by Tara Randel
Will slowly rose, rubbing his hand along his jaw.
“You okay?” he asked Bryce.
“Better than you.”
Will tried to laugh, but groaned instead.
In the distance, Will heard the scream of a siren. Christine came running back from wherever she’d hidden, throwing herself at him. When her body hit his, Will let out an oomph. Thankful she was okay, he held her in his arms.
Taking his face gently in her hands, she said, “Oh, Will. Thank you.” She kissed him softly. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“All in a day’s work for an accountant,” he joked as his head started to throb with a vengeance.
“How can I ever repay you?” she asked.
“Promise to nurse my wounds.”
A watery giggle escaped her. “I will.” She kissed him again. “I love you.”
“Medicine to my ears.”
“And?” she prompted.
“I love you, too,” he announced and followed it with a kiss.
Bryce hovered nearby. “The police are here.”
Will looked over Christine’s shoulder. Red and blue swirling lights illuminated the darkness, making him dizzy. A few seconds later another car barreled into the lot. Dylan.
Expelling a relieved breath, Will put his arm around Christine’s shoulder to hold himself up.
“You ready for this?” he asked Bryce.
“After what you just did, yeah.”
Dylan hustled toward Will, concern in his eyes. He took in Will’s disheveled state. “I told you to call me.”
“You’ll learn that the Lawrences usually don’t do what they’re told.”
“Already figured that out from your sister.” Dylan glanced at Christine. “You okay?”
“Yes.” She pointed. “This is my brother, Bryce.”
Dylan sized up the younger man. “We need to talk.”
Bryce glanced at his sister, then said, “I’ll tell you everything I know.”
The chief and a pair of policemen joined them. “Before we get any confessions, I’m guessing there’s a boat we need to board?”
Bryce answered. “Slip number ten. The boat is being used as a meeting place.”
“Drugs?”
Bryce nodded.
The chief pointed to another officer. “Watch him.” Before following the chief, Dylan came to stand next to Will. “Keep your sister out of this.”
“After what happened here tonight, you’ll understand why I can’t.”
* * *
A CUP OF strong black coffee did little to blow away the cobwebs in Dylan’s brain. He sipped the freshly poured second cup, buoyed by the bustling atmosphere in Cuppa Joe. For some reason the coffee shop had more than enough background noise to help him put together all the facts he’d garnered from Will and company just a few hours ago.
After boarding the boat and finding a stash of synthetic drugs, along with the real product, Bryce willingly spilled details about the operation. He also mentioned that Scott was nervous because he’d intentionally tried to run down a woman crossing the road in his frustration to find the box of drugs he’d misplaced. Dylan’s blood had chilled when he realized the woman was none other than Kady. He really hoped they found the two missing clowns. He had more than a few words to share with the driver.
He’d been waiting on the doorstep when the owner of Cuppa Joe opened up. Dorinda Hobart was an institution in Cypress Pointe, with her spot-on coffee, ready ear to listen and, most important, willingness to let a person talk long enough to figure out their own problems. She would have made a fortune as a therapist.
After topping off his cup, Dorinda sat in the chair opposite him. “How is the convention going?”
He blinked, momentarily forgetting his cover. “It’s been...busy. I’ve met a lot of new people.”
“Kady Lawrence.”
“You get right to the point.”
“I’m old. I don’t have time to beat around the bush.”
He grinned. Chronologically she appeared to be in her seventies, but her clear eyes and snappy comeback proved the woman was young at heart.
“Yes, I know Kady.”
“You were with her when she found the flower shop broken into?”
Dylan took a sip and nodded. “I was.”
“Thank you. From everyone in Cypress Pointe. She’s one of our own and if anything had happened to her...” The older woman stumbled over her thick words, tearing up.
“Nothing did. It was my pleasure to assist her.” He placed his hand over her wrinkled, spotted hand and squeezed. “It all worked out.”
“Except I heard there was some kind of trouble at the marina last night.”
Dylan shrugged.
“You wouldn’t tell me, even if you knew.”
He sent her a bland look. “I’m just a tourist.”
“Uh-huh. And I’m really a supermodel in disguise.”
He smiled. “Um, I gotta be honest. I have no comeback for that remark.”
Dorinda chuckled. “Nor any answers about the events of last night?”
“Sorry.”
As she stood, Dorinda wagged a finger at him. “You’re up to something.”
“You’re right. I’m looking forward to the last day of the florist convention.”
“Hmm. Okay. Give Kady my regards when you see her.”
If he saw her. They hadn’t exactly left on good terms the night before. “Will do.”
He settled back with his drink, wondering how to approach Kady today. He knew she’d be distracted by the competition. There was a lot riding on the outcome. And while he wanted her to win, he was still rather loyal to his mother. Running a hand over his jaw, he sighed. Could things get any more complex?
Last night—strike that, early this morning—they’d decided not to tell Kady about the assault on Will. Her brother agreed to keep silent for now, wanting Kady to have her special day without him grabbing the attention away from her. He seemed to recognize that was a bone of contention between them. From the remarks Kady let escape, Dylan agreed with him. Meanwhile, Christine promised to take Will back to his place and get him settled before she went to work at The Lavish Lily. Once the truth was revealed, Dylan would deal with the fallout.
Because truth time was growing ever closer.
He finally had solid intel on Esposa. Agent Turner had called an hour ago to tell Dylan they’d apprehended an informant. Esposa was close by. It was only a matter of hours before Dylan confronted him.
Glancing at his watch, he stood. The hotel beckoned—he needed to shower and get ready for the day. Pausing at the counter, he dropped a twenty in the tip jar and waved at Dorinda.
“Promise you’ll stop back after the convention,” she said.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
After the convention, who knew where he’d be, what case he’d work on. Yet he was already a little homesick for the coffee joint that had become his go-to place first thing every morning.
He’d only just stepped outside when he heard someone call his name. He spotted Max jogging toward him.
“Chief called. I’m headed over to find out what went down last night.”
“I’ll go part of the way with you.”
They walked briskly. “Can you fill me in?” Max asked.
“I’m sure the chief won’t mind.” He explained what happened to Will and Christine and the wealth of information they’d received from her brother.
“One of the guys who confronted Will last night works for the floral wholesaler.”
“Let me guess. They deliver to The Lavish Lily.”
“Bingo. Christine recognized him. Apparently he was shadowing the regular delivery guy.”
“C
asing the shop?”
“Hard to say since only corsage boxes were taken during the break-in. My guess is they were used to deliver product around town.”
“Clever.”
“Bryce, Christine’s brother, agreed to give us everything he knew. So yeah, the boats were used to store the synthetic drugs, which explained the increase in activity the chief was concerned about. Bryce never met the boss, but he heard a name. Ness.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell.”
“Nestor Esposa.”
Max stopped. “Seriously?”
“Yep. I called one of the agents in our office in Tampa. He looked into the records for the wholesale business. Relatives of Esposa are listed as the owners.”
“But he’s really running things?”
“Knowing him, yes.”
“Now what?”
“Something is keeping Esposa in the area. Bryce said part of a shipment went missing a few days ago. Unfortunately, the guys who work for Esposa took off before the chief and I got to the marina last night. Bryce is a small player, so he doesn’t have enough particulars, but he did say the guys he was with last night were nervous. Jumpy at the least little sound. Like they were waiting for the boss to arrive and ream them out about something.”
“So we find the missing shipment, covertly offer it to Esposa and it leads him to us?”
“That’s the plan. It all boils down to the drugs he’s supplying. Cypress Pointe doesn’t have a lot of this kind of activity, but with the proximity to the gulf for delivery and Tampa for distribution, this is an important drop-off spot. If he has to move his operation again, it’ll cost time and money. Not to mention he’s looking for a missing shipment. His guard is down. Now is the time to get him.”
“Not an easy task.”
“No. The chief has his officers out looking for the two who fled last night. Hopefully they show up again and we grab them. Find out the rest of Esposa’s strategy.”
Max slapped him on the back. “Got your work cut out for you, buddy.”
“And I’m running late.” He held out his hand. “Can’t thank you enough for your help.”
Max took the outstretched hand and shook. “Anything to keep Cypress Pointe safe. I plan on raising my kids here.”
“If you get your girl to take a walk down the aisle.”
“Oh, she will. I’m making sure we set a date today.”
“Good luck with that. I’m off.”
The men parted company and Dylan made tracks to the hotel. It was still early enough that not much activity in town slowed his pace. The open house for brides to view the competition bouquets was still a few hours away. For Kady’s sake, he hoped for a packed turnout.
He entered the lobby, which was still quiet for the morning. He’d just pressed the elevator button when his mother’s voice echoed in his ears. She was barking out instructions to a concierge, his face stricken as he scribbled notes. Okay, Dylan hadn’t gotten any sleep last night, but he had to save the poor guy.
“Mom, stop badgering the help.”
“Dylan. Thank goodness.” She turned to the man beside her. “This is my son. He’ll assist me from here.”
“If you’re sure?”
“Yes.” She patted the man on his shoulder. “You’ve been very helpful—” she glanced at his gold name tag “—Kevin.”
“Yes, ma’am. If you need me I’ll be at my desk,” he said in a relieved tone.
“Wonderful.” She twirled to face Dylan. “My bouquet is a failure.”
“Aren’t you a little overdramatic?”
“Do you see it in my hands?”
“No.”
“Then I’m not being dramatic. A wholesaler was supposed to deliver the flowers I ordered this morning. So far they’re a no-show.”
He thought about Kady mentioning her own special order arriving this morning. “Maybe they’re behind schedule.”
“I knew this would happen. Derrick insisted I not bother bringing my selections with me. He wanted me to relax and insisted I work with a new company. This is a disaster.”
“Call them and find out what’s going on.”
“I did. Multiple times. Starting at six o’clock this morning. No answer.”
“Did you honestly expect someone to answer that early? On a Sunday?”
Her dismayed gaze met his. “Of course.”
Checking his watch, he said, “It’s going on eight. I bet they’ll be here anytime now.”
“And if they aren’t? How can I win with only ribbon and tape?”
“You’ll figure something out. You always do.”
Her elegant shoulders sagged. “This was easier when I was younger. When your father was here to help me.”
He couldn’t miss his mom’s discouraged face. She lived for this stuff, especially since Dad had passed away. He and his brothers were out living their dreams, leaving her to continue a life she’d always imagined would include her husband.
“I can make some calls. There’s got to be another source for you to get fresh flowers.”
“Kevin was going to check on it.”
“Then don’t panic.”
She glanced up at him, a wry twist to her lips. “I haven’t lost this competition in years. Maybe this is the cosmos telling me it’s time to hand my crown over to another florist.”
“One, when do you ever question the cosmos? And two, I have faith in you.”
“My only real competition is Kady. If everything falls apart for me, she just might win.”
“Love the confidence, Mom.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Is that a bad thing? To let someone else have a chance?”
“It depends.” His mother’s eyes narrowed. “Do you want her to win?”
Jeez. How had he missed it? Now they were getting to the root of his mother’s evil purpose. “It would be nice if she won, but she’d never respect you if you intentionally let her.”
Her hand flew to her heart. “Dylan Matthews, what are you suggesting?”
“That you’d lose to make her happy. And if she’s happy, you’re hoping we get together.”
His mother let out a long-suffering sigh. “You know me too well.”
“I do. And this...attraction to Kady? It’s between her and I. Nothing to do with your machinations of losing the competition. If anything happens with us it’s because it’s real. Got it?”
His mother grinned. “It is real.”
“And you know this how?”
“The few times I’ve seen you two together the sparks were exploding all over the place.”
He had to agree. When he was around Kady his chest ached and his heart soared. He searched for her in a crowded room. Listened for the sound of her laughter. Wanted to tell her all about his life, his job and... Shoot, he sounded like a lovesick poet. “Let’s get through today. See if your flowers arrive, because you are entering the contest. Clear?”
“Clear. And at the banquet, maybe you two can sit—”
“Mrs. Lawrence?” Kevin hurried over, holding a cordless phone. “I got a call from the kitchen. Your order has arrived.”
She smacked Dylan on the shoulder. “I knew it.”
“Yeah. That explains the panic.”
“Don’t sass me.”
“Look, I need to get upstairs. If you—”
“Be in my room in thirty minutes.”
His mother bustled off, filling Kevin’s ear on the way. Smiling, Dylan realized how much he’d actually enjoyed being at the convention with his mother. It had been a long time since they’d spent time together, and ever since he’d been shot, well, he knew the toll it had taken on her, especially with Dad gone. Now she had her flowers to create a masterpiece and a competition
to win. He was happy for her, pleased by the smile on her face.
He’d just exited the elevator on his floor when his cell rang. Agent Turner’s name came up on the screen.
“Matthews here.”
“We’ve got eyes on Esposa. I need you here, now.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
KADY HAD TOSSED and turned all night, so she got up early, took a quick shower, dressed in a professional navy suit with a white blouse and packed up her tools and design drawings to get a jump on the day. She still had the competition bouquet to put together, then had to get it to the hotel for potential clients to view. She made a cup of coffee, not really needing the caffeine, but did so more out of habit. She needed the consistency to steady her nerves.
She arrived at the flower shop fairly early. The alley behind the shop remained dark. The light above the back door had burned out. “I should have listened to Dylan.” Changing a bulb wasn’t high on her current list of priorities right now. She’d take care of it after the convention ended.
A gust of wind whipped through the alley, blowing loose debris around. Kady juggled a coffee thermos, tote and the extra flowers she’d stored at her apartment. Her hair lifted and tangled in her eyes. She tossed her head in an effort to brush it away, until another gust made her task impossible.
Why hadn’t she pulled it back before she left the apartment? She should have thrown on an overcoat, too, but left the house in too much of a hurry. She didn’t have time to backtrack, and since she’d be in the hotel all day, it wouldn’t matter.
“Focus,” she said, reprimanding herself. The day had only just started and her thoughts were all over the place. The competition. Dylan. Losing to Jasmine. Dylan. Worrying that she’d fallen in love with a guy she barely knew. Dylan.
Fallen in love? Yes. With a man who wouldn’t give her any details about his life.
Great. Just great.
Her stress turned to surprise when she glimpsed the wholesaler leaning against the delivery van, hands deep in his jacket pockets, a container of flowers at his feet. Was she that far behind already?
“Mr. Ness. What a surprise,” she said. After managing to locate the right key on her ring, she unlocked the door and switched on the lights. After punching in the security code for the newly installed alarm, she placed her belongings on the worktable. Ness followed with her special order. Strange. He never made deliveries. In fact, she’d met him only once, many months ago.