A Corpse for Yew

by Joyce; Jim Lavene

  Jonathon smiled sadly and shook his head. “I don’t know how I’ve wronged you ladies. I’ve tried to be what you’ve needed as a director. I’ve gone along with all of your suggestions. What do you have against me?”

  No one spoke for a moment, then Grace stepped forward. “I’ll tell you what we have against you. You’re too young to have the responsibility for this place our ancestors struggled to maintain. When Mr. Hawkins retired, the board should’ve named someone with a little maturity to this position.”

  The historical society members nodded in agreement as the sound of sirens reached them from the street. Peggy wondered who’d called; when she looked at Grace, she held out her cell phone. “It takes only one button. I always have 911 on speed dial. I called them on our way over here after Geneva explained the situation.”

  They waited for the police to come to the front door. Geneva let them in and led the way to the showcase.

  Peggy was surprised and pleased to see Paul’s face beneath one of the blue caps. She didn’t act any different because he was her son as he and his partner began questioning the group about what had happened.

  Jonathon denied any knowledge of the theft. He admitted he hadn’t checked the artifacts in the last few months, as they had been working out at Lake Whitley. “The most I might be guilty of here is some negligence. But I think people could cut me a little slack after I’ve spent days in hip-deep mud.”

  Geneva was happy to tell both officers about the back door being left open. “Ask this lady here.” She pointed to Peggy. “She works for the ME’s office, and she found this ring out at the lake where Mr. Underwood killed Lois Mullis.”

  Paul beckoned to his mother to join him in the hall as his partner spoke to Grace and Mrs. Waynewright about the ring and the theft. “I should’ve known you’d be involved.”

  “That’s not fair. It was just as likely you’d find your grandmother out here today. It was the luck of the draw that it was me.” She explained about how she and Mai had seen the ring at the lake and taken it in as possible evidence. “Mrs. Mullis’s death was ruled an accident, as I’m sure you know. Mai didn’t know the ring belonged here. She was just looking for a place to take it, since there was no reason to keep it as evidence.”

  He looked at his notes in a way that made her heart ache. It was so familiar and so much like John. Paul looked like her, but many of his inflections reminded her of John. Seeing her son in the same blue uniform that ultimately took his father’s life was never easy. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to it. John would’ve been proud of him. She was proud of him as well. But never a day went by that she didn’t worry about him.

  “Was the ring stolen or not?” Paul glanced into the room now filled with angry voices. “It kind of sounds like a museum domestic dispute to me.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe if you could get a crime scene team out here to dust for prints, it might settle this once and for all.”

  “I can’t just randomly decide to bring in the crime scene boys, you know that, Mom. The captain would have my head. I can’t see where anything besides a misunderstanding is going on here. Do you think those ladies have the authority to press charges against Mr. Underwood?”

  Peggy shook her head. “It would surprise me if they have authority to do anything except complain about it, or Jonathon wouldn’t be here anymore. They don’t like him very much.”

  Paul’s cinnamon-colored brows went up and down. “Jonathon? Sounds like you two know each other pretty well. Does Steve know? Grandma just thought Steve was too young for you. Jonathon must be all of thirty.”

  “I’m going to ignore that last remark, young man. Be glad you’re too big for a switching! I think you should stick to the case.”

  He laughed. “Just kidding, Mom. Why don’t the ladies like him?”

  “I think it has something to do with his age. They thought someone older, more mature should head up the museum.” She ran her gaze over her son from head to toe. “Now that I look at you, I tend to agree with them.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? I do a good job. You know I do.”

  She took a tissue from her purse and handed it to him. “You could do a much better job if you didn’t have spaghetti sauce on your chin, Officer Lee.”

  “Mom!” he whined, glancing at the group to see if anyone had noticed. But he took the tissue and wiped his chin. “I’m moving to Colorado just so this kind of thing can’t happen.”

  She smiled wickedly. “What makes you think that’s far enough?”

  Paul’s partner interrupted them. “Could I have a word with you?”

  The two of them walked down the hall and Peggy went back into the exhibit room. Geneva and Grace were railing at Jonathon, who seemed to bear it all with a stoic face. If it bothered him that they were threatening his livelihood, it was impossible to tell. Mrs. Waynewright stood off to the side, talking on the phone in a quiet voice that couldn’t be overheard. Peggy considered that she might be wrong about the ladies being able to press charges.

  What did they really have that could be considered police business? Even if it were true that Jonathon had left the back door to the museum open a few times, no one had reported the ring missing. It seemed they might never have noticed, if she and Mai hadn’t found it. That didn’t seem to be something the police would take seriously. She supposed they could try to get the police to investigate the whole bone thief theory and the museum would need to check the entire collection, which seemed a good idea to her at this time. Whether Jonathon was responsible or not, a valuable historic artifact had been taken out of the case and transported to the lake.

  Paul and his partner came back into the room and announced that they would be calling in the crime scene people after all. “We’d like a concise list of everything that should be here,” Paul told Jonathon. “We’d also like you to come with us to the station and give a statement.”

  Jonathon looked flustered. “Are you accusing me of stealing the ring? I can’t see where there’s any evidence of that, and I may know who was actually responsible.”

  Paul’s partner took his arm. “We aren’t accusing you of anything, Mr. Underwood. We’d just like you to come with us. If we could swing by your office for that list, that would be fine.”

  Grace, Geneva, and Mrs. Waynewright watched him walk out of the room with the officer. They stopped speaking until he was gone, then the debate raged again.

  Peggy went after Paul as he started to follow his partner and Jonathon. “What happened? I thought this wasn’t something you planned to handle.”

  He shrugged. “You know how that goes, Mom. We got different instructions from Chief Mullis, so we’re taking the man to the station. I don’t make those calls.”

  “I see.” The chief’s part in this situation was making her uneasy again. “I just have this feeling Jonathon is getting railroaded.”

  “Save me from those feelings.” He started walking away. “Don’t mess with my case, huh?”

  “WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID JONATHON is getting railroaded for, exactly?” Steve asked after they had ordered dinner at the Peaceful Dragon Tea House on Steele Creek Road. “If there’s no murder, what’s left?”

  “I think the ladies are going to try to get him fired,” Peggy said.

  “Maybe he should be, if he can’t remember to lock the doors to the museum and one of their artifacts is missing.”

  “Anybody could’ve left that door open,” she protested. “There are docents, board members, and historical society people in and out of the museum all the time. As for the ring, unless they did an inventory every day, how would anyone know what’s missing?”

  Steve sat back in his chair as the waiter brought salads and bread to their table. When they were alone again, he said, “You really like this guy, huh?”

  “Don’t start. I already got razzed about it from Paul. I like Jonathon, but more important, this whole thing has been blown out of proportion. Those ladies need to s
tart a crochet society or something. They’re always poking around where they don’t belong.”

  “That’s rich, coming from you.” He didn’t bother hiding his smile. “How many times have I asked you not to poke around someplace where you might get hurt? I didn’t realize crocheting was the answer. We’ll stop by the craft store on the way home.”

  Peggy’s gaze was sharp as she looked at him. “I don’t crochet, sweetie. And I’m not seventy years old yet. Besides, I work with the police now.”

  “Now.”

  She ignored him as she sprinkled some vinaigrette on her salad. “Never mind. Let’s talk about your day. How were the horses?”

  “Not too bad. I think they’ll be fine with some antibiotics. It’s kind of like horse flu. Rest, plenty of water, and medicine. I’ll go back and check on them next week, unless Skipper calls before then.”

  “Skipper?”

  “He owns the horse farm. He’s a retired NASCAR mechanic. He was smart and bought up a bunch of land in Cabarrus County before he quit the circuit. He has a nice place out there. Ever think about living in the country?”

  “Not really. I guess I’m a city girl now. Once I left the farm, I never looked back. You see yourself living on a horse farm someday?”

  “Maybe. It seems more natural for a vet and a gardener to live outside the city. I could have lots of animals and you could have lots of plants. It would be simple.”

  “I don’t know how simple it would be.” She sipped her water. “You like being out there in the mud. I like city streets. They’re easier to ride my bike on.”

  “It’s not so much that I like the mud as that I don’t mind it, and land is still a good investment.”

  Peggy absently righted some purple phlox set on the table in a cut-crystal vase. She wondered if she could tactfully ask him to talk only about his past. She’d thought of a slew of things she probably should’ve asked him that she hadn’t. No wonder she didn’t know more about him.

  “What’s up?” he asked, seeing the look on her face. “I can see the wheels turning in your brain. It’s kind of scary.”

  “I don’t know.” She addressed her salad as though her life depended on it. “Do you hunt?”

  “No. I guess I’m too much of a city boy for that. Why do you ask?”

  “How about fishing?”

  “Should we fill out one of those questionnaires they have in women’s magazines?”

  “There’s something to be said for knowing your partner,” she told him. “I’m sorry, but I guess finding out about your family has made me wonder how many other things I don’t know about you.”

  “I’ll be glad to tell you anything.” He paused as the waiter returned to top off his iced tea and her water. “We’ve known each other for over a year now. I guess I didn’t think about it. What do you want to know?”

  She shrugged while questions burned through her brain. She had to be careful how she asked what she needed to know. “Do you ever just go out hiking or walking in the woods?”

  “Sometimes. Mostly if I’m looking for you. Otherwise, I’m kind of busy. I try to run a few times a week. That’s about the extent of my active social life.”

  Peggy wanted to continue asking him questions: Were you in the military? What was your first girlfriend like? Why didn’t you get married when you were younger? But their dinner arrived and neither of them had finished their salad. She put the questions to the back of her mind and tried just to enjoy a meal with the man she loved. She was curious, but she could leave it alone for tonight.

  “So how are negotiations going with your parents finding out that we are quasi living together?” Steve glanced at her over his rice vermicelli with vegetables.

  “Fine. This is really good seitan.” She tried to change the subject. “Would you like to try some?”

  He took a sip of his tea. “You haven’t talked to them at all, have you?”

  “No. It’s been hectic.”

  “It’s always hectic.”

  “I think things will settle down once it isn’t so new,” she prophesied. “They need time to adjust, just like we do.”

  “It’s not just your parents, Peggy. It’s Paul, too. I saw him when I was leaving your house the other morning. He always asks me if Shakespeare is sick.”

  “Mai knows,” she triumphed. “We talk about it sometimes.”

  “Really? She guessed, right?”

  “Sort of.”

  “What, exactly, do the two of you talk about when you talk about us?”

  Peggy took her time chewing her food before she answered. “This and that. Mostly we talk about Paul not knowing that we’re together.”

  Steve leaned forward slightly. “Lovers?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can say it. It’s all right.”

  “It’s not a big deal,” she disagreed. “I say it all the time.”

  “Say it just for me, then. Humor me.”

  Peggy glanced around the crowded restaurant. “Lovers.”

  “A little louder.”

  “Lovers! We’re lovers! Is that about it?” Her temper started to rise. He was treating her like a child. Heavens, she felt like a child. She put down her fork. “You’re right. I’ll talk to them all right away. I’m an adult. I can sleep around if I want to.”

  He frowned. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.” He covered her hand with his on the white linen tablecloth. “You can sleep around only with me. I love you, Peggy. I wish you’d marry me and we wouldn’t have to worry about any of this.”

  Stunned, she was thrilled when her cell phone rang. She was never so happy to hear Merton Dillard’s voice as she was at that moment.

  14

  Red Cedar

  Botanical: Juniperus virginiana

  The volatile oil from this plant has been used medicinally with great care, since it is a deadly poison. The fresh leaves were used to cure blisters. The oil has been used in making perfume in Europe, where it is a principal agent in white rose extract.

  “I HAVE TO TAKE THIS,” she whispered. “Police business.”

  Steve nodded as she walked to a secluded corner of the restaurant. Merton was talking, but Peggy wasn’t listening. She was thinking about marrying Steve.

  It wasn’t as if they hadn’t talked about it before, but it was always in a random-futuristic sort of fashion. This was different. There was a change in his tone. The resolution to their immediate problem with her family made the subject more threatening.

  Threatening?

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about getting married again. There were the practical aspects of their lives, such as their homes, Steve’s business, and her family. But all of that flew through her mind, ending up with just one idea—he wanted to marry her.

  Steve was a wonderful man who had changed her life and made her feel that there was more than work. But was she ready to marry again?

  “Peggy? Are you there? I can’t remember how many times it’s polite to ask before assuming a cell phone has lost service,” Merton rambled. “I don’t want to tell a stranger about my findings. I guess we’ll need some kind of code to let me know it’s you, now that our connection has been compromised.”

  Dragged away from her visions of what a fifty-something widow wore to her second wedding, Peggy realized she’d ignored her friend. “I’m sorry, Merton. You were saying?”

  “Is that you, Peggy?”

  “Of course it’s me.” Her tone was a little sharp, she realized. She had a lot on her mind. “It’s me. What did you find about the yew seeds?”

  “Good enough! I don’t think I mentioned yew to begin with, just seeds. You must be Peggy.”

  “And?”

  “I couldn’t find a match for any of the seeds with the samples you brought me. Are there any more branches?”

  “Hundreds more.” She glanced back at Steve, then looked away quickly, before he saw her. “I don’t know if I can get samples from all the bushes out there.”

  �
��No one said forensic botany was easy, Dr. Lee,” her friend chided her. “Did you tag the bushes you got samples from the first time?”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “All right. I’ll go out and get more samples. Although it doesn’t really seem to matter, since Mrs. Mullis’s death has been ruled an accident.”

  “You know the ME will want to cross all the Ts and dot all the Is. If you don’t know that already, let me assure you of it. Everything has to be neatly tucked away in a file cabinet somewhere. When do you think you can get those samples?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “I’m going out of town Saturday night, and I won’t be back until Monday.”

  “Okay, I get it. I’ll go out tonight and find some more.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. I’m not salaried, you know. I get paid by the days I work. No work tomorrow? No pay.”

  “That’s fine, Merton. I’ll cut more branches before I go home. It’s not a big deal. Thanks for calling.” Peggy closed her phone and panicked, wondering if she could sneak out of the restaurant without Steve noticing. It seemed unlikely. Even if he didn’t see her leave, he would probably come and find her. One way or another, they were going to have the conversation. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and marched back to the table and her cold seitan.

  But Steve was getting to his feet before she reached him. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “One of my patients has swallowed something she wasn’t supposed to. I’ll have to check on her.”

  Peggy smiled, her heart pounding. “That’s perfectly fine. You have to tend to your patients. I completely understand.”

  “That’s very generous of you. It doesn’t have anything to do with the ‘M’ word being tossed around over dinner, does it?”

  “Of course not. I’m sorry you have to go so we can’t discuss it right now.”

  “We came together in my Saturn, remember?” He wrapped his warm hand around her cooler arm. “It’ll just take a minute. You can come in, if you like.”