Chapter 7 Casey
CASEY
I have no idea what this man is doing to me.
Yeah, I’m a bit of a flirty slut on good days, but he makes me want to close my legs to anyone but him.
He’s got a charming smile, a sweet Texas drawl that gets my panties all wet, and this strange innocence about him.
How does a man in his thirties come across as innocent?
Maybe I’m jaded. Oh, yeah, I’m definitely jaded as fuck.
But people like Dallas make me see the world differently.
In a good way. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of who’s leaving him creepy as fuck notes and flowers and stinking up the place with the scent of roses.
The bell above the door jingles as I push it open. The sound always makes me smile, it reminds me of happier times. Before Dorian died.
“Kay!” Jim says from behind the order window. He waves his spatula at me and I wave back.
“Do you know everyone in the city?” Dallas whispers.
“No, just a lot of people.”
“The usual?” Jim asks.
“For me? Yeah, and whatever Dallas wants.” I thumb towards Dallas, whose mouth opens and closes.
“I’m paying by the way,” Dallas says.
Jim snorts. “Sweetie, Kay and his friends don’t pay shit around here. Always on the house.”
I shrug when Dallas glares at me. He doesn’t need to know I murdered the guy that mugged Jim’s wife.
The police didn’t care, but I did. I hunted that man down like a fucking animal and slaughtered him like one on my channel.
It was a good day. I need another easy kill like that soon. I just have to wait until Friday.
I grab my favorite booth in the back, facing the door.
I always like seeing what’s coming at me.
My knee bounces and I take stock of the diner before relaxing just a smidgen.
The tables are always immaculate here, which is why I chose it.
Every place else always has sticky tables, but not at Jim’s place.
No, here, you could eat off the floor if you wanted, and you’d never get sick.
“This is nice,” Dallas says as he looks around.
The decor is typical diner. There are framed pictures of places from around the city. Places Jim frequents and takes pictures in front of. Also pictures of his vacation in France and Italy. This year they’re going to Spain in the fall.
“Jim’s a great guy and I guarantee you’ve never had burgers as good as his.”
Cindy comes to take Dallas’s order. “Kay, dear, you wanna lemonade today? Or are you feeling more orange soda?”
“Let’s go with sweet tea if you’re the one that made it.”
“You know it, darlin’” She winks and writes my drink order down. “What’ll ya have, sweetie?” She asks Dallas and his eyes flutter over the menu, looking for the drinks.
“I’ll match Kay’s entire order.” He closes the menu and slides it back in the slot against the wall.
“Sounds good. Kay’s got good taste.” She squeezes my shoulder before heading back to the kitchen.
I bounce in my seat and can’t help the imaginary sparkles in my eyes when Jim puts a huge plate of cheese fries on the window and dings the bell. My mouth waters and I watch Cindy the entire walk over.
She gives me a smile and sets the entire tray between Dallas and me. His eyes go wide while she hands us both a plate.
She squeezes my shoulder and leans in and whispers, “Hey, after you eat, Jim would like to talk to you about a job.” Another squeeze.
“Will do.” I grab my fork and add a bunch of cheesy fries to my plate. “I look forward to it.”
Then she’s back fluttering around to the other customers.
“What was that about?” Dallas asks with his fork poised to his mouth.
“Just need to pop in and talk to Jim before we leave.” And if I’m lucky, I’ll get to murder someone tonight. Please, oh please, let me get lucky. I know I said no to Kendra’s offer, but I do need someone to take out.
“These are really good,” Dallas says.
“I know. I always know where to find the best places. I’m magical like that.” I wink and shovel fries into my mouth like I’m a damn vacuum hose.
The burgers come out and I make grabbie hands as Cindy walks over to us. She shakes her head, but she’s grinning. “You crack me up, Kay.”
“I do aim to please.”
She snorts and places our burgers in front of us. “Enjoy, guys.”
“I plan on it.” I barely wait for her to leave before I’m smashing the bun down. I moan into my bite. The tomato juice drips down my chin and I’m sure I’m a mess, but I don’t care. This burger is everything right now.
Dallas swallows. “You’re a very passionate eater.”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and make sure I swallow before I talk. “Stick around. You’ll find I’m passionate about pretty much everything.”
We chat about silly things. Whatever I can think of, really.
“You don’t have a favorite dinosaur?” I press a hand to my chest.
“Is yours really a T-Rex?” Dallas lifts a brow and takes his last bite of his burger.
“I have a about five dinosaurs that I rotate as my favorites. Today’s just happen to be the T-Rex, but usually I favor sauropods.” He seems confused, so I clarify. “The long-necked dudes. I love them.”
“And fish.”
“Don’t get me started on fish or ocean related topics.
We’ll be here for months. So good thing we’re in a restaurant.
” I finish my burger and pick at the rest of the now cold fries.
“Still so good.” Jim uses cheese sauce and shredded cheese and some spices I can’t figure out.
As long as he always makes them the same, I don’t care. “I’ll be back.”
I slide from the booth with Dallas watching me as I head over to see what Jim has for me.
Cindy nods to the office door and I slide in to wait for Jim.
His office has a splash of color, but mostly it’s beige paint.
The desk takes up a third of the space and it’s blue. I convinced him to add the color.
“Casey.” Jim wraps me in a hug, smelling of raw onions and fried food. Not a fan, but I’ll do anything he asks.
“What can I do for you?” I plop into the seat across from him as he drops into his seat with a sigh.
He runs his hands through his sweaty hair as he takes the hair net and ball cap off. “I held it off as long as I can, but there’s a group of guys in the neighborhood scaring everyone.”
“What kinda deets can you give me?” I lean back and kick my feet up on the desk ad the same time he does.
“I think they’re dealing drugs. There’s like three or four of them. I can’t tell if it’s a twin or the same guy. They’re doing shit at all hours of the night. They’re harassing the kids. Cindy said one of the guys talked to her son and she doesn’t like it.”
My face goes hot. “What do they talk about?”
The door opens and closes again. “Sorry to interrupt, but they just came in.”
Jim nods, and she leaves. He turns to me and steeples his fingers as he leans in. “If you could do some of your investigating and deal with them, we’d be eternally grateful.”
“I’m on it. Gives me an excuse to play tonight.” I grin and grab one of the candy canes he always has on his desk, regardless of the time of year. “Consider them taken care of.”
I stroll out of his office and Cindy subtly indicates the table of four I need to deal with. So twins, it is. This is going to be a blast.
All four have shaggy hair, as if they need haircuts.
Or maybe they just like the shaggy look.
Who am I to judge? I keep my hair shaved closed to my scalp because the color is unsettling.
At least everyone else says the color is unsettling.
Kendra doesn’t though. But I can see it in people’s eyes.
They go straight to the orangey red hair and they judge me over some ridiculous superstitions.
I will say, I am pretty fiery in the right situation.
All four of these guys wear button up shirts with a logo for Steve’s Flower Shop.
I haven’t heard of the place, so must be new.
They’re all muscular and taller than me, but that doesn’t mean shit.
I’m scrappy and will fuck a dude up when the occasion calls for it.
What is weird is a bunch of dude bro lookalikes running a flower shop. Seems sus to me.
I slide back into my booth with Dallas. “Miss me?”
He snorts. “Sorta, yeah.” He yawns and I glare at him when I yawn back. “Kinda need a nap.” He yawns again.
“My bed is nice and comfy. Then tomorrow we can work on securing your gym if you think you can wait till then.”
Another yawn. “I’ve never had security on it before, other than the few cameras inside.”
“Alrighty. Let’s go then.” I grab his hand when I walk by him. He doesn’t struggle, which makes me happy.
I’m glad he has his ball cap right now. It keeps his identity hidden in a way my bare face does. All my makeup and wigs disguises my real face enough that people don’t realize the redheaded menace is the flirty Merrick, The Merman people go head over heels for.
We pass the table of four and there’s a hint of roses.
I cock a brow and take in all four of their faces while Cindy’s eyes plead for me to take the guys out.
I give her the most subtle of nods. Is it a coincidence that these guys are here and smelling of roses while we’re trying to figure out who’s stalking Dallas, smelling of roses?
Curiouser and curiouser is all I got. But…
maybe they really do run a flower shop. That would explain their scent.
Dallas doesn’t say anything about smelling roses, so I don’t think he got a whiff of the guys.
We walk right next to the Steve’s Flower Shop truck on the way out.
Because I’ve lost my damn mind, I turn on the Find My app and gently slide my phone down behind the tool case in the truck’s bed.
Dallas is already several feet ahead of me and almost to my car, so he doesn’t notice me being weird as fuck.