“Throw them out, Nick,” I tell him. He grunts and walks over to the neatest trash can and tosses them in.
Nick walks me to gym class and waits while I change. After I’m with Jaxon, he heads for the gym. “What’s up, Summer?” Jaxon asks.
“There was a bouquet of lilies at my locker.”
“Shit. Ben again?” He asks.
“I’m assuming. They came with a typed note, like the roses.”Please let the lilies be a coincidence.
“What is his problem?” Jaxon shakes his head. “He’s heading into stalker level. We’ve got you, Summer. He won’t get you alone.”
“Thanks.” We run in silence for the rest of the class, but I can’t get the lilies off my mind. Why are they the same as the ones I always buy in Virginia? If they were Easter lilies, I could easily explain them away with the holiday, but they’re not. It makes little sense and makes me even more uneasy.
Jaxon asks if I want to go for a run with him and Holly tomorrow morning. I agree, and we decide to meet at my house to run in the park nearby. Nick waits outside the locker room, and then we head out.
All the guys are in the parking lot waiting for us. Alex has already told them about the flowers, and Seb wraps me in a hug. “I’m sorry, Sunshine.”
“Are we doing anything tonight?” I ask the guys. Nick says he has an update about Ben, so all the guys want to come over. E wants to cook us dinner, and Bay offers to go grocery shopping with him. I text Zander, who readily agrees, saying he’ll bring Troy. I hop into Alex’s SUV and we drive home.
I show the guys my Jeep when we arrive, since I forgot yesterday. They all complement the vehicle, happy it has room for all of us. The guys get comfortable inside while I shower and soak. I call Sarah while I’m in the tub and express my concern over the lilies, but there’s nothing to be done but to be vigilant.
I help E cook an Italian feast for dinner. It has everything you could want. Lasagna, two different pasta dishes, salad, garlic bread, and tiramisu. Zander and Troy join us as the lasagna is pulled from the oven. We have a lively dinner with everyone sitting around the table. There are plenty of leftovers, so each household makes up containers to take home later.
Nick brings out his laptop and turns it on after we settle back in the living room. “There’s still no connection between Ben and my father. They’ve never been in the same state at the same time. Ben’s father, John, can’t hold a job for more than a year at a time, and they’ve moved around a lot. Employers fired him for being drunk and skipping shifts. After he loses his job, there’s always a deposit into his account. Anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000. Most of the time, that’s when they move. The most recent was $50,000 in December, and then they arrived here from Florida. John is working as a janitor. Ben has a jobat a gas station.”
“Where’s the money coming from?” Troy asks.
“Shell companies. Never the same one, and from all over the country. I’ve got a friend digging deeper to trace the companies back to the source, but it’ll take time. Someone is trying to hide the payments.”
“Can you print out the list of companies?” Zander asks.
Nick nods and clicks on his keyboard, then goes to the office. He comes back and drops several copies in the middle of the coffee table, but none of us recognizes any of the names.
“Any police reports or charges against either of them?” Zander asks.
“A few disturbing the peace charges for John, and he's spent a few nights in jail for getting into bar fights. He’s prone to pyramid schemes, gambling, and playing the lottery. Nothing on Ben I can find.”
“What did he want with you when he started school in January?” I ask.
“Nothing specific,” he responds. Nick’s voice is rumbly, even when he talks a lot. Despite the topic of conversation, I find myself listening intently to his tone. There’s something about it that’s calming.
“Let us know if your friend can find anything, and thanks for digging, Nick,” Zander tells him. Nick nods and puts his laptop away.
“So, what do we want to do now?” Seb asks.
“I’ve got to head home,” Bay says. Alex and Troy need to get going as well.
“Want to watch the Celtics, Sunshine? They’re playing tonight.”
“Sure,” I shrug. Those staying settle on the couch for the game after we say goodbye to Bay, Alex, and Troy. I’m distracted by thoughts of the lilies all evening, but the guys seem to enjoy the game.
Chapter 41
I’m excited when I get up on Friday morning. I’m up by 6am and start by dusting the guest room, then wash the bedding so it’s fresh for Sue. Since she’ll be sharing my bathroom, I make sure it's nice and clean as well. I make a chicken salad for lunch, so it’s ready when we get back from the airport.
Zander is laughing at how energetic I am. We keep the house clean, but I’m fussing anyway. He stops me long enough to have some sausage biscuits for breakfast.
Jaxon and Holly arrive around 8am. I introduce them to Zander, then we’re off to the park for our run. Holly and I make it about an hour, then switch to walking while Jaxon keeps going. I thank them for running with me, then shower and soak when I get home.
