A sound startled me. I turned to see mail had been slid through the door slot. After collecting the envelopes I sorted and carried the pieces to the office. Several appeared to be mail orders. After Dana arrived and opened the mail, I would add them to the ones from the internet.
I glanced outside and groaned. Word must have spread after the morning’s customers left. Two cars pulled into the lot. I unlocked the door. For the next hour a steady stream of customers arrived. Some came out of curiosity but stayed to buy. Others made substantial purchases including the managers of two restaurants. I had to blend their mixtures. The pungent aroma of tea leaves and mints surrounded me. The take from the morning amounted to several hundred dollars in cash and credit card slips.
Gossip favored Joyce’s innocence. A number of the women asked why the police had taken her into custody. Not wanting to add fuel to the blazing speculation I shrugged. “Why would they tell me anything?”
“Wouldn’t Zach say something to Dana?” a woman asked. “They are dating.”
“Why would he compromise an ongoing investigation?” I asked. “I’m sure he’s said nothing.”
“Guess you’re right.” She leaned forward. “This is all the fault of the DA. Political ambition, you know.”
Another woman opened her wallet. “Why did Brenda’s young man say Joyce was here at the time of the murder?” Her voice held that I know something you don’t tone. She handed me the payment for the seafood boil herbs and spices. “What do you think?”
“That he’s a liar. If I were the police and the district attorney he would head the suspect list. After all he admitted to being upstairs.”
“I agree.” A second woman handed me a bill. “A crime of passion is my guess. Brenda threatened to throw him over for another man. She’s been involved with half the young men in town and none of the affairs lasted more than a few weeks. I bet no matter what time was listed as time of death he would have seen Joyce here.”
“Why would he do that?” the first woman asked.
“Fear of being a suspect.”
By eleven I saw the last of the customers to the door. I reached to lock up so I could eat lunch and work on the orders. A young man with long, unwashed hair pushed inside. What did he want? I doubted he was a tea drinker or a cook.
“Can I help you?”
He looked over his shoulder and fidgeted. Why the wariness?
He stepped inside. “You alone?”
“Maybe.” I steeled myself for action. I shifted the ring of keys in my hand. If he thought a robbery would be easy he would be surprised.
“Where’s Brenda? I need my special tea.”
“She’s—”. Before I could say more he strode to the foot of the stairs.
“Brenda, get down here,” he shouted. “Couldn’t come Monday night. Car trouble. Need eight jars. Two of each.” He turned and stared at the parking lot.
What was going on? Was he expecting trouble? “Pick the blends you want.” I waved toward the display.
“Not those.” He pulled a wad of bills from his pocket and fanned them. “If she ain’t here bet she told you how to fill the order. She’s one clever woman.”
The bills he displayed seemed to be hundreds. I needed to know what he wanted. “What do these teas look like?”
“Big jars. Have colored ribbons around them. Don’t you know anything about this business?”
Feathers tickled my thoughts but I couldn’t pin them down. “Do you see anything you’re describing here? Are you in the right place?” But he had known Brenda’s name and he wanted tea.
“Not up here. She goes to the basement. Call her cell. I’ve customers waiting. I’ve cash the way she says I have to pay.” Again he flashed the bills.
There was no tea in the shop worth that much. Suspicion rose again and I began to feel afraid. “I can’t help you.”
“Lady, you got to.” He grabbed my arm. “Use the key and go to the basement. That’s where the stuff is. I’ll go with you.”
I shook off his hand. “I don’t have the key to the door.” Though the right one might be on the ring I wasn’t going to try. Not while he was here.
”Get Brenda.”
“I can’t. She was murdered Monday night.”
“Shit.” He bolted to the door.
I followed and turned the key. What had I stumbled on? I waited until he drove off and then went to the basement. After sorting and trying the keys in the lock, the fourth one produced a click.
The wood panel opened without a sound. After switching on the light I started down. A faint aroma of tea reached me. There was no scent of mold in the air. Near the foot of the stairs enough furniture to fill a house stood in orderly rows. Some were covered. Others not.
I made my way down the narrow aisle and reached a long table. On shelves against the wall were rows of quart jars. The containers on each row were decorated with ribbons.
My suspicions soared like a bird in flight. The jars seemed to be filled with tea. Did the ribbon have a meaning? I stretched my hand to take one from the shelf and shook my head.
Don’t touch.
Memories of my wedding day conversation with Pete roared to life. The jars on those shelves looked like the ones he had described. The discovery of these jars could ruin Joyce’s ability to remain in business.
My stomach lurched. Had she learned what Brenda had done? Was that the reason the micro-managing woman was dead? Had Joyce snapped?
Stop it.
Joyce was innocent. She hadn’t known what her partner had been doing. If she had she would have called the police.
Pushing my doubts aside I climbed the stairs and locked the door. What was I going to do? Before I made any decision I needed to speak to Pete. I entered the office and dialed a familiar number. A clerk answered.
“Can I speak to Detective Duggan?” What would I do if he wasn’t there? Moments later I heard his voice. “Pete.”
"Mrs. M, what are you doing?”
I wasn’t about to tell him I was involved with another murder. “Tell me about the drugs, the ones that kept you from attending the wedding ceremony.”
He related the story. A chill marched along my spine.
“Why are you asking?”
“I may have found the source,” I said. “Were the jars disguised by tea?”
“How did you know?”
“I just found a lot of ones like that.” My head whirled and I braced one hand on the desk so I wouldn’t collapse.
“Do not touch anything. Call the police. Don’t get involved.”
“I haven’t. I will. Already am.”
He groaned. “You are going to get yourself hurt.”
“I promise I won’t. If a Zach from the police here calls, can you share info with him?”
“Yes. Call him now.”
“Absolutely will.” After hanging up I slumped in the chair behind the desk. Would this discovery add to Joyce’s problems? I reached for the phone and hesitated. Calling now took energy I didn’t possess. The grandfather clock chimed the quarter hour. I rested my head on the desk. Once my mind cleared I would call.
* * *
Though the time while I sorted through my thoughts and planned my next action seemed to drag, the clock informed me no more than fifteen minutes had passed. I straightened and phoned Dana’s house. The ringing continued until I decided to hang up. Then I heard a click and a gasping voice. “Hello.”
“It’s Kate. Could you call Zach and have him come to the shop as soon as he can? I’ve discovered something I think he should see. I want you here, too.”
“Is there another problem?”
“Afraid so. What I found adds another dimension to Brenda’s murder. I’ll explain when you, Zach and Lars arrive. I’ll call him next.”
“What if I can’t reach Zach?”
“Keep trying until you do. Let him know this is serious.” I hung up and summoned Lars.
“Are you in danger?” he asked.
“I
don’t think so.” If the young man returned the door was locked. I hoped Joyce had collected all the extra keys Brenda had handed out.
“I’m on my way. Business is finished for the day. If we can spring Joyce, we can finalize the deal and be on our way. Her attorney has completed the paperwork and consulted with mine. See you in ten.”
While I waited restlessness caused me to pace from one end of the large room to the other. I watered the plants, rearranged the displays and generally fought uneasiness. I thought about eating lunch but my unsettled stomach protested. I would wait until all those jars in the basement were gone. During my rounds, I peered through the windows and wished they would hurry. At the foot of the stairs to the second floor, I paused. Brenda’s apartment beckoned but I resisted temptation.
Lars and Dana arrived at the same time. I unlocked the door so they could enter.
“What’s going on?” Dana asked.
“When Zach arrives I’ll tell you. I don’t want to have to explain more than once.” Also Dana’s reaction was important. She and her mother were close. If Joyce knew or suspected the drugs Dana would know.
“Why wait?” Lars asked.
“I have my reasons.”
“Did you find proof of Brenda’s and Grayson’s embezzlement?”
“Something else.” I walked away.
“Will what you discovered prove Mom’s innocence?”
“Hope so.” My fears about the drug’s presence in the cellar brought a fear Joyce would seem more guilty. The District Attorney might decide Joyce had learned, fought with and killed her partner.
The jangling bell announced Zach’s arrival. “Hope this is important. Was on my way to speak to the forensic numbers guy. Find any interesting money exchange?”
I locked the door. “What I want to show you puts a new spin on the murder.” I walked to the basement entrance.
Zach frowned. “There’s nothing down there except furniture from Brenda’s house. I was here when the other movers arrived. She stored it when she moved into the apartment.”
“There’s more. Just listen.” I related the story of the arrival of the young man and the jars of special tea. “He said he was supposed to come Monday night after the shop closed but couldn’t. He said Brenda brought the jars from the basement.”
Zach nodded. “I see where you’re headed.”
“Let me show you what’s there.” I unlocked the door, switched on the lights and led the way. Zach, Lars and Dana followed me to the table and the rows of jars.
Zach frowned. “Bigger than the ones upstairs. Could they be for restaurants with Brenda pocketing the proceeds?”
“Possibly but I don’t think the hundreds of dollars he flashed were for eight jars of mint tea no matter how big. What I see here reminded me of another story, one I heard on my wedding day.”
“What?” Dana asked.
“A young police detective, his partner and drug dog made an arrest.” I told Pete’s story about the drugs. “I called to confirm and the jars with ribbons seem to be the same as those on these shelves.” My gaze met Zach’s. “I’ll give you his number and you can compare stories.”
“Aha,” Lars said.
I nodded. “I believe I’ve found a motive to make someone else the killer. What would have happened if Brenda had taken the money and left? Would the supplier have come to Joyce and insisted she work for him?”
Dana gasped. “Mom would never allow drugs in this shop. She would go to the police. Remember how upset she was years ago when one of her students died of an overdose.”
“But she had a partner who liked expensive things,” Zach said. “Surely she wondered where Brenda found the money for her expensive purchases. What if she learned, confronted Brenda and they fought?”
“Is that what Grayson said?” I asked. “Did he hear loud voices and decide to investigate?”
Zach shook his head. “Only that he saw her standing over the body and he was scared.”
“And he was sure he saw Joyce?”
“Yes.” Zach pulled on a pair of gloves from his pocket and selected one of the jars. He opened the lid and pulled out a plug of cloth covered with tea leaves. When he inverted the container a packet wrapped in plastic fell on the table.
Dana leaned forward. “What’s that?”
“Drugs,” I said.
Lars moved closer to the table. “Clever.”
Only a few tea leaves lay around the plastic bag. The ones used to conceal the jar’s contents had been glued to the sides and bottom.
“So now we know,” I said.
Zach opened the plastic. “Looks like uppers but the lab will know.” He put the contents back in the jar and turned to study the shelves. “Color coded?”
“Now what?” I asked.
“To the lab for printing and analysis.” He found a stack of cardboard boxes. “Need to make a call.” He motioned for us to leave. “Sure hope Mrs. Rivers’ prints aren’t here.”
“They won’t be,” Dana and I said.
Lars walked to the steps. “If you find nothing to connect Joyce to those jars will she be released? I would like to leave here by Monday.”
Zach shrugged. “Depends.” He turned to me. “What else did the buy guy say?”
I drew a deep breath and recited as much of the conversation as I could remember. When Zach arrived at the top of the stairs I touched his arm. “I have a few questions.”
He pulled his phone free. “I may not answer.”
“Trade information,” Lars said.
“Good idea.” I closed my eyes and organized my thoughts. “Seems Brenda was the middle man. There had to be a supplier. What happens to any cash she collected? What if she’d been skimming from the supplier, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Brenda stole money form Herbal Haven. Grayson must have helped.”
“Proof?”
“We’re working on it,” Lars said. “I can tell you a bit now.”
Zach held up a hand. “One thing at a time. Wait in the office.” He made his call.
I lingered at the office door and watched a car pull into the lot. Several men got out. They followed Zach to the basement. Before long they carried out box after box of jars and took them to the van.
When they left Zach joined us. “Give me the name of your friend and number. I’ve some questions I believe he can answer.”
“What kind of questions?” I asked.
“The usual.”
I nodded. If Zach answered several of the ones puzzling me I might learn something to clear Joyce. “Good thought but you owe me some answers.”
Zach laughed. “You a detective?”
Lars chuckled. “Dead bodies find her. Recently her venture onto the dark side gained national attention. For Hire Murder Plots Uncovered. How the heirs to wealth saw their aging and ill parents murdered. At least they kept her name out of the headlines.’
Zach arched a brow. “Where?”
“A nursing home for the wealthy. A friend of hers died there suddenly. Kate decided it was murder and went undercover.”
Zach stepped back. “Read the story. You were the nurse?”
The disbelief in his voice raised a chuckle. “I was.”
“What do you want to know? Nothing to compromise the investigation.”
Mentally I rubbed my hands. Now to see what I could pry from him. “Was Brenda struck on the head before she was stabbed?”
He pursed his lips. “Stabbed first. Head injury caused by fall.”
“She must have known and not feared her attacker to turn her back. Stabbing someone with scissors, even with thin points, takes force. I doubt Joyce had enough power to strike and pull the blades out.”
“Unless she was furious. Anger gives a burst of adrenalin. We’ve considered that.”
“Why would Joyce be that angry?”
He pointed to the basement door. “Drugs. Money.”
“Only if she knew,” I said.
“How can
you prove she didn’t?”
On one level his theory seemed right but Joyce wasn’t an easily angered person. Hurt over the betrayal would cause her to shut down and blame herself.
“About the blood pattern. I noticed a void. Whoever removed the blade must have been well-sprayed. Did you find any of Joyce’s clothes with bloodstains?”
“No, but she had time to dispose of them.”
“So did someone else.”
“Point taken. Look, I believe Joyce. Problem. DA. Ambitions. Wants a name.” He paused. “Your info.”
I gave him Pete’s number. “Already told him you might call. Be sure to mention that I called you. Otherwise he’ll worry.”
Zach walked to the door. “See you.” He waved the key to the basement door. I’ll keep this.”
“Good idea. Let me know what’s in those jars and what Pete says about the prints.”
Without acknowledging my request he waved and closed the door.
Chapter 9
The clock struck twelve times. Lars walked to the door. “I need lunch. Kate, are you coming?”
“I brought mine. I’ll eat here and finish these orders. Meet you later at Dana’s house.”
He cocked his head.” You will lock the doors after us?”
“Of course. “I didn’t mention a visit I planned to make. Once I finished the mail orders I would explore Brenda’s apartment. Somewhere upstairs I would find a clue to unravel this tangled skein.
Dana opened the mail. “How many orders do you have?”
“Five from the computer.”
"Add these three.” She handed me the slips. “Do you mind being here alone? I have a slew of papers to grade. Will take several hours.”
“I don’t mind.”
The moment they left, I locked the door. After retrieving my lunch and filling a glass with iced mint tea I carried the food to the office. On the way I pinched several fresh mint leaves from one of the plants and inhaled the fragrance.
Murder and Herbal Tea Page 10