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“Sure did.”
“Want to grab a drink at Holloway’s after shift? I’m buying. The kids are at my parent’s place for the night. And Rose is at book club, of course. She’s staying to help Vi clean up after.”
“I should probably try to get ahold of Charlotte and apologize for running out on her.”
“Rose said she’s sticking around the shop after it ends too.”
“Sounds good. Then I’ll catch up with her after, or tomorrow morning first thing, if it runs late.”
“Good. Be proactive and send flowers. That sort of worked for me with Rose.”
“Good idea.” I pulled up the Sweetbriar flower shop’s website on my phone and placed an order to arrive in the morning. “I don’t want to interrupt her again, anyway. They were asking her some pretty intense questions that I don’t think I want to be around for. I got the sense that me being there was making it worse for her. Which reminds me, I need to read the latestAdalinebook. I guess there’s a new character sort of named after me. She wouldn’t really do that... would she?”
“According to Rose, yes she would.”
I grinned. “I need to dig up my copy and read it for myself.”
“Maybe it will give you a clue, detective.” His smirk was only sort of infuriating since I deserved it.
“I guess it’s my turn to take all the shit.”
“Now that you put it that way, I’ll try to come up with more to bust your chops with.”
“Thanks a lot—”
My dad at the door interrupted us. “I need you both to head to the hospital. Old man McMillon was just held up in his house. He’s hurt and shaken up, but he’ll pull through.”
“Shit, that’s terrible. He’s got to be at least eighty years old,” Trevor remarked as he stood.
“As horrible as that is, it’s not the worst part.” Dad’s face was stone. “Whoever it was took his phone, laptop, and the keys to all his properties. It’s all hands on deck tonight. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of this.”
“Damn.” I was glad I’d already put Charlotte on our radar. But I’d check on her myself tonight to be sure.
“We got this. Let’s head out. Meet you there.” Trevor took off, but I lingered to ask my dad a few more questions.
“Do you think this could have anything to do with Charlotte and the crash?” There was no logical reason for me to tie the two events together. Bethany Rhodes had been in the other car and she definitely had nothing to do with what had happened tonight—I had seen her lurking at Violet’s book club, and no one could be in two places at once—but my mind still wouldn’t let it go.
“I don’t see how. But it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on her. She’s with Vi at the shop now. If it’s like every other book club meeting they’ve ever had, they’ll go for a few more hours at least. She’ll be fine while she’s there. Are Matt and Quinn still doing extra patrol on her street?”
“Yes.”
“Good. McMillon owns those townhouses, so I’ll add a few more cars to the area. I’ll shoot a text to her dad, too. She should go home with him for the night, just to be safe.”
“Good. Thanks. I’ll head out now.”
“Careful, son.”
“Always.”
I met Trevor in McMillon’s room. The grouchy old man was beat up and pissed off. He pointed a crooked finger at me as I approached his bed. “Good, you’re here too. I want you to catch that jerk immediately. He took my keys and all the information on my rentals. I can’t have my tenants getting messed with. Do you know what that will do to my reputation? I got three vacant properties to fill!”
“Your reputation?” I was aghast. “What about the safety of your tenants?”
“What about it? Who cares! Just catch that asshole and do it fast. I want it done tonight.”
He was unbelievable. Charlotte needed to find a new place to live. “You won’t have to worry too much about the townhouses on Pine, right? If someone tries to get into one of those, they’ll probably slide all over the mossy front porches and cause a ruckus. Plenty of warning for whoever is inside.”
He glared at me for a moment then looked away.
