by Joyce Lavene
Dr. Wyman gawked at Peggy. “We just gave you a copy of that report. What kind of game are you playing?”
“She’s playing the kind of game where she works for the medical examiner’s office, and she was assaulted in your parking lot. The file was stolen from her not even a hundred feet outside your door.” Al didn’t pull any punches. There was no doubt, looking at his angry face, that he was serious.
“Our security chief will take care of the video footage from the parking lot.” Dr. Wyman backed down. “My assistant will get that copy made for you, Detective. I’m sorry about your injuries, Dr. Lee. Do you need to go to the emergency room?”
“No. I just need to get that information back to my boss at the medical examiner’s office, thank you.”
Al nodded at her as the men went to do his bidding. “How do you think this man knew that you were here getting this file?”
“Maybe he followed me. I saw him at the auction. It wasn’t just him, Al. It was at least him and someone else in the van. Each of them opened one of the doors, trapping me there.”
“There’s a special kind of hell for a man like that who pushes helpless women around.”
“I don’t consider myself helpless.” She smiled. “But they did gang up on me.”
“What about this other man who bought Harry’s stuff?” Al asked.
“I haven’t had a chance to look him up. I’ll do that as soon as I get this autopsy report back.”
Al shook his head. “You know this puts a different spin on everything, Peggy. I’ll go back with you to the ME’s office. You give me the information you have about this man, and I’ll take it from there.”
Peggy didn’t like that idea, but didn’t have a chance to say so before the security chief returned. He gave Al a DVD of the video from the parking lot and offered to do anything Al needed to clear up the attack.
A minute later, Dr. Wyman and his assistant showed up with the copied files.
“Thanks for your help.” Al shook hands with them again. “I’ll let you know when we find out what happened.”
“I hope you’re all right, Dr. Lee.” Wyman shook her hand too. “I’ll be attending your lecture at Queens. If I can be of any assistance, please let me know.”
“Thank you.” Peggy smiled, not one to hold a grudge.
She walked out with Al who saw her to her car, and closed the door after her. She knew he was going to follow her back to the ME’s office. She was stuck giving him the information he wanted.
Maybe it was for the best. Whatever Harry was into had gotten him killed. Trying to find out what it was had made two men attack her. Maybe it was better for Al to look into it. She could help by working with Dorothy.
It seemed to her as though whatever was going on had to be something Harry had been part of before John’s death. His wife had died about ten years before John. It may have begun there—a theory that might be proven if they were both killed with convallatoxin.
The rain had stopped again. Watery sunlight followed her from the hospital to the morgue. Dorothy was waiting anxiously when Peggy and Al walked inside.
“Thank heaven you’re all right.” Dorothy hugged Peggy. “Are you sure you don’t need a few stitches in that cut?” She thoroughly examined Peggy’s cheek.
“My doctor said it would be all right.” Peggy smiled when she thought of Steve putting the bandages on her face. “In the meantime, the autopsy report from the hospital found a large amount of toxin in Ann Fletcher’s body. When we get Harry’s tox screen back, I think we might find the same thing.”
Dorothy nodded. “Would that be reflective of what you saw when you found his body?”
“Yes. It would have to be a large amount of toxin to kill so quickly, but it could be done in food or drink.”
“Or scotch.” Dorothy smiled.
“Exactly.” Peggy took out her phone and sat down at her computer. She removed the micro-SD card from her phone and used it to transfer her photo of the list that she’d taken at the mini- storage to the computer. “I can send this to you, Al. I don’t which name is the right one for the wheezing man. I’d planned to go through them until I found him.”
“That’s great,” Al assured her. “I can do the same thing, but faster. I’ll let you know when we find something.”
Peggy also downloaded the picture she’d taken of the wheezing man. “This isn’t a great photo, but it might help ID him.” She hoped Al would keep her in the loop on this. “Thanks for your help at the hospital.”
Dorothy and Al shook hands before he left. She promised him copies of their results when they came in too.
“So you have Ann Fletcher’s file,” Dorothy said to Peggy when Al was gone.
“I do. I’ve already perused it, but I’ll go through it more thoroughly.”
“Tomorrow.” Dorothy put her hand on the manila folder. “I think you’ve been through enough today. We’re still waiting for Harry’s information. It will keep overnight.”
Peggy agreed with her. “You’re right. I have to relieve my assistant at The Potting Shed for a few hours. That’s the only trouble with hiring college students—they have tests they have to study for.”
Dorothy laughed. “And dates. And countless clubs. Yes, I remember. See you tomorrow. Be good to yourself tonight.”
“Thanks. I will.”
Peggy walked out to her car, after telling Tom goodbye. She was surprised to find a Charlotte police cruiser waiting for her. The officer told her that Al said to make sure she got where she was going safely.
“Thanks. I appreciate that, but I’m sure it was an isolated incident.”
The young man, probably only a few years younger than Paul, nodded and smiled. “This is my job, ma’am. I do what they tell me.”
“I know you do. Okay. Let’s go.”
When she got to her car, she was horrified to see that someone had sprayed it with red paint.
Leave it alone!
Blueberry
In Ireland, baskets of blueberries are still offered to a loved one in commemoration of Lammas Day. Once only known as wild berries, botanists have improved the flavor and size of the berries, which we now know are so good for you. These bushes are related to rhododendron and azalea and can be a nice addition to a yard with their white flowers in spring and red-orange fall foliage.
Chapter Twelve
Officer Blandiss was extremely apologetic for not realizing what had happened to her car in the parking lot. He wrote out the report for the vandalism and reported it to Al.
“There was no way for you to know this happened, unless you checked every car in the lot,” Peggy told him. “You didn’t even know which car was mine.”
“Yes, ma’am, but I still feel bad about it since I was sent here to protect you. This paint is still tacky—the vandal may have done it while I was waiting.”
“Don’t forget it’s been raining. It takes longer for paint to dry in this humidity.”
Al said he would send a tow truck to bring her car in for processing, in case the vandal left fingerprints. He told Officer Blandiss to take her to The Potting Shed.
“Be sure to thank him for me.” Peggy smiled, even though she was shaken at the idea that the people who attacked her were so intent that they would follow her here. She was glad she wasn’t in the parking lot again when they were there.
Officer Blandiss nodded. “We’re good to go whenever you’re ready.”
Peggy got into his car, aware of the eyes that were watching from inside the medical examiner’s office. Twice in one day was a lot for anyone. It was more than enough for her. She needed to be at The Potting Shed for a while to soothe her nerves. It was difficult to think rationally with so much going on.
Officer Blandiss drove her to Brevard Court but had to drop her off to leave for another call. “I hate to leave you here, ma’am. If you need anything, give Detective McDonald a call. Have a good day.”
“Thank you for everything—Luke.” She read his nametag
. She’d been too upset about her car at the office to notice his first name.
He smiled and gave her a little salute before he switched on his blue and white lights and disappeared into traffic.
Of course, Sofia and Emil were at their street-side window in the Kozy Kettle when she was dropped off. They immediately ran out of their shop to ask what had happened.
Peggy kept it simple, but the cut on her cheek was evidence that there was something more involved than her car being vandalized.
“Oh my good gracious!” Sofia dramatically raised her hands to the sky. “What kind of world do we live in where a man assaults a woman and paints her car?”
Emil shook his head, his thick mustache drooping in the humidity. “Only in this godforsaken place could this happen. America. Land of opportunity to commit crime.”
Sofia tapped her long, red fingernail on her cheek. “What about your Aunt Babba? She was thrown down in the street and pulled behind a cart for miles. That was a worse crime than this.”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “But Babba was in her prime—not like poor Peggy here. It might have killed her!”
Peggy had been smiling and trying to sneak away from them as they reminisced about the old days and tried to decide if she was in her dotage. If she could make it inside The Potting Shed, they might not follow. Especially if a new customer went into their shop.
“Oh, look!” Peggy pointed. “I just saw a woman go into the Kozy Kettle.”
“Where?” Emil’s forehead furrowed. “We should get back.”
“Yes!” Sofia took a moment to squeeze Peggy’s hand. “I am so sorry. As soon as the new customer is seen to, I’ll bring something good over for you. Good food. Good drink. They make us forget the bad things, eh?”
“Thank you so much.” Peggy scooted into The Potting Shed.
“What was going on out there?” Selena asked. “I thought I might have to come out and rescue you.”
“A police car dropped me off.”
“Why did a—Peggy! What happened to your face?” Selena’s golden eyes were horrified as she stared at the cut on Peggy’s cheek.
“It’s really not as bad as it looks.” Peggy took off her rain poncho. “If you need to leave, I’m here for the rest of the day.”
“No way. Not until I hear everything. Quick! Tell me before Sam hears you. I’d like to get the scoop before him for once.”
“What scoop are you talking about now?” Sam joined them. The grin on his tanned face disappeared quickly when he saw Peggy. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital or something? What happened?”
Peggy sat in her old rocker. “I’m glad you’re both here together. This way, I only have to say it one more time.”
* * *
Sam and Selena sat silently as Peggy outlined the attack and the vandalism on her car.
“It’s what you were saying all along,” Sam said. “You’ve got a nose for this stuff.”
“In that case, she’d better have some plastic surgery,” Selena added. “It’s not good for your health to have people beat you up in parking lots.”
“It was just a warning,” Peggy said.
“A warning that you’re going to ignore.” Sam was fast to reply. “You should let the police handle this.”
“I gave everything to Al. All I’m doing now is looking into the poison that was used in Ann Fletcher’s death and if the same poison was used on Harry. That’s it.”
“Yeah.” Selena started to gather her books and backpack. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“It’s true,” Peggy said. “Al has the information from the storage unit. He knows about Ann’s death. He’s supposed to send me information about the wheezing man who outbid me this morning so I can identify him.”
“And then what?” Sam demanded. “Don’t go out again by yourself, huh? Not until this is over.”
“Sam, I just cut my face. It’s not like someone shot me!”
“Not that you’d care!” He shook his head. “Have you told Steve?”
“He knows.”
“Did you give Al the picture from the auction? Or are you just waiting until Al tells you who the wheezing man is so you can pay him a visit?”
“Even Peggy wouldn’t be that crazy.” Selena put up her umbrella.
“Don’t you know that’s bad luck?” Sam demanded.
A wicked grin came over Selena’s face. “You mean opening an umbrella inside like this?” She opened and closed the bright red umbrella several more times.
Sam advanced on her with a murderous expression. Sofia chose that moment to come into the shop with tea and a pastry box for Peggy. Selena almost knocked her down trying to evade Sam.
Sofia stepped quickly out of their path. “You two should take that rough and tumble outside,” she barked at them. “There is an old woman in pain here. Be respectful for once. Young people today!”
Selena laughed and waved to Peggy as she left for the day.
Sam offered to get Peggy her cane and shawl so she wouldn’t have to leave the rocker and then disappeared into the back of the shop with a hoot of laughter.
Sofia shook herself after she made the sign of the cross on her chest. “I don’t know why you have such crazy people working for you. The two of them are like small children. Large, small children. You know what I mean?”
“I know.” Peggy smiled when she thought about how crazy Sam and Selena thought Sofia and Emil were. “That’s something I love about them. It can be annoying sometimes, but mostly it’s good.”
“Here is your tea and a nice sweet roll to get you past the bad things. Call us if you need anything. You should not be here alone. Where is that worthless man you call a husband? If this had happened to me, Emil would be searching through the city for this man who attacked me.”
“Thanks.” Peggy took the tea and white pastry box from her, trying not to take offense at Sofia’s description of Steve. “Steve is working, but Sam’s in the back.”
Sofia waved her hand. “I meant real people.”
Peggy laughed as Sofia went back across the courtyard to the Kozy Kettle.
No matter what, Sofia and Emil were two of the most good-hearted people she’d ever known. She knew they’d close their shop in a heartbeat and run hers, if she needed them to. She’d do the same for them. She wasn’t sure why they disliked Steve so intensely. Maybe he wasn’t around enough for them to get to know him.
Peggy had just opened the box that held the delicious-looking sweet roll when the front door bell rang. A woman she recognized from her weekly garden club meetings stepped in. Claire Drummond was a frequent customer who lived in an expensive house, not too from Peggy’s. Her husband was a well-known attorney in Charlotte, so she always had plenty of money to spend on her yard.
“I’m so happy you’re here, Peggy.” Claire smiled when she saw her. She was tall and muscular, her very large, white teeth prominent in her face. “I was hoping to talk to you.”
“What can I do for you, Claire?” Peggy put her tea and sweet roll under the counter.
“I’m thinking about clearing all those old holly bushes out of my yard. I’d like to plant beautyberry bushes instead. I just love the blue berries, don’t you?”
“I do,” Peggy agreed. “But beautyberry isn’t native to this area, so it may take more attention than the hollies. I hate to see you rip out native bushes that have probably been in place for at least fifty years.”
Claire pouted—not a good look for her. “You sound like my husband. Honestly, what does everyone like about holly bushes anyway? They’re prickly, and you said the berries are poisonous, right? I know they’re less work, and they made it through the last drought very well. But that’s why I have a yard service. I expect them to take care of any problems that come up.”
Peggy knew Sam had wanted to take over Claire’s yard service for a long time. She wished he was up there with them, although she knew he’d feel the same way about taking out the holly bushe
s.
“I understand. What about something else with blue berries?”
“I don’t know. What did you have in mind?”
“What about blueberry bushes? You’d get the same color, and you could eat the berries.”
Claire considered it. “I don’t know if my yard is right for blueberries, though the idea is intriguing. I’ve been reading about people planting edible gardens. Maybe something like that would work for me.”
“You could have your yard service people test the soil and see if blueberries would live there. After that, you could consider putting in all edible plants. It might even get your yard on TV again. The idea is revolutionary.”
“That’s exciting, Peggy! That’s why I wanted you to be here when I came. You always have the best ideas.” Claire’s expression turned unhappy. “But I lost my long-time yard service last month, and this new service is only interested in what kind of grass we grow. My husband doesn’t care, but frankly, I’d like to rip all the grass out too. What is that but a waste of time and energy?”
No lawn service, huh? Peggy grinned. “You’re in luck, Claire. I think Sam could fit you into his schedule.”
Claire’s brown eyes widened. “Really? You think Sam could—fit me in?”
This was obviously the real reason Claire had come to visit. Peggy was okay with that.
“Let me get him. I know he’ll be excited to talk to you about your new project.”
“Give me a minute to freshen up,” Claire whispered. “Where’s your ladies’ room?”
Peggy pointed the way and went in back to get Sam.
“Seriously?” he asked, almost as excited as Claire. “She doesn’t have a yard service?”
“Not one she’s happy with. Although I think she might be more interested in you than her yard. I don’t think she’s checking her makeup for me.”
He grinned and tossed back his long blond hair. “Not a problem. I can keep her—and her yard—happy.”