Read Online Lyndsey Cole - Lily Bloom 05 - Hidden by the Hydrangeas by Lyndsey Cole - Free Book Online
Authors: Lyndsey Cole
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phone back into her pocket. “He didn’t answer. I’m going inside to find him so just wait here until I get back.” Lily hugged Anna then held her shoulders, looking right into her dark eyes. “It will be okay.” To herself she added, I hope I know what the heck I’m talking about.
Chapter 8
Lily hurried back into the police station hoping Ryan wasn’t too busy to come out and talk to Anna befo re she lost her nerve and changed her mind.
The first person she saw was Kari, sitting huddled with her arms wrapped around her slim figure, her head facing the floor and her long dark hair hiding her face.
Acting on impulse and gut instinct, Lily sat down next to Kari. “ever since I saw your mom yesterday, I’ve been thinking about hiring a part time person to help me in my flower shop. My sister works for me but she’s starting her own baking business and it’s just a matter of time before I start pulling my hair out trying to get everything done by myself.”
Kari relaxed her arms slightly and turned her head toward Lily. “Why are you telling me this? I don’t care about your problems.”
“You might not care about my problems, but my problems could mean a job if you have any interest. Think about it.” Lily patted Kari’s leg as a friendly gesture, then got up and walked down the hall. I planted that seed, let’s see if it grows into anything. Now it’s up to Kari to come to me, I’m certainly not going to beg her.
Lost in her thoughts and wondering if she would regret the offer she just made, she crashed right into Ryan as he excited his office.
“Missing me already?” He grinned his lopsided grin.
Lily pulled him back into his office and closed the door. “Can you come out to the parking lot? Now?”
“Gee Lily, can’t you wait until I’m off work?”
She slapped his arm playfully. “Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not what you’re thinking. Anna Sparks is ready to talk to you but she doesn’t want her daughter to know. She’s waiting outside with Daisy.” She paused to let that bombshell sink into Ryan’s brain. “I’m going back out, follow me in a few minutes.”
Lily turned to leave but Ryan held her arm and stopped her. “What’s going on? I’ve been trying to get the two of them to say anything and I haven’t gotten one word.”
Lily shrugged and her mouth curled into a grin. “They like me. Don’t wait too long or she might spook and leave.”
Lily smiled as she walked by Kari and Kari’s lip twitched into the ever so slight beginning of a grin. I wonder what can of worms I’ve just opened up .
Lily found Daisy and Anna in the same spot. Anna had managed to pull herself together and she looked like a big weight had fallen off her shoulders. “The police chief will be out in a few minutes. Don’t worry, just relax and tell him what you told us. He’s a nice guy and wants to help.”
Ryan came around the building to where the three women were waiting. “Ms. Sparks? Lily told me you want to talk to me.”
Anna had trouble looking directly at Ryan. “This is hard for me.” She glanced at Lily for reassurance. “Lily told me that my daughter’s license was found near the victim?”
Ryan nodded and shot Lily a warning look. She knew she could have overstepped her bounds by sharing that information.
“Have you told Kari yet?”
He took a deep breath. “No, not yet. I was hoping she might offer us the information she knows without me having to tell her any details.”
Anna nodded. “She hasn’t even told me anything but I can tell something is wrong. She was arguing with her boyfriend all yesterday afternoon.”
“Do you know why the victim might have had your daughter’s license?”
Anna nodded again. “I think the girl might be Kari’s friend, Amber Santos,” Ann explained. “Kari sometimes loaned Amber her license so she could get into clubs.”
Ryan jotted t he name down. “Would you be willing to identify her so we can start looking
Chapter 8
Lily hurried back into the police station hoping Ryan wasn’t too busy to come out and talk to Anna befo re she lost her nerve and changed her mind.
The first person she saw was Kari, sitting huddled with her arms wrapped around her slim figure, her head facing the floor and her long dark hair hiding her face.
Acting on impulse and gut instinct, Lily sat down next to Kari. “ever since I saw your mom yesterday, I’ve been thinking about hiring a part time person to help me in my flower shop. My sister works for me but she’s starting her own baking business and it’s just a matter of time before I start pulling my hair out trying to get everything done by myself.”
Kari relaxed her arms slightly and turned her head toward Lily. “Why are you telling me this? I don’t care about your problems.”
“You might not care about my problems, but my problems could mean a job if you have any interest. Think about it.” Lily patted Kari’s leg as a friendly gesture, then got up and walked down the hall. I planted that seed, let’s see if it grows into anything. Now it’s up to Kari to come to me, I’m certainly not going to beg her.
Lost in her thoughts and wondering if she would regret the offer she just made, she crashed right into Ryan as he excited his office.
“Missing me already?” He grinned his lopsided grin.
Lily pulled him back into his office and closed the door. “Can you come out to the parking lot? Now?”
“Gee Lily, can’t you wait until I’m off work?”
She slapped his arm playfully. “Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not what you’re thinking. Anna Sparks is ready to talk to you but she doesn’t want her daughter to know. She’s waiting outside with Daisy.” She paused to let that bombshell sink into Ryan’s brain. “I’m going back out, follow me in a few minutes.”
Lily turned to leave but Ryan held her arm and stopped her. “What’s going on? I’ve been trying to get the two of them to say anything and I haven’t gotten one word.”
Lily shrugged and her mouth curled into a grin. “They like me. Don’t wait too long or she might spook and leave.”
Lily smiled as she walked by Kari and Kari’s lip twitched into the ever so slight beginning of a grin. I wonder what can of worms I’ve just opened up .
Lily found Daisy and Anna in the same spot. Anna had managed to pull herself together and she looked like a big weight had fallen off her shoulders. “The police chief will be out in a few minutes. Don’t worry, just relax and tell him what you told us. He’s a nice guy and wants to help.”
Ryan came around the building to where the three women were waiting. “Ms. Sparks? Lily told me you want to talk to me.”
Anna had trouble looking directly at Ryan. “This is hard for me.” She glanced at Lily for reassurance. “Lily told me that my daughter’s license was found near the victim?”
Ryan nodded and shot Lily a warning look. She knew she could have overstepped her bounds by sharing that information.
“Have you told Kari yet?”
He took a deep breath. “No, not yet. I was hoping she might offer us the information she knows without me having to tell her any details.”
Anna nodded. “She hasn’t even told me anything but I can tell something is wrong. She was arguing with her boyfriend all yesterday afternoon.”
“Do you know why the victim might have had your daughter’s license?”
Anna nodded again. “I think the girl might be Kari’s friend, Amber Santos,” Ann explained. “Kari sometimes loaned Amber her license so she could get into clubs.”
Ryan jotted t he name down. “Would you be willing to identify her so we can start looking
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