Page 7 of The Rose and the Hound (Ashes and Roses #2)

I called Rose in for a face-to-face appointment.

She seemed reluctant but this update could be potentially upsetting, so I wanted to make sure she was okay after I delivered it.

She sat before me, looking demure and polite in a flowing red sundress.

She was so beautiful it was simultaneously hard to look at her and hard to look away.

I hoped the roses had made her happy. She seemed light. Well, not light, but not unhappy.

“So, as I said in my text, I only had the name Robert to go on. Canon didn’t hold records from that time and denied me access regardless.

I searched for ‘Robert’ and ‘Canon,’ adding in keywords like ‘Hamilton’ and restricting the date range.

There were a few results, but only one was promising.

Robert Farrell was a Canon employee who lived close to Hamilton at the time.

He passed away six years ago, according to his son’s funeral message on Facebook.

I reached out to his son to make vague enquiries. ”

Rose nodded. This was a sensitive case. In the message to his son, I’d claimed to be the son of another Canon employee whose name I had found in an old news article on a Christmas drive that Canon had run in the area at about the same time.

His son was eager to connect, making me feel bad that I had no genuine information about his father from that era.

I stated that my father had recently passed away and that I was going down memory lane.

He offered some memories of a Christmas party, where he remembered “my father” dressing up as Santa.

We exchanged stories and I casually asked about his brother.

He said he was an only child because his father had experienced difficulties with fertility.

It was no real proof, but when he sent an image of his father, I realized quickly that Rose was not this man’s child.

The man in the image was Korean. He had been adopted by Americans as a newborn. Rose had no Korean features.

“I think we can safely rule Robert out,” I said to Rose, noting the disappointment on her face.

“So, that leaves Lou from the bar,” she replied quietly.

“Yes, and as I said, it’s not impossible to follow that thread. There will just be no documented evidence. Lou would now be an old man. I’m going to head to the sports bar and ask if there are any elderly regulars. Someone might remember Lou.”

She smiled softly, meeting my eyes before quickly looking away. No need to control your emotions in front of me, Zahra.

“Thank you. Do you require any more money? I know you’re putting in a lot of work.”

I really wasn’t. Most of my research was computer-based. I’d only had one physical trip out to Roy’s company, but she’d still racked up a bill way higher than what she was paying. And now I’d have to go visit this bar.

“No, it’s all sorted. I know how important this is to you, Rose.”

“Thank you again, Mr. Edison.” She rose from her seat and nodded her goodbye.

Shit. I’d called her Rose again. At least I wasn’t calling her Zahra. I’d made her sad. Even if my roses had lifted her spirits, she was sad again.

“I’ll walk you out,” I offered, stepping beside her and placing my hand on her lower back. She stepped away like I’d burned her.

“That won’t be necessary.” Her voice was unsteady, and even as she pulled away, she leaned the top half of her body toward me.

I stepped back, creating an even bigger distance. “Okay, well, thank you for coming in. I’ll text you once I've had a chance to visit the bar.”

She left without giving me any more words. I’m so sorry, my Zahra. I scared you.

I was so worried about her that hours later, I found myself parked in front of her apartment building.

I don’t know what I was looking for. The building had a restricted underground parking lot, so it’s not like I could even see if she was home.

I sat analyzing my actions when I caught a flash of green in my side mirror.

It was Rose, in a lime green tank. She was jogging, her ponytail swishing from side to side with each stride.

Her outfit was tight, very tight. I sat appreciating the view and the fact that I had the darkest legal tint on my windows.

She was breathtaking. She paused outside her building and bent over on herself to catch her breath.

So she liked jogging. Maybe she’d like a gift related to that. I waited until she walked inside before I took off for home. Tonight, I’d look for a new gift for her. Maybe that would make her smile.