A Root Awakening: A Flower Shop Mystery by Kate Collins

Author:Kate Collins [Collins, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2015-02-03T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Think about it, Buttercup,” Marco said as we headed to our cars. “We might be home owners by tomorrow.”

“I’m so excited, I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep.”

That was the beginning of one of the longest twenty-four hours of my life.

* * *

After meeting Marco for dinner at the bar, Seedy and I returned to the apartment that now seemed tinier than ever. In truth, it had never felt like home to me, not because it had been Marco’s bachelor pad but because there wasn’t much I could do to make it feel like mine. It spanned the second floor of an old house, with steps going up the back, a tiny kitchen and even tinier eating area, a bathroom with a handheld shower that Marco had installed over the tub, a small living/dining room, and a cramped bedroom, all sparsely decorated.

I’d added as many feminine touches as I could squeeze in, and Marco had made room for me in his closet, but the clothes were so smashed into it that they always came out wrinkled. And forget about space for my cosmetics in the bathroom medicine cabinet. I had to keep a plastic bin full of my supplies on top of the toilet.

“I won’t miss this place, Seedy.”

She was circling in her doggy bed, ready to take a nap, but when she heard her name she paused and wagged her tail.

“Want to go outside?” I asked her.

She didn’t even look at me. She found just the right spot and lay down.

“Okay, fine. I’ll have to find something else to do.”

After the excitement of the afternoon, I was still keyed up and very glad I had a project to work on. I pulled out the list Mrs. Mallory had given me and made a call to the first name on it, a Mark Dillon in Bowling Green, Ohio. He had worked with Norm Jones at Bowling Green Elementary. The phone went straight to voice mail, so I left a message and moved on.

The second name was Steve Conroy, but a recording said I’d dialed a number no longer in service. I did an Internet search for variations of “Steven Conroy, Bowling Green, Ohio,” but the only thing that popped up was an obituary. I sure hoped that wasn’t our man.

As I continued to search, my phone rang, and I saw an out-of-town number from Bowling Green on the screen. Trying to sound professional, I responded, “Salvare Detective Agency.”

“Hi, this is Mark Dillon. I got a call from someone in your office just a little while ago.”

“Hello, Mr. Dillon. This is Abby Salvare. I was the one who called you. I’m checking references for a business client, and your name was on the list.”

“You’re not trying to sell me something, are you? Because I’m on the Do Not Call list.”

“No, this is a legitimate business call, Mr. Dillon. If you’d like to look our detective agency up on the Internet, I’ll give you the Web site.”

“I’ve never talked to a private detective before.

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