Lyndsey Cole - Lily Bloom 01 - Begonia Means Beware Read Free Page A

call it.”
    Lily covered her ears. “Please. Too much information.” Lily slowed down as they turned onto Sugarbush Lane. “Okay, okay, but I would rather you didn’t interfere this time. He’s a cop. And he’s my neighbor. And he’s probably not staying around for very long.”
    “And he’s very handsome. And he has a good job. And he does seem to be nice. A little too serious, but nice.”
    Lily pulled into her driveway behind Ryan’s cruiser. She realized that the conversation would never go the way she wanted it to go, so it was just easier to ignore her mother.
    Ryan was standing outside his car waiting for them. “Did you leave Rosie inside with the body?”
    “Of course not. She’s at Lily’s shop.”
    “Good.” Ryan headed to the back porch with Lily and Iris hurrying to catch up with his long strides.
    He stood to one side. “Please open the door, Ms. Bloom.”
    “It’s unlocked. You can go in first. And please, stop calling m e Ms. Bloom. Call me Lily.”
    Ryan gave her a good stare before turning the door knob.
    He looked inside then turned back to Lily. “Where did you say the body was?”
    Iris peeked around Ryan’s side. She gasped. “It’s gone. He was lying right here on the floor.”
    Lily peeked around the other side. “Are you sure you saw a body?”
    “As sure as the sky is blue.”
    “And he was dead?”
    “Dead as a doornail.”
    Ryan took a step into the kitchen. “You realize that dead bodies don’t generally get up and walk away, don’t you?”
    Iris scowled at Ryan. “I haven’t even had my morning medicine yet. I know what I saw.”
    Lily pushed by Ryan and Iris. “What’s this?” She bent over and picked up a begonia flower. She turned to show the other two. “Do you know what this is?”
    “A flower?” they replied in unison.
    “Well, of course it’s a flower. It’s a begonia. It means beware.”
    Iris’s eyes got as big as saucers. “Beware of what? A new neighbor?” She looked at Ryan.
    “Mom. Don’t joke. The body you said you saw is gone. This could be a warning.”
    “If there was a body.” Ryan looked at Iris skeptically. “Do you know who it was?”
    Iris confidently replied. “Oh, yes. It was Clifton Harris. He and Melinda Biotchi were supposed to get married this weekend. I guess we’ll have to wait for Melinda to report him missing.”
    Ryan suggested. “Or call her and ask where he is?”
    Iris nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea. I guess that’s why you’re the police chief.”
    Lily rolled her eyes. “Maybe this is why Rosie got loose this morning. When Clifton came in, she went out. And what about that wallet she had this morning? Was there any identification in it?”
    Ryan interrupted the chatter. “I have to get back to the station. Let me know if any more bodies turn up in your house, okay?” He walked out of Lily’s kitchen shaking his head and muttering to himself.
    Iris asked Lily, “That went well, don’t you think so?”
    Lily hissed at Iris. “What went well? Making complete fools of ourselves? Are you sure you saw a body here when you walked back with Rosie?”
    “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. There was a body, and that body was Clifton Harris.”
    Lily calmed down. “Let’s go back to the store and call Melinda. She should know where her fiancé is.”
    ***
    Melinda was standing outside of Beautiful Blooms talking on her cell phone when Lily pulled into the driveway on the side of the building.
    “… no, you can’t —” Melinda looked up and quickly shut her phone. With a big smile on her face, she greeted Lily. “Finally. I was wondering when you would get here. I’ve been waiting for, like, forever.”
    “Sorry, Melinda. I think my sister, Daisy, is inside. Did you even try the door?”
    “Oh. No, I guess I didn’t. I didn’t see your car and just assumed—”
    “Assumed? It doesn’t matter. Come on in.” Lily turned to Iris. “Can you take Rosie home for me?