For the Love of Flowers

by Kelsey Hodge

  “Do you happen to know when the next shipment is due to come in?” Wyatt asks.

  “I think in a few days but checking the pattern will confirm this, and if you can somehow search this, then you should get lucky. Before everything happened, I called Dad to let him know there’s an area that’s selling quickly. I guess he’ll want to make sure that area is well stocked. I hope this information has helped. Sorry I wasn’t able to do more.”

  The look that Wyatt gives me is one of complete awe and adoration. “No, this is perfect. Thank you.” He grabs hold of my hand and brings it to his lips. “I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

  “I know you will,” I reply.

  I thought once I’d finished talking, he would make a hasty retreat, but he’s still sitting beside me, holding my hand. I take this as a good sign, but I don’t say anything. I let him sit and decide what he’ll do.

  “When do you plan on going back to work?” he asked.

  “I’ll probably go in tomorrow for a few hours, nothing major. Figure out how many orders I lost. Thankfully, I have no weddings or funerals. I’ll need to call the customers who had bouquet orders and apologize. Hopefully, they come back in the future. I want to organize a locksmith to come and change the locks.”

  “You’re changing the locks?”

  “Yep, the only person I want to have access to the shop is me,” I state.

  As we sit there, I realize that something has finally shifted between us. The awkwardness lingering in the background has lessened. I have a feeling he’s delaying having to leave. Before I can think of something to say, he looks at his watch, checking the time.

  “Sorry, but I have to get going. Have to meet Liam.” He almost looks sad, but he still rises from the seat, picking up the notepad. I follow him.

  “It’s okay,” I tell him. “Let me know if you have any more questions. I’ll try to answer them as best as I can.” When the hell did our conversation become so clinical again? I need to think of something for this to end on the light note, but have no idea what to say.

  “You okay to wait for the cell?” he asks. Even though we only discussed this today, I’ve already forgotten.

  “Yes, of course. I’m only going to answer your calls or texts… if you send me any.”

  Looking at his watch again, he says, “I do have to get going.” He surprises me by pulling me into a hug and holding me tight. He whispers in my ear, “Please stay safe.” He hasn’t stopped caring about me.

  “Promise.”

  We pull apart and walk to the front door. I open it for him, and as he walks through it, he stops so suddenly, I almost walk into him. He faces me and leans in to kiss me. Not a passionate, all-consuming kiss but a brief locking of lips. Before I have even the chance to try to deepen it, it’s over. Wyatt has turned and left. I close the door and rest my head up against it, running my fingers over my lips. That kiss may be the best because it holds the promise of a future, and that’s possibly the best feeling in the world ever.

  Chapter 16 - Wyatt

  I can still feel that kiss on my lips as I walk down to the elevator. I’m not sure what possessed me to do it, but it felt right. During that conversation, something shifted between Lorenzo and me. I still can’t believe he gave me his gun, but I also cannot believe he had one in the apartment the entire time, and I never even noticed. That’s one hell of a secret compartment. I feel like my brain is all over the place, going over everything that has happened. I need Liam’s advice and to go over the information Lorenzo gave me. The diary Lorenzo mentioned would have been a vital piece of evidence, but his dad would have realized this, which is why it’s gone. The rest of the information, especially about the ship, is excellent and might help the case. I pull out my phone and text Liam.

  >On the way in. See you in fifteen.

  I was tempted to say I was done talking to Lorenzo but then remembered what he said. I hope Liam doesn’t respond, asking how he is. Thankfully, he doesn’t and replies with the thumb’s up emoji.

  It takes me a lot longer to get to headquarters, and I’m relieved to finally be at my desk. I flop down with a grunt, slamming the notepad on my desk. “Fucking traffic was ridiculous. I need a coffee,” I say to Liam who looks at me with a stupid smirk on his face while handing me a coffee. “How d’you know?” I ask.

  “I was in the same traffic. You hate traffic.” Sometimes I’m still surprised at how well Liam knows me. I take a grateful sip of the coffee, made how I like it. Suddenly, I feel a lot better.

  “How was your meeting?” Liam asks.

  “Interesting.” I point to the notepad, and he bursts out laughing.

  “You didn’t record it?” When he sees I’m not laughing, he says, “What’d I miss?”

  “Nothing. Having a recording was too dangerous for the source,” I state, making sure not to mention any names. I need to make sure no one learns where that information came from. You never know who might be listening, even in a police station. I slide the notepad over. “Have a read, and then we can discuss it.” Liam picks up the notepad and looks over my notes. I open the closest file to me, hoping I can tie up some of the facts, but I cannot seem to concentrate. All I can think about is that gun lying in my lap, and it’s only when Liam bangs the table, I realize he’s been talking to me.

  “Sorry, what did you say?” I ask a little sheepish.

  Giving me a strange look, he repeats, “That diary would be useful.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s already gone.”

  “Damn.”

  “Yeah, I thought so too. We also need to check if what they said about the pattern is right too. If need be, try to get the ship searched.”

  “Yeah, I’ll get on with that,” Liam says before I have the chance to ask him, considering he worked out the pattern originally.

  We fall back into silence, and I go back to pretending to look at the file in front of me. By the way Liam keeps looking at one piece of paper after another, he’s working on the pattern and cross-reference everything. I should help, but my heart isn’t in it. All I hear in my head are Lorenzo’s words, ‘This is my way of confirming that I mean everything I’ve said.’ Can he mean that? Was he truthful about the fact he never wanted the life he was being groomed for? Can someone who has killed be good? All these questions keep going around and around in my head, and I have no idea how to get the answer I need. However, I need to talk to Liam about all of this. I need to get these questions out in the open. I look over at Liam, and he’s staring at me. “How long have you been staring at me?” I ask.

  “About five minutes,” he replies.

  “Why?” Five minutes, and I hadn’t noticed.

  “I asked you a question, got no reply, so I waited to see how long it took you to look up. Wyatt, what the fuck is going on?”

  If I want to talk, we need to get out of headquarters, but I cannot say, ‘Let’s go for a drive’ in the middle of the day, in the middle of an investigation.

  “We need to talk but not here. Can we go out in the car somewhere?”

  “That sounds kinda serious. So yeah, let’s get out of here. I’ll tell the captain we’re running a lead and won’t be long. Meet me by the car in five minutes.”

  I nod and make my way to the garage. Up against the car, I wait for Liam. I nod a hello to a few officers who are coming in and smile, but I’m so relieved when Liam arrives.

  “I think I’ve got us about an hour,” Liam says, getting into the driver’s seat, knowing I shouldn’t be driving.

  “We don’t need to go far, just somewhere we can talk without anyone listening,” I tell Liam.

  “I think I know the perfect place, and it’s five minutes away,” Liam says, starting the engine and pulling out of the garage. Turning left, he follows a road that runs parallel to the Brooklyn Bridge. Just as we get to the East River, we pull down a side road and pass an unused building. Behind it, there’s a large empty parking lot with a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge.

  “How do
you know about this place?” I ask.

  “Years ago, I was part of a raid on the building,” he says, pointing his thumb to the building sitting behind us. “Now, do you want to explain what all this fucking cloak and dagger stuff is about?”

  “Oh fuck, I have no idea where to start,” I say to him, turning in the passenger seat to face him.

  “Okay, let me see if I can help. Why wasn’t Lorenzo’s name mentioned on the information?”

  This I can answer and give him valid reasons. “He asked me not to mention his name. He explained that if Alfredo finds out that he talked, he’s a dead man. Considering what we know about that man, I believe it.”

  “Oh shit, I hadn’t thought of that. We have to keep him safe at all costs,” Liam says with complete conviction.

  “Yeah, we do. I told him I’m going to get him a new cell on my account so it cannot be traced to him,” I explain.

  “That’s an excellent idea. He needs to be careful who he gives his number to.”

  “You’re right,” I say.

  “Oh shit, he doesn’t have to give up the shop, does he?”

  “He says he doesn’t. He owns the shop. Alfredo took advantage, but he’s still having all the locks changed.”

  “Oh good, I know how much he loves that shop. So, what else is going on?”

  I can’t help but be thankful I have a best friend who knows there must be more than the safety of Lorenzo. Before I tell him what was given to me and what was said, I need to know if he believes that someone can change. I think that’s what Lorenzo must do. “Do you think someone can change?”

  He knows what I mean. “How do you mean, like bad to good?” I nod in agreement. “I think if anyone wants it bad enough, they can change. If that person has something to change for. I’ve seen some guys I thought were hardened criminals and the only place they were heading was jail.” Snapping his fingers, he says, “Just like that, they change. Most of the time, they’ve knocked up their girlfriends, but their perspective changes.”

  “But how can you be so sure the change is for good?” I ask.

  “That’s something you can never know for sure, but you have to decide if that person is worth the risk. Did Lorenzo say something?”

  “Not so much as say something but do something,” I say. In a rush, I say, “He gave me his gun.”

  “He did WHAT?!”

  “Gave me his gun,” I repeat. “He explained that it was the gun given to him by Alfredo on his eighteenth birthday. It’s a symbol that everything he was telling me was the truth. He wants out of the family and wants a future with me.”

  “Oh shit, that’s heavy. No wonder your head hasn’t been with it this morning. What did you do with it?”

  “Currently it’s in my gun safe at the apartment. Only I have access to it. Do you think Lorenzo is telling the truth?” I ask.

  “Wyatt, that’s one hell of a gesture. So far, he has lived up to everything he said he would do.” Liam says calmly.

  “What do I do?” I ask, thinking hopefully he’ll tell me.

  “You know I can’t answer that for you, but I’ll ask you this. Do you still love him? When you look into the future, do you still see yourself with him?”

  I let those questions sink in, thinking long and hard about them. My reaction to the kiss. The need to protect him. The time he was lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I had told him then that I loved him, but was it because I was scared to lose him? Or was it because even after everything, he’s still the love of my life? When I picture my future, the only person I see sharing it with is Lorenzo, even after everything. I tell this to Liam.

  “If I’m honest with myself, I’ve never stopped loving him.”

  “I think you have your answer right there, Wyatt.”

  “But how do I get past the fact he killed people? That goes against everything I stand for,” I ask.

  “We both know we can’t pin the murder on him. He told you about them anyway. Only you can decide if you love him enough to look past that. Perhaps you need to start afresh from today. Leave the past in the past and look to the future. You want my opinion? I think Lorenzo is a good guy born into the wrong family… He’s trying to change that family.”

  “When did you become so wise?” I ask.

  “Oh, I’ve always been wise. You’ve never had a gangster boyfriend before.”

  I cannot help but laugh, and the heaviness on my chest lifts. “Gangster boyfriend? How long have you wanted to share that joke?” All Liam does is smile and start the engine.

  “We better head back. We’ve been gone about an hour.”

  I turn back in my seat so I’m facing the windshield. As I click in my seatbelt, I say, “Thank you.” He knows what for without me having to explain. During the drive back, I think about what Liam said about the past. He’s right. I want Lorenzo in my life, so I’ll have to look past what he has done and look at the man he is today. As we pull into police headquarters, I tell Liam, “I’m going back to the apartment tonight.”

  “Good.”

  When we’re back at our desks, I realize I’m a lot more focused than I was an hour ago. Just as I’m about to dive into the files on my desk, my desk phone rings.

  “Detective Johnson.”

  “Detective Johnson, this is the front desk sergeant. I’m not sure if this would interest you, but we have a Marco Romano in reception wanting to file a missing person for his brother. He brought a photo with him, and it looks a lot like your partner.” Oh shit!

  “Detective Smith and I will be right down.” As I hang up the phone, I tell Liam what the sergeant said.

  “We’ll both go down, but I’ll talk to him. You hang back. We can’t risk you meeting him. We don’t know what will happen with Lorenzo and his family in the future.”

  I hadn’t thought of that, but he’s right. At least this way, I can try to get a feel for his brother, figure out if he would be a threat to Lorenzo or not. I’m hoping it’s not. I’m tense during the short walk to the elevator and the ride to the front desk. As we get there, I hang back and watch as Liam goes to the front desk. The sergeant points to a main sitting on one of the benches to the side of the reception. I’m shocked at the man I’m looking at. He has the same strong features and dark hair as Lorenzo, but that’s where it ends. Lorenzo always dresses immaculately, but this person is dressed in blue jeans, a t-shirt, and what looks like a cardigan. He looks like a schoolteacher, not the son of a drug lord. From my position, I cannot hear what they’re talking about, but I notice a rather strange look on his face. He keeps staring at Liam, and when ten minutes have passed, they stand and shake hands. His eyes widen ever so slightly. Before I can think of anything, Liam is by my side.

  “What did he say?” I ask.

  “He hasn’t heard from his brother in a few days but doesn’t have his brother’s home address. He’s been to his shop, but it looks like that’s been closed for a few days. He isn’t answering his calls. I didn’t tell him what division I was from, but I’ve taken his number and said I would look into it and get back to him. We have to tell Lorenzo.”

  “Do you think he’s a threat to Lorenzo? Will he harm him?” I ask and glance in the direction his brother left, to make sure he’s gone.

  “No, I don’t think he’s any threat. He seemed concerned and requested that only he’s contacted. His parents are to be kept out of everything.”

  “This will be up to Lorenzo to decide if he makes contact, but I want him to have the new phone first. I’ll tell him everything when I get home.”

  When I look over to Liam, I see he hasn’t heard a word I say. He looks toward where Marco was. He shakes his head.

  “Hey, you okay?” I ask, concerned.

  “What?!” he says. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just in shock in the difference between the brothers.” I think he’s lying but don’t understand what else it can be. If it’s something else, he’ll tell me when he’s ready. Now, my only concern is Lorenzo. I can’t wait to see his face w
hen I arrive home tonight with all my bags. Today is going to drag by.

  Chapter 17 - Lorenzo

  I jump out of my skin when I hear the key in the lock.

  Who the fuck is that?

  I realize the only other person with a key is Wyatt, but he hadn’t said he was coming back tonight. He said he was getting a new cell for me, so he must be bringing that to me. When I look up from my position on the couch, I see he’s carrying his bags. Suddenly, I’m running to him and jumping into his arms. He drops his bags to catch me. Slamming my lips against his in a kiss, it takes a split second for the shock to disappear before he’s kissing me back. I can’t believe he’s here.

  “Miss me?” He chuckles as he lowers me to my feet.

  “Sorry,” I say, blushing. “I was so happy to see you home with your bags. Are you here to stay?”

  “Yes. We both must work on trusting each again other. After what you did, I knew I couldn’t stay away,” he tells me.