The Hibiscus Heist

by C L Bauer

  June 6, 1984, D-Day Speech, Boys of Pointe du Hoc”

  Her head was spinning. He held his emotions very close to the vest, body armor or whatever he wore. He’d kept those tickets; she hadn’t. He exhibited photos from his life; she was lucky if she threw them in a box together from the same year. He kept inspirational quotes on his desk from Martha Washington and Ronald Reagan; she kept post-it notes and threw them away when she accomplished her chore.

  It was all too much. She was yawning and now it was almost nine o’clock. She’d snooped for an hour. Enough, it was time for bed.

  She kept the stairwell light on and slowly climbed to the second floor. She changed, set the alarm on her phone and slipped under the covers of the now very large bed. Without Dev laying in it, she felt like a little girl playing in mommy and daddy’s room. She needed the sound of hockey to put her to sleep.

  Lily searched the side table for the channel selector. It must be on Dev’s side. As she leaned over, she saw the item on his pillow, an envelope with her name on it.

  It was bulgey, something was in it. She opened it to find a note and his Academy ring. “Lily, you have my heart, now keep my ring for safekeeping, Dev” Holy Moly. She fell asleep, listening to hockey and touching a very large ring on her thumb. Holy Moly, indeed.

  The next morning, she was packed and waiting for Jack Pierce’s arrival.

  “I thought we’d just go from breakfast to the airport. That way you don’t have to double back,” Lily suggested as they loaded her one piece of luggage and carry-on into his car.

  “You are always thinking.”

  She casually, perhaps a little nervously, smiled. “Maybe too much.”

  Once they sat in the quiet of the car, Lily had to talk about the man’s son.

  “Jack, Dev left me something, and I really don’t think I should take it back to Kansas City.”

  She watched his face and knew he was uncertain of what she had to say. He almost appeared worried.

  “It’s nothing to get worried over,” she began, “it’s just that I’m not certain about something.”

  “Dev says you aren’t afraid to give your opinion. What is it?”

  She took the ring off her thumb and presented it. “This.”

  Jack smiled and folded her hand over. “No, dear, he left it for you to keep.”

  “But when he gets back, it won’t be here for him to wear.” She looked down at their hands. Jack was one of the nicest men she’d ever met. She didn’t want to worry him or to disappoint him.

  “Lily, he gave it to you. When he comes back from wherever he is, he’ll come to you to get it. I don’t think you understand. He will come to you, for you. Let’s go get some breakfast and talk. You need to know something.”

  He started the car and pulled away from the house. “Lily, he loves you if he hasn’t already told you and if he hasn’t he’s an idiot. My son can be an idiot sometimes.”

  She giggled. “Yes, I’d have to agree. How can smart people be so stupid?”

  “We can talk about that over food. But you need to know a really big secret. My son has never, never given that ring to anyone but his mother for safe keeping.”

  Lily sat silent. What was happening? Had she finally received the love she’d always prayed for, had always longed for every New Year’s Eve? Please, Lord, just send someone to love me, who I can love. Every blasted year. It was finally happening, and she was frightened. No amount of post-it notes or lists would fix this challenge or organize the future decisions she might have to make. She was beginning to realize she’d have to change her prayer request.

  “You also need to do one thing just for me,” Jack said seriously as he drove.

  “Sure, whatever I can do for you, I will.”

  They were stopped at a light. He looked right at her. “Take him off of that darn pedestal you have him on. Walk side-by-side with him, never behind.” The light changed color, and he focused on the road. “He will be a challenge. He’s like one of those IED bombs, an improvised explosive device. You never know what might trigger him if you start pushing and prodding. Oh, he won’t hurt you, not intentionally. But he’s always been that kid who could keep secrets, who never told you when he was hurting. You need to be just as strong as he is, and if you are, you’ll end up as partners.”

  Jack Pierce smiled. His wife always said they needed to be partners, especially during the hard times. “So, Lily, remember the partnership thing, but also remember you are the queen, and you are in charge. God save the queen! She’ll reign for a very long time, and I for one, can’t wait to watch every day.”

  Lily examined the ring in her hand. The piece of jewelry represented so much more than just one accomplishment. It was a physical reminder of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice. Dev had left behind a part of himself with her. She wouldn’t take it for granted. It was time for her to go home and examine who she was and who she wanted to be.

  By that night she was alone in her own bed in Kansas City. If she allowed her mind to wander, she would think it was all a dream, that Dev didn’t exist and that she’d wake in her home refreshed from a very long sleep. She’d still feel his arms around her, feel his lips and the rub of his chin stubble. But when she rubbed her thumb, reality sunk in. The ring was there. His ring was there. And he was somewhere.

  Tuesday morning, she reached over to turn off her alarm and saw a text from the invisible man. Thank God, Dev was real.

  “SAFE AT HOME? HAVE A GOOD WEEK. I HOPE YOU LIKE THE RING. CALL WHEN I CAN. NOT AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. SORRY. MISS YOU AND I LOVE YOU.”

  Lily laid back in bed and smiled. Simply smiled. He loved her. This new life wasn’t going to be easy. But it would be so worth it. Someday.

  Chapter Twenty

  Lily was feeling the push of Christmas. Now that it was the off-season, the weddings had slowed down but their retail trade and foot traffic tripled. Abby had produced the prettiest display in the window this year. She’d themed it (yes, they had a theme) “Silver Bells”. She had large and small bells throughout the window, coupled with pops of red and mostly whites and creams. It was stunning, with satin hanging on either side like large curtains from an old mansion. Lily told her it looked like an old Currier and Ives painting, but Abby had no idea what she was talking about. Her wonderful assistant thought Currier and Ives were a new rock group in Westport at one of the clubs.

  So there they were working again. Lily was pushing eight to ten hours a day, picking up flowers on Wednesday, working on the weddings on Friday and Saturday, getting groceries on Sunday after Mass. One huge change was the ever-faithful guard dog, Mort. Except Mort wasn’t exactly faithful to Lily. She absolutely loved Abby. They had some sort of bond forming.

  Lily was studying the two and noticed that Mort actually reminded her of Jeremy, Abby’s boyfriend. She smiled. “What are you and Jeremy doing for Christmas and New Year’s Eve?”

  “Are you still shutting down the store the first two weeks of January?” Abby was working on a miniature Christmas tree that was being delivered to a nursing home.

  “I’m still planning on it. I need to do a lot of bookkeeping and cleaning. You know how dead it is.” She was scanning her computer for more orders that needed to be filled.

  “Well then, we may go skiing. His mom and dad are trying to make up for the entire Thanksgiving fiasco so they’ve invited us to go with them to the condo in Vail. Nice digs.”

  “Wow, that is nice.” Lily saw an address she knew well. “Abby, come here and look at this order.”

  Abby looked over her shoulder and saw the client and the recipient.

  “Holy smokes. What are you going to do?”

  “We’re going to fill this order. You, me and Mort are going to deliver the plant.”

  The sender was Olivia Franks. She’d been a long-time client. Lily’s Flower Shop had furnished the flowers for Olivia’s wedding and for all three of her daughters. Mrs. Franks was sending a very large poinsettia to Mrs. Notte.

/>   It was almost six by the time the two florists and a dog pulled through the gate and up the driveway that Lily knew too well. Abby and she stood at the door and waited for it to open. “Please don’t let it be Garrett, please don’t,” Abby recited like a mantra.

  “Stop that. The butler will get it.”

  The butler did open the door and both of them let out a sigh of relief.

  Lily introduced herself. “Mrs. Franks has sent this to Mrs. Notte. We also would love to see her. We brought her favorite chocolates.”

  The butler softened. “She would love to see you two ladies. She seldom has visitors now. Please come in.”

  As they entered, Lily removed her gloves. “My dog is in the car. I know it’s an imposition, but could we bring her in? She’s very well trained.” And we may need the protection.

  “Well, as long as she is on a leash at all times. I really shouldn’t, but I just know Mrs. Notte would love to visit a bit with someone, anyone.” The man sounded sad and desperate.

  Abby passed off the plant and quickly brought Mort in. The butler led them into what looked like a library and study, complete with books clear up to the ceiling. Mrs. Notte and her husband in their early years had travelled the world. He’d been some sort of archeologist. But he also had some sort of chemistry connection, working for metal and oil companies.

  In a very large Queen Anne chair, sat Mrs. Notte. There was a blanket over her legs but she was well groomed with not one hair out of place and her clothing picture perfect for the classic elderly, wealthy woman at home. She had her head down but heard the commotion of Mort’s feet on the wood floor.

  Her face changed from stoic to beaming in one second. “Oh my, Lily! How did you know I needed you?”

  The butler motioned them over to the small settee near her. “Madam, I could bring in tea, coffee?”

  “What about some hot cocoa? Girls, would you like that?”

  Abby and Lily looked at one another and agreed that would be fine.

  “Mrs. Notte, Mrs. Olivia Franks sent this beautiful plant to you for the holidays,” Abby announced as she showed off the huge poinsettia. “May I place it somewhere for you?”

  Mrs. Notte pointed over toward a table near the bay window. As she pointed, her hand shook violently. Lily had never noticed that before in the store. Was that a symptom just now appearing? Of course, it had been months since she’d seen her.

  The butler served the warm beverages and some macarons colored in red and green. He exited the room allowing the woman her private visit. Lily had this feeling that something wasn’t quite right in this house. If she told Gretchen she was here, the coordinator would be over in guerilla gear and stilettos!

  “You know dear Lily, I’ve wanted to come to the shop to see you girls.” She looked over at the dog at Lily’s feet. “When did you get that?”

  “My,” Lily stopped and then began again. “My boyfriend thought I needed protection after my car was stolen.”

  “Oh I know. I’m so sorry about that. I told him not to let that happen. But you know how boys are.”

  Abby and Lily quickly looked at each other. Without words they were having full conversations with their eyes.

  Did you hear that? Garrett? Garrett had your car stolen? She knew this? She heard this? Holy Moly.

  Lily cleared her throat. “Um, ma’am, who are you talking about?”

  “Well, Garrett of course. That boy is just so much trouble. You know, it’s been going on for years but his father allows it. They make a lot of money with all of this. Money. My husband and I had nothing, well we had the society standing and the name but there was hardly any furniture in this big house when his parents gave it to us. They’d lost so much over the years. His mother was a drug addict. Most of their money just went up her nose.”

  Lily grabbed Abby’s hand tightly so she would stifle a laugh. “Garrett and his father are in the auto theft business?”

  Mrs. Notte looked clearly into Lily’s eyes. “Oh no, my dear girl. In the drug trafficking business. Garrett is actually a dealer of some sort and my son is a smuggler. They won’t let me leave this house because I know too much.”

  Now Abby had to grab Lily’s hand before she screamed out. They needed to remain calm and detached. Lily sucked in her fear and tapped down the acid that was coming into her esophagus. “What can we do for you? Is there someone we should tell? Are you safe and well taken care of?”

  “Oh, that’s so kind of you to be concerned. Barrett, my butler takes very good care of me. I’m not sure how much he knows but he does know that Garrett should be in jail. Again, I’m so sorry he’s had such a hate on for you. His father tells him to let it go, that you’re a nothing. Oh, so sorry, Lily. I don’t think that but in the grand scheme of things, you understand.”

  She nodded. She understood completely that she was a nothing by their standards. Good, wouldn’t want to be part of your special group. Lord, the secrets in this town, heck in this house!

  “Now, are you still going out with that same handsome man or are you onto someone else?”

  Lily really wanted to hear more about the drug business but she needed to take it slow and easy. At any time she thought the elderly woman would begin reciting “Humpty Dumpty” or throwing china at them.

  “I’m still dating the same man.”

  “Ah, he was stunning. Is he a police officer?”

  “Well, no.” She wasn’t really lying.

  “Shame. I thought maybe he could put my son and grandson in jail.”

  “I do know people.”

  “Hmm, let me think a bit. I do like having the two of them at dinner. Their conversations are well, unique. They don’t think I understand.” She winked at Abby and Lily.

  “Mother,” a deep man’s voice called from the hallway. A very tall, tanned, older-looking Garrett Notte seemed shocked to see two women and a dog visiting his mother as he entered the study.

  “The girls and their dog came to deliver a plant from Liv Franks. Isn’t that nice?” Mrs. Notte smiled. Her son did not.

  He looked over at them and realized who they were. He also saw the very large German Shepherd. “That is very nice. You own the flower shop on the boulevard?”

  “Yes.” Lily offered a cold stare toward him and then smiled. “We were just visiting. We hadn’t seen your mother in awhile.”

  “Well, she’s been ill, haven’t you, Mother?” His gaze was not so friendly. His question was more commanding than inquiring.

  Mrs. Notte only nodded and then winked again at the girls. He couldn’t see the gesture from his vantage point.

  “Mother, we really should be sitting down for dinner.” Lily took the not so subtle hint and stood up first, pulling Mort to full stance.

  “Oh, yes. Is it that late already? Well, ladies, it was so nice of you to drop by. Please come again. Bring the dog too. She’s such a nice puppy.”

  Abby was first to lean over and hug the woman and then took Mort from her boss. Lily leaned over for her hug and whispered in her ear. “If you need anything have Barrett call me. I’ll see what I can do.” The woman patted her knowingly on the back.

  Mr. Notte stepped back from the scene. As Abby came by with her sidekick, the dog headed toward him, sniffing at his pants and then at his pockets. She barked twice and sat down at his feet. Mort looked over at Lily.

  “Mort, let’s go,” Lily commanded. The dog whined but walked between the two women. “Good evening. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” They received no shared celebratory sentiment from the two left behind. As they walked out of the room, Lily was mentally making an inventory of the artwork on the walls. She believed one was a Warhol, another was a Chegal. They certainly didn’t match the pasture scenes or the Monet prints on the south wall near Mrs. Notte’s chair. It seemed strange, not sinister. She would store that information away for another day of investigation. I could ask Gretchen. She did know everything. Later, much later. Barrett stood in the foyer, hand on the opened door.


  “It was so nice of you to visit her.”

  Lily looked over her shoulder. Abby was placing Mort in the backseat. “Please call me if we can do anything for her or for you. My boyfriend knows people.”

  His very dark grey eyes were laser-focused on hers. “I’m only here for her. I’m not sure your boyfriend’s people can do anything.”

  She smiled and walked to the car. “You’d be surprised, Barrett. Very surprised. Merry Christmas.”

  Abby and Lily were actually in shock. Both of them were talking rapidly and over one another as they almost sped down the driveway. Thankfully, they didn’t run into Garrett on the way out!

  “Did you notice what Mort did?”

  Abby nodded. “Yes, what was that?”

  “She smelled drugs on him. She can find drugs. She just isn’t aggressive. She found drugs on Garrett’s dad. Holy Moly.”

  “Crap.” Abby was biting her fingernails.

  “Crap exactly. Let’s go eat something.”

  “Food is great but as long as you’re driving, I’m drinking. That was just too much.”

  After dinner out with Abby, Mort and she landed on the sofa with a Hallmark Christmas movie on the television and a glass of wine in her hand. She couldn’t text Dev. She decided to call Jack Pierce, her new best friend.

  “Jack, is there anyway to get word to Dev right now?”

  “Lily, I have this feeling he’s out of the country. I call it a blackout zone. He may not even have his phone on him and is using burners.”

  Frustrated, she hit the cell phone slightly on her head. He had to be a special agent, he just had to be. “I get it. I’m learning about this lack of communication stuff. I have information for him. I’ll try contacting his friend here in Kansas City at the FBI.” The remainder of their conversation was mundane, normal, comfortable. They even laughed about Dev’s infamous growl. She couldn’t wait to provoke one of those irritating noises.

  The next day at the shop she called Tom Fullerton. His assistant informed her he was out for the holidays and wouldn’t be back until after the first of the year. She should tell the assistant but she didn’t want to make it worse for Mrs. Notte. Besides, if the FBI or the KCPD went into that house now, they’d know she’d told Lily everything. The father and son lethal combo would know Lily knew. And Abby. She couldn’t.