THE HERBALIST (Books 1-5)

by Leslie Leigh

  She began to excavate some of the history of Idaho, particularly the northwest region. She read through some of the testimonies and other documents included in the case files again, and something caught her eye. One was a document—she had no idea why it was included in the case file—of crop estimates and inbound goods for 1829, and she noticed that wheat was one of the local crops. That stirred something in her memory, and she did more fact-checking.

  At last, things started to come together. The year 1828 was on record as one of two of the wettest years on record for that region. That was when she put everything together. Ergot poisoning. Ergot poisoning was only beginning to be understood in the early nineteenth century, even though its effects had been studied for over a hundred years. Some had even postulated that it was a major cause of some of the accusations against witches in both Europe and the early Massachusetts colony.

  But what of the grim man with the glowing eyes? If everyone in the community was consuming the tainted wheat, each of them would have ingested the ergot. Depending on individual constitutions, it would have affected people differently.

  Women were often more predisposed to melancholy and depression, although the convulsions and what the files had described as “ugly, bruised skin” would have been more universal if it entered someone with a compromised immune system. Just having come out of winter, it had likely been harder on some than others. So, some would have been more subject to the symptoms than others.

  The “grim man” description matched some of the descriptions from the witch trial eras by those who declared to have seen the devil or some demon. Melissa remembered that often specific hallucinogens gave rise to similar hallucinations. She felt it highly likely that the grim man sightings were proof that they were all suffering from similar delusions.

  Death from ergot poisoning wasn’t all that common, but rereading the files on the women, she suspected that several of them had been killed by husbands or others who feared that the woman “contracted” insanity. She shook her head. In one woman’s case, it had actually been reported that she had ligature marks on her neck as though strangled, but since she was the one who had reported having seen the “grim man” the night before, the conclusion was that it was the grim man who had strangled her.

  It was interesting that there wasn’t any mention of the devil or supernatural involvement in any of the reports, but Melissa felt that was more due to the disposition of the one filling out the case file rather than an indication of the lack of such reports.

  Brian was right. By the end of the day, she had figured it out and created a report to Detective Haas. She also included a written report in a computer file. She wasn’t sure how Haas would react to her postulations, but he was delighted.

  “That makes so much sense,” he said. “Like I said, I’d heard the tale, probably greatly embellished, so many times that I’d lost all perspective. Something like ergot poisoning would never have crossed my mind nor, obviously, anyone else’s either.”

  “Of course, there is no blame for the ergot poisoning, but I’m quite sure there were some murders here. I’m not sure—in those days and in that remote place—what the consensus would have been regarding killing someone who presented as insane, but if there were several at once, it would almost seem like zombies were attacking a community. I’m sure they had no idea what else to do. The one woman was obviously strangled, but after that, it may have been that someone with medical knowledge came up with some kind of poison.

  “The sad thing is,” she continued, “that had they thought to confer with the local native tribes, they probably would have not only known the cause but had a cure for it, as well. That’s always where our feelings and trust in white supremacy leads us wrong.”

  “It likely was due to their isolation,” Haas said. “Even a priest would have likely known the cause and the cure, but, despite their proximity to a French settlement, they obviously didn’t avail themselves.”

  “No, I had the impression that these were Dutch settlers who would have been of the Protestant persuasion. Consulting the French Catholics would have seemed as foreign to them as consulting a local medicine man.”

  Haas shook his head, offering his hand. “Thank you so much for laying this to rest for an old man who has worried for so many years that insanity might be hereditary.”

  “Well, ergot poisoning still happens today. They say that the wheat crops in North Dakota are regularly tainted with ergot. Winds out of the east could easily blow it into Idaho, despite the size of Montana.”

  “Stranger things have happened, I’m sure. However, if I start having convulsions, hopefully, my doctor can figure it out pretty quickly.”

  Melissa smiled. “I’m really glad I could help, Detective Haas.”

  When Brian had finished his work for the day and they had left the building, Melissa remarked, “Do you know that it would have been quicker if you had just taken down the salient facts of the incidents and relayed them to me by phone? I would have figured it out in a heartbeat.”

  “But that would have meant that I had to sift through all the files.”

  “What about the detective’s story? That would have given me clues, as well.”

  “Two things,” Brian said. “First, you don’t seem to understand how policework has to be done. Had I done what you suggest, you would have made an intuitive leap. I would have reported it, and even if it was right, in their minds it would have just been another theory. Only when they were convinced that you came up with your answer after looking at all the evidence firsthand would they consider the cases solved.”

  She nodded. “That makes sense. I guess I’m just so used to the intuitive leap thing.”

  “But when you have a particularly stubborn or serious case with your clientele, although you might make the intuitive leap first, you verify everything both via previous medical records and your own discussion with them, correct?”

  “You are exactly right. That is a pretty close correlation. And two?”

  He came close to her, standing toe-to-toe and looking down into her eyes. “Two is that it wouldn’t have brought you here, and I could hardly stand it another day without you.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

  She looked at him, smiling. “When you told me over the phone that you wouldn’t be coming home for a while yet, my heart dropped into my stomach. I’ve decided that I want to be available so that I can go with you anywhere—whenever you want me to.”

  “And you’ve already worked all that out with your staff?” He ran his hand over her hair and hugged her again. “Thank you.”

  “You remember when I first told you that I wanted to marry you, but we had to talk about a lot of things first?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I’ve worked through the majority of it myself. It was all my stuff, and I had to deal with it.”

  “I appreciate that, but you also should know that I am there anytime to help you deal with ‘stuff.’ As long as we always keep an open line of communication as to our wants and needs, it will work.”

  “That’s one of the things that helped me make up my mind—the fact that I have been able to communicate with you more deeply and on such a different level than anyone I’ve ever been with before.”

  “Speaking of someone you’ve been with before, are Kim and Grant using our hot tub?”

  “Undoubtedly,” Melissa said, laughing.

  Chapter 17

  After Brian’s investigative work in Idaho was concluded for a while, they took a couple of days to go skiing before returning to Arizona.

  Melissa pled to remain on the beginner’s slopes because it had been so long since she’d been skiing, but it didn’t take long for her to regain her confidence, and they were skiing most of the slopes by the time they finished.

  They stayed over an extra day beyond the weekend just to enjoy the quiet beauty of the lodge itself without all the skiers. They sat around the fire in the lobby, dr
inking glühwein and enjoying the scenery outside the windows.

  She would have to buy an extra suitcase before she went back—one that would accommodate all the bulky sweaters, pants, boots, and jackets that she had purchased while in the wintry environment. It was nice, though, knowing that her life would entail much more travel now and that she would have many more seasons to enjoy her purchases.

  As they dined in the lodge restaurant that evening, Brian brought up wedding plans. “I’d love to whisk you off to some exotic place to get married, but I know that would be unfair to friends and relatives.”

  “It would be, I’m afraid, but we can always decide on some exotic place for a honeymoon. Are you still thinking of Monterey?”

  “Well, Monterey is not really that far from Catalonia; it’s a place we can easily reach in a few hours and return in three or four days. Once I saw what the FBI was willing to pay for my services, I decided I should spare no expense for the honeymoon.”

  “I can tell you have something specific in mind already,” she said.

  “Yes, the perfect place for lovers. How about Paris?”

  Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped, but no sound would come from her throat.

  “Paris?” she finally managed to squeak.

  “Yes. Paris in the spring.”

  “Spring? That doesn’t leave a lot of time for wedding planning.”

  “How elaborate does it need to be?” He searched her eyes for a reaction to that question.

  “You’re right, how elaborate does it need to be anyway? A beautiful dress, lots of flowers, surrounded by friends and family—those are the important things. Oh, and a handsome groom of course,” she said, smiling.

  “And how about an exquisite set of rings, as well?” he asked, withdrawing a box from his pocket.

  Immediately, a lump came to her throat, and she blinked hard to keep back the tears. It was a detail that hadn’t even crossed her mind. Despite his protestations that he wasn’t very romantic, this was amazing. A snowy lodge, a honeymoon in Paris, and now the surprise of rings, she was nearly overcome. She nearly felt like swooning.

  The box was black silk. Simple. Striking. He opened it and held it out to her. She took it and looked at the rings. Her eyes brimmed with tears now.

  “Elegant and beautiful, just like the woman for whom they are intended.”

  She smiled through the tears. “Elegant and beautiful? Me? I always see myself as pretty plain and simple.”

  “Unpretentious, perhaps, but never plain. Complex but uncomplicated. And strikingly beautiful.”

  He reached across the table and held her hands.

  “They’re gorgeous, Brian. I don’t think I’d have had a clue what I wanted if you’d have asked me, yet these are perfect.”

  “The saleswoman was very helpful. She asked a lot of questions about you and suggested these. I didn’t even need to see any others. I knew these were the ones.”

  “I need to hug you right now,” she said.

  He got up and came around to her side of the booth. He sat down, hugged her, held her close, and kissed her. Then, he took the diamond engagement ring out and put it on her finger, kissing her again.

  “You protested when you asked me to marry you that you weren’t very romantic. After this weekend, I don’t believe a word of it.”

  “You inspire romance,” he said.

  # # #

  Melissa filled up the B&Bs in Catalonia with friends and relatives. Her mother and Gary were there, her brother, too, but not her sister. Melissa was content to realize that her sister would simply have to live long enough to be able to forgive. Melissa actually offered to repay the money from the estate, but both her mother and brother said no. She simply left it that if there was ever any time that any of them were in need, including her sister, she was there to help.

  Flora and the girls baked an amazing, fondant-frosted wedding cake which made them think about going into the wedding cake business, as well. It couldn’t be too busy, Flora insisted; there weren’t that many single people in Catalonia.

  Carl and Dale had built a gorgeous green arch which was completely bedecked with white peonies, geraniums, and begonias. Dale had suggested oleander since it was newly in bloom, but Melissa had politely declined. Beautiful though it was, Melissa would never feel the same about oleander again.

  “We also considered foxglove and white narcissus,” Flora said, winking.

  “Oh,” Melissa said, “perhaps I should have ordered moonflowers instead of calla lilies.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Melissa’s dress was a scrumptious vision of beaded lace and silk, and she carried a bouquet of calla liliesand small orchids.

  Steven, Clay’s new romantic interest and a Unitarian minister, performed the ceremony.

  Kim was Melissa’s matron of honor—matron because Kim was four months pregnant and showing, but she glowed in the leaf green silk dress. Her hair was upswept with tiny curls around her face. Vivian was her other bridesmaid, her darker hair and features contrasting beautifully with Kim’s.

  Flora sat with Cynthia and Gary, which Melissa felt was appropriate because Flora had mothered her so many times in absence of her own. Brian made sure the parents all had lovely corsages.

  Melissa was thrilled when one of Brian’s brothers, Aidan, agreed to come to the wedding and to be the best man. He definitely carried that same Kennedy-esque looks and air about him, and Brian and Aidan renewed old bonds. Aidan was impressed with Catalonia. Having lived in Phoenix before but not having traveled as far south, Aidan was surprised at the lushness of the desert. After experiencing one of the huge climate change winters back East, it made him think about returning to the area himself.

  The reception buffet was lavish, catered by Flora and the girls. How they had managed to do all of it and still keep up with the daily work at the market was beyond Melissa, but it didn’t concern her in the least. They obviously knew what they were doing.

  Brian had hired a little three piece band from Bisbee who played everything from jazz to blues to a little bit of country. It was perfect for the Catalonia demographic.

  By seven, Brian and Melissa were anxious to be on their way. They had arranged for the honeymoon suite in a Phoenix hotel, from where they would leave for Paris the next day, and it was a long drive to Phoenix.

  Melissa kissed all of her brave employees. Flora was beaming with her new position as manager, and the look on her face made Melissa feel all the more confident in leaving them.

  “Grant and I are going to adopt Sweet Pea,” Kim teased. Melissa laughed, although, she thought, depending on their travel schedule that it might not be a bad idea. In fact, if she and Brian built a new place as they had talked about, perhaps she would let Grant and Kim have the cottage. Kim had caught the bouquet toss, and her little cottage would make a perfect starter home.

  She said goodbye to as many as possible before Brian spirited her away. She saw both Gary and Aidan hug him and felt confident there that budding relationships would grow when they returned.

  The last surprise for Melissa for the day was a huge, white limousine, pulling up to take them to Phoenix. She had never been in a limousine before, and she opened the door to see champagne waiting for them. Brian and the driver had already loaded their luggage, and everything was ready to go.

  She looked back one last time at the little gathering who wished them well with huge smiles. Then, she slipped into the limousine with Brian beside her. He laced his fingers in hers, and they were off on a new adventure.

  END

  Thank you for reading :)

 

 

 
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