Slay it with Flowers Read Online Free Page A
Author: Kate Collins
women wearing ankle-length, formfitting, brightly hued Mandarin dresses and four-inch spike heels.
Must have been tough serving food in that getup.
CHAPTER TWO
I n the two minutes it took us to exit the shop and cross the street, a crowd had formed on the courthouse lawn, gesturing, whispering, and making rude comments as the five women were herded to the rear of the building. Marco told me to stay put and went to find someone he knew to ask what was going on. I glanced around, spotted Deputy Prosecutor Greg Morgan near the front entrance, and made a beeline for him. Morgan prided himself on having a finger on the throbbing pulse of New Chapel.
I’d known Morgan since high school, when we’d both had a crush on the same person—him. One thing he was not known for was his modesty. He was a handsome man, though a little lacking in intelligence. He’d made it through law school by the skin of his capped teeth and was now the courthouse staff’s golden boy, always radiating an angelic charm that was hard to resist.
Even the defendants liked Morgan. And Lottie absolutely adored him. She had made it her goal to see us hitched, even though I’d told her that being hitched was for donkeys and wagons, and if I were to marry Morgan I’d be the ass on that team.
Sadly, now that I no longer had a crush on him, he had suddenly discovered me, a little fact I’d used shamelessly to my advantage. Like now, for instance. “Hey, Morgan!” I called.
He looked around, saw me, and smiled, and I could almost hear a chorus of angels singing a capella from the clouds above him. “Abby! Wow. I heard about what happened to you last Saturday night. You look pretty good for someone who was drubbed two days ago.”
“I’m resilient.” I nodded my head toward the circus act. “What’s that about?”
He looked over at the five women. “They’re being brought in for an arraignment.”
“What are the charges?”
“Intimidation and resisting arrest.”
“I knew they weren’t waitresses. And that Emperor’s Spa isn’t a massage parlor, is it?”
Morgan’s wide, smooth forehead crinkled in bafflement. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the so-called massage parlor where those women work.”
“Massage parlor?”
“Weren’t they arrested at the Emperor’s Spa?”
“No, at that new restaurant, the China Cabinet. The girls had a beef with the owner and decided to stage a protest in costume to draw attention to themselves. There was an altercation and someone called the police.”
“Those women are waitresses?”
“I haven’t seen the report yet, but supposedly they attend New Chapel U.”
Had my sixth sense failed me? “You aren’t aware of any gossip about the Emperor’s Spa?”
“Never heard of the place.”
So much for Morgan’s pulse on the town. He glanced at his watch, grimaced, and started walking backward. “I’m late for court. Why don’t you check your calendar and see when you’re free for lunch?”
“Will do.” Only because I could pump him for information. I gave him a little wave and swung around to find Marco leaning against a tree not ten feet away, watching me with that knowing male gaze that said, Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for your coy, feminine manipulations? Silly man. Of course I wasn’t.
He pushed away from the trunk and joined me as I headed back to Bloomers. “New boyfriend?”
“Old crush. Greg Morgan, deputy prosecutor.”
“Aha! Your secret source. Did he tell you about the women?”
“Yes.” I tried to sound unconcerned, hoping he wouldn’t rub it in.
“Satisfied now?”
I shrugged a shoulder. What a absurd question. I was never satisfied until I had all the facts. We stopped at the street and waited for two cars to pass. “See you later,” I called and dashed across.
“Hey! Remember your promise!”
Rats. My promise. Talk about a short memory.
The bell jingled as I walked into Bloomers. Grace was at the front counter
Must have been tough serving food in that getup.
CHAPTER TWO
I n the two minutes it took us to exit the shop and cross the street, a crowd had formed on the courthouse lawn, gesturing, whispering, and making rude comments as the five women were herded to the rear of the building. Marco told me to stay put and went to find someone he knew to ask what was going on. I glanced around, spotted Deputy Prosecutor Greg Morgan near the front entrance, and made a beeline for him. Morgan prided himself on having a finger on the throbbing pulse of New Chapel.
I’d known Morgan since high school, when we’d both had a crush on the same person—him. One thing he was not known for was his modesty. He was a handsome man, though a little lacking in intelligence. He’d made it through law school by the skin of his capped teeth and was now the courthouse staff’s golden boy, always radiating an angelic charm that was hard to resist.
Even the defendants liked Morgan. And Lottie absolutely adored him. She had made it her goal to see us hitched, even though I’d told her that being hitched was for donkeys and wagons, and if I were to marry Morgan I’d be the ass on that team.
Sadly, now that I no longer had a crush on him, he had suddenly discovered me, a little fact I’d used shamelessly to my advantage. Like now, for instance. “Hey, Morgan!” I called.
He looked around, saw me, and smiled, and I could almost hear a chorus of angels singing a capella from the clouds above him. “Abby! Wow. I heard about what happened to you last Saturday night. You look pretty good for someone who was drubbed two days ago.”
“I’m resilient.” I nodded my head toward the circus act. “What’s that about?”
He looked over at the five women. “They’re being brought in for an arraignment.”
“What are the charges?”
“Intimidation and resisting arrest.”
“I knew they weren’t waitresses. And that Emperor’s Spa isn’t a massage parlor, is it?”
Morgan’s wide, smooth forehead crinkled in bafflement. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the so-called massage parlor where those women work.”
“Massage parlor?”
“Weren’t they arrested at the Emperor’s Spa?”
“No, at that new restaurant, the China Cabinet. The girls had a beef with the owner and decided to stage a protest in costume to draw attention to themselves. There was an altercation and someone called the police.”
“Those women are waitresses?”
“I haven’t seen the report yet, but supposedly they attend New Chapel U.”
Had my sixth sense failed me? “You aren’t aware of any gossip about the Emperor’s Spa?”
“Never heard of the place.”
So much for Morgan’s pulse on the town. He glanced at his watch, grimaced, and started walking backward. “I’m late for court. Why don’t you check your calendar and see when you’re free for lunch?”
“Will do.” Only because I could pump him for information. I gave him a little wave and swung around to find Marco leaning against a tree not ten feet away, watching me with that knowing male gaze that said, Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for your coy, feminine manipulations? Silly man. Of course I wasn’t.
He pushed away from the trunk and joined me as I headed back to Bloomers. “New boyfriend?”
“Old crush. Greg Morgan, deputy prosecutor.”
“Aha! Your secret source. Did he tell you about the women?”
“Yes.” I tried to sound unconcerned, hoping he wouldn’t rub it in.
“Satisfied now?”
I shrugged a shoulder. What a absurd question. I was never satisfied until I had all the facts. We stopped at the street and waited for two cars to pass. “See you later,” I called and dashed across.
“Hey! Remember your promise!”
Rats. My promise. Talk about a short memory.
The bell jingled as I walked into Bloomers. Grace was at the front counter