Love on the Vine

by Roxanne Smith

Molly didn’t look optimistic. “I don’t know. I can ask. It’s not my area of expertise, but I think...well, it seems to me like they should be able to compare two samples for specific markers, maybe. The problem is we’re dealing with a genetically altered sequence. Why? Do you have something?”

  “Maybe.” He took a small note from his pocket, with the scientific names of the two psychedelic plants written in his chicken scratch. “These are grown in a locked greenhouse, with top-level security. Only Merit Hollis and Easton Arnell have access, besides greenhouse employees. There’s another plant, but Kay couldn’t identify it.”

  “High-security greenhouse and they aren’t growing pot? Sounds suspicious as hell. I’d make finding out what the third plant is my top priority.”

  Oliver rolled his eyes. “Ya think?” He signaled the waiter and asked for a doggy bag. “What about your end? Anything good from our mysterious insider?”

  She smiled sweetly. “Nothing that concerns you.”

  He frowned at that, thinking of Brendan. “Molly, I’m going to ask and I need to know. Did the captain send someone else in? Or is there another outfit investigating?”

  Molly set down her fork and scanned Oliver’s face like a concerned mother. “Are you kidding me? The feds wouldn’t move in without warning the LRPD to get their men out. Would they?”

  “Maybe. I’m not exactly an expert on DEA investigative procedures.”

  “I’m sure they don’t involve hoodwinking state law enforcement. It’s dangerous to go in without knowing who has your six.” Molly scoffed. “Plus a total loss of resources to accidently investigate a DEA agent or have them investigating a plainclothes officer. They’d inform the governor. So, no, there’s no one else in there, Oli. Just you.”

  “Not just me,” he argued. “There’s our anonymous informant.”

  “Yeah, but they’re not one of ours. They’re a civilian volunteer, someone who legitimately works for the company. And you should know, they do the bare minimum to keep from garnering or inciting suspicion and are resistant to giving away anything that may reveal their identity. It’s understood that’s to be a last-ditch resource. You not getting fired was one time Cap had no choice, and it wasn’t pretty, Oli. Cappy Don was warned there were limits.”

  Oliver went over the dossiers in his head. Every employee at Free Leaf Concepts had one. Easton, Merit, Brendan, Jasper, Amos, and Guillermo. Even Brit, though Oliver had to confess hardly scanning hers. She was too new to the company, and too low on the totem pole. But maybe in the other files, he’d missed a detail, a link drawing the clues together. File clerks and accountants on the second floor had been cleared. The company’s financial records had come back clean as newly minted money.

  It was possible Brendan was their informant. He had some degree of influence with Merit, could’ve put in the word that helped Oliver keep his job. Plus, he’d covered for Oliver when he’d been caught in Easton’s office.

  Shit. Oliver shook his head, frustrated, and snatched up the to-go bag, now holding two untouched scones. “Not good enough, Molly. I don’t have time to spend investigating who’s throwing Cappy Don crumbs.”

  Molly grimaced and returned to her salad. “Why is it so important, anyway? You could screw up everything trying to figure out who it is.”

  “I don’t need to discover who it is,” he explained, throwing down a bill for their meal. “I just need to rule out one guy. Forget whatever else the captain has you doing, and get me everything you can dig up on Brendan Berkley.”

  “All of the employees have files,” she argued wearily. “You’ve got Brendan’s memorized, I bet.”

  Oliver’s jaw ticked. “Look harder, Molly. Dig deeper, find what’s missing. If Kay’s profile was wrong, maybe it wasn’t the only one. Actually, I recently came across one other lapse in our data. Easton Arnell and Jasper Jameson have a personal connection. I don’t know if you assigned a rookie to their cases, but there’s enough missing information that I can’t take anything we’ve got on faith. And I promise you, there’s more to Brendan than what we know. If he’s not Cappy Don’s anonymous tattletale, then we’re in trouble and running out of time.”

  “Why? As long as he hasn’t made you, we’re good.”

  “He’s made us, all right. He knows there’s an agent inside. He just happens to think it’s Kay. We’re hell and gone from good if Brendan’s one of the bad guys. She’s either enlisted a strong ally inside Free Leaf Concepts, or—”

  Molly’s face paled. “Or she’s in serious danger.”

  Oliver nodded, glad to finally see Molly care about Kay in a good way for once. “Could be. I advised her not to trust Brendan. That should put her guard up, at least. But I need to get to the bottom of his motives while I still have the upper hand.”

  All the way back to the office, Oliver’s mind ran through a reel of possible outcomes. If the people running the drug ring out of Free Leaf thought they had fingered the agent working on the inside, what would they do? Feed Kay false information. Get rid of her. For now, letting them think it was Kay didn’t sit well with Oliver—she was essentially bait. But the sleight of hand kept him free to watch as circumstances played out. For now, he and his team had the advantage. He’d warned Kay not to trust Brendan but worried it might not have been enough. She’d be safer if she fully understood the position she was in.

  Kay hadn’t returned from her meeting with Cappy Don by the time Oliver made it back to the office. He left the baggie of scones on her desk with a note. Enjoy, he scrawled. After a moment of hesitation, he added a heart and immediately felt ridiculous. He left it, anyway. He didn’t mind feeling stupid for something done with sincerity. She could take it however she pleased.

  Seraphina surprised him by poking her head through the doorway. “Hi. I’ve been looking for you, Oliver.”

  Oliver squinted at her. “Me?” He pointed at himself. Seraphina had the vibes of someone held together by mortar. An earthquake couldn’t shake her. He found her oddly intimidating.

  She beckoned him with a hooked finger. “Please, come with me.”

  Compelled to obey from her tone alone, Oliver did as she asked and followed Seraphina down the hall. He cast a suspicious glance at the back of her head when they passed Guillermo’s office. At the end of the hall, she opened the door to the stairwell and waved him inside. The stairs were dark gray with black handrails. A gloomy space. He rocked back on his heels and waited for Seraphina.

  Not the coy type, she launched the moment the door clicked shut. “You’re almost exactly what I expected.”

  He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

  Seraphina peered at him. It was unnerving, the way she kept her face devoid of emotion. “Neve’s too caught up in her own personal affairs to be bothered with what’s going on here, but I haven’t forgotten that Kay only told half the story. You see, she didn’t know whether you’re friend or foe. I would hazard a guess she’s decided you’re the former.”

  Another unforeseen complication. He’d have to have a talk with Kay about discretion. “I’m one of the good guys, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Hm. I suppose you would be, or she’d have disclosed your curious actions at the greenhouses to upper management by now.”

  “Wait. She was going to turn me in?”

  “When she thought you might be working for another company, yes. Apparently, you’ve provided enough evidence to make her believe otherwise.”

  Oliver straightened and cleared his throat. Part of his brain was convinced he owed Seraphina answers. Something about her commanded cooperation. She could give the captain a run for his money—and his job. “Look, all I’ll tell you is the information is classified—”

  “I have no interest in your investigation,” she cut him off smoothly. “But I have a deeply vested interest in Kay, her wellbeing, and her happiness. I’m aware you’ve looked rather thoroughly into her background.”

  “I have.” He held his chin
high. He’d done his job. It was easy to feel like a jerk now that he knew Kay, but he couldn’t let himself forget she’d been a person of interest at one time.

  Seraphina nodded slowly. Even in the low light, her blue eyes were almost too blue. Oliver could see why Guillermo found the woman visually intriguing, but she was cold. He much preferred Kay’s warmth and vibrancy. He supposed he liked his women a little on the unraveled side.

  “Then you’ll know she’s still healing.” Seraphina managed to inject the perfect note of warning into the statement. “And if courting Kay’s affection is an avenue of gaining information, you’ll have some very important people to answer to when this is said and done. She’s a girl. Not a tool. Convince me you’re not using her, and you’ll never hear another word from me about any of this.”

  He’d take the typical pot-bellied dad sitting on a porch with a loaded .22 over a concerned mama friend any day of the damn week. He didn’t have to ask Seraphina to clarify her threat. He could tell by her tone she’d easily find ways to make trouble for him if he screwed with Kay’s heart. He wanted to be pissed off, because he had no intention of misleading Kay, but he couldn’t deny using her at the greenhouses. His conversation with Cappy Don ran through his head, uninvited, as he recalled claiming an office romance would be a nice, convenient cover.

  He rubbed the nape of his neck. “The truth? I can’t convince you of anything, because I don’t know what’s going on myself. But Kay and I made a deal to be upfront with each other. That’s the best I can offer you in terms of guarantees. I’ll keep my word or I won’t.”

  The perfect stillness was almost inhuman. Seraphina blinked slowly, like a big cat languidly sizing up its prey. “You will, Oliver.”

  He was suddenly sure he would. “You’re a creepy lady.”

  She shrugged. A slight smile played on her lips as she opened the door. Bright white light washed into the stairwell. “At least I use my powers for good.”

  “Silver linings.” He shrugged, then chewed his lip. “Since I’m here, I think I’m going to head down.” If he timed it right, he could catch Cappy Don before he snuck back into the station and avoid seeing Kay for another few hours.

  Next time they met, she’d know his backstory. A guy on the edge. The department’s psychobabble lady had claimed him unstable. Hell, he might even call it a day and go home, wait until tonight to visit Kay. She might take it easy on him if he showed up with pizza and willing hands. Pulling wallpaper would keep his hands busy and his mind numb. Besides, he liked Kay’s old house, full of promise.

  He grinned at Seraphina. “Think you can handle the boys?” Oliver recalled Guillermo’s drooling and Jasper’s hostility.

  Seraphina brushed a fine stray hair from her shoulder and smoothed it in place before stepping through the doorway. “I’ve got plans for those two.”

  Oliver lingered in the stairwell when he reached the main floor and pulled his cell phone from his pocket, quickly dialing Cappy Don.

  The old man answered with an impatient grunt.

  “Wondering if you’ve touched base with Molly yet.”

  “Are we talking about your hunch concerning a particular assistant? Yeah. I cleared two men for the field. We’re going to interview Brendan’s mother and his college roomie. If our guys come back with nothing, that’s the end of it, Pierce. We don’t have infinite resources.”

  Oliver inhaled deeply. At least now he knew for certain Brendan wasn’t one of the captain’s. “Trust me. We’ll learn something, one way or the other.” He hoped like hell those words wouldn’t come back to haunt him.

  * * * *

  Kay didn’t go straight back to the office. A new driver, a man, received her in a different taxi and dropped her at an Italian restaurant several blocks away from the café where she’d been picked up. A coffee still sounded like just the hero to swoop in and save her day, so she stepped inside the restaurant as if it had been her destination all along and smiled at the hostess.

  Her table for one was wedged into a remote corner of the dining room, flush with a low-slung window that ran the length of the restaurant. Cozy, gloomy, and perfect for Kay’s current mood. She ordered a cappuccino and skipped the offer of bread for the table. She didn’t think she could stomach anything just then.

  The captain’s revelations about Oliver weighed on her, and she couldn’t put her finger on why. Because they’d vowed honesty? He could’ve told her his whole story that night. Maybe he’d known his captain would lay it all out for Kay, and do a better job than Oliver could. And true, the captain had been pragmatic, informative, and to the point.

  No, Oliver’s history didn’t concern her. He was struggling through grief, a system that was failing him, and justice for his friend dangling enticingly just out of reach. That would make anyone crazy.

  Molly was the real issue. In all Kay’s life, through high school sweethearts and college boyfriends, she’d never had a run-in with another girl over a guy. Molly wasn’t her friend. She didn’t owe the woman anything. But she clearly had some unfinished business with Oliver. Lingering feelings, perhaps, or just a simple lack of closure.

  Any other time, Kay would’ve walked away from the situation. If it sorted itself out, maybe Oliver would be more available down the line. If not, then she’d wisely avoided stepping in something smelly that would cling to her shoe and follow her home.

  Things were different this time. Kay didn’t want to let go. She didn’t exactly want to get embroiled in whatever was between Oliver and Molly, either, but her time with Oliver felt like it had an expiration date. He’d root out their bad guys, bust up a dangerous drug ring, then go back to Jonesboro and rejoin his old department a hero. Kay would end up a footnote on this page in his history. And still, she didn’t want to let go.

  She shook her head and blew on the hot drink the waitress had delivered. Every day, she was less herself. Old Kay, she’d have shoved Oliver from her mind and focused on her work. New Kay considered jumping into a love triangle for the sake of a few weeks’ worth of good feelings. And that was what this whole thing boiled down to—Oliver made her feel good. He smiled at her like she was the most special, clever little thing to sprout from Little Rock in a hundred years, and something in his smile made her want to believe it, too.

  By the time she realized she was having an old-fashioned pity party, her drink was gone and she’d grown restless. Finally, her brain managed to wander back to the important stuff—like the Sweetclover spa. She didn’t want to waste any more of her day than she already had, so Kay hopped into a taxi for the several blocks back to Free Leaf.

  She waved apologetically at Brit on her way to the elevator. “Sorry if I was rude earlier. Nearly missed an appointment.”

  Brit smiled carelessly as Kay sauntered past. “All is forgiven. You’re too cute to be annoyed with for long.”

  Kay sighed and punched the elevator button. Nothing for it. She’d be cute until the day she died. Might as well stop fighting a losing battle.

  The fourth floor was strangely quiet as she stepped out of the elevator, angling her head for the soft Spanish folk music usually flowing from Guillermo’s office. Today, only silence. Kay checked her watch, a little shocked to realize it was nearing four o’clock. Boy, the time could really fly when you were feeling sorry for yourself.

  She stopped short at the sight of food on her desk. She frowned at the garden salad in its plastic container. Brendan. Great. Already leaving unsolicited gifts. Although, the tomatoes did look particularly swollen and juicy, the lettuce vibrantly green and crisp. The pile of shredded carrot, beefy mushrooms, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and ribbons of prosciutto had her mouth watering. She wished she’d have had that bread basket back at the restaurant. Next to the salad, a paper bag had a recognizable café logo. She peered inside and inhaled the buttery sweet aroma of blueberries scones.

  A wide smile took over her face. Oliver.

  Well, crud. Now, she real
ly had a dilemma. Healthy salad or delicious scones? She’d had scones for lunch earlier in the week. She’d be loosening her belt a few notches if she kept that up. Feeling like a responsible adult, she rolled the bag of scones up tight, annoyed with the smile that wouldn’t seem to fade—a cute boy had bought her scones!—and tucked it away in her bag to carry home for later. She’d have them for a reward after she finished another section of the foyer’s wall.

  She wanted the salad to be gross, because she’d taken Oliver’s advice to heart and didn’t want to trust Brendan, but it was exactly what she needed to recharge. She used the black plastic fork to shovel bites into her mouth, while her other hand shifted through the papers on her desk. Mostly plant stuff she’d printed out. She stabbed a big chunk of feta, pinned down an olive to cap it off, and pulled the information sheet about the fiddle-leaf fig from under a pile of other similar sheets.

  A small square of paper fluttered to the floor.

  She took another bite of the salad, frowning at something chewy clinging to her teeth, then bent to retrieve the note. Her heart fluttered, and the stupid smile came back full force.

  Enjoy. She’d recognize Oliver’s scrawl anywhere. Just beneath it, a hastily drawn lopsided heart. Kay pressed her lips together. What did the weird vibes between them mean? It all started when they couldn’t seem to look at each other without getting caught in a staring contest. Now, a budding warmth blossomed inside her when she thought of him. If Oliver had a team, there was something promising about being invited to join it. Their little oath, the one they’d shook on like kids in a schoolyard, felt important to her. Like Oliver had her back and she had his. Maybe the little heart meant he felt the same. Or, she decided with a wry grin, someone had knocked his arm as he’d scrawled his initials.

  She got another unsavory bite out of the salad and pushed the rest away. The flavors were great, but the texture left something to be desired. Maybe some kind of green olive hiding in the lettuce, something faintly bitter and unpleasant. One of those “acquired taste” foods, which was code for gross.