“No transportation and no business all within twenty-four hours,” Charley said. “Great.”
“Do you scare easily?” Sully asked.
“I never thought so. Why?”
“I think somebody is trying to scare you or is really angry with you.”
“Rod Vaughn is definitely angry with me, but if he thinks he can scare me into being with him, he’s dead wrong.”
Two police cars pulled to a stop in front of the flower shop. Charley and Sully met the officers on the sidewalk and ushered them inside. After they looked around the shop, Charley told them, with input from Sully, about the vandalism to her car. Then she left one of the officers with Sully and escorted thesecond one up to her apartment. The officers took reports on the apartment, shop, and car, promising to get back to her.
“I’m starving,” Sully said as Charley locked the door to the shop. “How about lunch?”
“Yes,” she replied. In addition to the shop, she had locked the door to her apartment, for whatever good it would do.
“Do you own this property or just rent it?”
“We…I own it. Why?”
“Because of the location, it’s a valuable piece of real estate. Would your mother have promised this property to someone besides you?”
“No, we only had each other. But even if she did, who would want to tear things up?”
“I don’t know. Could someone be mad at her but taking it out on you?”
“I don’t think so. Like I said, she kept to herself.”
Since the shop was on the corner of the block, they only had to walk a few steps to the stoplight. It turned red and they crossed the street. A little farther up Colorado Avenue put them at the Cantina Café. Taken by the hostess to a booth, they slid into seats on opposite sides of the table from each other. Given water with lemon along with chips, salsa, and menus, Charley looked up and sighed.
“As if things couldn’t get any worse,” she said under her breath.
“What now?” Sully asked and then saw Vaughn entering the restaurant.
“Rod lives in Manitou Springs,” Charley said regarding the small town three miles away that lay at the foot of Pikes Peak. “Kay lives here in the Old Colorado City neighborhood.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“They both have convenient access to your property,” Sully said. Over the top of the menu, he saw Rod Vaughn staring at Charley. When Vaughn’s eyes switched to Sully, Sully glared at him.
“Are they sitting down?” Charley asked, purposely not looking.
“Yes, about three tables behind you.” Sully took another glance and said, “Nope. I take that back. He sat down. She’s coming this way.”
“Charley,” a woman with short, platinum blond and hot pink hair said.
“Hello, Kay.”
“Rod and I are back together. I hope there’re no hard feelings.”
“Of course not. I’m happy for you,” Charley said as her cell signaled a text.
“Who’s this handsome man with you?” the woman asked.
“My new business manager,” Charley improvised.
“Really?” Kay asked, looking at Sully.
“I’m advising her to sell her place here in the city and move her shop to the country,” Sully said, off-the-cuff.
