Belly of the Beast

Chapter 21

It felt good to work and forget about zombies for a while. Lindy and I narrowed our cover photo choices to ten. We only needed to weed out three and we were golden. About eleven AM, my stomach reminded me to eat a snack, and I left the collab room to fetch a protein bar. When I neared my desk, I noticed a runner setting a bouquet of flowers on it.

"Are those for me?" I said as I admired the bright yellow daffodils.

"Are you Reese Valentino?" he asked, glancing at the tiny envelope stuck inside a long, gold clip.

"That's me."

The runner saluted and scurried off, leaving me in charge of the bouquet, and Lindy walked over with her eyes twinkling.

"Those are gorgeous. Who sent them to you?"

"Probably my husband. If not, they better be from a female or my dad."

Lindy laughed while I tried to get the envelope unclipped. The writing on the front said To Reese from Vincent. So that settled that. This was definitely my darling husband apologizing for his shitty accusation yesterday.

"Geez. What's the problem with this clip? It won't open." Working with my thick-as-steel fingernails, I pried the clip open and snatched the envelope, but the clasp caught the tip of my finger as it snapped shut and blood quickly pooled from a fresh cut. "The son-of-a-bitch bit me!"

"Oh, no. That's not right, Reese. I'll write down the name of the florist and complain to them about their dangerous clips. There are band-aids in the breakroom."

"I'm sure I'll be good." I sucked the blood from my finger as I opened the envelope with my thumb. The enclosed card was written in a neat hand; If you want to cure the fever, you need to fetch the book.

What the heck did Vincent mean by that? If he was going for morbid humor, he failed miserably.

"What does it say? Can you share it?" Lindy looked eager but, unfortunately, I had to dash her hopes. 

"It's an inside joke. You wouldn't get it."

"So, it's dirty, then." She grinned, looking appeased, as she sat down at her desk, and I placed a call to Vincent as I continued to suck my injured finger.

"Hi, Reese. You want to get lunch?"

"Uh, sure. I actually called about the flowers. I didn't get the joke."

"What flowers?"

"The flowers you sent me. They arrived just now. They're beautiful, but I don't under..."

"I didn't send you flowers, Reese."

Yikes.

"Well, the envelope says they're from you to me. And the card inside has this cryptic message. If you want to cure the fever, you need to fetch the book. Who else would know about..."

"Get away from those flowers, Reese!" Vincent's shout echoed loud enough that Lindy heard him, and her head snapped up to look at me. "Call someone and have the flowers removed from the building. Or remove yourself from the building. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I glared at the cheerful yellow blooms. "Okay. I'll have the runner come back and get them. Should he keep the evidence somewhere?"

"Have him leave them in the mailroom. That should be far enough away from you. How are you feeling?" Vincent's respirations had picked up, and I imagined him grabbing his jacket and keys as he left the apartment. I did the same, walking away from my desk as I eyeballed the daffodils from my peripherals.

"I feel fine."

"Good. Call me if anything strange happens."

I knew what he meant by strange so I didn't ask him to elaborate. As soon as I hung up the phone, I gestured to Lindy from my position two yards away. "Will you have someone from the mailroom come up and get those flowers? Vincent didn't send them, and he wants them confiscated."