Slay it with Flowers by Collins Kate

Author:Collins, Kate [Collins, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2010-04-08T00:01:57+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

My finger went instinctively to the Hold button—purely as a matter of self-preservation. I was fairly certain Reilly was working on the murder investigation, and I knew he wouldn’t take it well if he found out I was poking around in his case. But then I thought, What the heck, might as well see what I can learn from him.

“Can I help you?” I asked sweetly.

“Do I know you?” Reilly barked. “You sound familiar.”

Scratch that plan. “I have one of those familiar voices. Please hold for the night clerk.” I punched the button and ran to get Todd.

“Here’s another five,” I told him, slapping a bill in his hand as we jogged toward the front desk. “Forget I was ever here.”

“Sweet.”

Since I had exhausted my list of questions anyway, I decided it would be easier on Todd’s conscience if I actually did leave, so I slipped out the revolving door and headed for the Vette. It had been an expensive trip, but I had uncovered a valuable bit of information: Onora had lied about being in her hotel room all evening. I wasn’t sure what to do with the information about the Chinese woman, so I tucked that away for another day.

Setting up a time frame in my mind, I decided it would have been possible for Onora to leave the bridal salon, drive out to the Dunes National Park, slug Punch with the camera, and return by nine. But that begged the questions of what had prompted her costume change and why she had gone to the dunes. Had Punch called her first, as someone else had suggested? Or had she gone back to the hotel parking lot, spotted him driving away, and decided to follow him?

I should have asked Todd what he knew about Punch.

I glanced through the hotel’s big picture window. Todd was on the stool reading again, which meant his conversation with Reilly was over, leaving it safe for me to go in. A quick peek in my wallet showed another five and three ones, enough for a little more information.

“Hello again,” I said cheerily, striding toward the counter.

“Hey,” he said tonelessly and turned the page.

“I have one more question for you, Todd. Do you remember seeing a hulking brute of a guy wearing a gold earring that looked like a punching bag?”

He looked up at me in surprise. “You mean Punch? Yeah. He was cool. He taught me some boxing moves.” Todd got into a sparring stance and threw a few jabs my direction before sobering again. “I can’t believe someone offed him.”

“Did you see Punch Wednesday evening, the night he was—offed?” It was a stupid term—would saving someone be onning them?—but I figured he’d relate better if I used his lingo.

Todd scratched his lip fuzz again, contemplating my question. “Punch came in a little after I started my shift at six o’clock. We talked about boxing for a while, then he said he had to get ready because he had a big night ahead.

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