“It’s liberating to be single.” Hannah shrugged. “And you’re right, Stori. Handsome, wealthy men don’t stay faithful long. It’s like they have this cheating virus that lies dormant until something triggers it.”
Kain was handsome and wealthy, and I didn’t see any of those symptoms in him. I didn’t comment, knowing myfriends were merely venting. I’d been there when things ended with me and Dennis.
“Right? Have you seen the Bernstein Files?” Stori huffed. “They’re all rich, obnoxious creeps who think they can get away with anything. The amount of corruption is beyond me. And why hasn’t anyone been arrested for hurting kids? I mean, I see them arresting people for stealing food! Makes no sense.” She stabbed her fork into another dumpling as though it were someone who had committed heinous crimes against children.
Gregory Bernstein ran a pedophile ring, among other things, for the rich and powerful. I was glad everything was coming to light. In doing so, the world I knew wasn’t as beautiful as it once was.
“It’s so corrupt,” Hannah fumed. “I don’t trust anyone, especially the so-called elites.”
The Bernstein Files were all over the news this week, which pushed out the incident at Ozarrow Lake. I supposed it was a good thing the limelight wasn’t on me or the other victims.
Wanting to lift the mood, I said, “I’m taking over Happy Flowers, and I need your help.”
“Really?” Stori beamed. “When?”
“I just have to sign two more documents, but I can start making changes when I return to work.” I reached for a folder with the printouts of my ideas. “This is what I have so far. Let me know what you think.” Nerves stirred as I waited for their feedback. This flower shop was a long-awaited dream—my baby. It was personal for me, and I needed an objective perspective.
Was I missing anything? Were my designs fresh enough and yet still saleable?
“Wow!” Hannah exclaimed. “I love this leather tie idea for bouquets. The metallic embellishments too. They make mewant to buy a guy a bouquet of ferns or eucalyptus. Any green would do.”
I beamed at her feedback because it was precisely what I had intended. I wanted a plant collection geared toward men and welcomed any additional income that resulted from that idea.
“That looks like my hair clip.” Stori pointed to an image on the printout.
“It is.” I beamed. “They’re adorable, and people would love them. Wanna make some for my shop? I’ll display them for you.”
My flower shop would have a display for gift items from local artists. Stori had other talents besides writing.
“Sure!” She beamed. “That’ll be fun. I’ve signed up for a crochet class. Want to join?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got no time.”
“You should sign up for a self-defense class,” Hannah said. “I need to shift my schedule around to make one of my classes. We must protect ourselves.”
“Yeah, I’ll look into it.” Stori clenched her fist, punching the air.
“Are you changing the name of the shop?” Hannah asked.
“Yes, but I’m not sure what to call it yet. I’ll let you know once I narrow it down.”
An hour later, the girls left, leaving me with all the food and joy in my heart. Their feedback removed any doubts I had about the direction of my shop. This adventure was a big change for me, requiring more responsibility and energy. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.
The house was quiet, allowing me to ruminate on my own for a moment. I still wondered what would’ve happened if my crazy plan hadn’t worked, or if Kain hadn’t shown up at theright time. I shivered at the frightening thought of what might have been.
I looked at my foot, which had healed faster than I’d expected. Feeling inspired and energetic, I removed the walking boot and took baby steps. Kain told me to take it easy, but I needed to move.
I limped over to the counter and grabbed the two ceramic bowls Kain had brought home the other day. I took them back to the coffee table and admired the adorable bowls that represented me and him. An idea popped into my head. Smiling, I grabbed my notebook and sketched out a new beginning for Kain and me.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Kain
My friends and I sat inside Godfrey’s office, reviewing the information we’d all collected regarding the murders from various parts of the country. All the murders had similarities tying back to Hawthorne, but he didn’t do it alone. He had a lot of help.
“He had his followers carry out similar murders,” I said. “Probably trying to confuse us by changing up little details.”
“Why weren’t these in the news?” Godfrey stared at the enormous TV screen that showed the data from our laptops.
