Dandelion Dead

by Chrystle Fiedler

  • • •

  Jackson arrived around six o’clock, looking good in a yellow T-shirt, jeans, boots, and a black blazer. Between his short-cropped hair, stubble beard, and blue eyes, I wanted to take him back upstairs and fool around, but that wouldn’t make us very good hosts for his farm’s fund-raiser.

  By this time, the café, porch, and lawn were completely ready. We had tables in and out, and even space on the steps—we were casual here—so plenty of room to mingle and talk. In addition to the Halloween decorations, we’d strung pretty white lights all around the checkout stand, on the doorway of the kitchen, and outside on the pink and purple rose of Sharon bushes in the yard.

  Meanwhile, Merrily and Lily worked toward the 7:00 p.m. start time to begin serving the vegetarian and vegan entrées, including fall-vegetable curry, Swiss chard with chickpeas and couscous, brown-butter gnocchi with spinach and pine nuts, linguine with capers and green-olive sauce, and gemelli salad with green beans, pistachios, and lemon-thyme vinaigrette.

  Since we had a few minutes before the event started, Jackson and I stepped outside onto the porch, so I could fill him in on the latest news. Most significant was that Amy’s death would probably be classified as a murder because of a poisonous plant, and that Lily was a person of interest because she had foraged for the dandelion greens that were used on the scallop appetizer.

  “Do you think she could have done it?”

  “No. Besides, someone has been threatening David, sending him texts and e-mails and telling him to drop out of the competition. I just can’t see her doing that. What’s her motivation?”

  “I agree. More likely it’s one of the rival vineyards that were at the party, or Gerald Parker, or Kurt Farmer.”

  “Regarding the vineyards, yes, the cash prize is substantial. It could motivate someone to go to the dark side.”

  “Yes, Obi-Wan.” Jackson smiled. Both of us were big Star Wars fans, and looking forward to the next movie. “Does Detective Koren know about the texts and e-mails?”

  I nodded. “Yes, David showed them to him, after he started freaking out that someone wanted him dead, since Amy ate one of his scallop-and-greens appetizers. David had someone trying to trace the messages to their source, and now Koren will do the same, so we’ll see. What do you think?”

  “It seems like a reasonable theory that if David’s food had been tampered with, the killer wanted him dead, not Amy. There is a lot at stake.” Jackson got quiet for a minute and watched the evening crowds of people heading to different restaurants, up and down the street. Finally he said, “And because it involves Lily and Simon, and his winery, you’re going to want to investigate, right?”

  “How did you know that?”

  Jackson gave me a “get real” face. “C’mon.”

  “But it would be different this time.”

  “Really, how?”

  “The killer is after David, not one of us. It’s a little more removed.”

  Jackson couldn’t help but laugh. “It isn’t. Not once you get involved and things start to unravel. You may find out that person you thought least likely to be a killer is the one. Believe me, I’ve seen it before on the job. It would be much better if you just let this one go. It’s too dangerous. It always is.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Our lives are good. We’re happy. I’m making a difference, and so are you. The medicinal plant garden and your new book were a hit, and you’re doing good work here, and I’m doing my thing at the farm. Plus, you heard what Detective Koren said.”

  “I know that, but I really feel I need to do this, and I am pretty good at it. Actually, we’re good together, the three of us.”

  Jackson shook his head. “Honey, you are good, but Simon should just hire a private investigator instead. It’s easier, it’s safer, and I can give him a couple of names.”

  “Did I hear someone mention my name?” Simon bounded up the stairs, wearing a denim blazer, orange button-down shirt, black jeans, and loafers, without socks, of course, and came over to us.

  “Yes, you did,” Jackson said. “We were just talking about what happened today at Pure, and the fact that I don’t want Willow involved in this investigation.”

  “Yeah, I get that.” Simon took off his sunglasses. “But I could really use her help and yours, Jackson. This is important. David is scared out of his mind, and it could impact our standing in the competition. We’ve worked so hard to get to this place, and it could all be for nothing.”

  “What about a private investigator?” Jackson said, not giving up so fast. “I know of a few really great people.”

  “Are they from out here? Do they understand Greenport and the people and the North Fork winery business and all that?”

  “Well, no. They’re retired cops that I know from the job, in Nassau County.”

  “I just don’t think someone like that, an outsider, can crack this case. I need you, both of you.” Simon gave us a pleading look. “So will you do it?” He got down on his knees. “I’m begging you, please.”

  I looked at Jackson, and he shrugged—that Simon was up to his usual antics—and said, “Up to you, McQuade.”

  “Thank you, honey,” I said. “Simon, I’ll help you, of course I will.”

  “Whew.” Simon got up. “I was a little worried that you weren’t going to have my back on this one.”

  Now I gave Simon a “get real” look. “C’mon, Simon, you knew I’d help you. I’m sure Jackson will, too, when he has time away from the animal sanctuary, right, honey?”

  Jackson blew out a breath. “Sure, I’ve got to protect you from yourself. That goes for both of you.”

  Simon put an arm around each of us. “Just what I was hoping for! It’s the Three Musketeers, together again!”

  chapter five

  I decided to start the investigation by going back to basics, in this case finding out if David had any enemies. After I was sure everyone was taken care of, I headed over to talk to him. David, wearing a brown corduroy jacket over a faded yellow tee, jeans, and red high-top sneakers, was flirting with Carla Olsen, a petite redhead, and the owner of Sisterhood Wines.

  He spotted me and said something to Carla, who moved on. When he turned back to say hi, he almost ran into Lily, who was serving glasses of Falling Leaves.

  “Sorry, Lily.”

  “It’s fine,” she replied frostily. “Wine?”

  He pointed to his almost-full glass. “I’m good.” He pecked me on the cheek. “Willow, nice party.”

  “Thanks. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, fine.” David watched Lily walk away. I wondered what was going on between them—did they have a history that I didn’t know about?

  “I wanted to tell you that I’ve decided to help you and Simon, Jackson, too.”

  “Wow.” David smiled. “Thank you. That’s a relief.”

  “First off, we need to know the basics, like if you have any enemies? Anyone we should talk to or check out?”

  “As you saw at the party, I don’t exactly get along with Gerald or my father and brother, but besides them and whoever is sending those texts and e-mails, I don’t know.” David shrugged. “I really try to get along with everyone.”

  I wondered if this was true, and if he was faithful to his wife, Ivy. “David, I know this is probably a touchy subject, but I have to ask. Is there someone else in your life, I mean, besides Ivy. I noticed that you were chatting with Carla and . . .”

  “People always take it that way.” David sounded frustrated. “I like women, period, but I don’t fool around, Willow. I’m a married man.”

  “Okay.” I put my concerns about other women on the back burner for a moment. “So no one else comes to mind who has a grudge against you or anything?”

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “And you and Ivy are okay?” I was thinking about the fight I’d witnessed at the corn maze. “Yesterday morning you two seemed upset.”

  “We’re fine, Willow. Don’t wor
ry about me tonight, take care of your other guests.”

  “I can do both.” I noticed that he wasn’t eating. “Can I get you a plate of food?”

  His eyes opened wide. “No, I grabbed something before I came. I’m feeling a little anxious about eating out after what happened. I mean, I’m sure the food is fine, but I’m just being careful.”

  “It is fine, really, David. You should eat. Ivy, too.”

  “Oh, she’s eating.” He gestured to Ivy, who was chatting with Simon, in between bites of gnocchi. “She’s always hungry. Both of them are, I mean were, the same way.”

  I glanced at Ivy. “I guess that comes from being twins. She must miss Amy so much, even more so than a regular sibling.”

  “They loved each other, for sure. Even though they didn’t always get along.” David sipped his wine. “They were just very different people—personality-wise, the way they acted, even the way they dressed. Ivy’s more uptight, Amy was more easygoing. It rubbed both of them the wrong way at times.” He patted his jacket pocket. “I’m going outside for a smoke. I’ll see you in a bit.” He squeezed my hand, smiled, and headed for the door.

  Jackson came over to me. “How’s it going, McQuade? Learn anything new?”

  “Not really. Besides Gerald, and his father and brother and whoever is sending those messages, he can’t think of anyone who would want to hurt him, but I’m not sure if he’s being completely honest about his love life or his marriage. I’m going to talk to Ivy next.”

  “Okay, but go slow. You don’t want them to know exactly what you’re up to.”

  “But I’m investigating for them.”

  “You’re helping Simon, a friend. We really don’t know David, and Ivy, especially, all that well.”

  I kept his warning in mind as I made my way across the room to Ivy, who had finished eating and was talking to Gerald. But as I walked over, Gerald stepped away.

  “I’m very sorry about your loss,” I said. “This must be a really difficult time for you.”

  “It’s a terrible shock. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do without her.”

  “I just wanted you to know that Simon asked me to help out with the investigation.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “I don’t understand. I thought you were some kind of holistic doctor and ran this health food store, certainly not a detective.”

  “Actually, I do both. I got involved in amateur sleuthing when my aunt Claire Hagen was murdered, and I’ve solved several cases since then, with Jackson’s and Simon’s help.”

  “Really?” She gave me a look as if she didn’t believe me.

  I ignored her tone and plowed on through. “Besides Gerald and his family, does David have any other enemies?”

  “I think it’s one of the rival vineyards, which is what I’ll tell the police when they interview me.”

  “So you and David are good, I mean, after your fight yesterday morning?”

  She stared at me. “Eavesdropping is an ugly habit, Willow. But if you must know, my husband and I are just fine.”

  • • •

  By ten o’clock Monday night all the guests had gone home—along with Merrily, who was exhausted. Jackson was upstairs with the dogs, and Lily and I were left alone to finish the cleanup. This wasn’t a coincidence. I’d sent her uncle Wallace home as well, since I wanted to talk to her about David Farmer.

  Merrily had cleaned up the kitchen before she left, and Lily and Wallace had cleared and reset all the tables in the café, so the only thing left to do was to move the rest of the furniture on the lawn back inside.

  We were setting up the last table on the porch when I said, “So what’s going on with you and David Farmer?”

  Upon the mention of David’s name, Lily, startled, dropped four settings of silverware on the floor. As it clattered, she sucked in a breath. “How did you know?”

  “I’m a pretty good observer and I noticed that you two didn’t seem very comfortable around each other. In my experience, that usually means something is going on or something’s over.”

  She went pale, and I pushed back a chair and helped her sit down. “It started when we began planning for the party for Pure. Remember, I had to go up there a lot?”

  I sure did. There was plenty to do to get ready, from the list of whom to invite—which Ivy supervised and scrutinized and changed constantly—to planning the menu, to hiring extra help, to, even, the playlist for the pianist. Since I’d been busy in the medicinal herb garden, Wallace was managing the store and serving customers, and Merrily was cooking in the Nature’s Way kitchen, I’d often send Lily up to Pure.

  “David was usually there and we started talking and, over time, we got, well, close, and then . . .”

  “You slept together.” So much for David’s protestations about being faithful to Ivy.

  Lily looked embarrassed. “I knew it wasn’t a good idea to sleep with a client.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “I’m so sorry, but he kept pursuing me. Finally, I gave in.”

  “What are you saying?” I sat down opposite her and took her hand. “Lily, did he force you to have sex with him?”

  She shook her head. “No. Not at all. It was mutual, for sure.”

  “And the fact that David was married didn’t bother you?”

  She shrugged. “Before we got together, he told me how unhappy he was with Ivy, that his marriage was a sham and that they didn’t even share a bed anymore. Then he told me that I understood him in a way that she never could.”

  I wondered just how many married men had used that approach on prospective lovers. But I didn’t say anything except “Are you still seeing him now?”

  “No, he broke it off on Sunday, before the party.” Her eyes started to mist up. “We were together for almost three months and then he just tells me it’s over. It was pretty devastating. I’m still upset.”

  Would being dumped make Lily into a murderer? I doubted it, but I had to ask. “Lily, you didn’t do anything you regret, did you?”

  “Try to poison him, you mean?” She stood up and pushed the chair back. “No, of course not! How can you even ask me that?”

  “Because I’m investigating Amy’s murder, and it looks like there was a mix-up between the dandelion greens and some type of poisonous plant.”

  “I’m angry over what he did, but I could never do that. No, Willow, never.”

  “You’re going to have to tell the police about you and David, you know.”

  “But they’re already suspicious of me after they found that poison hemlock. Willow, I can’t! They’ll think I had a motive to kill David and put me in jail! I couldn’t handle that, not at all.”

  “But if it comes out later, Lily, it will look worse for you.”

  “I don’t know, Willow.” She wiped away tears.

  I went into my office and grabbed a box of tissues and brought it back out to her. She grabbed a few and wiped her face.

  “I talked to David about his love life and he said that he was faithful to Ivy.”

  “That’s a lie. And I wasn’t the only one either.”

  “Carla Olsen?”

  Lily nodded. “Even though he told me he wasn’t seeing anyone else after we slept together. I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”

  Me either. Already the circle of possible suspects had widened beyond rival vineyard owners, and I wondered if a jealous lover or even Ivy had tried to kill David and killed Amy instead.

  chapter six

  Tuesday morning the weather was crisp and clear, a perfect fall day. Jackson left Nature’s Way early to take care of the morning feeding of his animals and took all the dogs with him, so I did my yoga routine in the second-floor studio, then showered and dressed in jeans, a lime-green Nature’s Way tee and matching hoodie sweatshirt, and vegan sporty sneakers, then headed downstairs for breakfast.

  Luckily for me, Merrily had just baked a tray of gluten-free blueberry muffins, so after I fed the two cats, Ginger and
Ginkgo, I grabbed a muffin and a cup of organic Fair Trade coffee and went into my office to catch up on some work, including writing blog posts about cures from my new book for my publisher’s website.

  After that, I went over my agenda for my 10:00 a.m. Edible Plants Workshop, featuring the calendula and yarrow that we had harvested on Sunday. Both herbs were versatile, and I was looking forward to teaching my class how to make calendula and yarrow teas; a calendula, yarrow, and oatmeal facial; and other beauty and health treatments.

  I gathered all my materials, including the plant cuttings from Sunday that I’d stashed in the oversize fridge in the back of the kitchen and previously dried flowers, and set up a table in front of the counter. Even though I was teaching a class, customers would still be able to shop for groceries and eat in the café.

  At nine forty-five, all but two of the people who had attended the foraging workshop had arrived, and by ten fifteen we were all in the kitchen and I was teaching them how to make freshly brewed calendula tea, one of my favorite natural remedies.

  “Calendula is pretty amazing. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.” I poured boiling water over dried calendula blossoms. “Even a simple calendula tea can be used to treat lots of common complaints like a sore throat, or a urinary-tract infection or indigestion, along with minor wounds and burns, skin irritations like insect bites, acne, athlete’s foot, itchy scalp, and even flea bites and hot spots on pets. Just keep in mind that the correct ratio is a tablespoon of petals to one cup of water.” I finished pouring the water and put the teakettle back on the stove.

  “Now, we’ll need to let this steep for at least fifteen minutes, but I’ve also got a batch that is ready to go to the next step.” I pulled a saucepan off the stove and grabbed a mesh strainer. “First, we’ll need to use this strainer to catch the blossoms and other parts of the plant.” I poured the warm brew through the strainer and into a clear glass bowl. “And that’s it. You can use it warm or cold, but it does have a short shelf life, so be sure to keep it in the fridge and to use it within two days.”