Spanish Dagger

by Susan Wittig Albert

  SPANISH DAGGER

  China Bayles Mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert

  THYME OF DEATH

  WITCHES’ BANE

  HANGMAN’S ROOT

  ROSEMARY REMEMBERED

  RUEFUL DEATH

  LOVE LIES BLEEDING

  CHILE DEATH

  LAVENDER LIES

  MISTLETOE MAN

  BLOODROOT

  INDIGO DYING

  AN UNTHYMELY DEATH

  A DILLY OF A DEATH

  DEAD MAN’S BONES

  BLEEDING HEARTS

  SPANISH DAGGER

  CHINA BAYLES’ BOOK OF DAYS

  With her husband, Bill Albert, writing as Robin Paige

  DEATH AT BISHOP’S KEEP

  DEATH AT GALLOWS GREEN

  DEATH AT DAISY’S FOLLY

  DEATH AT DEVIL’S BRIDGE

  DEATH AT ROTTINGDEAN

  DEATH AT WHITECHAPEL

  DEATH AT EPSOM DOWNS

  DEATH AT DARTMOOR

  DEATH AT GLAMIS CASTLE

  DEATH IN HYDE PARK

  DEATH AT BLENHEIM PALACE

  DEATH ON THE LIZARD

  Beatrix Potter Mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert

  THE TALE OF HILL TOP FARM

  THE TALE OF HOLLY HOW THE

  TALE OF CUCKOO BROW WOOD

  Nonfiction books by Susan Wittig Albert

  WRITING FROM LIFE

  WORK OF HER OWN

  SUSAN WITTIG ALBERT

  SPANISH DAGGER

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada

  (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 1311, New Zealand

  (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.

  Copyright © 2007 by Susan Wittig Albert.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  The name BERKLEY PRIME CRIME and the BERKLEY PRIME CRIME design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Albert, Susan Wittig.

  Spanish dagger / Susan Wittig Albert.—1st ed.

  p.cm.

  ISBN: 978-1-1012-0713-0

  1. Bayles, China (Ficticious character)—Fiction. 2. Women detectives—Texas—Fiction.

  3. Herbalists—Fiction. 4. Texas—Fiction. I. Title.

  PS3551.L2637S63 2007

  813’.54—dc22

  2006038920

  The mystery story is two stories in one:

  the story of what happened and the story of what appeared to happen.

  —MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

  It’s possible to solve a mystery and still not know all the answers.

  —TERENCE FAHERTY, Prove the Nameless

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  A Note to the Reader

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Herbs of the American Southwest

  Further Reading

  Recipes and Crafts

  Acknowledgments

  A great many people helped with this book. For help with the papermaking aspects, I’m grateful to the members of the Yahoo! papermaking list (especially Gin Petty, Beth Heesacker, and Velma Bolyard) for their encouragement and inspiration.

  For the facts regarding the operations of the Texas regional drug task forces (now largely disbanded), thanks go to Nate Blakeslee for his riveting book, Tulia: Race, Cocaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town, and to the Texas ACLU for its comprehensive reports of abuse and scandal, “Flawed Enforcement” and “Too Far Off Task.”

  For her careful reading of the manuscript and her help with the botanical information, I am happy to thank Alice Le Duc, Ph.D., Director of Education, The Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University.

  For their encouragement, good cheer, and help with herb facts, I am grateful to members of the Essential Herbal Internet Group, with special thanks to Dr. Tamara H. Hunt, who introduced me to agave nectar.

  For having the wisdom to enter and the good luck to win the Story Circle mystery character raffle, congratulations go to Melissa Grody, together with my thanks for her enthusiastic cooperation in shaping the character who bears her name in this book.

  A mystery series, especially a long-running series like this one, wouldn’t be possible without the encouragement of a supportive editor and publishing team. Special thanks go to Berkley editor Natalee Rosenstein, who has guided these books from the beginning; to her assistant, Michele Vega; and to Catherine Milne in publicity. I couldn’t do it without you.

  And as always, thanks and thanks again to Bill, husband and writing partner, who is always generous with his ideas, suggestions, computer support, and hugs.

  A Note to the Reader

  To a novelist, writing books in a series presents all sorts of interesting challenges and opportunities. Characters can grow and change, becoming more complex, more interesting, and more problematic with each book. Settings and their histories can be deeply explored. Themes can be developed and explored, in major and minor keys, from book to book. And books can be linked by plots, as well. One story line might be introduced as a subplot in one book, developed as a major plot in another book, and wrapped up in a third. I’ve especially enjoyed playing with this technique, for some stories are simply too complex to be told in one telling.

  The story of China’s relationship to her father—compl
ex, multilayered, and full of ambiguity—seems to me to deserve an extended telling. So Spanish Dagger carries forward and develops a tale that began in Bleeding Hearts, with China’s discovery of her connection to Miles Danforth and the letters Robert Bayles wrote to Laura Danforth. It will be continued and more or less concluded in Nightshade, although I think it is true that stories that affect us deeply, such as the discovery of a father’s secret life, are never quite concluded. Family stories like these shape our lives in ways that we often don’t discover for many years. They can come back to haunt us for decades—at least, this has been true in my own family, and perhaps in yours, as well.

  I realize, of course, that connected books impose certain demands on readers. Some people may not be able to read them in order, for instance, while others may be frustrated by a conclusion that doesn’t quite wrap up the full story, and may be impatient for the next installment. There’s danger for the author, too, who risks being accused of leaving a “dangling plotline.” But for me, the potential enrichments of an extended tale are worth the extra effort it takes to write and read them. For you, too, I hope.

  And before we leave you to get on with the story, China and I also want to remind you of one important thing. Don’t use any herb medicinally or therapeutically until you do your research. Plants are “natural,” yes. But that doesn’t mean they are always safe.

  Susan Wittig Albert

  SPANISH DAGGER

  Chapter One

  “Spanish dagger” is one of the many folk names for that striking, statuesque plant, Yucca glauca. A member of the genus Agave and one of the most common herbs of the Southwest, Spanish dagger can be seen along roadsides, in pastures and meadows, and across the arid plains. A plant of great and varied utility in many native cultures, it has supplied food, drink, medicine, clothing, footwear, and even construction materials to peoples throughout the Americas.

  It’s possible to solve a mystery and still not know all the answers. It’s possible to know in detail what happened to Colin Fowler and Lucita Sanchez last week. It’s possible to know how it was done, and even who did it, and why. But knowing an answer to any question doesn’t mean that you know the answer. And knowing the truth doesn’t mean that there’s no unfinished business. There are always pieces of the puzzle that don’t quite fit, threads of story that can’t be neatly tied, answers that can’t be matched with the questions that still linger.

  In other words, one mystery leads, inevitably and inconclusively, to another. The best we can hope for is a break in the clouds, a brief lifting of the fog, an interim solution and the promise of some sort of temporary and momentarily satisfying clarity.

  It’s a tough world, a crazy and chaotic world, this world we live in. But it is very good to be alive. And what happened in Pecan Springs this past week certainly reminds me of that indisputable fact.

  “GOSH, China,” Carole said warmly, “this is a great place.”

  She looked around the spacious room, with its beamed ceiling, white plastered walls, and fieldstone fireplace, then glanced toward the kitchen on the other side of the counter island. “It’s absolutely perfect for a workshop. And this terra-cotta floor will clean up easily.” She grinned. “Making paper is a messy business, as I’m sure you know.”

  I knew. I’d never been able to make paper without ending up with puddles of water and pulp on the floor. I opened the sliding glass door and we went onto the wooden deck. It was shaded by a large live oak tree, its April green leaves fresh and glistening in the afternoon sun. “We can set up the beater and drying racks out here,” I said. “And another table, if we need it.”

  “Perfect,” Carole said approvingly. “How many folks have enrolled?”

  “Twenty, with six on the wait-list.”

  “Then we’ve definitely maxed.” Carole pushed her gold glasses up on her nose. “I like to be able to spend at least ten minutes with each person. When there’s more than twenty, somebody gets shortchanged.”

  We went back inside, where I picked up Carole’s suitcase. “Let’s take a look at your bedroom.” I led the way down the hall, past the bathroom. At the bedroom door, Carole pulled in her breath.

  “Lovely,” she exclaimed. “China, this is perfect! I’m going to love it here.”

  I hoped so. I’ve invested a great deal of time and thought in the decorating project and love the way it’s turned out: an antique four-poster bed made up with lavender-scented sheets and covered with a Texas Star quilt and a scattering of pillows; a polished mahogany dresser and rocking chair; a red and blue braided rug on the gleaming oak floor; wood shutters at the windows; even a small television set and VCR. And since the cottage is at the very back of the lot, away from the street, there’s almost no noise—except, of course, for Miss Lula, the yappy little dog, as old and crotchety as her owner, who lives on the other side of the alley.

  If you didn’t know, you’d never guess that Thyme Cottage was built as a stable, in the long-ago days when everybody in Pecan Springs had at least one horse. It sits under a large pecan tree behind the two-story stone building that houses my herb shop, Thyme and Seasons, Ruby Wilcox’s Crystal Cave, and Thyme for Tea, the tearoom that Ruby and I own together. The fully equipped kitchen and spacious main room (fancifully called “the Gathering Room”) make the cottage a great place for all sorts of workshops and classes. The newly decorated bedroom, which looks out onto the gardens that surround the building, enables me to rent the cottage as a bed-and-breakfast when it’s not otherwise scheduled. I’ve been getting quite a few rental requests lately, because the place is listed in the new Pecan Springs B&B Guide.

  This week, Thyme Cottage was doing double duty: Carole Gaye, who lives and works near Taos, would be teaching a papermaking workshop and staying in the cottage. Carole is an accomplished paper artist with a national reputation, and always in demand as a teacher. I was only able to get her because she’s a friend of Ruby’s, so I was glad the accommodations pleased her.

  I showed her the bathroom, then asked, “What else do we need to do before Saturday’s workshop? Do you have everything you need?”

  “Most of it,” Carole said. “I’ll set things up on Friday, but since tomorrow’s only Thursday, I’m taking the extra day to relax. There is one thing, though. If you know where to find a few yucca plants, I’ll collect some leaves. Yucca makes great paper, and since it’s easy to find in this area, I want to show people how to work with it.”

  “Sure,” I said. “There are quite a few yuccas along the railroad tracks. If you’ll come to the shop about eight thirty, we can drive over there.” I’m usually at the shop just after eight, which gives me time to get a few things done—sweeping, dusting, even some garden work—before customers start showing up at ten. Owning your own business has plenty of plusses, but sleeping until noon is not one of them.

  Carole nodded. She was about to say something else, but she was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and a loud “Yoo-hoo!”

  “We’re coming, Ruby,” I yelled, and we went back down the hall to the Gathering Room, where, with bubbly squeals, Ruby and Carole—friends since they met at a yoga retreat a couple of years ago—fell into an enthusiastic embrace. With Ruby was our new partner, Cassandra Wilde, carrying a tray laden with breakfast goodies: fruit, juice, and a couple of Cass’ famous gingerbread waffles, to be warmed up in the microwave. Cass had also included a small pitcher of dark agave nectar for the waffles. It’s made from the heart of the wild agave plant and is higher in fructose than sugar-based syrups or honey. Good for anyone who needs to watch the sugar. Carole would definitely not go hungry.

  If you were here with us, you could meet everyone in person, but since you’re not (and since you may be new to Pecan Springs and in need of an orientation), I’ll take a few moments to tell you who we are. You’ve met Carole Gaye already—she’s the diminutive one, wiry and sturdy, with muscles developed from years of pounding plant fiber and toting buckets of pulp. Her attractive gray hair is c
ut like a boy’s, and she’s wearing gold granny glasses, khaki slacks, a neatly tucked-in black tee, sneakers, and not a smidgen of makeup.

  The willow-slim, very tall gal (six feet plus-plus in her wedgies) is Ruby Wilcox, business partner and best friend. Makeup, yes, lipstick and eye shadow and liner as dramatic as any queen of the Nile. Hair in springy ringlets the color of fresh carrots. Eyes, blue, green, or brown, depending on her choice of contacts and eye shadow. Green today, complementing her springtime outfit: calf-length cropped linen pants in a flowery yellow print, a loose buttercup yellow tunic over a mustard yellow tee, straw sandals, and a saucer-sized sunflower pendant with matching sunflower earrings. Ruby in full bloom, fully outfitted for her working day.

  Ruby’s Crystal Cave is the only New Age shop in Pecan Springs, which shouldn’t be a surprise, since small-town Texans don’t usually go ga-ga over tarot, incense, crystal balls, the I Ching, astrology, and spirit channeling. But Ruby, who teaches everything from Understanding Your Birth Chart to The Path of Rune Wisdom, has a loyal and loving following. Last Saturday, she taught a daylong class called Learning from Your Inner Teacher, which has something to do with trusting that part of yourself that is unconsciously plugged in to the Cosmic Switchboard. The Gathering Room was packed with women, whose devotion to Ruby makes many male Pecan Springers nervous. Good ol’ boys have a tendency to view Ruby as an Alien Being. The idea that their wives and daughters might tune in to something other than Fox News or As the World Turns gives them the fidgets.

  Ruby and I have been close friends for a long time, and I can testify that there are plenty of fascinating contradictions stowed away behind that in-tune-with-the-universe facade. Yes, she’s intuitive, so intuitive that it’s often spooky. She can scan your stars and tell you things about yourself that you haven’t yet discovered, and she can coax the Ouija board to tell more tales than a Baptist snitch in a Methodist choir.

  But when it comes to business, Ruby is ruthlessly pragmatic. She knows to the penny how much cash flowed through the register at Thyme for Tea—her brainchild—last month. She can also tell you how many new clients we added to Party Thyme, the new catering service, locally (and humorously) known as Ruby’s “traveling circus.” She proposed starting that little enterprise because she had the idea that people who enjoyed their visit to Thyme for Tea might be happy to hire Party Thyme to cater their next big garden party.