Chapter Fifty
Simon showed up not long after the cops did, although he was kept back at a distance, near the entrance, as the crime scene technicians processed the area. She wasn’t going to question how he had gotten the report of gun shots fired at this location the same time that the Gardendale Police Department did, but she was grateful to see him.
The mocha-skinned detective who was assessing the scene had already cleared Lily, after taking photos of the knots that had been tied securely behind her back. The detective also had Lily unbound, and her hands checked for gun shot residue.
She had introduced herself as Detective Garland, and it was clear that she and Simon went back a ways, although the connection was mainly through Miller.
Some EMT had checked Lily over, and draped a mylar blanket over her, after agreeing that she didn’t have anything that required medical intervention. Another EMT had pulled one of the chairs out of a parlor so Lily could sit. She had asked for it to be placed as close as possible to where Simon was. Lily knew that she and Simon wouldn’t be able to talk yet, and she could see the questions swirling in his eyes, as he took in the same information that she had given the detective.
Yes, she knew Rey. He was her ex, and she had been on the run from him. He had tracked her down here, probably with the intent to use the gun on her, or abduct her. The name she had given for Rey was a match with the one on the driver’s license they found on him.
She couldn’t read Simon’s expression. Except it didn’t appear to be surprise. How much of this had he known? The only thing he did when she caught his eye was nod at her, as he tapped on his sternum. She knew it was a sign that he was stressed, and who wouldn’t be?
Especially as they listened together while the detective conferred with the coroner.
Apparently it was a mystery how Rey died. Lily had told them about the other man, but there was no trace of him, not even blood. Lily could have sworn that he was shot—just an impression, she certainly wasn’t registering a play by play as it was happening — but even so, it was weird that there was nothing indicating that had been there, except her word for it. Rey was definitely not in any shape to back her up. Not that he did when he was alive, either.
Lily could honestly say that she didn’t see how it all went down. How could she describe the swirling blur, with flashing lights that had popped up right as Rey fired his gun without sounding delusional? It was like magic, like something out of Harry Potter, or the lab that created the CGI effects for the movies.
She was still having trouble believing it, and it had happened right in front of her.
The store owner had been called, and she was on her way back to the building. But, the detective shook her head ruefully. Apparently the store owner said that yes, there were security cameras at the entrance. Both Lily and Simon perked up. Footage that would show what had gone down! Unfortunately they had been disabled before the shop closed to the public for the day, as it would be whenever she had a private VIP client shopping trip scheduled. It would be turned on again after the trip was concluded and the client had long since gone. It sounded plausible, although the detective was definitely going to be following up on all that. Especially as the store owner had babbled about having taken ill and leaving in a hurry.
Lily felt awful for the store owner knowing that she had been coerced into tying her up. All to save Phoebe Buffay.
The gun had obviously been fired, but there were no discernible signs of Rey having been shot. In fact, she overheard the coroner giving preliminary findings of a heart attack or aneurism.
“But we won’t know until we get him opened up,” the woman wearing a jacket emblazoned with the word CORONER said to the detective. Lily wrapped the mylar blanket tighter around herself. It was only starting to sink in now. The person who she had feared, and once thought she loved, was now just an empty shell on the ground, ready to be “opened up.”
Detective Garland nodded, and the coroner continued. “And run a tox screen, see if drugs are involved.”
Lily blurted, “Rey was using drugs.”
“You mean this?” One of the cops held up a pack of glassine envelopes that he had pulled out of Rey’s cargo pants.
Detective Garland’s eyes narrowed. “Looks like TheRage.Let me see that up close. There an image printed on the bags?”
The cop handed it to her. The detective murmured something Lily couldn’t hear and took out some kind of tricked out phone, tapping into the keyboard. And then hissed, before muttering something that sounded like Spanish.
Lily could have sworn she heard the detective say under her breath,El Monstruo. She looked hard at Lily, and then at Simon. “Stay where you are,” before barking a series of orders at the cops on the scene, setting off a new flurry of activity.
As if she had any place to go — oh wait, she did. Lily turned a stricken look at Simon. “Col’s waiting for me at the restaurant!”
Simon opened his mouth to speak, but there was a sudden commotion behind him. The cop nearest to them quickly stood and blocked the door.
“Sir, you need to stay back from the crime scene.”
Now she heard Simon’s voice. “Do as he says. Katie’s fine.”
And then he filled the doorway, a massive man in a dark suit, holding a huge bouquet of white flowers. He quickly moved to take the spot next to Simon, right to where he was directed, all the while his hazel eyes searching for, and finally finding, Lily.
It was Col.
* * *
It had taken him forever to find a store that carried Calla lilies, but once he did, Col had them arrange them quickly and beautifully, as befit the female who had occupied his thoughts since they met. He had hurried over to the restaurant, fearing that he was late, but learned that she had not yet arrived.
It was already past the agreed upon time, might she still be at the lingerie store? At the restaurant hostess’ suggestion, he could leave to search for her, and if Katie Cooper came while he was gone, she would be able to wait for him at the bar until his return.
