Page 22 of Smoldering Nights
Mitch spun, body tense, hand instinctively going to his waistband.
But it was just a deliveryman.Floral supply drop.Routine.
Izzy greeted him."Hi, Noah.Thank you for making this delivery on such short notice.Can you bring it around back?"
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you had some damage."
"Yeah."Her voice was softer than normal, and he watched to make sure she wasn't going to cry.She didn't.She smiled at the delivery driver, signed the receipt, and handed him the clipboard."I'll meet you back there and make room for this shipment."
"Sounds good.I'll be there in a minute."
Mitch didn’t relax until the guy left.Even then, he was coming back in.Izzy seemed to know this guy, so it wasn't Rayburn disguising himself.He'd still be watching every move, though.People could be bought, he knew that from past experience.He’d had a job once as a security detail for a politician.It was a temporary, easy gig.Follow this guy around on the campaign trail and make sure no one got too close.Easy.Until it wasn’t.Turned out, the person organizing the campaign stops was paid a hefty sum to share the routes and hotels where the hopeful congressman was staying.He was shot as he exited the hotel one morning, and Mitch never saw it coming.He’d never make that mistake again.
Chapter10
Izzy wiped her hands on her apron and stepped into the back hallway just as Noah pushed the dolly through the door, stacked high with fresh flower buckets.
“Perfect timing,” she said, holding the door open wider.“You can park those next to the cooler.”
“You got it,” he replied, his voice its usual easy tone.“Hot one out there today.”
She chuckled.“Feels like walking into a bowl of soup.”She moved aside to make room.
Noah maneuvered the dolly with practiced ease, humming under his breath as he unloaded the flowers.Noah had been delivering to her for almost two years now, and she enjoyed chatting with him.She signed the form and handed it back.
“Appreciate you,” he said, tucking the clipboard under his arm.
“Thanks, Noah.I’ll see you Thursday?”
“Yep.”
He rolled the dolly out the back door, and she returned to the shop floor, checking her phone.One missed call from a carnation wholesaler.She made a mental note to return the call once the install was finished.
Mitch stood near the front, watching Jayson finish wiring the motion sensor above the door.The crease between his brows hadn’t eased all morning.He kept scanning outside like he expected someone to pop out from behind a mailbox.
She moved toward him, brushing her hand lightly against his arm.“Everything okay?”
“Just keeping an eye out,” he said, his voice low.“I’m going to walk the perimeter once Jayson finishes.We only have the back door sensor left to go.”
Jayson climbed down from the ladder and nodded to Mitch."Does that one show up on the computer?"
Mitch checked the tablet he held."Yep.Rattle the door."
Jayson twisted the handle and tugged on the door.The tablet flashed a red warning, and the camera that was pointed at the front door zoomed in on the door.Mitch grinned."It's working."
Jayson closed the ladder and moved to the back door.Both she and Mitch followed him.It was interesting watching this process.And she enjoyed watching Mitch at work.She'd been watching him at work at the condo, but here in her space, in her little shop, she enjoyed watching him interact with Jayson and his attention to the job Jayson was doing.Plus, she'd be lying if she didn't admit it made her feel better to know he was ensuring everything was installed correctly.
As Jayson opened the back door to glance around the framework and trim to hide wires, she noticed Noah's truck drive slowly down Main Street, which was to the right of her shop, as she was on the corner.But what caught her attention was Noah pulling into Delilah's parking lot.
She watched as Noah pulled to the side of the building, exited his truck, and then entered Delilah's from the back.
Her stomach sank.She blinked, unsure at first what she had just seen.“That’s weird.”
Mitch followed her line of sight.“What is?”
“That was Noah,” she said.“He just went into Delilah’s building.Through the back.”
Mitch didn’t speak right away.He moved to the side window for a better angle, but Noah was already out of sight.
