He grabs his leather jacket off the coat rack, and we head to the elevator. He presses the button, the door slides open and we get in.
“Where are we headed?”
I avoid looking at him and watch the numbers on the panel light up.
“Flower shop, then Cristo’s for a coffee. Once I’m done, we are going to the museum to drop those off. Then I need to grabSebastian a burger from Sal’s before he passes out from low blood sugar.”
The ding announces our arrival at the parking garage, and I take a chance to look at Carlos. His expression is one of shock.
“Any questions?”
He holds both hands up. “Nope. All good here.”
We arrive at the flower shop, and I sweat. It’s overwhelming. The smell is overpowering like too many Nonnas are closed up in one room. Nothing in here smells as sweet as Isabella and I don't know what the hell to ask for. I hold my finger under my nose as I walk farther into the shop and look around.
An enormous bouquet of roses is too much. I look at the vase of mixed flowers next to it, but it still looks like a desperate man trying to apologize, which I’m not. The woman behind the counter finally finishes up with a customer and she comes over.
“Can I help you? See anything you like?”
I cut right to the chase.
“I fuuu… messed up with my… girlfriend this morning, and I’m trying to be nice.”
I point at the huge vase of flowers. “That shit is too much. It makes me look like I’m desperate and wrong. Which I’m not.” I growl at her.
“I just want to give her something nice, but not too much 'cause I’m not sorry for anything.” I rub my hand over my face. “Ahh fuck! I don’t know, I’ve never bought anyone flowers before.”
I look at her, and she’s blinking, her eyes wide in stunned silence. She just keeps blinking at me not saying shit.
“So? Can you help me or not?” I snap at her.
“Yes.” She breaks out into a smile and takes my arm.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m standing in Isabella's lab alone annoyed. She’s not here to even see my grand gesture. I lookaround, trying to find some paper to write a quick note.
I put her cup on the desk; I turn it so it has the Harry Rules facing front, and I lean the note up against it and put the flower on top of her cup.
But that looks stupid, so I put the flower at the base of the note. There, that looks better. I smile to myself. I turn and head back out to the car. I open the door and get in; Carlos looks at me in the rear-view mirror, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Fuck off, it's just coffee.” Ignoring him I concentrate on the passing street out the window and he chuckles.
Back at the office, I avoid Carlos's smirks and send him for Sebastian's burger. I grabbed him a coffee while I got Isabella’s; I hand it to him as I round the desk.
He reaches across his chest, still typing with one hand, and takes a gulp.
“So, what am I looking at?” I lean over his chair a tad.
“IP addresses.” He points to the screens lines are hopping all over a global map. Some are blue, most are red.
“Looks like a nuclear bomb strike like you see on TV. What is this?”
“The money trail.” he glowers at the screen.
“Okay… and that means?” I ask.
“Itmeanns. Roberts got some explaining to do. See this?”
He points at the red lines.
