Corpse Flower: A Cornwall and Redfern Mystery

by Gloria Ferris

  I was surprised to find Redfern waiting for me outside the door. I thought he’d lose interest and wander away to supervise the takedown in the cemetery.

  His arms were crossed, his fair skin the colour of rosy bricks in the sunshine. I acknowledged to myself that he might have a small point to his anger but had no intention of telling him that.

  “My. Office. Now.”

  “Right.”

  Thea and another officer were already in Redfern’s office, leaning against the wall. Redfern pointed at the chair in front of his desk. He saw me looking at his waste basket and said, “Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.”

  He sat in his chair, with the space of the desk between us.

  “Are you going to keep talking like that?” I asked.

  “Like. What?”

  “Like, with a big space between each word. It’s creepy.”

  He swung his chair around until he faced the window. The blinds were closed, so he had a great view of muck-brown vertical slats. He rocked rapidly back and forth.

  I watched Thea and the other officer. They were shooting apprehensive glances at each other, and I noticed their shoulders were close, but not quite touching.

  “Hey,” I said. “You must be Dwayne. Thea’s told me about you.”

  They looked apprehensive, but since Redfern continued to stare at the blinds, I tried to keep the conversation going. I remembered in time that their relationship might be a secret from their boss.

  “Yes, Thea has told me about all her co-workers. You guys must have had quite a time in the cemetery tonight, eh?”

  I barely had time to intercept a mouthed “Shut up” from Thea before Redfern swivelled to face me.

  “Just exactly what was going on in the cemetery?” he asked.

  His skin was less rosy and he was speaking in whole sentences, so I deduced the danger of Redfern going postal on me was diminishing. Thea and Dwayne seemed more relaxed, so I followed suit and zipped open my jacket. I felt for my cell and pulled it out to make sure I hadn’t missed any calls from Dougal. No way was I going to lose out on that money now, not after all I had been through to get it.

  “Put that away, Cornwall, and answer the question.”

  I took a second to formulate a lucid answer, one that would save us all time and get me the hell out of there before Dougal called.

  “When you’re ready, Ms. Cornwall.”

  “Well, it’s very simple, Chief. I was riding by, saw a light in the cemetery, and decided to investigate. I feel quite protective toward the cemetery residents, and thought vandals might be tipping over gravestones. That’s about it, I guess. Somebody chased me, I kicked him in the balls, you threw me in the back of your car, and here we are. I’m always happy to cooperate with the authorities, as you know, but I have a pressing engagement and need to leave now.”

  He ignored everything I said.

  “I should arrest you right now. You have single-

  handedly jeopardized a six-month investigation and put the life of an officer in danger.”

  “What the hell are you talking about, Redfern? Arrest me for what? Okay, maybe you can get me for trespassing, but good luck with that one. Don’t forget, I was married to a smart, slimy lawyer, so don’t try to intimidate me. I know what you can and can’t do. You can throw down a summary offence for trespassing if you want, but I’ll raise you an assault charge, which would be an indictable offence.”

  I could feel Thea and Dwayne stiffen beside me. Redfern’s face started to redden again and he shouted, “Assault? For what? If you could read my mind, maybe!”

  “You didn’t fasten my seatbelt. And I smashed my face against the grill. Look.” I pointed at the small cut on my forehead from the stone angel. I was lying like the pro I was, but Redfern was being an asshole.

  “There are no seatbelts in the back of cruisers, you little menace.”

  Dwayne’s and Thea’s eyes were pivoting back and forth between me and Redfern. They had moved away from the wall and were standing by the side of his desk. The door opened and a head peered in but quickly disappeared after one glance at Redfern’s face.

  “That’s cold,” I said. “What happens during a high-speed chase? The poor suspect can take quite a beating.”

  “We don’t take our suspects on high-speed chases,” Thea said.

  “Yeah, once we bag one, we usually bring him right in,” Dwayne contributed.

  Redfern snapped a pencil in two and threw the pieces. I felt them wing by my ear.

  “Can we all get back to the cemetery, if you don’t mind?” he asked, with murderous calm.

  “I’m not quite sure what was happening in the cemetery,” I said with total honesty. “But if there was some kind of sting operation happening, why didn’t you have officers inside? Really, letting innocent citizens wander into a crime scene can’t be regulation. Geez, I could have been killed, Redfern.”

  His mouth tightened, and he looked like he was trying to swallow a baseball.

  “Cornwall, I wish I had time to deal with you, but at the moment I—”

  My BlackBerry rang.

  “For the love of God, don’t answer that, Moonbeam,” Thea entreated.

  But it was too late.

  “Hey there, cousin,” I said brightly.

  “It’s time. Get over to Glory’s and pick up Sif’s pollen. Bring it here.”

  Dougal’s voice was excited and too loud, and I put my hand over the cell. “I’m on my way,” I whispered between my fingers.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing.” I cupped my hand around my mouth. “I’ll be at Glory’s in a few minutes.”

  Redfern was staring at me like my hair had turned to Medusa’s snakes, which gave me an idea. After closing the cell and slipping it back into my pocket, I tried a cute smile on Redfern. When his face didn’t change for the better, I stood up quickly and brushed at my shoulders, then pulled at my hair, squeaking, “Is there something on me?”

  I bent over and shook my head as though trying to dislodge an entire battalion of spiders.

  “Get it off me.” I skipped closer to Redfern. “Can you see it?” I continued to shake and pull.

  Thea and Dwayne backed away. Redfern’s new expression told me he wasn’t fooled but didn’t have time for any more nonsense.

  He pointed at the door. “Go. We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow afternoon.”

  “What’s his problem?” I asked Thea on my way past, but she closed her eyes and didn’t reply.

  “And stay out of Hemp Hollow.” Redfern’s bellow followed me outside. A quick glance at my watch showed Dougal had been right in his prediction that the Titan Arums would blossom around midnight.

  The rain had ended, but the fog still filled the street, creating an unnatural stillness, and I picked my way along the sidewalk. I wanted to avoid the cemetery, but my bike was parked across from the entrance gates. I took a deep breath and darted across the street, chancing that an eighteen-wheeler wouldn’t suddenly burst out of the haze and flatten me.

  I made it across but wondered if it wouldn’t be safer to leave my bike where it was and make the pollen

  run on foot. Well, safer for me maybe, but not my bike. I wasn’t going to leave it parked where it could get smashed to smithereens by a police car backing out of the cemetery. I knew from personal experience that cops drove like maniacs.

  I hadn’t been totally putting on an act in Redfern’s office about the spiders. Before clamping on my helmet, I performed another check through my hair.

  The Savage was facing the wrong direction, and I needed to make a U-turn. I fumbled with the key as a shape materialized out of the fog. A leather vest over a skull-covered tee-shirt. Ruby eyes gleamed dully from the belt, and my own eyes travelled up to the unshaven face and do-rag–wrapped head.

  I didn’t need to hear the hoarse voice with the sardonic undertones.

  Chapter

  FORTY-FIVE

  I lifted my toes off the pavemen
t and turned the accelerator. Shooting past Snake, I made a wide U-turn in front of the cemetery and drove south a few hundred yards, trying to see Evening Star Road. Visibility was less than a foot and I overshot the turn and had to make another U-turn. By now, my life was in the hands of the angels, who had done a pretty good job so far tonight. But it was midnight and a celestial shift-change might be occurring, which meant I was off the heavenly radar for the next few minutes. Cold sweat dampened my armpits.

  By the time I cut the engine outside Glory’s mansion, I was shaking all over. Should I call Redfern and tell him I spotted Snake on the street opposite the cemetery? If I did that, Redfern might insist I come in and make a statement. Not happening tonight.

  After my pollen duties were over, I’d make an anonymous call to the police station.

  Glory opened the door holding a white pail in her hand. A lid was snapped on and further secured with grey duct tape. I looked down at the white cotton booties on Glory’s feet, then up along white coveralls that covered her to the neck. A purple shower cap topped her abundant tresses, but the cap was not up to the task and thick red strands had escaped and were cascading over her shoulders. A green surgical mask hung around her neck. Once again, I wished my elderly BlackBerry could take pictures.

  “Is that a scalpel, Glory? You aren’t dismembering Sif in there, are you?” Then another thought occurred to me. “Where’s Pan? What have you done with him, you monster?”

  “Shut up, Bliss. I’m in no mood for your pitiful humour. Now, take this pollen to Dougal at once. Do you understand?”

  I nodded, not wanting Glory to go red-eyed with a scalpel in her hand. Guess our all-girls-together relationship was over.

  “Good. Dougal is gathering Thor’s pollen right now, and when it’s ready, bring it directly here. Do not stop to take a bath or wash your hair, even though you look more disgusting than usual. Got it?” She handed over the pail.

  I snapped my heels together and saluted with my free hand, then turned to run when Glory’s eyeballs took on a pinkish hue.

  When I hit the sidewalk, I kept going on foot. Dougal’s house was only a short walk away, and the fog showed no sign of abating. I had been hearing sirens in the distance for some time and figured the cops at the cemetery were ratcheting up the hunt for Snake and his accomplice.

  But now the sirens sounded much closer. I was a half block from Dougal’s house when a squad car drove up alongside me, siren screaming and roof lights flashing. It was still impossible to see an arm’s length ahead, so while the cruiser was creating a lot of fuss, it crawled along like a hornet after a frost. Was I on the most wanted list again? Well, they wouldn’t take me in, not before I got my thousand bucks.

  Sprinting ahead with my pail of pollen, I searched through the fog for the low columns marking Dougal’s driveway. When the cruiser pulled to the curb, the headlights and flashing roof lights illuminated them.

  I dashed up the driveway and slammed into the garage. By the time I reached the front door, the beam of a powerful flashlight moved slowly along the brick path from the sidewalk.

  “Cornwall!”

  The flashlight backed me against the door. I cradled the pail of pollen in my arms.

  Fuck it all to hell. Was the man never off duty?

  “What have I done now? You said I could go. Is it necessary to chase me around in this pea-souper with sirens and guns and everything?”

  “Don’t give yourself airs, Cornwall. I’m not after you — this time.”

  I clutched the doorknob behind me with one hand to prevent myself from buckling at the knees. Someone had ratted on Dougal, and he was about to be hauled away. I had joked about that when I first found out about his marijuana, but it was all coming true. Dougal would never survive the trip to the police station, or the subsequent night in jail before I could bail him out. Then I remembered something. Redfern needed a warrant to enter the premises unless he was granted permission …

  “What’s wrong with you, Cornwall? This is your cousin’s house, isn’t it?” Redfern asked, mounting the last step to stand over me.

  “Yes.”

  “When did you see your cousin, Dougal Seabrook, last?”

  “I don’t know. A couple of hours ago, maybe around six o’clock, or maybe eight o’clock. I can’t really remember.”

  “Was anybody with him when you left?”

  Hell. Now Chesley would be involved. If he was charged for possession or trafficking, there went any possibility of a commission for the Barrister house. And I could forget entirely the long shot of selling the Belcourts my swamp.

  “Well?” Redfern’s hand was inches from mine on the doorknob.

  “Yes, Dougal’s friend from university, Chesley Belcourt, is visiting.” The two morons were probably in the solarium, happily gathering pollen with joints hanging out of the sides of their mouths.

  “Belcourt must be the owner of the Volkswagen parked out front. Did you notice an unusual smell earlier?” Redfern’s fingers hovered over mine, but I clutched the doorknob tightly. He’d have to go through me. I took Snake down in the cemetery tonight, so I was no pushover. And there was the warrant requirement.

  “Smell?” Did he mean the distinctive odour of the cannabis plants standing tall and healthy against the windows? Or … I would go with the other, stinkier one. “Now that you mention it, there was a bit of a sewer odour, or maybe a rat died in the wall. I have a super sense of smell, so nobody else would notice it.”

  “Somebody else noticed. We received a complaint from a neighbour of an odour of putrefaction, like that of a decomposing body.”

  “No way. Nobody was dead in there a few hours ago. It’s probably a sewer backup.”

  “We have to investigate all complaints. Now, either step aside and let me enter, or go get your cousin.”

  I clutched the pail tighter to my chest with one hand. “How come you’re here? Why didn’t you just send one of your officers?”

  He smiled without humour and I saw the dark smudges beneath his eyes. “Everyone else is either off-shift or involved with other duties. Busy night. The fog has caused a few fender-benders on the highway, and Thea and Dwayne are on their way to the scene. So, that just leaves me to respond to a simple odour complaint. But finding you here, Cornwall, makes me think something else is going on.” His lips twitched, briefly, like a nervous tic.

  “No,” I said, quickly. “It’s the sewer, like I said.”

  “Are you going to let me in?”

  “Have you got a warrant?” There, I said it.

  “No. Have you got something to hide in there? Or, maybe your cousin does.”

  “Why don’t I go in ahead and check it out? That way you don’t have to be bothered.”

  “Please get your cousin and bring him to the door.” This time the words and tone were official.

  My left hand was still wrapped around the doorknob. Redfern stepped closer to me and his fingers, warm and firm, touched the skin of my hand. A weird current ran through my body, and the brass knob appeared to take on a life of its own. It turned under our entwined fingers and the door swung quietly open.

  Our combined weights propelled us into the foyer.

  “Omigod.” I clamped a hand to my nose and Redfern’s head slammed back as though he had run into a wall. A solid wall of stink.

  I sprinted down the hall toward the solarium. What I hoped to accomplish with a two-second warning was not apparent, even to me: Run, Redfern is right behind me?

  The solarium door had a stained glass window insert. It was impossible to see through it, but heavy metal music exploded through the walls. The smell of decay and rotting flesh was overwhelming in this part of the house, and I sank to my knees in front of the door, trying not to gag.

  I jumped to my feet as Redfern pounded down the hall toward me, the usual look of displeasure on his face.

  “Stop,” I said, trying not to throw up from the smell. “You can’t go in there.”

  With the pollen pa
il dangling from one wrist, I spread my limbs out, starfish style, across the door.

  Chapter

  FORTY-SIX

  Redfern reached over and pried me off the door.

  “Hey, hey! Watch the pollen.” The pail slid from my wrist and rolled several metres down the hall. I dove after it. The lid was loose, but fortunately the duct tape held. I pulled the neck of my tee-shirt over my mouth and nose to stifle the stench, but it didn’t help. Only the fact that I hadn’t eaten since the egg salad sandwich at Timmy’s kept me from hurling on Redfern’s boots again. A girl could acquire quite a reputation for puking on the Chief of Police. If word got out, I’d never get a date.

  Redfern slammed on the door with his fist, yelling the usual, “Open up! It’s the police.”

  This was it. Once Redfern saw the marijuana plants, he was unlikely to allow Dougal to finish his pollination of Thor before he hauled my agoraphobic cousin away to be charged. By the time Dougal got back home, if he wasn’t traumatized beyond salvation, Thor would be past his prime. And I would never get my money.

  “It’s not locked,” I said with resignation. Good grief, testosterone has a lot to answer for.

  Redfern threw me a “you just wait until later” look, not unlike the ones my parents used to give me when I misbehaved in public.

  He pulled on the door and we both stepped back. Between the stench and the vibration of the music, I felt disoriented and dizzy. I pressed against Redfern for support, but he nudged me away and I reeled off to the side. I was resigned to what would follow as soon as Redfern spotted the cannabis plants.

  But Redfern was staring at Thor, his eyes travelling up the length of the Titan’s spadix. Soaring to within inches of the glass ceiling, Thor was magnificent.