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“No one,” she replied, shaking her head. “Thanks. I have today’s schedule up. Our last appointment is at two unless we get a walk-in or call. This morning is booked, starting in fifteen minutes.”
Taking her seat, Trina nodded, scanned something Lily couldn’t see then lifted her gaze, frowning. “Looking at the weekend reminded me of the Davidson cancellation. Given your falling out, have you considered she’s your antagonist? You told me you first saw her again at the charity and right after, you were attacked.”
“Pam?” Lily shook her head then thought back, recalling Delia mentioning Pam’s searing glare behind Lily’s back at the farmer’s market, probably the same scorn she’d given her when they met out front last week. Even so, she couldn’t picture Pam retaliating against her after her heartfelt remorse for sleeping with John. “I doubt it. The friend I once knew so well would never commit such acts, and I can’t believe she’s changed that much.”
“I’ll bet, at one time, you wouldn’t have believed she could sleep with your husband, either.” A car pulled in out front, likely their client, and Trina said, “Something to consider.”
Trina struck a nerve with that comment, and Lily was grateful for the busy morning that kept her from dwelling on the possibility that Pam was the one tormenting her. It took a deranged mind to plan and execute most of what she’d gone through. Pam might have switched from remorseful to angry when Lily refused to rekindle their friendship, but she wasn’t off her rocker. Then again, she’d spent over a year convincing herself John loved her enough to change, proving she was a lousy judge of character.
After their last morning client left, they discussed lunch, and Trina called in an order for delivery while Lily took a call from Delia. They hadn’t spoken in a while with Lily spending so much time with Reed lately, and guilt nudged her into answering instead of putting Delia off until she was safe.
“Hi there. How are you?”
“I’m good and have a rare day off. How about lunch?” Delia asked, the hopeful lilt in her voice adding to Lily’s guilt.
“I’d like to but can’t. Reed and his brothers think the mugging is connected to some vandalism at my house and that I’ve got some whack job hassling me.” Delia knew about the mugging, but there had been no reason to mention anything else until now.
“That’s awful! And scary. Are you okay?”
“Other than spooked, yes. I plan to stay here when not with Reed. Rain check?”
Delia’s concern changed to peevish exasperation. “He doesn’t trustme? Tell him to take a hike - that’s offensive.”
Lily bristled at her tone, not in the mood to cater to Delia’s insecurities. “At least he’s concerned about my welfare,” she returned, her cool tone drawing Trina’s frowning glance.
“I’m sorry, Lily. I had a bad weekend and didn’t mean to take it out on you. Is there anything I can do?”
Her remorse sounded genuine, and Lily didn’t hold grudges. “No, thanks for asking. Reed plans on staying at my place for now. Between him and his brothers, they’ll find some clue to this person’s identity before long.” She had to believe that or go nuts.
“I don’t doubt it, so I won’t worry too much. Keep in touch if you can.”
Lily said goodbye, adding another benefit to getting involved with Reed, an excuse to hang out with Delia less. She didn’t have enough spare time for such a clingy, needy friend. Her thoughts had turned to another friend during the afternoon, and she couldn’t shake Trina’s suggestion to consider Pam her nemesis. She hated to believe her once best friend would retaliate against her in such ways. Just the same, she would talk to Reed tonight and get his opinion.
Reed didn’t draw a steady breath until he saw Lily again that afternoon, his tension loosening the moment she walked out of Creative Events wearing a smile. Tonight, he would ask her to show him any of John’s belongings she’d kept, including paperwork. John was closemouthed about his affairs before taking up with Lily, and even more so when he started cheating on her a year into their marriage. The only thing he let slip during one of their arguments was he met his dates at their places, or a hotel, never in public. If she kept them, charge card receipts for those hotels would give them somewhere to start asking around.
He broached the subject over dinner, reaching across the table to pour her another glass of wine. “We need to discuss how to find this person. I have an idea where to start, but it will be painful for you.”
Lily sipped her wine, her eyes steady on him as she set the glass down. “I’m over John and our marriage, Reed.” She flashed one of her impetuous grins. “I’m into you, now. What do you need?”
That was as close as she’d come to admitting her feelings, enough to set his pulse racing as he imagined their future together. First things first, however. “John’s charge card receipts. Did you keep any?”
“I have all of that in storage, along with some furniture I couldn’t fit here. You want to look for hotel charges then question the employees. That makes more sense than Trina’s suggestion.”
He listened while she told him about her best friend from college, displeased he was just now hearing about her. “You should have mentioned her sooner. What’s important to you, like getting mugged, is important to me.” Rising, he reached for her plate but paused when she placed a hand on his wrist.
“Most of that went on before anything serious developed between us.”
“You’re right,” he admitted, his annoyance slipping away. “We’re both on edge. Let’s take the wine to the couch and watch a movie. We’ll pick up those files tomorrow.”
The person harboring a deep hatred for Lily waited on the corner until all the lights went out in her house. Catching her alone was impossible with her fucking bodyguard or someone else always around. Venting on her vehicle did nothing to lessen the rage, and playtime was over. After waiting another twenty minutes, the black-clad figure lifted the gasoline can from the back seat and crept behind the houses toward the oblivious couple. Taking Kincaid out, too, was icing on the cake, a delicious way to end this. There was a certain amount of satisfaction just from dousing her precious gardens around the house Lily loved so much. The flames engulfing their screams would be worth the long wait and hassle.
Reed didn’t know what woke him, likely a sixth sense from living on a ranch where any number of late-night sounds could rouse him from sleep. He lay there a moment, an arm wrapped around Lily, not wanting to move until a shadow crossed the window. A cold wave of apprehension spread through his body. Tightening his arm in warning, he pressed his mouth to her ear. “Lily, wake up...shhh,” he whispered when she groaned. “Someone is outside. Don’t turn on the light but call 911. Stay here until I get back.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, sliding out of bed, he crouched down to pull on jeans and grab his gun. Staying low, he made his way to the front door and checked outside before closing it behind him, furious at the injustice of someone terrorizing Lily. This ended tonight, one way or another, he swore, his attention caught by mumbling from around the side of the house. The light next to the door spread a meager glow toward the end of the porch, enough for him to move with stealth and speed without tripping in the dark. The pungent odor of gasoline hit him before he even reached the corner, sending his adrenaline into overdrive.
Screw sneaking up on the bastard.He wouldn’t risk Lily’s safety to take this guy by surprise. Whipping around the corner, gun raised and aimed, he saw a small person covered in a black hooded robe holding a gasoline can. Reed tightened his hand on the gun, doing his best to ignore the lust for vengeance that demanded a quick, permanent end to this by simply pulling the trigger.
“Don’t fucking move,” he ordered with no time to wait for help to arrive. “Trust me, I’ll use this, so drop the can and come here.”
