A Root Awakening: A Flower Shop Mystery Read Free Page B

statements from everyone here, but if you need to get going, I can stop by the bar and take yours later. You don’t need to stick around.”
    “Make sure you talk to the people in the house, Sarge,” I said.
    With just a hint of bemusement, Reilly said, “Anything else I should do, Captain?”
    “No, seriously, Reilly,” I said. “Just see if you sense anything off.”
    “Like what?” he asked.
    “I’m not sure. There was something about the way their little girl looked at me.”
    “I can’t question them about a look, Abby,” Reilly said.
    “Let’s go, Sunshine,” Marco said, leading me away. “See you this evening, Sean.”
    “I just want Reilly to be observant, Marco,” I said as we walked toward his car.
    “I’m sure he will.”
    But I wasn’t. While I liked Reilly and knew him to be an honest cop with a big heart, I’d had enough dealings with him over the years to know he was a by-the-rules kind of guy. Until I could put my finger on what was bothering me, he wasn’t going to pry.
    “You’re leaving, then?” our Realtor asked, hurrying over. “Without seeing the inside?”
    “We’ve ruled this one out,” Marco said. “Right, Abby?”
    I turned to stare at the front of the Victorian, my internal radar still buzzing.
    “Abby?” Marco prompted.
    “On second thought,” I said to Lorelei, “I’d like to see the inside after all.”

C HAPTER T WO

    W hile Lorelei was on the porch talking with Mr. Jones, Marco studied me. “What made you change your mind?”
    “It’s a female’s prerogative,” I said, giving him my sweetest smile.
    “Abby, I know you too well. You’ve got your snoop face on.”
    That was flattering.
    Lorelei came toward us and she wasn’t smiling. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to see the house today. It’s a bad time for them. We’ll have to come back. What does your schedule for tomorrow look like?”
    “Let’s go home and think about this house some more, Abby,” Marco suggested. “We’ll let you know what we decide, Lorelei.”
    “No sense putting off the decision, Marco. We need to find a new place soon.” I turned to Lorelei. “Say around eight o’clock tomorrow morning?”
    Lorelei left with a smile on her face. Not so my disgruntled hubby, who scowled but didn’t speak on the drive back to the flower shop. So I kept busy by pointingout various landmarks to Seedy, who lapped up every word as though she understood.
    “And here comes the town square, Seedy. See the big limestone courthouse in the middle? It was built way back in the early nineteen hundreds. There’s Daddy’s bar across the street, and here comes Bloomers. See that bright yellow door? I chose that color because it’s my favorite. And the red-and-white-striped awning? That was Lottie’s idea.”
    “Dogs can’t see red, Abby.”
    How about that? Silent Salvare finally spoketh. “It’s not like she knows what I’m talking about anyway, Marco. Are you annoyed that I set up that appointment?”
    “Not if you actually want to see the house.” He cast me a skeptical glance. “Do you?”
    I debated my answer. If I said yes, I’d be lying. If I said no, he’d be even more annoyed. Talk about a rock and a hard place.
    When in doubt, punt. “Look, Seedy. Here’s Bloomers. And there’s Lottie making a new display for the bay window.”
    “That’s what I thought,” Marco said.
    “You don’t have to go tomorrow, Marco. I can look without you.”
    He glanced at me with raised brows, as though to ask,
Are you sure?
    “It’s just that if you’re with me, you won’t have to worry about me getting myself into trouble.”
    This time Marco lifted one eyebrow as he glanced my way. His message was clear:
You’re going to snoop, aren’t you?
He might have been a man of few words, but his facial expressions could fill a tome.
    “So,” I said, running my fingers through Seedy’s fur. “Coming with me?”
    He sighed. “Do I have a choice?”
    I leaned across the console