Read Online Death Vetoes The Chairman (Lizzie Crenshaw Mysteries Book 7) by Teresa Watson - Free Book Online

that’s her sins, and she’s paid for them. Her sins have nothing to do with you.”
    I just stared at him, because I had no comment. The materialistic Jake was back. Thankfully, the doorbell rang at that moment, and I jumped up to open the door. “I sure hope this is T.J.,” I muttered.
    It wasn’t. It was Nicole from Blooming Elegance, a new flower shop located in the town square, holding an enormous bouquet of flowers. “Hey, Lizzie, how’s it going?” she said. “Could you sign line seventeen, please?”
    “Not bad.” I took the clipboard from her while Jake took the flowers. “How’s it going at the shop?”
    “Pretty good,” she replied, taking the clipboard from me. “I was already closing up when I got the call for this order. He was pretty insistent that it be taken care of today. Even paid me extra for it.”
    I felt a chill go down my spine. “Did he give his name?”
    “Yeah, someone named Winthrop. I gotta go. Kelly is waiting for me at home. Night! Hi, T.J., bye T.J.,” she said as they passed each other on the sidewalk.
    “Take care, Nicole,” he said. “What was she doing here?” His hands were full with bags from our local Mexican restaurant.
    “Making a delivery,” I said, closing the door behind him. Jake had put the flowers on the coffee table, and I looked around for a card. I found it attached to a ribbon on the front. Pulling the little card from the envelope, I quickly read it. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
    Jake took the card from me. “What does it say? ‘I’m sorry about this afternoon. I look forward to seeing you soon, Ethan.’”
    “Save the card,” T.J. said as he came in from the kitchen. “We’ll add it to the file.”
    “Flowers aren’t exactly harassment, T.J.,” I pointed out, “although in this case, it’s just flat out creepy.”
    “Are you going to stay here for a while?” Jake asked T.J. “I need to run an errand.”
    “I’m planning on sleeping on the couch tonight,” he said.
    “Probably a good idea,” Jake nodded. “I’ll be back in a little while. I’m going to call Henderson and talk to him about the restraining order.”
    “You don’t have to come back, Jake,” I said.
    “I won’t stay long.”
    “Would you do something for me before you go?”
    “Sure, what?”
    “Pick up those flowers and follow me.”
    Jake looked at T.J., who shrugged. Jake picked up the flowers while I opened the front door, and led him out to the driveway behind his car. T.J. watched us from the front porch. I started taking the flowers out of the vase with my left hand, placing them on the ground behind his left back tire. Five handfuls later, the vase was empty. Jake dumped the water out and handed me the vase. “Now what?”
    “Didn’t you say you had somewhere to go?”
    “Well, yeah, but…”
    “See ya, Jake,” I said. “My supper’s getting cold.” I gave him a very pointed look. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I nodded. He whistled, shook his head, and got into his car. Putting it in reverse, he ran over the flowers, stopped, and pulled forward again. “Just wondering if you want me to bring back some dessert.”
    “Whatever floats your boat, dude,” I told him.
    Grinning, he saluted, put the car in reverse and ran over the flowers again. I waved as he drove away, and looked down at the decimated pile of mulch. T.J. came over, took the vase from me and looked down. “Nice,” he laughed. “Glad I didn’t send you flowers after we broke up.”
    “I would have shredded them on your front porch.”
    “Yikes,” he said. We headed back inside. “What did the doctor say?”
    “Nothing broken. The bruising is just really deep. He gave me some anti-inflammatories to help with the swelling.”
    “It’s certainly not the worst you’ve ever been hurt, but I still don’t like it one bit,” he said, putting the vase down on the coffee table.
    “I’m not worried,” I told him, going into the kitchen and digging through the