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“You wanted me on the case. Now that I am, I’ve got to investigate. I looked up the address you gave me to the house on Mulberry. It’s owned by an offshore LLC. The more I dig, the murkier it gets. It’s not as easy to hide your identity as it once was, but the owner has done an impressive job. I’m going to speak to an attorney. See what I can find out.”
She nodded. “Okay, and so you know, I won’t make it to your house until late. I’ve got to lock up USD tonight.” Teddy was a no-show again and Dustin had a life. Unlike her. She couldn’t expect him to work her grueling hours, especially with little advance notice. With the way things were going, following Seth whenever she could, she was going to have to close USD. Perhaps for a few hours every day. Maybe even for a whole day.
“Good luck in there,” Brian said, tipping his hat to her.
She entered the shop. The chime sounded. Fragrant, cool air perfumed by flowers curled around her. She met the gaze of the man who was looking at her from behind the counter.
“Hello,” he said, snipping a stem of a rose. “Welcome to The Prickly Poppy. Is there something I can help you with today?”
She went up to counter. His name tag readRafe. “I hope so. I’m Charlie Sharp.”
“I know who you are.” His smile faltered. “You own Underground Self-Defense.”
“Haley attended classes there. We’re friends. She went missing two days ago.”
His features tightened into a wary expression. He set down the shears. “The cops told me. Was that your buddy who was just in here, the one with the badge?”
“I don’t like cops. Don’t trust them. It worries me that Haley’s husband is one and now, she’s disappeared.”
He gave a slight nod. “What does that have to do with me?”
“I heard you two were friends. Anything you can tell me about Haley might help.”
“We used to be friends, but I haven’t talked to her in a while.”
“It was my understanding that you two were close,” she said. “What happened?”
“If Seth finds out that I told anyone—”
“He won’t. I promise.” She hoped he believed her. “Why did you stop being friends?”
“Last February, that maniac caught me outside, in the back of the shop as I was locking up one night. He was wearing a ski mask,” Rafe said. “He beat me up and told me to stay away from his wife. If I went near her again, he’d kill me.”
Now she understood why he was being tight-lipped with the police. “That never should’ve happened to you.” Charlie put her hand on his. “Did he say her name? Are you sure it was him?”
“He didn’t need to say her name,” Rafe scoffed. “I knew who he meant. Recognized his voice. Have nightmares about it.”
“I hate to pry, but were you and Haley having an affair?”
Lowering his gaze, Rafe shook his head.
“You can tell me if you were. Her husband is a monster.” A wife beater and possibly a murderer. “He treated her like garbage.”
“We weren’t. Haley needed someone to lean on, to listen to her problems. We clicked. You know?” Rafe said. “There was this one moment when we were having drinks, she did kiss me. It caught me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it. I’m gay, and thought she knew. After I told her, we laughed it off. No big deal. I grew to love Haley. It was hard not to once you got to know her. But it was platonic. I tried to explain to her husband, but he didn’t give me a chance.”
“Do you know if she was involved with anyone else?” Charlie asked.
“Not while we were friends. I think she would’ve confided in me if she had been.”
“Did Haley mention anything about leaving Seth?”
“Only that she wanted to, but she was scared. I was the one who suggested she take classes at the USD. Then Haley got it into her head to get her friend Aubrey to spy on Seth at the strip club. Something shady was going on. Haley figured that if Aubrey could find some dirt on him that it would give her leverage.”
“Don’t you mean Haley asked her, but Aubrey refused?”
“No.” Rafe shook his head. “They would meet up once a week. Aubrey would tell her everything she found out.”
“Are you certain?”
