6 A Thyme to Die

by Joyce Lavene

  She didn’t reply. Her cell phone was still on. She wasn’t sure if the kidnapper would be able to hear her answer Steve.

  “Okay,” the man on the phone said. “I can see you now. Continue walking.”

  Peggy walked slowly past the library. She was almost to the large parking deck, trying to figure out what she was going to say if he asked her to go inside.

  “Stop there. See that city trashcan next to you?”

  “This one?” She pointed, wondering where he was.

  “That’s right. Drop the case into the trashcan and walk away.”

  “Which way?”

  “Any way. I don’t care. Walk back up to the library.”

  “Where’s Tanya?” Peggy demanded.

  “Don’t push him,” Steve warned in her ear. “We’ve got him when he gets the case. Walk away.”

  Peggy put the case into the trashcan. It was a tight fit. She hoped someone hadn’t seen her putting it in there and got to it before the kidnapper.

  “I’ll call you later and tell you where you can pick up the girl,” the kidnapper said.

  “I don’t think that’s good enough.” Peggy didn’t care what Steve said. She’d read about too many kidnappings that had ended badly because they couldn’t find the victim after the ransom was paid. What if the locater device in the case stopped working? They would have no idea where Tanya was.

  “Look, I could kill her right now.”

  “I’m still standing here next to the diamonds,” she argued. “I could take them and leave. I want better reassurance about Tanya.”

  “Peggy—” Steve’s whispered warning sent a shiver down her spine.

  “What are you doing?” Al said, grabbing the microphone from Steve. “Get out of there. Let us do our job.”

  “Okay, okay. I get your point. Walk back to the library and I’ll let her out there.”

  “All right,” she agreed. “But if I see you down here at the trashcan before I see her, I’ll call the police.”

  The man on the phone swore. “Just do what I say. The girl will be there.”

  Peggy started walking back toward the library. The man on the cell phone hung up. She kept glancing over her shoulder as she got near the corners of Seventh and Tryon Streets. She didn’t see any movement.

  “Come over to the van,” Al said in the earpiece. “Your part is done.”

  She stopped and waited, not feeling safe doing what Al had asked. If the man was still watching her, it could be enough to make him change his mind. She stood on the corner and kept watch, praying that he would keep his word and free Tanya.

  “Peggy,” Steve said in her ear. “Come inside.”

  She didn’t answer. A moment later, a fast-moving black SUV turned the corner where she stood. A door opened and Tanya tumbled out on the pavement. The SUV moved even faster, racing down Seventh Street to reach the diamonds.

  Peggy helped Tanya to her feet. The girl was crying and scared. Together they removed the plastic ties that had bound her hands and the red blindfold that had probably kept her alive since she couldn’t see the kidnapper.

  The driver of the FBI van moved even faster. Two police cars sped out of the parking deck, blocking the SUV from moving. The driver, wearing a red ski mask, only had time to retrieve the case from the trashcan before they had him.

  When the sirens and lights started on the police cars, everyone in the area began to take notice. A dozen agents and officers were all over the kidnapper, cuffing his hands and dragging him into the FBI van as though he was an animal they’d scooped off the street.

  Peggy wrapped her arms around Tanya’s trembling body. “I’m your father’s friend, Peggy Lee. Let’s get you out of here before the media catches on.”

  Paul drove up on cue, opening the back door for his mother and the rescued girl. He was back in the driver’s seat a moment later, right as a Channel 9 News van pulled up.

  “Where is my father?” Tanya was sobbing so hard she could hardly catch her breath. “I heard him talking, the kidnapper. He said my father is dead. Is he dead, Peggy?”

  Peggy nodded. There was no point in giving the girl false hope. At least she could hear it from someone she knew.

  Tanya collapsed, her arms tight around Peggy as she cried into her shoulder.

  “Hospital, right?” Paul murmured.

  “Yes.” Peggy held Tanya all the way to the hospital. When the girl began to protest being taken to the medical facility, Peggy calmed her down. “We have to be sure you’re okay. This is for the best right now. Let’s get through this and we can talk about your father.”

  Tanya finally agreed, on the condition that Peggy stayed with her. Peggy did that, not leaving the girl’s side as the doctors and nurses examined her and found her a room to spend the night.

  Finally, one of the doctors beckoned to her. Tanya had fallen asleep clutching Peggy’s hand.

  “We’ve given her a sedative. She’s dehydrated, but otherwise she seems to be in good shape. We think it would be a good idea for her to spend the night here and get some sleep. It’s not going to be easy for her tomorrow, or for the foreseeable future.”

  “All right. I’ll stay with her. Thank you, doctor.”

  Peggy waited there, with Paul outside the room, until she saw Steve at the doorway. She carefully moved out of Tanya’s tight embrace and ran to him.

  She threw her arms around him. “I never want to do anything like that again.”

  “And I don’t think you ever should.” He kissed her and held her close. “You did a good job. We’ve got the kidnapper in custody and the girl is safe. We didn’t lose the diamonds. It was a win-win all around.”

  “Thank goodness.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Who was it?”

  “We were right about him knowing you. It was Tim Roseboro.”

  “Tim Roseboro?” Her green eyes flew open wide. “Why would he do such a thing? His family has always had plenty of money.”

  Steve shrugged. “Not according to him. He said the family finances have been going downhill since the stock market crash in 2007. He’s tried everything but he’s in hock up to his eyebrows. The family is about to lose that big old house on Sharon Road.”

  She sat down on one of the green plastic chairs in the hall. “That’s incredible. Did he kill Aris and Dabney?”

  “We don’t know yet. He had plenty to say, until we got to the station. He started yelling for a lawyer right away. We probably won’t know anything else until tomorrow. I think he’ll make a statement. This type always does.”

  “I’m glad that part is over with. I hope he admits to killing Aris so Tanya has some closure. It’s hard when you don’t know what happened.”

  Steve agreed with her. “I suppose you’re staying here with her and leaving me with the skunk and the mountain man tonight.”

  “I can’t leave her alone. I’m the only one she knows, poor thing. She must be very disoriented. She knows her father is dead.”

  “At least she can start the grieving process,” Steve said. “Paul is going to stay out here. We don’t know for sure that this is over. Do you need anything from the house?”

  “No. It’s only for the night. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” He kissed her quickly. “I love you. Call me later.”

  When he was gone, Peggy sat in the hall with Paul while Tanya was sleeping. The girl awakened for a while at around seven p.m. She refused anything to eat and went right back to sleep.

  “We don’t know what she’s been through,” Paul reminded her. “It’s gonna take some time for her to recover. Really, sleep is the best thing now.”

  Peggy laughed at him. “When did you get so wise?”

  “I got it from my parents. They were both wise people, even if I didn’t think so when I was a kid.”

  Tanya called out and Peggy hugged her son before she went back into the hospital room.

  No one slept much that night. Tanya woke up several times, realizing over and over that her fat
her had been murdered. Peggy comforted her as best she could. Even though John had been dead for years, she remembered doing the same thing the night she’d found out he was gone.

  Paul was right. Only time could take away the edge of that kind of grief. It would never truly go away.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Magnolia

  Magnolia tree fossils have been dated back to 50 million years ago. The tree was destroyed by the Ice Age in Europe but survived in Asia and the Americas. It is a primitive flowering plant, it is fertilized by beetles instead of bees. The magnolia is the state flower for both Mississippi and Louisiana.

  In the morning, Steve brought Peggy a change of clothes. She used the shower in Tanya’s room and drank several cups of tea as she tried to wake up.

  Tanya seemed calmer. Her grandmother was flying in from South Africa. Peggy felt better knowing the girl would have a family member there with her.

  “Thank you for staying with me,” Tanya said before Peggy had to leave to go to the flower show. “My father always considered you one of his greatest friends. I can see why.”

  Peggy hugged her, brushing tears from the corners of her eyes. The doctors wanted to run a few more tests. She left with Steve and Paul when they came to get Tanya.

  Paul yawned on the elevator as they went downstairs. “I’m hungry and tired. I’m going home. I haven’t heard if someone is taking over for me today.”

  Steve shrugged. “I haven’t heard either. Maybe we should go to see Al before you leave for the flower show.”

  Peggy agreed. She still had about an hour before she was supposed to be at the convention center. She said goodbye to her son and Steve drove them downtown.

  Police headquarters was filled with reporters and dozens of plain-clothes vice squad officers who’d made a big drug collar during the night. Steve and Peggy managed to slip by the media and went to the second floor to meet with Al.

  “Are you okay?” Steve asked as Peggy yawned for the tenth time in as many minutes. “You know, it won’t be the end of the world if you let that guy take your place again. You look like you could use some sleep.”

  “How bad do I look?” Steve had brought her clothes and a few toiletries, but no makeup. She only had the lipstick in her bag.

  “Not that bad. Just tired. Probably no one else would even notice.”

  The elevator doors parted. The first person Peggy saw was Elaine Roseboro.

  The older, diminutive matriarch of the Roseboro family looked furious. She was well-dressed, as always. Her steel gray hair and makeup were perfect. Her lips were pushed tightly together. Peggy could tell she’d been crying.

  “Excuse me.” Steve navigated him and Peggy through the group of lawyers that were there with Elaine, probably trying to salvage as much as they could of their family name.

  Peggy didn’t know Elaine well. They’d met a few times at Rose Cottage for one charity event or another. Still, she couldn’t simply walk past, after seeing the grief, anger, and disbelief written on her face.

  “I’m so sorry that this has happened to you.” Peggy grasped the other woman’s hand. She felt like a giant hovering over her even though she was only medium height.

  “I remember you.” Elaine raised her chin and looked down her nose. “You’re the one responsible for bringing the flower show to Charlotte.”

  Peggy wasn’t sure what to expect from that opening. She braced herself for a vitriolic response in case Elaine blamed her for what had happened to her son.

  “I enjoyed it.” Elaine carefully inclined her head. “I apologize for my ass of a son who used it to further his own stupidity. I hope you can convince the committee to bring the flower show back again sometime.”

  Peggy smiled and realized that she’d been holding her breath. That wasn’t what she’d expected. There was no further time to talk to Tim’s mother. Al opened his office door and pulled Peggy and Steve inside.

  “What a mess!” Al took a seat behind his cluttered desk. “We’ve got Roseboro on kidnapping charges, although he claims Dabney Wilder dreamed up the whole scheme. He’s talking to the DA now, trying to reach some kind of plea agreement if he testifies to everything that happened.”

  Peggy sat down in a chair in front of the desk. “What did happen?”

  “Roseboro says he needed money. He says Wilder set up the kidnapping and the plane. They told Dr. Abutto if he smuggled the diamonds into the flower show, he’d get his daughter back.”

  “And then he killed Abutto when he didn’t deliver the diamonds?” Steve asked.

  Al shrugged. He looked tired too. “I don’t know. Roseboro says he had nothing to do with killing Abutto or Wilder. He had the girl and wanted the diamonds. He sent the fake Tanyas to try and get the duffel because he thought they were in there.”

  Peggy glanced at the closed door. “Do you think that’s true?”

  “I can’t say yet. We questioned him last night. The FBI questioned him this morning. He’s willing to admit to threatening Abutto and being part of the kidnapping, but not the murders. I guess we’ll see what kind of deal he works out with the DA.”

  “So it’s okay if I go on to the flower show without a guard dog, right?” Peggy smiled at him.

  “I’m not comfortable with the idea,” Al admitted. “Captain Sedgwick is shorthanded. Unless the FBI wants to send one of its agents with you, I guess you’re going alone.”

  “Let me see what I can do.” Steve frowned at Peggy. “I know it can’t be Norris. Someone got on his bad side yesterday.”

  Peggy smiled and kept her thoughts to herself.

  Steve stepped back into the hall to see if Agent Sanford was there.

  “You’re gonna drive him crazy with this, aren’t you?” Al shook his head. “I’m glad I don’t have to work cases with Mary. I’d never hear the end of it.”

  “If you think Tim killed Aris and Dabney, why worry about me at all?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t like it when things aren’t wrapped up. I like cases to be like pretty presents, complete with wrapping paper and a bow. I’m not feeling that kind of confidence right now. Why would Roseboro admit to kidnapping but shy away from murder?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t want to go that far. Maybe kidnapping is bad enough. Murder would be worse.”

  Al shuffled a few papers on his desk. “In my experience, when a man like Roseboro admits to something, they admit to everything. I might be crazy. I know I’m getting old. This thing doesn’t feel done to me, though. Which could mean you’re still in danger.”

  Steve came back in the office with Agent Sanford. “Millie will go with you to the flower show. We’ll talk later. Norris and I are heading in to meet with Roseboro.”

  Peggy got to her feet and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll check in with you later.”

  “Be careful. And don’t alienate Sanford, huh? I have to work with these people.”

  Agent Sanford volunteered to drive them to the convention center, with a quick stop for breakfast biscuits on the way. She was bright and easy to talk to. Peggy wondered again why Steve hadn’t make her his second-in-command instead of Norris.

  “Do you think this Roseboro person murdered those two men?” Millie asked her.

  “I can’t even believe he kidnapped someone.” Peggy wiped her mouth after finishing her biscuit. “He never seemed the type, you know? I believe him when he says Dabney Wilder set the whole thing up. I could even see Dabney as a killer.”

  “People do strange and stupid things sometimes,” Millie said. “Especially when there’s a lot of money on the line. I guess it’s the desperation factor.”

  “I’m not trained in these things like you are,” Peggy admitted. “But my late husband used to say that it takes someone intense and physical to stab someone to death. The gunshot? Maybe. That isn’t so personal.”

  Millie flipped her bright red hair and finished her coffee. “I guess wrapping it all up with one person is too much good luck to ask fo
r, huh?”

  Peggy laughed. “It would’ve been nice. I’m not sure where we’ll go from here if Tim didn’t kill Aris and Dabney.”

  “Me either.”

  They got back in the car and headed to the convention center in very light traffic. That changed when they got near the complex. There were lines of cars waiting to get into the parking lots.

  Millie waited patiently until there was a chance to park near the gate. She put a cardboard FBI BUSINESS sign on the dash and they left the car there.

  “What’s up for today?” she asked Peggy.

  “It’s pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday, in a good way, I hope. It should be filled with complaints from vendors and growers, an award program this afternoon, and the various electricity and water issues that have come up every day.”

  “Sounds like fun. No wonder you do forensic botany work.”

  “I only get calls once in a while for forensic botany work. I run a small garden shop in downtown Charlotte that keeps me busy. The police hire me on a per case basis and I do some lecturing at Queen’s University too.”

  “The garden shop sounds nice. I have some pots on the terrace at my apartment. It’s not much, but I grew enough tomatoes last summer that I didn’t have to buy any. Not bad, huh?”

  “Sounds great. We help a lot of people with terrace and balcony gardens. My partner does small ponds for small spaces.”

  “The hunky Viking?” Millie laughed as she slowed her rapid stride going into the building. “I noticed him right away.”

  “He’s setting up our display.” Peggy pointed to Sam. “I’ll introduce you.”

  “Seriously? Is he available as a live-in gardener? Forget the pool boy. He’s gorgeous.”

  “That’s Sam. He’s got a green thumb and a silver tongue.”

  “I wouldn’t mind giving that combination a try.”

  Peggy tried to decide if she should tell Millie that Sam was gay. Really, it was none of her business. Sam seemed to be adept at keeping the women he did landscape work for happy. Why should she interfere?

  She introduced Millie and Sam. Millie’s dark eyes wandered over Sam’s tight, white Potting Shed T-shirt.