Her brows twist in confusion. “Okay,” she drawls. “What’s up?”
“You put a dozen black roses on Hazel’s doorstep last night. Why?”
She slaps a hand to her chest. “Oh, that. Yeah. The lady said the flowers were from you, but there was no card.”
“What lady?”
“I didn’t get her name. She came up to me yesterday as I was leaving and said you wanted me to give the flowers to Hazel, but she had already gone home to get ready for the ball. I knocked, but she didn’t answer, so I just left them at her door.”
“What did she look like?”
“Kinda pretty, dark hair. She was wearing sunglasses and dressed in workout clothes, and she drove a white BMW.” I roll my eyes because that narrows it down to half the women in Heritage Bay. She stares at me for a beat, then quietly says, “I take it you didn’t send Hazel those flowers.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t. Do me a favor. Don’t mention this to Hazel, and if you see that woman again—” Reaching into my pocket to retrieve my wallet, I pull out a business card and hand it to her. “—call me on my cell phone.”
“Should I be worried?” she asks as she shoves my card in the front pocket of her khaki shorts.
“She won’t do anything to you,” I reassure her, leaving out the fact that it’s Hazel she wants to hurt.
11
Hazel
* * *
The sound of children’s laughter echoes from outside as the Halloween festivities begin. Grabbing my bowl of candy, I step out onto the sidewalk, leaving Jeffrey inside to watch over things. Parents with their little ones dressed up in everything from Ninja Turtles, zombies, and princesses crowd the sidewalks as they make their way in and out of the local franchises lining Heritage Boulevard.
Two dark SUVs pull up to the curb one behind the other. The front passenger door swings open, and Jayla climbs out dressed as Pocahontas. “Hey, Hazel.” She waves as the back door opens and her husband, Zach, climbs out dressed as John Smith. They’re too cute.
Levi rounds the front of the truck, and my heart flutters as he makes his way over to me. “Hey, beautiful.” He leans down and presses a chaste kiss to my lips.
“What are you doing here?” I smile.
“Jay wanted to come say hi before we head back to the house. The kids are getting tired, and we knew they wouldn’t make it all the way down here, so we skipped the line.” He chuckles.
Jay walks up holding hands with a little blonde girl on one side and a dark-haired girl on the other. “Hazel, this is my niece Zoe.” She gestures to the blonde.
Zoe looks up at Jay, her face screwed up in annoyance. “No, JJ. I’m Cindawella.”
“And I’m Boo,” the dark-haired one chimes in.
I look up at Jay for clarification.
“From Monster’s Inc.,” she explains. “It’s her favorite movie.”
I nod. I can totally see it now.
A very attractive, dark-haired guy wearing a blue onesie with purple dots walks up behind Jay. “Dude, I’m sweating my ass off in this thing. Let’s go.”
The little dark-haired girl tilts her head back and scowls up at the guy. “Co, that’s a bad word.”
Jay laughs as the guy rolls his eyes. “Sorry.”
“Hazel, this is my cousin Cole,” she introduces. “And this is his daughter, Willow.”
“Nice to meet you both,” I say, reaching into my bowl. “Are they allowed?”
The girls’ faces light up before sending a pleading look to Jay.
“One piece,” she tells them firmly.
I hold out my bowl and let them have their pick before they hurry back to the car.
Zach walks up. “Hey, Hazel,” he greets before turning to Jay. “Babe, you ready?”
“Yes,” she replies, then turns her attention back to me. “I wanted to say thank you for the oils. They really help.”
“You’re welcome.” I grin and gesture to her baby bump. “And congratulations.”
“Thank you.” She presses her hand to her belly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by. No offense, but the smell of coffee makes me nauseous.”
“No worries. But Jeffrey will be disappointed. He’s been waiting for you to stop by.”
Her eyes light up. “Jeffrey’s here?”
Grinning, I nod. “Yep.” I pass the bowl of candy to Levi and stand from my seat. “Hold on, I’ll get him.”
Pushing the door open, I find Jeffrey leaning with his elbows on the counter, chin propped on one hand while typing on his phone with the other. The café is empty and clean. He lifts his eyes toward the door and raises his brows.
“Someone out here wants to say hi,” I tell him.
Jeffrey sashays to the door and lets out a high-pitched “Oh my God” when he sees Jay. The two hug, and then he squeals again when he notices her baby bump. I look over at Levi to see him shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Jeffrey’s theatrics. He’s super extra, but he’s fun to work with, and I trust him.
After everyone piles back into the two SUVs, Jeffrey takes off, and Levi kisses me one last time, promising to be back after he gets everyone home.
Thirty minutes later, my candy bowl as well as the sidewalks are empty, so I grab my chair and go inside, locking up behind me and closing everything down before heading back to my office.
Pushing through the doors, I step into the kitchen—and come face-to-face with my worst nightmare.
“Hello, little sister.”
Levi
* * *
At Jay’s insistence, Troy took the night off so he could take his kids trick-or-treating. After our impromptu visit to Hazel’s place, Zeke and I escorted Jay, Zach, and their brood back to the house.
On my way out, my uncle called and asked me to stop by so he could show me something. After I filled him in on Hazel’s story, he’s been diligent in helping me track down Christine Powell. There’s been no sign of her since the flower incident, and no suspicious brunettes driving a white BMW have come close to Hazel’s place.
Stepping into Jason’s office, I find him behind his desk, tapping on his keyboard. “Do you have any idea how many Christine Powells there are in Texas? I narrowed it down to two who fit the description and age you gave me. I think I found her,” he informs me as one of the twelve built-in monitors lining the wall behind him switches on. “And you’re not gonna like this.”
The timestamp on the video shows the footage is from an hour ago. A white BMW is parked at the curb outside an apartment building. My apartment building. My stomach churns when the brunette walks out carrying two suitcases and shoves them in the trunk.
It’s Christine. Also known as Christy.
My motherfucking neighbor.
Her blonde hair is now dark brown.
“Track her,” I tell my uncle as I head for the door. Pulling out my phone, I dial Hazel’s number, but the call goes straight to voice mail.
I’ve just passed the gates when my phone rings. It’s Jason. “Did you find her?”