by Joyce Lavene
She smiled and leaned against him. “That does sound more interesting than looking at my plants right now. What did you have in mind?”
* * *
Peggy fell asleep in Steve’s arms for about an hour. Then her restless mind woke her and urged her to get out of bed.
She groaned when she saw it was only four a.m. She’d hoped it was closer to six. Oh well. Still time to check on her plants in the basement. Peggy got up and pulled on a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants. She studied Steve’s sleeping face for a moment. He was so handsome and kind.
Funny how things could change. After John had died, she thought she would always be alone. She’d told herself that she didn’t mind. She’d had her love. Then Steve had sneaked into her life, and her heart. He’d brought light and love, changing her life again.
Shakespeare accompanied her down the spiral staircase from her bedroom to the first floor. She loved the feel of the cool marble stairs against her feet, and brushed her hand against a branch of the blue spruce that grew beside the stairs. The scent filled the air around her.
She loved the big, old house when it was quiet. It made settling sounds, like an old tree in the forest. She’d managed to leave her mark on it—something she wasn’t sure was possible when she’d first arrived as a young bride. So many generations of John’s family had added to the rambling halls and rooms. She’d expected to get lost in it, but it never happened.
Some of the old furniture in the library, dining room, and bedrooms had been handmade by John’s grandfather. The antique rose china had come from John’s great-grandmother. The piano had been brought by ship from New York in 1920, pulled by horse and wagon from the port of Wilmington to Charlotte.
Peggy knew her contribution to the house could mostly be found in the grounds surrounding it. She’d planted trees and bushes, landscaped the old roses, and added terraces and other outside features. She felt sure no one in the future would quibble with the work she and John had accomplished in their lifetimes.
John had been an avid gardener too. Except for her specific field of study—poisonous botanicals—he could keep up with her on any gardening projects. He’d created the circular stone terrace and fountain and then filled it with tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. He’d made beautiful benches that graced the walkways.
She missed the understanding and appreciation of gardening that they had shared for thirty years. Many times, it was the last thing they’d talked about at night and were eager to get started on a project in the morning.
It wasn’t something she and Steve had in common. He was good about listening to her ramble on about a new rose or peony, but she knew it wasn’t where his heart was. She smiled when she remembered how puzzled his face had been when they’d first met, and she’d started talking about various plants. He was better educated now.
Peggy was about to go into the basement, where she kept her botanical experiments, when the phone in her pocket rang.
“Mom!” Paul’s voice was high-pitched and excited. “We’re leaving for the hospital. Mai says it’s time.”
“We’ll meet you there.”
Paul had already hung up before she could say goodbye. Peggy smiled, remembering the night he’d been born. She’d thought John was going to drive into the hospital when they couldn’t find a close parking space.
She ran upstairs excitedly and kissed Steve. “Wake up! We’re about to be grandparents.”
* * *
Three hours later, the hospital staff was sending Mai back home. She wasn’t dilating enough. The doctor said she wasn’t having real contractions.
“But we’re getting ready for the big event,” he said with a broad grin on his face.
“Sorry to drag you out for nothing,” Paul said to Steve and Peggy. “I thought for sure she’d know when the baby was coming since she works for the medical examiner’s office. She knows everything about dead bodies.”
Peggy laughed. “It happens to a lot of people, no matter what their training. Even doctors and nurses are fooled. It’s a huge moment in your life. It’s easy to get carried away.”
Mai stepped out of the cubicle, wearing her street clothes instead of a hospital gown. Her pretty, almond-colored face was annoyed. “I feel like a bloated idiot.”
“You’re not any kind of idiot.” Peggy hugged her. “And maybe this is just as well since your parents are in Europe. I know they want to be here too.”
“Thanks. I wish that made me feel better.” Mai wiped tears from her dark eyes. “I just want to get this over. I’m sorry I decided to take a leave of absence from the ME’s office before the baby was born. I’m so bored. All I want to do is eat and sleep.”
Paul put his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her large tummy. “It’s going to happen any time now. Just be patient. Besides, we didn’t want the baby to be around all those chemicals and see dead bodies.”
Mai faced him with no humor in her expression. “The baby has been around those chemicals for the last nine months. She knows as much about forensics as I do. Let’s go home. I need to stop at Krispy Kreme on the way. And don’t say anything to me about gaining weight.”
“Goodnight, you two.” Steve smiled. “I guess we’ll try this again later.”
“Sorry again.” Paul rubbed his head. “Any herb she could take to get the baby out sooner, Mom?”
“Not a good idea,” Peggy told him. “Let nature take its course. She’ll be all right.”
Paul glanced at Mai’s retreating back. “I guess I better go. She’ll leave me here. That woman is single-minded right now when it comes to food.”
Steve laughed as Paul ran after his wife. “You know, I thought the whole thing about cravings was a myth.”
“You’d find out different at your own peril.” She took his arm. “At least it’s morning. I’m glad that night is over.”
“Me too. Now we can go home and really get the day started.”
“I’d like to get a do-over on it.” She yawned.
“What are you planning for today—besides getting your car back?”
“We’re bringing in fall stock at the store. I know it’s still summer, but people have to plan ahead for their spring gardens. Those tulips and hyacinths don’t plant themselves.”
“Unless you hire Sam.”
“That’s right. Another good reason to plan ahead. Sam is very popular. And very busy in the fall.”
They went back to the house—and another crazy welcome from Shakespeare. Steve took the dog for a walk while Peggy made tea and coffee. A few minutes later, two agents who worked with Steve showed up. It had become routine a few days a week for them to get started here.
Peggy liked Agent Millie Sanford. She was a very competent redhead who was calm, smart, and funny. It made her feel good that Millie had Steve’s back if they ever ran into trouble.
Agent Norris Rankin was another story. He and Peggy had rubbed each other the wrong way since they’d met. Peggy found him generally condescending and obnoxious. Steve trusted him though, so she did the best she could to get along with the man.
This morning, Peggy’s neighbor, Walter Bellows, ended up around their table in the kitchen too. “Did something happen last night that caused your dog to bark at odd hours?”
Steve was bringing Shakespeare in as Walter arrived. The dog almost spun the man around as he raced by him to get to his food that Peggy had put out.
“Nothing I want to talk about.” Peggy got mugs for her visitors. “If you’re not busy though, I wouldn’t mind a ride to the shop today.”
“I can drive you,” Steve said.
“Maybe not,” Norris countered. “We had another burglary last night. We got the call at about 2 a.m. Antique jewelry again—this time diamonds. A woman was roughed up a little but not seriously hurt. I’m hoping we can finally get a description of the gang responsible for this.”
“Why is the FBI looking into local burglaries?” Peggy wondered. “Shouldn’t that be the Charlotte police?”
“The FBI has been following this gang of thieves through several states,” Steve explained. “Right now, they’re in Charlotte. I’d like to be the one to stop them.”
Millie tossed her super-straight red hair. It was as fiery as Peggy’s hair had been in her youth. “I think Steve could take the time to drop off his wife, Norris.”
“Whatever.” Norris closed his planner. “If that’s what you want to do, Steve.”
“I have no burglaries to look into, nor a single homicide to investigate.” Walter poured himself a cup of coffee, liberally adding cream and sugar. “I’d be delighted to take Peggy to the shop.”
He smiled at her, a short man who always wore a brown and black tweed cap that caused tufts of his gray hair to stick out all over his head. Peggy and Walter were neighbors who’d become friends with their shared love of plants.
Peggy smiled at Steve. “I’m good with Walter’s offer to take me to the garden shop. Don’t worry about it.”
Steve frowned, but went along with the plan. They met upstairs as they were getting ready to go their separate ways. He zipped the back of her brown dress and kissed her. “You know, this doesn’t have to be the way our work days start. I know you don’t like Norris. I could have him and Millie start meeting me at the office every morning.”
“That’s okay.” She touched up her hair, and put on a pair of jade and gold earrings. “I get to see you for a few minutes extra during the week this way. I can put up with Norris.”
He hugged her tightly to him. “If you’re sure. Be careful today. I know you want whatever information is at the storage building. Someone else might want it too. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will.” She smiled, and kissed him again. “Don’t be so worried. I can look after myself.”
“I’d appreciate it if you said the actual words—I’ll call you if I need you, Steve.”
She laughed at him. “You’d think I got you out of bed in the middle of the night because I’d been arrested or something.”
“Peggy?”
“Okay.” She stared seriously into his eyes. “I’ll call you if I need you, Steve. All right?”
“All right.”
They agreed to text each other during the day to decide if they wanted to eat dinner out that night. Steve went down first. He left right away, taking Norris and Millie with him.
Peggy went down a few minutes later, and found Walter helping himself to some leftover donuts that she’d bought from a high school student as part of a fundraiser.
“I’m afraid I need to ask a favor,” she said to him.
“Anything, dear lady.” The words were muffled around the chocolate-covered donut in his mouth.
“I need to make one stop before I go to The Potting Shed. You can leave me there. I can go to the shop once I pick up my car.”
“That’s what’s missing.” He clapped his hands together. “I knew it was something. What happened to your car?”
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
Peggy set the alarm for the house, glad to see the roofers hadn’t arrived yet. She was hoping to get the answer she needed from Sam before they started working on getting rid of the English ivy again. She knew Dalton would take a shortcut, if he could. She also knew he’d regret it later.
She knew Steve had thought she was going right to the mini-storage, but she really planned to yell at Harry at his motel before they went there. Peggy knew Steve might get too involved in what they were doing if he was there for what was sure to be some unpleasant moments.
Even though she knew Harry didn’t have a car, she figured they could take a cab to the mini- storage for the auction and then pick up her car. She probably wouldn’t need a code to get on the lot during the auction—they were sure to leave the gate open.
She’d only been to Harry’s room at the Flowers Motel once. It was a sleazy dive that was probably on the national bedbug list. She’d been careful not to sit on the chair or bed while she was there. The rest of their meetings had been at restaurants where she wasn’t familiar, and spots in Charlotte that were easy to reach from the garden shop while she was working.
When she told Walter where she was going and why, he stared at her as though she’d lost her mind. “Seriously, Peggy, maybe you should have allowed Steve to bring you there—with an armed escort. There are dozens of shootings and drug dealers in that area.”
“You don’t have to stay, or even park. Just stop the car, and let me out. I know someone staying there. He and I need to have a discussion.”
“This is about what happened to you last night, I assume.” He started the older Bentley and carefully inched down the driveway toward Queens Road. “Is it wise to see this man again after he was responsible for your nearly being arrested?”
“It may not be wise, but I’m in the middle of it now. I’m going to see it through.”
He shrugged and looked both ways at the oncoming traffic that was streaming toward them. When there were absolutely no cars or buses that he could see, he slowly crept out into the street.
Peggy took a deep breath. She could’ve probably ridden there faster on her bike. If she didn’t have so much to do—and so many places to go—she would’ve done that. She was grateful that Walter was willing to give her a ride, but being patient was difficult sometimes.
Walter’s Bentley chugged its way toward South Boulevard. He didn’t like the Interstate highway and would do anything to avoid it. They drove into one of the most depressed business areas, and headed for the Flowers Motel.
The motel had once been an office building that had fallen into disrepair along with the rest of the property around it. Four men in their underwear sat outside at a street-level smoke shop in the warm morning air. They waved as the Bentley went by.
“I’m glad you don’t require me to park in this place.” Walter eyed the men suspiciously. “I’m afraid I’d have very little left of my car when I returned.”
“Don’t worry. I parked here. No one bothered my car.”
He sniffed indignantly. “Madam, you drive a hybrid. This car is a classic. Comparing the two would be like comparing opera and pop music!”
Peggy smiled and ignored him. Walter liked to complain, but he had a very good heart. She knew he’d do almost anything for her. She felt the same about him.
“Right there.” She pointed. “Number six on the ground floor. Just pull in there, and I’ll get out.”
He pulled the Bentley between the faded yellow parking lines and dared a glance around them. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Absolutely.” She got out of the car and reached back for her handbag. “Thank you for the ride. Can you find your way back to Queens Road?”
“I can. Please be careful. I feel people watching us and plotting our demise.” He shivered. “Your husband won’t thank me for bringing you to your doom.”
“He would’ve done the same thing,” she assured him. “Be careful driving back.”
Peggy left the Bentley and walked confidently to the door with the large brass 6 on it. She knocked, but there was no answer. She tried calling Harry again on the phone. Still no answer. She knocked, and yelled out his name, drawing unwanted attention from the men in their underwear across the parking lot from her.
Still no answer.
She finally put her hand on the doorknob and turned. The door eased open. Peggy stepped carefully into the room. The small bed was carelessly made. The TV was on with the news channel playing low. There was a light on in the bathroom, and the door was partially closed.
She walked across the tacky pink carpet, and tapped on the door. “Harry?”
No answer.
She really didn’t want to open the bathroom door. Instead, she knocked hard, the thin door shaking under her onslaught. “Harry!”
Still no answer.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen naked men before. She knew he liked to drink. He might have fallen asleep in the tub.
Peggy
slowly pushed open the door. Something was caught on the back of it. She had to shove to get it open. Eyes closed, she poked her head in through the partially open space.
When she peeked, she saw Harry lying on the floor, a broken glass near one hand. There was a bluish tinge to his face—his lips were colorless. White foam was coming from his mouth.
“Oh, Harry.” She shook her head as she maneuvered around the door into the tiny room and crouched beside him. “What did you get mixed up in this time?”
Ginger
In 1585, Jamaican ginger was the first oriental spice to be grown in the New World and imported back to Europe. It has a history of cures in folk medicine including uses for nausea and vomiting, rheumatoid arthritis, and joint and muscle pain. Ginger also acts as a food preservative.
Chapter Five
“How do you know your friend has been poisoned?” the 911 operator asked.
“It’s part of my job to know these things.” Peggy walked out of the bathroom. “I’m a forensic botanist with the medical examiner’s office.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll send help.”
“Thank you.” She put away her phone and stood at the bathroom door again, surveying the room.
“What happened to him?” Walter asked.
Peggy jumped, unnerved by his voice behind her. “I thought you were leaving.” She put her hand to her chest as her heat beat slowed again.
“What kind of man would I be to leave you in this terrible place?” He gazed around the room. “It’s even worse on the inside, if that’s at all possible. Is that the man you were meeting?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “It looks like I’m on my own again.”
“Is he dead?” He sniffed. “I smell cheap scotch.”
“Yes, he’s dead. You probably smell what was in that glass.” She pointed to the shattered glass. “It appears that he was poisoned.”
“Poisoned? How can you tell?”
“There are the usual signs of toxicity. You see the white foam at his mouth, and the coloration of his face. No doubt he lost control of his body, and fell to the floor, dropping the glass he held. It probably still contains the poison that was used.”