Pretty Poison plgm-1

by Joyce Lavene

  “Thanks, sweetie. We both know you can’t always be here. But Shakespeare can be.” The big dog came bounding in with Sam. “It looks like it might be just as well that I’m going to keep him.”

  Shakespeare walked through the shop, sniffing everything. He finally curled up on the big rag rug in the middle of the autumn scene. Garden implements and plants flew out of the way as he made room for himself.

  “I guess he’s made himself at home,” Selena said hesitantly. “If it helps you, it’s a good thing. Someone would have to be crazy to get near you with that in the way.”

  “I’ll be back to take you home,” Sam told Peggy. “Wait for me.”

  Peggy promised not to hobble anywhere without him. She took off her coat and put on her green shop apron. The lunchtime crowd was starting to mill through the Arcade and Brevard Court. For the next two hours, she and Selena were too busy to talk.

  They sold out of red tulip bulbs and had to order more. Jumbo elephant ears were almost gone as well. They seemed to be a favorite of the new uptown urban dwellers who were bringing weekend life to the city.

  “I think we’re going to need more of those antique-looking watering cans,” Selena told Peggy after she rang up a sale and thanked her customer. “They’re really popular.”

  Peggy noted it on her supply list. “I’ll have some brought in with the next shipment Thursday.” She told Selena about the faux antique garden implements she’d seen in her catalog the night before. “I think they’ll go over big, too.”

  Selena laughed as she went to help a man pick out a new brass sundial for his garden. “You know what we say around here. If you can’t get real antiques . . .”

  “. . . get new ones that look old,” Peggy finished.

  When the rush was starting to become a trickle, Sofia brought lunch from the Kozy Kettle. “I can’t believe what a hellhole this place has become! You’d think we were living in a big city. Guns. Drugs. People pushing old ladies off of loading docks.”

  Peggy took exception to the “old lady” part. “It could’ve happened to anyone. I don’t think age was a factor.”

  Sofia handed her a cup of peach tea. “At least the animal didn’t try to rape you. God forbid any woman should have to suffer the fate of my Aunt Bibi. Did I ever tell you about her? She was trapped by a group of Nazis in the forest outside her home in Warsaw. She was a brave woman, but she was no match for that many filthy pigs.”

  Selena looked at Peggy. They’d heard the terrible tale of Aunt Bibi at least a hundred times. It was a cautionary tale of the worst thing that could ever happen to a woman. It always ended the same way.

  “The best thing to do is carry a knife. Aunt Bibi always carried a knife after that. She said if a drunken man ever tried to have his way with her again, she’d slit his throat. She was a brave woman.”

  Peggy was mouthing the last few words with Sofia as the tale finished. She took a sip of her tea and sputtered liquid out as she realized that she’d missed something in her interviews with Mark’s women. Quickly, she took out a small notebook and wrote it down. “Selena, can you close up for me if I’m not back in time? I just remembered something important.”

  “Sure.” Selena shrugged. “Where are you going?”

  “I have to see a friend about some blood.”

  Sofia crossed herself. “God forbid! Peggy Lee, you’re going to get yourself killed if you don’t watch out. I see the evil eye looking down on you.”

  Peggy clipped the leash to Shakespeare’s collar. “It better be careful. I have a big dog.”

  Sofia crossed herself again and went back to the Kozy Kettle. Selena went to help a woman who wanted to set up a small fountain and pond on the balcony of her condominium.

  Peggy walked Shakespeare out of the courtyard, noticing when people made a wide path for him. She yanked on his collar to no avail when he lifted his leg and wet on a large evergreen in a pot. “Bad dog! You shouldn’t go to the bathroom there. Where are your manners?”

  She used her cell phone to call a taxi, then sat on a bench outside the courtyard waiting for it. Her whole body thrummed with the excitement of realizing she might have found something the police missed. The only way to know for sure was to talk to Mai. It was too important to trust to a phone call.

  But the taxi driver was wary of letting the dog into his car. “I don’t allow animals.”

  “We’re not going far. I’ll pay an extra fare for him.”

  The man stubbornly refused. “Only those dogs that help blind people.”

  She pushed the dog into the back of the cab and followed him slowly, mindful of her injured knee. “Well, this is my Seeing Eye dog.”

  “But you’re not blind.”

  “Not yet. But I had an aunt who was blind. Who knows when it might happen to me?” She closed the door. The driver shrugged, unable to argue with her logic, and they left the courtyard.

  MAI WAS COMING BACK from a meeting when she saw Peggy waiting for her in the lobby of the precinct. “Hey Peggy! This is becoming like your home, too. You’re here almost as much as I am.”

  Peggy winced a little as she got to her feet. Her knee got stiff when she sat down for too long.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Mai took her arm. “I heard about what happened to you. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, thanks. Just a little bruised.”

  “Is this your dog?” Mai’s eyes grew wide as Shakespeare stretched and got to his feet. “Is this a dog?”

  “He’s a Great Dane. His name is Shakespeare.”

  “He looks strange. He’s a weird color, isn’t he? And his ears don’t stand up. I thought Scooby-Doo was a Great Dane. He doesn’t look anything like him.”

  Peggy smiled. “He’s been abused and neglected. I rescued him. But I think he’ll fill out nicely. I don’t think I have the heart to crop his ears since he’s not a puppy anymore.”

  “I think he’s filled out pretty well already, Peggy. But I know you didn’t come here to show me your dog. What can I do for you?”

  “If I could have a few moments of your time, something has come to my attention. I need to talk to you about it.”

  “It’s about the Warner case, isn’t it?” Mai folded her arms across her chest. “I have some time. Although I don’t know if it will do any good to talk about it.”

  “I enjoy talking to you, no matter what. If you don’t mind listening, where’s the harm?”

  Mai put her hand on Peggy’s arm. “Let’s go back then. Do you need any help?”

  “Thank you. Just a little guidance is fine.”

  The sergeant at the desk looked up. “Watch out for that first step going in, Mrs. Lee. Somebody should take care of that bump in the floor before someone gets hurt. Nice dog.”

  Peggy sat down in Mai’s crowded office. Shakespeare sat beside her, his head almost level with hers.

  “What can I do for you?” Mai asked.

  “I’d like to see the tox screen results for Mark Warner.”

  Mai looked hesitant. “Peggy, you know I want to help you . . .”

  “All right. If you can’t do that, you could look at them and answer a question for me.”

  “I can do that. I don’t see where that would give anybody a wedgie.” Mai searched through her files until she found the one she needed. “Okay.”

  “What were the results of the tox screen?” Peggy waited for the answer on the edge of her chair.

  Mai searched through the file. “Nothing.”

  Peggy’s enthusiasm waned. “Nothing unusual?”

  “Nothing at all. There was no tox screen.”

  11

  Heather

  Botanical: Calluna vulgaris

  Family: Ericaceae

  Common Name: Scotch heather

  Calluna comes from the Greek word kallunein, which means to cleanse. The name was appropriate because heather twigs were used as brooms, and the plant contains properties that can help internal disorders.

  “ISN’T THAT UN
USUAL ?” Peggy asked.

  “Not necessarily. Cause of death was apparent. We knew it was from a blow to the base of the skull.” Mai shrugged. “I suppose the ME didn’t see any reason to do a tox screen. We’re very cost conscious right now. They won’t even put in an extra roll of toilet paper in the ladies’ room.”

  “Suppose I could give you a reason to do a tox screen. Do you think the ME would consider it?”

  “I could ask him, Peggy. But it’s unlikely. They’re scheduled to release Warner’s body tomorrow. I don’t think they’ll add any new tests to hold that up. The widow and her lawyer have been giving them fits as it is.”

  “But Mai, this could be crucial to the case. There must be something you can do.”

  “I appreciate your faith in me. But I’m only a peanut in the food chain around here. My opinions don’t matter much. Mostly, I go-for.”

  Peggy tapped her fingers on the desk. “Once the body is buried, it will be impossible to exhume. We have to do that tox screen now.”

  “Tell me what you know.” Mai sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Peggy explained several pieces of information she’d picked up in conversation. “Mr. Cheever didn’t have any of Mark’s blood on him, even though he handled his body to remove his watch and wallet. He said he thought Mark was sleeping.”

  “But that could just be coincidence.”

  “Then there’s Keeley. She told me that Warner was slurring his words, staggering, acting like he was drunk. I didn’t think much about it until Warner’s other lady friend told me he was allergic to alcohol. He never drank.”

  “So, what are we looking for? Checking to see if he had a drink? Checking for drugs?”

  “If he accidentally imbibed, it would go right to his head. Allergic reaction. It would make him an easier target. Don’t you see? If someone purposely gave him alcohol, someone who knew he couldn’t have it, it would change the dynamics of the crime. The murder may have been set up before Mark ever got to the shop.”

  Mai nodded. “Which would take your friend out of the picture. At least one of them, anyway. You realize it could be worse for Ms. Prinz?”

  Peggy nodded. “One thing at a time, I suppose.”

  “Okay. Stay here for a few minutes. I’ll talk to the ME’s chief assistant.”

  Peggy waited impatiently in Mai’s office for about twenty minutes until the younger woman returned. “Well?”

  Mai closed her door. “The chief assistant ME doesn’t see where a tox screen is appropriate or warranted at this time. He appreciates your concerns, but the case is closed.”

  “It must be nice not to second-guess yourself,” Peggy muttered. “What can we do now?”

  “Nothing really. The chief assistant ME is the only one who speaks directly to the medical examiner. There’s a chain of command. I have to live by it. In this case, so do you.”

  Limping a little, Peggy put her arm around Mai’s thin shoulders. “Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’?”

  “Have you ever seen my landlord? If my rent isn’t there by six the night before it’s due, he starts auctioning my stuff. If I don’t have a job, I can’t pay my rent. Then I’d have to move back home with my parents.” Mai paused for breath. “Nothing is worth that.”

  “Don’t worry. What I have in mind will work, and we probably won’t get caught.”

  “Probably?”

  “And if the worst happens, you can move in with me. I have a very large house.”

  “Peggy, I don’t like the sound of this. What do you want me to do?”

  ONCE SHE AGREED to the plan, Mai insisted it had to be done at night. They agreed to meet at the precinct parking lot at midnight. Peggy took Shakespeare home before going back to the Potting Shed and gave him free roam of the house after he’d taken a long walk in the yard. “I’m going to trust you not to break too many things and not to howl. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Your food and water are in the kitchen. If someone tries to break in, I expect you to bite him. And keep an eye out for Nightflyer. We really don’t want him around.”

  The dog sat and looked at her with his head cocked to one side. When she finished speaking, he barked once, then padded toward the kitchen. Peggy shook her head. Of course he didn’t understand a word she said. But at least he didn’t jump up on her or drag the china cabinet into the kitchen with him. Maybe everything would work out. Maybe having a dog wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  She listened to her messages while she changed clothes. There was a sweet phone call from Steve who asked her how Shakespeare was doing. Paul called to see how she was doing. The other two messages were telemarketers. She pressed Erase, then finished dressing.

  The taxi driver who brought her from the downtown precinct was the same one who came to pick her up when she called. He was relieved that she left her dog at home. There was an overturned truck that was blocking College Street. The driver swore and honked his horn. Peggy suggested an alternate route . . . and some Saint-John’s-wort. Really, people were too tense.

  Selena was ready to go when she reached the Potting Shed. “I have to run, Peggy. I hope you can handle closing up. If not, Sam says to call him. He said he’ll be here to pick you up.”

  “Thanks. Late class?”

  “Nope. Date!”

  “Good luck. I hope he’s Mr. Right.”

  Customers walked through the shop fitfully, looking but not buying. Peggy kept a close eye on a toddler whose mother was too absorbed in a catalog to notice what he was doing. He finally managed to pull a bag of fertilizer over on himself and started howling. That got his mother’s attention. She muttered something about stores not being childproofed and dragged the child out.

  A distinguished-looking gentleman with a sheaf of flowers on his arm approached her. “Peggy Lee?”

  “Yes.”

  He handed her the flowers. “These are for you. I hope you enjoy them.”

  She smelled the heather. “Where did they come from?”

  “I’m just the delivery boy. There’s a card attached.”

  Peggy waited until she was alone to sit down and read the card. She looked at the heather, pink, white, and purple, wrapped in green tissue paper. Heather like this would be difficult to get. The card read: “Pink heather for good luck. White heather to protect you from danger. Purple heather to express my admiration for you. Nightflyer.”

  The lights were coming on in the courtyard. It was so quiet she could hear the big clock on the wall ticking. The scent of heather wafted sweetly around her. She had to admit that he knew his flowers. He’d given some thought to his gift. In a way, that made it even more frightening. It was like he knew her. She didn’t want to think how that was possible.

  “Ready to go?” Sam asked as he bounced in from the back around 9 p.M., after a late delivery. “Nice flowers. Going to a funeral?”

  “No. The flowers are from an admirer.”

  He grinned. “That Steve knows his way around, doesn’t he? I wonder if he has a brother?”

  “No. They aren’t from Steve.” She told him a little about her cyber stalker. “It sounds silly, but the idea that he’s looking over my shoulder gives me a chill.”

  “It’s probably nothing. You know, it’s not easy to meet someone face-to-face nowadays. You have to worry about how your hair looks and whether or not your teeth are as white as Tom Cruise’s. Then there’s the whole smell dilemma. Do you wear Giorgio or go natural with some good soap and deodorant? Who knows what people are looking for?”

  She smiled at him. “It sounds terrible. How do you survive?”

  “By coming up with great ideas like these flowers.” He sniffed the heather. “You meet someone on-line. Talk to him a little bit. Get a feel for what he’s into. Check him out with the police and FBI to make sure he isn’t a terrorist. Then you send him something pretty. That way, when you meet in the real world, if you’re lucky, he won’t notice that your hair never lays down smooth on top because
you have a double crown.”

  “So you’ve done this before?”

  “No. But it sounds like a good idea. I might try it.” He grabbed a Coke from the minifridge behind the counter. “I’m starving! Have you eaten? What’s with the black clothes? Do you have ninja class or something tonight?”

  “Let’s grab some food.” She explained her plan to him. “Then you could drop me at the uptown precinct. I can go with Mai from there.”