Page 63 of Jack

Dad walks over and glares at my phone screen. “Emily Powell, did you really just interrupt Church to talk about flower deliveries?”

“Sorry, Pres, but I did.” Emily’s voice is heavy with worry. She wouldn’t call like this if it weren’t important.

“Miss Powell, we don’t have time for nonsense. I expect to see you in my office after you close the bakery today.” Dad is furious.

“Dad, wait. I don’t believe this is nonsense.” I also don’t think Emily should be in trouble. “Emily, you need to explain and clearly.”

“Okay. Flowers and their colors have different meanings. They’ve been used for centuries to deliver messages. At first, the deliveries were sweet. I didn’t think anything of it. I thought you might be right and one of us three had a secret admirer.”

Dad tosses his hands in the air. “For crying out loud.”

“Dad, please. Let her finish. Go on, Emily.”

“Well, the types of flowers started changing. I haven’t looked all of them and their meanings up yet, but they aren’t what you’d send in a typical bouquet. The ones today definitely deliver a message and it’s not a good one.”

“Is this true?” Dad looks around Church. A few members shrug. Most sit with blank expressions on their faces.

“It is,” Jay confirms. “Mom used to talk about flowers and their meanings.”

Jay’s mom doesn’t talk much anymore. After losing Jay’s dad, she withdrew from everyone but Jay for a while. She still helps out during holidays at the Den. In fact, she’s in the kitchen right now with Mom and Nana, preparing Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow.

“How many deliveries have you gotten?” At least Dad’s listening now.

“We get one every day or two. I have them in the back. I’ll look their meanings up after we close.”

“What was today’s delivery?” I ask. It’s the reason she called, after all.

“Jack.” Emily’s voice shakes. “I think they’re for Lily.”

“What?” Panic flies through me. “Why do you think they’re for her?”

Every brother in the room sits forward. No one whispers a word. They know Lily came to us through Ariel’s Angels.

“There are three types of flowers in this box. They don’t go together at all. I think they’re for Lily because one is a white Calla Lily. It’s like the flowers are naming her. Another is red roses, like the first delivery, but they’re not pretty. This time, the petals are withered and look like they’ve been crumpled in someone’s hand.”

“That’s disturbing,” Rodeo mumbles.

It’s very disturbing, but there’s more. Emily said there were three types of flowers today.

I’m afraid to ask, but we need to know. “What’s the last flower?”

“Black Dahlias,” Emily replies.

Jay’s head snaps up. “That one means death.”

“Emily, let me talk to Lily.” Something greater than fear runs through me.

“She’s not here.”

Jay and Rodeo reach out to steady me.

“Where is she?” I demand.

“It’s her lunch break, Jack. When you’re not at the shop, she goes across the street to the market’s deli or the sub shop. She’s been to Angie’s a few times, too.” Emily’s explanation isn’t comfortable.

Dad snaps his fingers. “Nick, track her.”

I don’t know if Lily’s flip phone can be tracked. We should have upgraded her phone by now. What am I thinking? There’s probably a way to track every phone made nowadays. If not, I’m sure Nick created a way.

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