Chapter 6
The next morning, I went to work regretting my decision to drink so much last night. I rarely drank, too afraid I’d end up like my mother, but last night I definitely needed it.
Hours dragged by as I sat at my desk, staring at the words I’d attempted to write on the computer screen. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as my eyes were fixed on the small paragraph I’d already written.
A knock at the door pulled me back to reality, and I pushed back from my desk.
“Come in,” I said, clearing my throat.
Alyssa, the receptionist, stepped into my office with a large bouquet of flowers in her hands. She smiled warmly at me before placing them on my desk, running her fingers over the petals.
The bouquet contained all my favorite flowers—lilies, sunflowers, and roses. I looked up at her in confusion before glancing back down at the bouquet.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Someone just delivered them for you,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “I think you have a secret admirer.”
My palms began to sweat, and the pounding of my heart filled my ears, as I reached down and read the card attached.
See you soon, Lila
Xoxo
I dropped the card and stared at the bouquet, my breath coming in uneven bursts.
Dizziness overwhelmed me as I got up from the chair, swaying on unsteady legs.
Without saying a word, I grabbed my purse and phone from my desk and hurried out the door.
Behind me, Alyssa called my name, but I barely heard her as I ran into the cold October morning.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I dialed Detective Pearson’s number, the tears I’d been holding back threatening to break free.
She answered on the second ring, and as soon as I heard her voice, a broken sob tore through me.
She waited patiently as I continued to sob into the phone, the sound of her breathing filling my ear.
Several minutes passed before I was able to speak, my breathing finally returning to normal.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened, Lila?” she asked with concern.
I took a few deep breaths, letting the fresh air fill my lungs as I stopped at a crosswalk. My eyes darted up and down the street, searching for someone, anyone, who could possibly be him.
“I got flowers at work today,” I whispered, feeling the cold air brush against my cheeks. “From him.”
The sound of her typing filled the phone, then the rustling of papers.
“The same man who sent the… gift?”
I nodded before realizing she couldn’t see me.
“Yeah. I think so. I mean… I’m pretty sure.”
“I want you to come down to the station. Bring a friend if you’d like. It’s best you’re not traveling alone right now.”
“I’ll be okay. Casey can’t leave work early. She’s up for a big promotion and I’d rather not worry her with this right now.”
“Let me send a unit to pick you up. It’ll be safer for you instead of traveling alone.”
“It’s only a fifteen-minute walk and… honestly, I could use the fresh air to clear my head.”
A low hum filled the phone before she finally spoke.
“Alright. But, please, call if you run into any trouble.”
“Will do.”
I hung up the phone and headed in the direction of the police station. Before putting away my phone, I sent Casey a quick text to tell her where I was going and slipped it into my purse.
The walk to the precinct was cold and wet. Rain began to pour halfway there, and being the unprepared woman I was, I didn’t bring an umbrella.
I stepped into the precinct, my body shivering from the cold rain, and was ushered directly to Detective Pearson. Her office was cluttered with files and boxes, papers spilling over their edges. The air was damp and stale, carrying the aroma of burnt coffee and a faint whiff of old, leftover pizza.
The young officer directed me to sit and gave me a quick nod.
“Detective Pearson will be right with you,” he said, before rushing off.
Looking around the room, I noticed a blanket and pillow shoved into the corner of her couch. Her trash was filled with Chinese take-out boxes and multiple empty coffee cups from the shop around the corner.
The adrenaline I felt earlier had finally begun to fade, my eyes growing heavy with exhaustion.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, the door swung open, and Detective Pearson stepped through.
Her hair was in a messy bun, dark bags under her eyes, and she was wearing the same clothes I saw her in yesterday.
She greeted me with a warm smile and handed me a small hand towel.
“I saw you walk in. Couldn’t find much else, but I hope this helps,” she said as she sat down at her desk.
“Thanks. Guess I should have checked the weather before work this morning,” I said with a shrug, drying my hair and face off.
“So, tell me about the flowers.”
My brows furrowed in confusion as I looked at her.
“What about them? Not much to tell. They were flowers.”
“What kind? Where did they come from? Did he send a note?”
I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.
“They were all my favorite flowers. Roses, lilies, and sunflowers. There was a note.”
Silence filled the air as she waited for me to speak, my breathing unsteady as I thought back to the moment I read it.
“It said, ‘See you soon, Lila’. It wasn’t handwritten or anything. Just typed on one of those cards that they use at the flower shops.”
Detective Pearson nodded as she wrote down everything I was telling her, concern etched into her features.
“Do you remember what flower shop they came from?” she asked, looking up at me.
“Yeah. It was Emerson’s Flowers. It’s a flower shop just around the corner from my office,” I whispered.
I looked down at my hands and picked at the skin around my fingernails, pulling it off and watching the blood form tiny beads.
She let out a heavy sigh before standing and coming around to sit next to me. Her hand wrapped around mine, the warmth of her skin making me shiver.
“We’ve identified who the hand belongs to,” she said, her voice calm. “His name was Brendon Walters. Does that name mean anything to you?”
I shook my head and bit my lip, trying to place the name, but it was unfamiliar.
“No. I don’t know anyone by that name,” I sighed.
She reached forward and pulled a file off her desk, opening it to the second page.
“He was involved in a fight at a local club the other night. Club Ghost. Have you ever been there?”
My breath caught in my throat as I remembered the night at the club and the man who'd rushed to my rescue. Jason was his name.
“Yeah. I was there when it happened,” I murmured.
A chill ran down my spine at the memory, and I shook my head, trying to put my focus back on Detective Pearson's questions.
“There was a man. He groped me at the bar. I didn’t even have time to react before some guy came up and pulled him off me.”
“Do you remember what the other man looked like? The one who pulled him off you?”
“I… I followed him out of the club. I wasn’t really in the mood for dancing after that, so I called Casey to come get me. He sat with me until Casey got there.”
Bile rose in my throat as I remembered the hand, wondering if Jason really could have done that.
“He told me his name was Jason. He was tall. Maybe six four or six five. Jet black hair down to his chin. He had green eyes, like the color of emeralds. I… didn’t notice much else. I’m sorry.”
Detective Pearson wrote it all down, her hand working frantically to take it all in.
“There’s something else…” she whispered, placing her hand on top of mine.
I looked into her eyes, sadness creeping in, and took in a shuddering breath.
“What is it?”
She gripped my hand tightly, her eyes searching my face.
“We… found Brendon’s body. Just outside a bar not too far from Club Ghost. He'd been murdered.”
The world tilted on its axis as I took in her words, letting them sink in. Fear gripped my chest, a slow ache building just under my ribcage. Before I could stand, I vomited this morning's contents all over the floor, the reality of it all finally hitting me.
“I’m… sorry,” I moaned, my head swirling with dizziness.
“It’s okay, Lila. We’re going to find him.”
But would they find him in time?