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Maybe Grand Lake was the way to go.
By the time we made it downstairs, Tod and Matt were both staring at a huge, glossy white box with a red ribbon tied around it that was sitting on the ottoman. Matt was holding a can of diet pop. Tod was holding a pop in one hand with his other arm wrapped around the biggest display of long stemmed red roses I’d ever seen, at least two dozen of them.
I’d had flowers delivered before, but never on this scale, and never accompanied by glossy boxes. I looked to Lee, but he was staring at the flowers, his face tight. Clearly, whatever this was, it was not from Lee.
“There’s a card on the box,” Tod said. He was staring at Lee too.
I grabbed the card and it read:
Dinner Wednesday night. Wear the dress.
Terry.
I’d just finished reading it and experiencing the sick clutch in my stomach when Lee snagged the card out of my fingers.
I stared at the box as if it was ticking.
“Aren’t you gonna open it?” Tod asked.
“You open it,” I said.
Tod needed no further encouragement. He plopped the huge array of flowers in my arms, set aside his pop and dug into the box. He squealed in delight as he pulled out a fabulous little black dress.
“I saw this at Saks when I was looking for shoes. It cost one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars!” he announced.
That sick clutch in my stomach lurched and became full-blown nausea.
Tod was happily looking at Lee, thinking it was from him and that I’d hit the mother lode of hunky boyfriends with platinum credit cards.
The muscle in Lee’s cheek was working and his eyes cut to Tod.
“Put the dress back in the box,” Lee ordered, and Tod quickly did as he was told, his face turning confused. Then to Matt, “Coxy.”
Matt’s jaw went rigid and his eyes turned to me.
“I didn’t do anything!” I cried. “He kidnapped me! I didn’t encourage him at all! He’s creepy.”
“Who’s creepy?” Tod asked.
“The guy who sent these to me. He looks like Grandpa Munster except genuinely scary.”
“You didn’t send them?” Tod turned to Lee.
Lee didn’t answer. He just grabbed the box and tucked it under his arm. “I’m returning this,” he announced, and he was using his scary voice.
I nodded.
“Don’t leave the house. Don’t open the door to anyone. Bobby’s following up on Rosie, and after we visit Wilcox, Matt and I will run down that lead. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I nodded again.
“I’ll do my best to convince Coxy that you aren’t interested,” Lee continued.
“I’d appreciate that.” I told him the truth.
Lee’s face was totally blank and he watched me for several seconds. Once he started speaking, I realized that he’d been in a struggle with how much information to share and he’d decided he’d trust me not to freak out.
“You’ve captured his attention. Coxy’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants. He knows I consider you mine. This is a declaration of war.”
