Free Deadly Sins by Kylie Brant Page B

But he carried one every day when he was selling out on his own. It belongs to Mr. Hardt, though. That’s how he kept tabs on how Danny was doin’. If he was havin’ a real good day in the summertime, Mr. Hardt might send someone out to restock him.”
    “Did you know that Byron Reinbeck was one of Danny’s customers?”
    Rosa straightened, tension settling into her limbs as her expression grew stern. “Danny didn’t go round bragging on himself, if that’s what you mean.”
    Which of course was a yes. Adam eyed her steadily. “You were probably asked that already. Whether your son recognized who and what Byron was. Whether anyone had talked to him about it. Asked for times and dates Byron had been by.”
    The sigh that emanated from her sounded weary. “They’s thinkin’ that he tol’ someone that man came by sometimes. I tried to explain, but they didn’t listen. Danny wouldn’t think to tell people ’cuz he didn’t understand why’s Reinbeck was so important. People was all people to him. Some nicer than others. Danny liked Mr. Reinbeck ’cuz he always treated him real good.”
    “But you knew who Byron was.”
    Reluctantly she nodded. “Mr. Hardt tol’ me. When the weather was cold, Mr. Reinbeck, he’d stop at the shop sometimes. He’d always call first, and Mr. Hardt would have Danny stay open late to wait for him.”
    Adam could imagine that the absent Mr. Hardt had also entertained a visit from the feds. And that they’d had quite a few questions for him. “Did Mr. Reinbeck ever call a day or so in advance?”
    “Once in a while, Mr. Hardt said, but usually it was like yesterday. Last minute.”
    There were voices approaching in the hallway. Adam suspected the reverend had arrived. He rose. “I don’t want to keep you any longer, Ms. Shelton. My condolences on the loss of your son.”
    The nod the woman gave held a surprising dignity. “I thank you for that, Mr. Raiker.”
    Adam moved to the door, halted with one hand on the knob. After hearing what Rosa had had to say, his mind was already on a couple phone calls he needed to make after leaving here. One to Jo Reinbeck and the other to Paulie. Half turning he asked, “Did Danny have that cell phone with him the day of the shooting?”
    The woman shrugged. “I can’t say, but I ’spect he did. Like I said, that’s how Mr. Hardt kept up with him. He’d tell ’em when it was time to close up. Danny would take any flowers he hadn’t sold back to the shop. He had a key. It was his job to put the unsold flowers back in the cooler and then sweep up.”
    Adam took a notepad from his suit breast pocket. “Do you happen to know that number?” And was unsurprised when Rosa rattled it off without missing a beat.
    “I’d check up on Danny, too, sometimes. Or my grandsons would. He’s been robbed twice, out on the street like that. Never got hurt, though.” This time her effort to stem the tears failed. She snatched a tissue from a box on the table and dabbed at her face. “Leastways, not ’til the other day.”

    “Reinbeck’s car was clean,” Assistant Director Hedgelin was saying as Adam slipped into the man’s office. “And there was no GPS device planted on any of his personal belongings, either.”
    “What about his chambers?” Jaid crossed one black-clad leg over the other and tried not to wonder where Adam had been. Or what had caused that knot on his forehead. It hadn’t been there when they’d parted last night.
    “There was a sweep done on his quarters at the court. On all the areas where he would have spent time. No listening devices were detected. We’re looking at the flower vendor, Shelton, and at his boss, who owns the shop that supplied him.” He looked at Adam then, but the man said nothing. “We know Justice Reinbeck called Shelton an hour before leaving. We can assume he asked about the availability of the flowers.”
    “And maybe Shelton tipped someone else off.” Shepherd leaned forward, a note of