White Offerings Read Online Free PDF Page B

flower wouldn’t travel well. It is much better to ship flowers when they are in low spike, or just getting started with their buds. It’s much less likely they’ll be damaged.”
    Ari suspected as much. She’d surfed the Internet for a few minutes before they’d left her office, and it became apparent that FTD and its counterparts didn’t carry the
Gigantic Angraecum.
“How many have you grown?” Ari pressed.
    “Some.”
    Ari noticed that Isabel’s gaze drifted to another part of the store. She wasn’t sure if it was because there were serious clients needing assistance or if Isabel was trying to hide a lie.
    “So I don’t suppose most people could afford this flower,” Jane joked. Ari saw where she was going with the comment, but Isabel just laughed and continued to look away, her interest in the conversation quickly dwindling.
    “Could you give us the names of those other florists, Izzie?”
    “Of course.” She wrote down the names and held the slip of paper out to Jane. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.” Isabel’s tone was unmistakable. She would trade information for another night in Jane’s bed.
    Without hesitation, Jane plucked the paper from Isabel’s fingers, a wide grin on her face. Ari knew she appreciated someone who could drive a bargain.
    “That would be wonderful, darling,” she said, and Ari thought she was genuinely pleased.
    Isabel kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll pick you up at seven.” She waved good-bye and headed toward her other customers.
    “Well, another night with Izzie won’t be so bad,” Jane said. They climbed into the Porsche and she started the engine.
    Ari shook her head, unable to fathom Jane’s sexual ethics. “There’s something about her that’s off.”
    “What are you talking about? Izzie is amazing. She’s really smart. She’s got a Ph.D. or something in horticulture and she’s totally hot.”
    “In other words, she’s brilliant, knows a lot about flowers and doesn’t mind blackmailing you for sex.” Jane’s jaw dropped and she continued. “She just seems possessive and quite interested in getting her own way.”
    “I still don’t think she sent me those flowers. I’m sure it was a man.”
    “I’m not,” Ari disagreed. “In fact, after a day with you, I’d almost bet a woman is sending you those flowers.”
    Jane shrugged and steered the Porsche into the closest Starbucks for a shaken black iced tea. They stopped by one of the three flower shops Izzie listed, but the salesclerk hadn’t sold any elephant orchids, as Jane now insisted on calling them, in over four months. The day was practically over and Ari demanded that they quit.
    As Jane drove back to Ari’s office, talking with Aspen Harper on her cell phone headset, Ari thought of Izzie. She reminded her of a spider—cunning, exquisite and dangerous. Ari would never have dated a woman like her. Then it hit her. Never once during their visit had Isabel asked Jane to explain why she wanted to know about orchids.

Chapter Six

    Saturday, October 14th
    3:18 PM

    Molly sank into her desk chair and massaged her temples. They had spent two hours at FBI headquarters analyzing the owners and tenants of Cactus Airpark. A breakdown in communication had occurred and no one had informed Connie Rasp that almost all of the buildings were owned by the same corporation, Johnson Enterprises, a shell company with many arms. One of those was Rondo Dynamics, owned by John Rondo, a cousin of Vince Carnotti. Molly almost laughed when she thought of the confrontation between Rasp and the low-level researcher who had forgotten to e-mail the vital information to her. By the time Rasp finished screaming at him, he walked away without a rear end, having it thoroughly chewed off by her.
    Molly located the Tums in her desk drawer and popped four into her mouth to quell her sour stomach. She craved a Scotch but reached for a water bottle instead. Ari had insisted she improve her diet and was now purchasing