she could see the barracuda doing that, gutting her fish, enjoying it, thinking about whose career she would gut next?

  Fullerton took over as the real professional in the room, producing evidence bags from somewhere in his suit and thanking her so much for her help in “a very important investigation”.

  “Will this be on the news?” Gretchen really did love publicity, good or bad. “I can’t believe I’ve solved your very important case.”

  Lily was muttering in her head as Gretchen coyly gave the bags over to Fullerton. “I thought they were blocks,” Dev whispered.

  “Blocks, bags all the same difference when they’re frozen. They keep the flowers cool in shipment and when we’re transporting. You can use them over and over again.” Lily refused to look at him, to see into those eyes that were obviously studying her every move since she disappointed him.

  Gretchen was signing something Fullerton had produced and smiling sweetly once more.

  She glanced over to the other two on the sofa.

  “So, you two were never dating? Lily, I never knew you were such the little actress. You’re always such the nice professional. Bravo, dear, bravo.”

  And then Gretchen applauded in approval. She winked at Dev.

  Lily stood up, followed by Dev. “Thanks, Gretchen, I’ll just add that to my new resume.” Gretchen laughed and then eyed Dev up and down in her own Gretchen manner. “Well, honey, the way you two acted I didn’t know anything was up. You just looked like you were a couple. If he’s single, Lily you should grab him. I know I would. I mean those shoulders, those eyes…”

  Lily just kept walking to the door. Time to flee. “Yah, yah, yah, ruggedly good looking, yada, yada, yada.”

  “We’ll be in touch, ma’am,” Fullerton said as he finished his paperwork. “Here’s my card. We’ll be contacting you to come downtown for a statement at your convenience but we certainly thank you for your time and assistance.”

  “You married, Agent Fullerton?”

  Tom couldn’t get to the door fast enough. “Yes, ma’am for years now. Pleasure to meet you. Thanks again.”

  Once they were all sequeste
red in the elevator, laughter broke out.

  “Tom, I think you could have yourself a girlfriend,” Dev announced.

  “Only because you were taken, boyo!”

  The laughter ceased.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Dev’s list wasn’t very lengthy. It just included one item…to finish this case. John’s funeral would be tomorrow, the end of a very long week. Once the drugs had been confirmed, Lily and Gretchen’s statements had been taken in Tom’s office and all the assorted paperwork was completed, the press was informed locally and nationwide. Dev’s contacts with the Cartel confirmed to him that any hit was off on Lily and all could continue as normal, whatever that was now. The good guys had won; the bad guys had lost. The bad guys would continue to be bad and the good guys would try to stop them. That simple… right!

  But there was just one more thing. He drove up the long driveway and parked a little past the front door. Dev was followed by two more vehicles. They stayed in place as he got out of the car and proceeded to ring the door bell. He didn’t look like an agent right now. He looked like him on a weekend in jeans, sneakers and a pullover sweater. Fall was really settling in on Kansas City and a cool breeze blew colored leaves around his feet.

  “Yes, sir?” A man, apparently a butler, stood in the open doorway.

  “I need to see Garrett Notte, please.”

  “May I tell Master Notte who wishes to see him?”

  Dev cleared his throat. “Lily’s boyfriend, from the flower shop his grandmother goes to.” He needed to perform the act of a lifetime.

  “Oh, well if i'ts about the occasional items that Mrs. Notte picks up sometimes and forgets to pay for, you need to contact her son. I can give you his card. He’ll be more than happy to pay for her forgetfulness.”

  “No, it’s not about that, please get him.” Interesting? Lily hadn’t told him about Mrs. Notte’s shoplifting. That sweet old lady had a few secrets after all. Didn’t everyone?

  The butler left and a few seconds passed before Garrett Notte stood before him. The young man eyed him suspiciously and then smiled.

  “Oh yes, I’ve seen you in the shop. I’ve been meaning to see how Lily and Abby are doing after all that mess this past weekend.”

  Mess? That’s what murder was to him? He calmed himself down…you are Lily’s concerned boyfriend.

  “Mr. Notte, Garrett, I needed to talk to you about something.”

  The young man shifted from one foot to the other. “If you’re here to talk about Abby and me…”

  “There is no Abby and you,” Dev said sternly.

  “I understand that now. I misread some cues from Abby. You know she and I are from such different circles but I thought we could have some fun.”

  Dev was suddenly nauseous from the pompous behavior of the country club cadet wanna be.

  “You’d be lucky to have Abby, buddy. So, you won’t bother her anymore.” It was a command, one given with authority and no ambiguity.

  “Of course,” Garrett answered quickly.

  “Now, I really came to tell you one thing,” he paused to tap down his anger. “You will never go around that shop or talk to Abby or ever bother Lily again. Somehow I know, you little jerk, that you’re involved in all that went down this weekend. I don’t know how but you are. You will leave my girlfriend alone.”

  Dev stopped to let the words sink into the young man’s brain of mush. He thought he could faintly smell marijuana on his clothes. He gently grabbed his shirt for affect and definitely smelled the remnants of weed.

  “You leave them alone and you’ll never have to see me again, but if I have to come back, you won’t be left standing. Do you understand, Garrett?” Dev was just a couple of inches from his face.

  Garrett, in shock, just nodded quickly and stepped back as Dev released him. He was still standing in the foyer with the open door when Dev left the house and marched down the steps.

  He stopped at the base and nodded at the DEA agents waiting, along with Tom Fullerton.

  “Did that feel good?”

  “It would’ve felt better if I’d hit him, but for now, I’m good.” Dev smiled as he watched the federal agents roll into the house. Garrett was presented with a search warrant in one hand and silver cuffs in front of his face.

  Dev got into his car and drove away. There’d always been a dark hooded figure, another contact in the city. John’s notes at his attorney’s office had given them so much more detail and all the puzzle pieces had fallen into one complete picture. He saw Garrett escorted out to the waiting car from his rearview mirror as he drove down the drive. Every puzzle piece had been linked and this last one, the hooded figure, was now sliding into the back of a federal sedan to be processed.

  The case, this case in Kansas City was now closed. The mission had been completed.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  After the church service, the cars formed a three-block line as they snaked their way to the cemetery with a full police escort. The church had been filled that Friday morning to give respect to a man many people knew as friend, as the gentle giant of the boulevard.

  Big John was gone but not forgotten to so many and he had been exposed…as a hero. The news reports mentioned his heroic acts of protection, including a shoot out with a known hit man. There was no mention of drug activity but coincidentally the DEA was running a mission to shut down Cartel contacts in Kansas City at virtually the same time. Imagine that.

  Lily didn’t add much to the quiet conversations in the car. Agent Fullerton drove and occasionally Dev would look back at her from his place in the passenger seat. Usually he asked if she was fine or if she needed water. He’d already given her two bottles for the backseat. She watched the scenery go by and the occasional motorcycle officer who was directing the line.

  She’d never been to a police funeral and she still wasn’t sure she wanted to be there. The church service had been quite enough, complete with bag pipes blaring “Amazing Grace”. She’d look to Dev now and then but his face gave nothing away. He had on his “hardened soldier” face.

  Once the cars were parked at the cemetery, Dev helped her out of the car, offering a hand of assistance. It was going to be a long walk to the gravesite. She was cursing silently her choice in footwear, heeled tall boots. But he never let go of her hand as they walked across the grass and through the dry leaves of fall, holding hands like a real couple.

  It wasn’t until they stood across from the family on the other side of the casket that he released her hand to stand at attention. She realized this was the first time Dev had seen her dressed up with heels, makeup and a professional outfit of a pencil skirt, button down shirt and wrap sweater. He and Tom Fullerton were in their classic Secret Service dark suits, every wrinkle gone, every pleat pressed. She stood in between them. No longer was she a victim or someone to be protected. They were equals; they were friends.

  While prayers were being said at the grave she noticed the similar military stances of both men, feet about a foot apart, hands clenched in front of them, sunglasses on the eyes to shield their views. She felt very safe. Of course all the police surrounding them didn’t hurt either.

  Oh no. There were officers lining up on the ridge for a gun salute and another with a trumpet. She couldn’t stand the playing of “Taps”. Its hollow, long notes meant death for her not goodnight. She wondered how many times the men standing on either side of her had heard that trumpet tribute.

  John’s wife and daughter sat on either side of his granddaughter. Her feet dangled in the air as she scooted forward on her chair. Usually her gaze was toward the casket and the hole in the ground but one time Lily saw her smile and wave. Dev broke attention and waved back.

  Lily looked up at him but he didn’t flinch. Why was John’s granddaughter waving at him?

  The clergyman was finished with his part of the service, now the police took over. Dev flinched at the first couple of shots. She watched from the corner of her eye. She could see every muscl
e tighten. His arms were now at his side. Lightly she touched the top of his hand and he reached around to hold her’s in his. He never looked down at her but he needed that touch. “Taps” was played and his hold tightened. During the flag removal and folding, his right hand reached up in the sharpest salute she had ever seen. Tom Fullerton did the same, but she was mesmerized by Dev’s actions. The flag was presented to John’s wife and a few words ended the service.

  Soon mourners were walking away and saying their final goodbyes to John. Others hugged his family. It remained quiet as the large crowd dispersed with hushed murmurs and stifled crying.

  Tom moved away to speak to a high ranking police officer. Dev continued to hold her hand, finally asking if she was still fine. He removed his sunglasses with his other hand and placed them in his pocket.

  Lily nodded. “I need to say something to her.” She looked in the direction of John’s wife.

  “We’ll go together.”

  They waited away from the gravesite until John’s family was walking toward the funeral sedan. The littlest member came running to Dev, jumping up into his arms until her face was even with his.

  “I knew it was you.” She touched his face with both little hands as if she was making sure with her own physical examination.

  “Well, hello, you,” he smiled at her, shifting her weight for a better hold. John’s wife smiled at Lily as she reached for her with both hands.

  “Oh, honey, how are you?”

  How could she ask how I was when she had lost her husband, Lily wondered. The two women hugged for several seconds. She introduced Lily to her daughter and explained the florist’s relationship with her father.

  All three women watched Angelica and her animated facial antics. She and her new-found friend were making popping noises with the sides of their cheeks. Dev stopped when he noticed their stares.

  “You look nice today,” Angelica told him.

  Dev smiled. “You do too, sweetie. Pretty dress.”