Queen V.'s Arc

Chapter 10 of 13

She walked back to the garden house and checked the windows. The glass was clean. The chairs were arranged in rows. Everything looked ready. But Hank was still outside on his side of the property line, and soon the other guests would arrive. Paul appeared at the garden house door with three of the early arrivals. They carried wine glasses and wandered toward the rose beds near the property line. Queen V. followed them. She needed to position herself between her guests and Hank before anyone started asking questions. The roses gave them a reason to cluster there, but it also gave them a clear view across the line. Hank stood from his bench and walked onto her property. He held his phone in one hand, screen facing out like an invitation. The guests turned to watch. Queen V. stepped forward and met him halfway, blocking their sightline. "The shears," Hank said quietly, holding out a pair of polished gardening shears in his other hand. "You left these on my side yesterday. Thought you'd want them back before your event." His phone stayed visible in his other palm. She took the shears without looking at the phone. "Thank you," she said clearly, loud enough for the guests to hear. She turned and walked back toward the garden house. Hank returned to his side of the line and sat down. The guests moved away from the roses, their attention already shifting to the rosé table. Queen V. set the shears on the brick bench and straightened. She had contained the moment. But Hank had walked onto her property carrying proof of what they both knew, and her guests had seen him come to her. The secret was still theirs. The leverage was still his.