Page 66 of Watch Me Burn
The door chimes as they leave, bringing in another gust of cold air that makes me shiver despite my coat.
I turn my attention back to Karen. “Did you find out who bought the flowers?”
She sighs, and the lines around her mouth deepen. “No. But we did find the delivery kid. Even though he removed his plates, we got a hit on facial rec from your camera footage.”
“What did he say? Who is he?”
“Just some local kid from Denver. Said a man offered him five hundred dollars to drive his father’s van, remove its license plates, and deliver the box to you.”
“What did the man look like?”
Karen leans against the counter beside me, drumming her fingers against it. “Same description as the girl at the flower shop. Sunglasses, baseball cap, no remarkable or memorable physical characteristics.”
“So you have nothing?”
“Unfortunately, no.” She glances over at Betty, who’s making a show of organizing receipts behind the register, trying to give us the appearance of privacy while still being close enough to eavesdrop. Karen lowers her voice and leans closer. “I did seek out Caleb, though, and I couldn’t find him.”
A knot forms in my belly. “What do you mean you couldn’t find him?”
“He’s got an address in Boulder, an apartment, but it doesn’t appear he’s staying there. I spoke to his parents, and they said he’s out of town on business and has been for months, including the date of your flower delivery.”
“Business? I thought he was unemployed.”
“Apparently, he works for his father in some capacity.” Karen pauses, and I can see her debating how much to tell me. “The state suspended Caleb’s law license.”
“I didn’t know that. Because of the restraining order?”
No wonder he’s so angry.
“Not necessarily. I contacted the Colorado State Bar, but they said the records are sealed and inaccessible without a court order.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“No. But I have no justification for getting one. Or to subpoena his phone records, and with his parents’ statements, it’s a dead end.” I hear the frustration in her voice.
“Was that blood on the flowers?”
“Yes. Animal blood.”
Heartbreak and grief hit me at once, knocking the air from my lungs. My throat closes as images flood my mind of some innocent animal terrified, in pain, and bleeding for this monster’s twisted message. I swallow hard against the sob that wants to break free. The cruelty of it, the senseless waste, makes me want to curl up and weep until there’s nothing left inside me.
“I know I keep asking every time I see you, but do you still feel anyone watching you?”
Just my wolf, but his presence comforts rather than frightens me now.
“Not since the night Caleb came by.”
“What about Damien Wolfe?”
“What about him?”
“I heard you attended some fancy gala in Denver with him.”
Jesus. Small-town gossip is a real pain in the ass sometimes.
“Yes. We’ve been dating casually.”
Karen nods, and I see some of the tension leave her shoulders.
