Page 52 of Smoldering Nights
"After you see the footage Jayson, my partner, is sending over, I think you'll want to do a thorough check inside,” Mitch said.
"Interesting.Thanks for the tip."Fielding nodded as he moved toward the street, where Delilah was pulling up in her car.
Mitch’s gaze returned to the street where Noah had sat just minutes before.Too many players.Too many angles.
Chapter26
Izzy paced the length of Mitch’s living room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.The moon shone brightly tonight, casting long stripes across the hardwood floor, which made her feel all the more uneasy.Her nerves were stretched tightly, and she'd been displaced for nearly a week now.In limbo.She was at Mitch's and growing more attached to him every day, but this wasn't her home.She used to spend her non-working time with Sadie, or looking at floral magazines, or watching social media for pretty arrangements to make for her own shop.Now all she did was curl up under a blanket on Mitch's sofa or pace.And in both places, she worried.And, she'd lost some weight this past week.Her clothing was beginning to sag.
She couldn’t stop thinking about Noah’s face when he’d returned the pruning shears.The way he looked at her, too intense, too knowing, a weird grin, like he was waiting for her response.And that mysterious delivery.The invoice hadn’t matched anything she’d ordered.She’d gone over her books twice already.And she never took her pruning shears into the cooler.There was no reason to.She and Ms.Jillie had shears at the design table.They routinely brought out the flowers they'd use for their arrangements and then returned the bulk flowers to the cooler.Stems and leaves were cut at the design table.To cut them in the cooler would leave nothing but stems in the cooler.It simply wasn't done.
A fresh wave of anxiety rolled through her.Was she losing her grip, or were people truly trying to unravel her?
Her phone buzzed, and she jumped.
Izzy’s chest squeezed tight.She read the name on her phone and took a deep breath.She tapped to answer her friend's call.“Hey.”
“Hey,” Sadie replied, her voice quieter than usual.“You got a minute?”
“Always,” Izzy said, sitting on the edge of the couch.“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”Sadie exhaled.“I think… I think you were right to be worried about Travis.”
Izzy’s heart skipped.“What happened?”
“I found something in our closet.Behind a box of winter coats.A small black duffel bag.I was looking for an extra blanket and knocked it loose.”
Izzy sat forward, tension coiling in her spine.“What was inside?”
“A lot of cash, Izzy.Bundles.And Ziplock bags.Small ones.Like… what you'd expect to see on a cop show.”
Izzy’s breath caught.“Sadie…”
“I didn’t touch it beyond that.I zipped it back up and put it right where I found it.But I took pictures.”
Izzy closed her eyes.“That’s good.That’s smart.”A knot formed in her throat and her heartbeat raced.
“I don’t know what to do.”Sadie’s voice cracked.“I don’t want to believe he’s dealing.I don’t want to believe any of this.But something’s wrong.And I don't want to be caught up in any illegal bullshit.I haven't done anything wrong.”
“I think Mitch and Jayson already suspected he was dealing or somehow delivering or whatever the terms are for it,” Izzy said carefully.“They’ve been looking into Travis pretty closely.”
“I figured.”Sadie paused.“Is that why Mitch asked about Travis’s employment history the other day?”
“Yeah.They’ve been connecting dots.It’s all getting clearer now.”
“Do you think I’m in danger?”Sadie’s voice was so quiet, Izzy barely heard her.
Izzy stood and moved to the window, staring out at the quiet street.“I don’t know.But Mitch will want those pictures.And you do need to be careful, Sadie.Really careful.Don’t let Travis know you found anything.And if you feel like you're in danger, come here.Stay here.Mitch will understand.Neither of us wants you to get caught up in anything or hurt.”
“I won’t let him find out,” she said quickly.“I didn’t say a word.I just… I needed to tell someone.”
“I’m here.Always.”
There was a long silence.Then Sadie said, “Thanks.For still answering when I called.”
“Always,” Izzy whispered."Don't forget, if you need a place to be safe, you can come here."
"I will," was her quiet response.
