Chapter 16 Casey
CASEY
Why the fuck did they stop? I stare at the GPS tracker that shows Dallas stopped driving. Did he get a flat? Did the truck break down? What the hell is happening?
I’m laying on my stomach in bed. I’m wearing a pair of cute, silky booty shorts with my silky night shirt. It’s going to feel so good sliding off my body when Dallas gets here. But what the fuck is going on?
My phone buzzes, and a text pops up. I sit up and reread the damn thing.
Someone sent a rose to Hayden’s uncle’s place. This is much bigger than I realized. Whoever this is probably has the same kind of connections I do. Probably the same people.
Who the hell is it and why do they want my guy and his friend?
I really need to nip this in the bud ASAP.
And to do that, I can’t have them snooping around while I activate murder twink mode.
Fuck. I just wanted to get laid and maybe have an evening of cuddles with Dallas.
I don’t get enough cuddles. I never get cuddles.
Well, unless Kendra asks, and she hardly asks.
I don’t want to burden her with my true neediness. She’d probably be appalled.
I slink out of my room and join Kendra out in the living room. She’s working on her fanfic while monitoring a bunch of our cameras. We have dozens of places rigged up for one reason or another. I grab the laptop she’s not typing on and look through the footage from Dallas’s place, then Hayden’s.
Nothing.
Nothing at the gym, either.
I nibble my fingernails before I pull my fingers from my mouth, remembering it’s a gross habit.
“What’s wrong, sugarplum?” Kendra asks when she’s done with whatever scene she’d been working on. I relay what’s gone down. “Well, fuck.”
“Exactly. Gotta activate beast mode. Might be out for a while. I thought I’d have time, but whoever it is. They aren’t playing. So I’m done giving them time. Maybe I’ll bring them on our show Friday night.”
Kendra snorts. “Want help?”
“Nah, I think I can handle it. It’s the least I can do to make sure my guy’s safe.”
“Alrighty, but just say the word and I’ll be there.”
“I know.” I kiss her on the cheek and go back to surveillance.
“Don’t forget we have a show tomorrow night at the aquarium after hours. Some office party thing. We’re in the water this time.”
I slide down in the couch, getting cozy. “I already picked out my navy blue set since you wanted to go with pink this time.”
“Sounds good. Just don’t exhaust yourself during your adventure tonight. Don’t want you to accidentally drown because you’re too tired.”
“I’ll be fine.” I snort and click onto the video of Dallas’s place to rewatch. I know there’s nothing new to see, but maybe I’ll pick up something.
“Casey.” Kendra’s voice is firm and I look to her. “I know you say you’ll be fine, but when you get on a case, you go hard. If you don’t get shit figured out by noon, come back home, so you have plenty of time to rest.”
“Okay,” I sigh out. “But maybe text me at noon if you haven’t seen me?”
“I will.” She nods and goes back to her laptop.
The knock comes shortly and I pop to my feet to answer the door.
“Welcome. Welcome.” I step out of the way and direct them to the kitchen. “Something to drink?” Say yes. Say yes.
Hayden swallows and nods. “Yeah, I’m pretty thirsty.” There’s a stain down his shirt and I don’t want to know what it is.
“Just some water,” Dallas says.
I grab my hidden roofies and drop one in each glass before filling them up from the fridge and handing them over. Kendra watches me from the couch as the guys drink deeply.
“Thanks,” Hayden says as he sways on his feet.
With my foot, I slide a stool out from the island as Dallas starts to slump. I catch Hayden when he falls into my arms. I just barely keep Dallas’s head from slamming against the island.
“Need some help?” Kendra asks.
“That would be great. Hayden is heavy as fuck. Grab his legs for me?”
She snorts and helps me get Hayden to the guest room.
We get his boots off and leave them by the door.
Then we get Dallas situated in my bed. I shoo Kendra away so I can get Dallas’s shoes off.
He’s so pretty like this. Eyes closed, long lashes so perfectly curled I have to wonder if he curls them himself or if they’re just natural like that. Probably natural. Bitch.
I press a kiss to his cheek and watch him sleep a few minutes. His chest rises and falls and I want to strip him naked, but I don’t want him to think I did anything to him. So clothed he stays.
I change into ass kicking gear again to blend in with the shadows. Then tiptoe from my room.
“Be careful,” Kendra says as I head out the door.
“I will. Keep watch over them. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Or by noon. Whichever.”
She’s still laughing when I grab my keys and head out.
I’m still working on my plan on the way down to the parking lot.
Maybe I start with the flower shop, pay them another visit and see if I can get them to talk.
I believe them when they said they didn’t do shady shit and my surveillance backed that up.
All they do is bicker about floral arrangements, wait for deliveries, make deliveries, and talk to their neighbors.
But maybe they know who sent the roses to Hayden since it wasn’t them.
They might have intel on their competitors.
It doesn’t take me long to get there, and this time I park right out front. I do not want to risk goose shit again. I wait until I’m inside the building before pulling on my balaclava. Don’t wanna freak out the neighbors.
“I’m baaack,” I announce as I step into Tony’s line of vision. “Oh, and you got rid of the stench.” I knew they had, but I give praise where it’s due.
“What do you want?”
I come around the checkout desk and slide onto the countertop. “Just wanted to talk.” I bat my lashes.
“I’m still not telling you anything about the order on that Dallas guy.”
“Oh, that’s fine.” I kick my legs a bit. “What do you know about your competitors?”
He lifts his head and meets my gaze. There’s a growl in his throat, I just know it. “What about them?”
I pull my phone from my pocket. “Do you know who sent these? Obviously, inferior products compared to yours. The blue doesn’t go through the entire rose. It’s sad really.”
Tony takes my hand and gives the picture a closer examination.
“Looks like Lou’s stuff. She’s always half-assing shit.
She asked us for advice on how to get the color throughout the entire rose and she just ignored us.
” He waves at my phone. “And she gets cheap shit for her vases. No presentation. I don’t know why anyone would use her over us or over literally any other florist in the city. ”
I shrug and slide to my feet. “Thanks.”
“That’s it?”
“Well, if you’re not giving me the information I want, I’m going someplace else.” I take a few more steps away.
“Wait.”
“Oh?”
Tony swipes a hand through his hair and looks at all the hallways before waving me back.
“Truth is, we don’t know who did the order.
It was done third party, and we just got the details and got paid.
It’s some fucking weird ass system Steve said we’re gonna try.
So whoever this is ordered from Buds For You, who then sent us the order and we fulfilled and deliver. It was anonymous.”
“Interesting. Very interesting. Can I see your Buds For You page?”
“I probably shouldn’t.”
“I’m gonna tell it to you straight. Someone is stalking my boyfriend and his bestie and leaving them these flowers. The delivery guy doesn’t match the description of any of y’all here. So, do you outsource your deliveries?”
Tony’s eyes go wide. “Fucking gonna—”
I hold up a hand. “So that’s a yes. Who do you use? They said they were my boyfriend’s boyfriend, and that was a lie.”
Tony pulls out his phone. “We got an older brother from another mother.” He shows me the picture. “We’ve been using him the last three weeks.”
“Could be him. But who else do you use?”
“A couple different guys, a non-binary person, and a chick. We don’t discriminate around here. Manny’s gay as fuck.”
“Who are you telling my business to?” Manny says as he walks in. “You!” He reaches for my balaclava and I dance out of his way.
“It’s okay, Manny. He’s cool. He’s just trying to solve a mystery. We can help him.”
“Fucking hell, Tony. He’s still all covered up. How—”
“I’m trusting you,” I say and lift my balaclava. “I just want answers, and I think you can help.”
They both blink back at me.
Tony points. “I know you.”
I shrug. “Probably. My face is all over the aquarium and I’m going to Influencer Con in a few weeks.”
“The merman guy,” Manny supplies.
“Yep. And I’d really love to find the person that’s scaring the shit out of my boyfriend and his bestie.”
We explain everything I told to Tony already and get Manny on board. “Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I agree that the other rose is coming from Lou.” He tips his head. “Unless it’s coming from Demi. She and Lou hate each other and Demi would try to steal Lou’s clients.”
“I thought,” I say. “Lou was trying to take your people?”
“No,” Tony says. “Lou’s trying to use our techniques, but not really, since she obviously failed.”
“Okay,” I hop back on the countertop. “Do you have socials for either of them? I can see if they’re following my guy. Maybe they made the order through the Buds For You site to throw off the scent of whoever investigates.”
“Ah, good idea.” Tony pulls out his phone and looks them both up.
I look up their Instagram accounts and start looking through Dallas’s to see if either of them have made comments or interacted with him. If I hadn’t of knocked him out, I could have just texted him to ask. But hindsight is 20/20 and all that jazz.
“Well, fuck,” I say.
“What’s wrong?” Manny asks as he looks over my shoulder.
“They both interact with Dallas, so now I have to investigate them both.” I throw my head back and sigh. But hey, I got information. Lots of information. I got a really good lead here. “Got addys for me?”
They hook me up with addresses for both Lou and Demi.
“Thanks, guys. I owe you a few. So hit me up if you need something security wise. Or to fuck someone up.” I chomp my teeth. “I’m feisty.”
That has Manny and Tony chuckling, a little uneasy.
“I also request that you don’t tell anyone about our little interaction. I’m trusting you to keep my identity a secret. But I’ll also deny the fuck out of it if you do say anything.”
“We’ll keep our traps shut,” Tony says and elbows Manny who agrees.
“Good. I’ll be sure to use you for the floral arrangements at my wedding.” If I ever get that far. Marriage is a little too much for me right now, or probably ever. “Or I’ll put in a good word for you with all the places I work at that might need flowers. I do a lot of gigs that use flowers.”
“Thanks and keep us updated,” Manny says. “Now I’m invested in how this ends.”
“Will do.” I hop down from the counter and stroll right out and to my car. There are a couple ladies that I need to interview now.
I yawn and my eyes droop. Okay, but actually, I probably should go to bed. I’m so damn tired. I don’t want to fuck this up. But a drive by wouldn’t be bad, right? Just a little looksee to see what I’m dealing with. Then I’ll go right home and snuggle in with my man.