Page 10 of Smoldering Nights
“See that?”Mitch pointed to the corner of the screen.“That shape, near the dumpster.Could be a gas can.”
Her mouth went dry.“So they brought it with them.”
“Looks that way.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of it all settling over her again.
“What happens now?”she asked.
Trey stepped back."Stay here, I'll go see if I can find anything besides the lid to the gas can."
He stepped away, and she stood near Mitch as he stared at the computer.He peered around the top of his computer at the hotel behind her building.He began walking toward the corner of the lot line where he could see behind her building and the hotel at the same time.She slowly followed behind him, not saying anything, mostly because she didn't know what to say.He was thinking, and she didn't want to disturb that.
They stopped on the corner, and his eyes tracked the steps the assailant took from the back of the hotel, along the dumpster, to her greenhouse, and then to the back of the building.Trey then stepped from behind the greenhouse, and it startled her.She yelped softly, and Mitch turned to her.He grinned slightly."He startled me, too.I was so lost in thought for a few moments that I forgot he was back there."
They stood in silence as Trey stared at the ground, took some photos, and picked up a couple of objects, placing them into baggies for safekeeping.
Mitch took a few photos as they stood there.The nail salon was in front of them and to the right slightly as they stood on the corner of Main Street and Main Square.
"When I chatted with Sadie this morning, I told her I'd heard rumors about Delilah Parker..."She pointed to the nail salon, "Wanting to expand her shop but not having the space here to do it."She swallowed."I don't want to start anything, it was just a rumor, the way I heard it.But..."
Mitch stared at the nail salon for a while and shrugged."I'll keep that in the back of my head as we move forward with investigating.I'll talk to Trey and the fire department to see if there's any way I can install cameras today."
"Mitch, in your condition, you should be resting."
"I have help when I need it.And you need cameras.Whoever did this didn't finish the job.It looks as though only the back portion of the building is damaged."
Trey rejoined them."I found a few small things that may or may not be helpful, but I want to get them back to the department and take a closer look."
Her stomach twisted slightly."When can I get back inside?I really need to see what's damaged and what isn't and take care of the plants that survived."
Trey nodded."Let me talk to the fire chief, and I'll let you know."
They watched Trey move toward his squad.Mitch nodded."Let's get you back home, Izzy."
"I'm not at home."She longingly looked at her precious business and the upstairs where she lived."I mean I am, but I can't go inside yet."
“You live here?”
She nodded.“It’s supposed to be temporary.Until I can find my way clear to buy a little farm out of town so I can grow some of my own flowers and sell them here.Maybe even vegetables.”
He turned to look at her.She wore a t-shirt and a pair of leggings that Sadie had loaned her.He smiled."We'll get you back home as soon as it's safe, I promise."
She nodded.Looking into his eyes, she saw the deep shades of brown and how pretty they actually were.He had thick, dark lashes with slight creases at the corners.He was incredibly handsome.Her tummy fluttered, and she took a deep breath only to inhale his clean, fresh scent.Her heartbeat increased slightly, and she pushed it away and attributed it to thinking it was just all the commotion and gut punch to her life.Nothing more than that.
He opened her door to his truck.She stepped up into it and busied herself with the seatbelt as he hefted himself in without a groan this morning.
As they drove to Sadie’s, she asked, "Do you know a place in town where I can have deliveries dropped?If my vendors have the flowers I need, I can still work on fulfilling orders, which will help not only my bottom line, but customer satisfaction too.In the history of Petal Pushers, my father and I have never missed a delivery.I'd love to keep that record, even through all of this."
"I think I do.But let me make a couple of calls first."
"Thank you."She swallowed back the emotion that rushed forward.He was kind, too.
He pulled into Sadie's driveway and turned to her.“You lay low.Rest.Focus on your customers.Let Trey and me figure out the rest.”
She wanted to argue.Say she wasn’t fragile, that she could handle herself.But the truth was, she was tired.And maybe just this once, letting someone else take the lead wasn’t the worst idea.
She gave him a nod.“Okay.”
