by Jill Sanders
“We will see about that.” Henry turned to leave.
“That was intense,” Simon said, stopping next to him. “Did that man really think he could come into town and build a resort?” he asked, sitting on the edge of Aiden’s desk.
Aiden sat back down. “I need to know everything about the guy,” he said, turning on his computer. “Everything.” He looked up at Simon. “Take my rounds. I’m going to be busy.”
“Sure thing, boss man.” Simon saluted him with a smile. “It gives me a chance to hit the bakery.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
For the next two hours, Aiden researched everything he could about Henry Carson and C&C Investments.
It appeared that the entity had only been in business for six months. Before that, Carson had been a low-level banker at a branch in Portland. The man had pretty much come out of nowhere. He had no priors, not even a speeding ticket. Which in Aiden’s book, raised a huge red flag.
Then he started looking into Herold Jenkins and found that the man had worked for the same bank as Carson had. He also had no priors. Comparing the two men’s sheets, it was as if someone had hit copy and paste.
Picking up the phone, he called his father and relayed what he’d found.
“I have an old friend who works in private security. She’s got some great connections and could possibly get more information. Let me give Rob a call and see what she can do.”
“Rob?” Aiden had known Roberta Derby his entire life. Sure, she ran her own security firm, but mainly only worked for her husband’s chain of art galleries. “You think Rob can find out something further?”
His father chuckled. “You don’t know Rob like I do and, yes, if these two men are hiding something, she’ll be able to find it out. I’ll let you know what I find.” His father paused. “We heard you moved in with Suzie?”
“Where’d you hear… never mind.” He shook his head. “Small towns. Yeah, I’ll be staying at her place.”
His father’s voice changed, grew deeper. “Son, I’ll warn you. If you hurt her, well, you won’t only have her family to deal with… She’s our family too.”
“I know,” he answered and felt his heart sink. He hung up the phone.
Shit. What in the hell was he doing? He knew better than to get involved with her.
Every time he thought of pulling away from her, somehow, she ended up dragging him back. She was an addiction. One that he would have to break from sooner or later if he was going to leave town.
It had been almost a full month since he’d stepped foot in town and even though his father was barely on his feet again, Aiden knew he could at least sit behind a desk.
He knew he should return to Portland. Head back to his own job, his own apartment, his own life. Still, he wanted to stick around long enough to stop the game Carson was playing with a town that Aiden loved.
He felt something in his gut stir and had to take a few deep breaths when he realized that he’d found the root of his problems. He loved Pride. Moreover, he loved everyone in town. Including Suzie.
Now he just had to figure out what was more important to him. Leaving town or staying and protecting the town he loved.
Chapter 21
Suzie didn’t mind backbreaking work. After all, she’d grown up helping around the B&B, as well as helping her mother in her large garden.
Feeling fresh dirt under her fingernails was like enjoying sand between her toes. The smell of rich dirt mixed with water and the joy of seeing something she’d planted bloom or grow outweighed all the aches and pains she felt in her body.
Setting the last row of flowers on the display stand out front, she stood back and smiled.
She’d finished another six Mother’s Day wreaths and knew that with only two days left, the rest would be picked up quickly. Word had spread throughout town that they were the number one item on every mother’s list.
She’d repotted a few other plants into pink and red pots and had lined them up on the display, almost making a checkered pattern with the colors.
Standing back, she admired her work.
“That looks amazing,” Kate said as she walked up, balancing a tray of coffee and muffins that she’d run down the street to get for them.
“Thanks.” She took the offered cup from her and rolled her shoulders. “I didn’t think I’d get them done before we opened today.”
It had been just a few days since Aiden had moved in with her and even though their work schedules differed, they made it work.
He stayed up late and then woke up early each day. She stayed up late with him and slept in for another hour. Of course, there were mornings where, after making love to him, she jumped in the shower with him and got an early start.
The little apartment didn’t really seem crowded, but he’d only packed a few bags for the trip. He probably had an entire apartment’s worth of stuff back in Portland.
Every time she thought of him leaving, she forced herself to mentally block it out.
Even when his father started working half days, she continued on, denying the truth that Aiden was days away from leaving her.
“Hey.” Kate nudged her. “Why the sad look? Everyone’s going to love it.”
She shook her head and took another sip of coffee. “It’s not that, it’s just…” She sighed. “Nothing, let’s go in and eat these muffins before someone comes.”
Suzie ended up only getting a bite of a muffin before a large order came in for a party that evening. She didn’t mind the short notice, especially when the clients had explained how the flower shop in Edgeview had lost their order.
She had to rush and make the table arrangements and a larger more elaborate one for the guest of honor, a ninety-year-old veteran. She focused on the job and when the client showed up less than an hour later, she had just finished with the last arrangement.
“I can’t thank you enough,” the older woman said to her. “Nowhere else in Edgeview was able to fill an order this big.”
“Who lost your order?” she asked the client.
“Busy Bee Florist. That’s the last time I use them. That woman is so scatterbrained,” the client told her as Suzie helped load the arrangements into the back of the woman’s car. “She yelled at me when I complained that she’d lost my order. When I called her back and told her to forget trying to figure things out because you were coming through for me, she yelled even more. I ended up hanging up on the woman.” She shook her head. “Trust me, I’m never going to use them again.”
“Well, I appreciate your business. If there’s anything else that we can do for you…” Suzie started.
“No, dear, you’ve helped out so much. You’ve saved my father’s birthday.” The woman smiled at her and then patted her arm. “I’ll be back for one of those.” She nodded to the wreaths. “For my mother. Can you save me one? The one with the blue ribbon. Blue is my mother’s favorite color.”
“I’ll set it aside now.” She waved to the woman as she drove away.
She removed the wreath from the display and stuck it behind the counter with the woman’s information on it.
“I need a break,” she admitted. “I’m going to walk over and get us some lunch.”
“Golden Oar?” Kate asked and pulled out some cash from her pocket. “You know what I like.”
Suzie laughed. “Don’t you ever expand your palate? Have the fish this time or steak.”
“Nope, the chicken salad is my favorite. It’s like a drug.” Kate shrugged. “And the reason I’ll be hitting the gym at the G&B club later tonight.”
“Speaking of that, I’m going to start teaching my horticulture class at the club next week.” She shivered. “I’ll need to put together a curriculum for the class. Or at least a plan. I’ll have to order everything I need before then.” She thought of a million things she had to do before the summer class started.
“You’re going to do great,” Kate assured her. “Now, go get us food.” She nudged her towards the door as another customer walked in.
Maybe she would have them start some herbs for their parents.
There were so many possibilities and she was so engrossed in ideas that it took her a moment to spot the truck driving down the sidewalk directly at her.
She only had a moment to throw herself up against the wall before feeling her entire body flying through the air. She must have screamed because it echoed in her mind as everything went black.
Aiden had just pulled over a speeder on the highway when the call came in.
“Aiden, you’d better get down here. It’s Suzie,” Simon said. “She’s been hit.”
“What?” His entire body tensed. The middle-aged mother of two that he had been writing a ticket for watched him closely.
“The ambulance is on its way. But she’s asking for you,” Simon added.
Without saying a word to the woman, he darted towards his car. He peeled out as he flipped a U-turn in the middle of the highway and headed back towards Pride.
When he parked next to Simon’s patrol car, the ambulance was just pulling up. Simon was kneeling on the street, holding a small bloody bundle in his arms.
He dropped to his knees and felt his entire body shake at the sight of all the blood. Her face was covered in it and was all scratched up. Her green eyes were glued to him.
“Aiden?” Her voice was so low he had to strain to hear what she was saying. “It came out of nowhere. I didn’t have time…”
“Shhh.” He touched her face softly as the EMTs started working on her. “It’s okay,” he told her. “Don’t move.” He glanced over at the man who was taking her blood pressure while the other one checked her over.
“Broken ankle,” one of them told the other. “Sir, we’re going to have to move her.”
Aiden stood up and moved out of the way, returning to her side when she cried out as they rolled her onto a gurney.
“Aiden?” She reached for him.
“I’m right here, baby.” He took her hand in his. It too was covered in blood from the scrapes and cuts all over her hands.
“My parents?” she asked, looking up at him.
He glanced over at Simon.
“I called them just after you,” he said.
“They’re on their way,” he promised as he brushed a strand of her blood-soaked hair away from her face.
“I hurt.” She groaned and then her eyes rolled back, and she passed out.
“God damn it.” He glanced up at Simon. “Who did this to her?” he asked as they loaded Suzie into the back of the ambulance. He glanced around, expecting to see a damaged vehicle nearby.
“Hit and run. I’ve got a couple witnesses.” He motioned to a small crowd of people watching them.
“Find out who did this. The second you know, call me.” He stepped into the back of the ambulance with her. “Tell her folks…”
“They just showed up.” Simon motioned to the couple racing towards them. Megan jumped in the back with Suzie, but there wasn’t enough room for the both of them. Climbing out, he told Todd he’d drive.
“I can—” Todd started.
“I have lights and can speed.”
Todd nodded and followed him as they raced to his patrol car.
He followed the ambulance the entire way to Edgeview. When they pulled in, Simon called him.
“It was a late model white Ford F150. No one got the plates, but they say it had significant front-end damage thanks to hitting the steel park bench and streetlight. I’ve put out an APB. No one saw the driver up close, but they were all pretty sure it was a woman. A blonde woman.”
Aiden thought back to his and Suzie’s conversation about Lizzy and glanced around the lobby of the hospital. He didn’t know what kind of car she drove, but he was determined to find out.
He’d only seen Lizzy a few times since returning to town. He’d bumped into her once at the hospital just a few days ago. He hadn’t thought much of their conversation, but now he played it back in his mind while Todd talked to reception.
Lizzy had made it very clear to him that she was interested in striking up their old arrangement. One where they enjoyed each other’s company to keep from being bored.
Had she wanted more? Sure, there had been times he’d believed so, but then he’d moved, and she’d laughed off his concerns about leaving her brokenhearted.
“I don’t do anything but casual,” she’d assured him, and he’d believed it.
“Libby Stark,” he asked the receptionist. “Know where I can find her?”
The woman frowned at him. “I think it’s her day off.” She glanced at her screen and then nodded. “Yes, it’s her day off.”
“Got an address?” he asked, his tone telling the woman that it was urgent. She wrote it down for him and handed it over. He turned to Todd. “Keep me posted on how Suzie is. I’ll be back.”
Todd nodded, then stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. “Son, don’t do anything you’ll regret. If it was her, jut bring her in.”
He swallowed and then nodded before storming out of the waiting room.
The address written down was less than a mile from the hospital. Last he’d heard, Lizzy was living on the outskirts of Pride.
When he parked, he noticed an old blue Honda in the driveway. Still, Lizzy could have parked the truck somewhere else or ditched it all together.
Knocking on the door, he was slightly surprised when a man opened the door in just his boxers. Drew, one of his old high school buddies, was happily married to Stacey, a girl they’d gone to high school with. Or at least he’d believed they were happy.
“Is Lizzy here?” he asked, trying to get a look inside.
“Sure, we um… Lizzy?” Drew called out.
When Lizzy strolled out of the back in nothing but a towel, Aiden knew instantly that she hadn’t been the one to run over Suzie.
“Hi,” Lizzy purred, then glanced between the two men. “Drew was just…”
“Save it.” He shook his head and turned back to Drew. “How long have you two been here?” he asked the man.
“Um, about three hours. Why?” Drew answered after looking at his watch.
Aiden sighed. “Nothing.” He shook his head. “Either of you own a white F150?”
“No,” both of them said.
“What’s this about?” Drew asked.
“Someone ran over Suzie Jordan about half an hour ago.”
“Oh my god, is she okay?” Lizzy asked. He could tell she wasn’t really concerned, but the nurse in her made her ask.
“Don’t know yet.” He walked away.
As he drove back to the hospital, he wondered, if it wasn’t Lizzy, then who could it have been.
He was just pulling into the hospital parking lot when he spotted a white F150 heading towards him. The left headlight was dangling by a cord and there was fresh black paint all over the fender. Seeing a blonde woman behind the wheel, he hit the lights and siren.
He wasn’t surprised when she took off after noticing him. She blew through a stop sign, then another, as he followed her towards the center of town.
He knew that there was a large park in the center of town that was always full of families. He feared what could happen if he didn’t stop her before she hit the area.
Making his choice, he gunned the accelerator and performed the PIT maneuver on her truck. He’d practiced plenty of times in training, but nothing had prepared him for doing it on a busy street with pedestrians and other vehicles around.
Thankfully, after spinning twice, her truck came to rest in a slight ditch, only taking out a row of mailboxes.
He approached the truck slowly. The moment he saw the hysterical blonde screaming about a bitch who had ruined her life, he knew instantly he’d gotten the woman who had hurt Suzie.
He pulled her ou
t of the truck and handcuffed the crying woman. He didn’t make the connection about why she might be upset at Suzie until he saw who the truck was registered to.
Epilogue
When Suzie woke, she knew instantly she was back in the hospital and groaned.
“What now?” she said, feeling her throat burn with the effort.
“Hey.” Her mother’s voice sounded directly above her. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got hit by a truck,” she joked, but her mother’s tears rolled down her checks and landed on Suzie’s hand.
“There she is,” her dad said as he came into view.
“Aiden?” she asked.
“Is busy locking up the crazy bitch that did this to you,” her mother answered.
“Who was it?” she asked as her father hit the button and had her sitting up slightly.
“Tammy Bergstein. She and her husband own the Busy Bee Florist shop here in town,” her dad answered.
“Why?” She shook her head and noticed the white cast on her lower left leg. Her entire body was numb, most likely from the medication she was on. She felt light-headed and a little dizzy, like she had last time. She ran her eyes over her body to see if anything else was broken. Her right wrist was bandaged up and she was covered in cuts and bruises, but her leg was the only thing in a cast.
“She mentioned something about you ruining her business.” Her mother shook her head and wiped away a tear. “From what Aiden says, it sounds like the woman is bat-shit crazy.”
“Mom.” Suzie held in a chuckle. “I’ve never heard you curse so much.”
“No one has ever come after my baby before.” Her mother took her hand in hers.
“How are you feeling?” her dad asked her.
“I’m floating.” She sighed. “No pain.” She smiled and rested her head back. “Tell Aiden I want him to be here when I wake again,” she said as she closed her eyes.
She didn’t know how long she’d been out, but the pain woke her. If she could pinpoint where it was coming from, she could have concentrated on something else. Instead, it felt as if her entire body was resting on a bed of needles. Very sharp needles.
