Page 13 of Smoldering Nights
Mitch rubbed his jaw.“She claims she’s not expanding.”
“On paper, she’s not,” Jayson said.“But there’s more, her mother tried to buy Petal Pushers years ago.But when Old Man Grady had to get out of it, he sold it to Izzy’s dad thirty-five years ago.Word is, Delilah’s still bitter about it.Thinks her mom got cheated or some strange thing, even though there’s no record of any formal offer made and no record of anything other than Old Man Grady needing the money from the sale of the shop and Izzy’s dad buying it.”
“So, she’s got financial pressure, motive, and a grudge.”
“Yep.But no real means.She’s broke and her credit’s shot.No way she’s pulling this off alone.”
Mitch’s pulse kicked up.“So who is?”
“That’s the question.She’s been paying someone in cash, a guy named Rayburn.No job on file.Sketchy background.B&E, arson, theft.”
Mitch straightened.“That could be our guy.”
“I’ll send everything I have.”
Mitch hung up and stared at the frozen image on his screen, the hooded figure again, slipping just beyond reach.
Delilah had a motive.
Rayburn had the skill.
And Izzy?
She had a target on her back.
Chapter6
Izzy stood in Sadie’s kitchen, trying to focus on the list in front of her.Flower orders, delivery requests, invoices, things that had once felt like the rhythm of her life now felt distant and fragile, like petals about to fall.
She rubbed her temple, her heart thudding faster than it should.She’d only slept a few hours the night before, her dreams filled with smoke and shattering glass.
Sadie entered the room, a cup of coffee in each hand.She set one in front of Izzy and sat down opposite her.“You didn’t sleep, did you?”
“I tried,” Izzy said quietly.“Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in the greenhouse.Hearing the glass crack.Smelling the smoke.”
Sadie reached across the table and squeezed her hand.“You’re safe now.”
But Izzy wasn’t so sure.She didn’t feel safe.Not even close.She swallowed and took a deep breath.She took a sip of coffee, then looked toward the window.The yard beyond was quiet, but she caught a flicker of movement near the fence.She squinted, heart catching.
Nothing.
Or maybe something.Her shoulders tensed as she continued to stare outside.
“You okay?”Sadie asked, glancing out the same window.
“I thought I saw...I don’t know.Something by the fence.”
Sadie stood and peered out.“Probably a squirrel.Or Travis.He’s always coming and going.”
Izzy nodded slowly but didn’t feel reassured.She hadn’t seen Travis leave this morning, and his truck wasn’t in the driveway when she woke up.
"Where is Travis?"
Sadie shrugged."He does odd jobs to help cover some of his expenses."
"Does he have a lot of them?Expenses, I mean?"
Sadie's shoulders dropped."I'm finding out more and more.It seems he's been in legal trouble in the past, and he's paying off some of those debts."
