Fruit of the Poisoned Tree

by Joyce; Jim Lavene

  “Hey! Where are you guys going? I’m just getting off duty. How about some breakfast?”

  “That’s exactly where we’re headed,” Steve answered. “Hop in the backseat if you can push the dog over.”

  Paul glanced at his unusually silent mother. “No dog, even one the size of a pony, is going to keep me from breakfast.”

  Peggy called the hospital to see how Beth was doing. She explained what happened to Paul as they rode to the restaurant. “They expect a full recovery, thank God.”

  “But she’ll be confined for a while for her own safety,” Paul said. “That’s the law.”

  “I know.” Peggy acknowledged. “Unless we find out it wasn’t an attempt at suicide.” She told Paul and Steve her theory.

  “I suppose that could make sense,” Steve agreed, his eyes on the crowded streets.

  “Do you have some idea who would be in line for the money?” Paul asked.

  “No,” she admitted.

  “It seems like it would be Beth’s family with Isabelle out of the way. Do you think they had something to do with this?”

  “No! Of course not!” Peggy looked at her son for the first time. He was thinking intently about what she said, but his eyes were shadowed and his mouth was a grim line. “Oh, sweetie, I forgot. I’m so sorry about you and Mai. I wish it could’ve worked out differently.”

  “That’s okay.” He shrugged. “I guess it happened too fast, huh? These things take time. At least that’s what she said.”

  Steve glanced at Peggy. “I don’t know about that. It all depends, doesn’t it?”

  Paul’s laugh held a bitter edge. “I’m not saying anything about the two of you. Just don’t mention marriage or getting a house together, and maybe you’ll be okay.”

  Peggy reached over and squeezed her son’s hand. “If it doesn’t work out with Mai, there’ll be someone else.”

  “I think you can say it’s over between us, Mom. You’re always too optimistic.”

  “We’ll see,” she said as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot. “Thank goodness we’re here! Now that I’m feeling better, I’m starving!”

  The three of them went inside together and sat down at a booth. The waitress took their orders and brought them orange juice, coffee, and water. The restaurant wasn’t very busy at that hour. The rush had come and gone before nine.

  Peggy’s mind was still busy with things other than eggs and pancakes. Even the sun-deprived ivy, still in its little Christmas container on the window ledge, only caught her attention for a moment. She gave it some water from her glass and found a single shaft of sunlight for it to bask in. “Is there some way I could find out who would be the executor or guardian for the children?”

  Paul sipped his coffee. “It’s not easy to find a legal guardian sometimes. It might be the first person a judge appoints for the job.”

  “What about Beth’s parents?” Steve asked, sitting forward. “Wouldn’t they be the logical choice since they already have the boys?”

  “From what limited information I know about the law,” Paul began, “the people who take care of the children and the person responsible for the purse strings can be different. You might have to see a copy of Park and Beth’s will.”

  “Let’s give Hunter a call and see if she can find anything.” Peggy took out her cell phone as her breakfast arrived. “Maybe she can solve this riddle for me.”

  STEVE DROPPED PAUL OFF at the police parking lot, then drove Peggy back to her house. She just finished feeding Shakespeare a piece of biscuit she’d saved for him from breakfast. She hated leaving him in the car and wouldn’t have considered it if the temperature was warmer. It wasn’t always best for the pet to ride with the owner.

  “I’m free today if you need to do any sleuthing,” Steve offered.

  “I’m only planning to go to the Potting Shed until one, then I’m taking Shakespeare back to Rue for his next lesson. I’m hoping it goes better this time.”

  “He seems calm today.” Steve patted the dog’s head. “I’ll take you over to Rue’s. Unless you have other plans.”

  She smiled and kissed him. “It sounds like the highlight of my day. I’ll see you at one. Thanks, Steve.”

  He put his arms around her and extended the brief kiss she’d started to give him. “I don’t want to get married or buy a house. Don’t worry.”

  “That makes me feel so much better,” she assured him sarcastically. “But I’m sure there were other issues involved in Mai and Paul’s breakup.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. That’s the way it happens.”

  “You sound like you have prior experience.” She yawned and tried to hide it behind her hand.

  “You sound exhausted.”

  “I am. But we’ll take this up later. You know all about my past life. I don’t know anything about your old flames.”

  “They’re all ashes,” he quipped. “Really. Not worth discussing.”

  She raised one eyebrow above a curious green eye. “We’ll definitely be talking about it later.”

  Steve frowned and shook his head. “You’re going to be disappointed. I’m not as colorful or ambitious as you, Peggy.”

  “We’ll see!”

  “I’ll see you later.” He finally gave up. “Keep me posted if you hear anything else about Beth.”

  Peggy dragged herself to the house, unlocked the door, and disarmed the alarm system. The house was cold. She definitely needed a new furnace, with or without Dalton’s help. She went upstairs with Shakespeare running up before her. It wasn’t until she pulled herself up the long stairway that she realized her mistake.

  Shakespeare had stripped the sheets, pillows, and comforter from her bed in the few moments she lagged behind him. He was chewing on one of the pillows when she reached him. Furious, she grabbed his collar and dragged him back downstairs. He whimpered and barked when she locked him in the laundry room. “It’s for your own good,” she yelled at him. “It’s either the laundry room or I’m going to strangle you!” And Steve had to mention how calm he seemed.

  Sheer force of will got Peggy back up the stairs and into the shower. The phone rang, but she ignored it, letting the hot water flow down her face and body. She tried to push everything that happened out of her thoughts. She couldn’t reach a rational conclusion when her emotions were overwhelming her.

  She stood in the shower until the hot water was gone, then wrapped a towel around herself and ran, freezing, into the bedroom. There was one conclusion she reached during her shower. Teeth chattering, she picked up the phone before she bothered dressing.

  When Dalton answered in his slow, deliberate way, she blasted him. “If you don’t get this furnace repaired from the trust fund, I’m going to have it repaired out of my own money and sue you and the house trust. This is stupid, Dalton. You know I have every legal right to be in this house.”

  “What about being fair to the next one in line, Peggy?”

  “When the next Lee moves in here, he’ll have a garden most people only dream about. I’ve taken good care of this house. This is my home. I won’t let you force me from it. It’s all I have left of my life with John. I’ll fight you to keep it.”

  She heard a long, indrawn breath. “All right, Peggy. I’ll have the furnace repaired. But you’d better keep that alarm system on. If you have another break-in, I won’t be moved by any pretty words. Understand?”

  “Yes. I’ll take care of it.” She hung up the phone, shaking with cold and temper. She’d won . . . at least for now.

  Peggy dressed quickly and warmly. She fed Shakespeare, but he still wouldn’t eat. She was getting concerned about his lack of appetite. Maybe it would be better to dog-proof her house and let him out. She loved him. She didn’t want him to get sick. But how could she dog-proof everything?

  She stroked his head as he lay on his massive paws. “I love you, you know. Otherwise I wouldn’t put up with you. I have to go now, but I’ll be back after lunch to take you for your next
lesson with Rue. Try to eat something while I’m gone.”

  Riding to the Potting Shed was slow, heavy traffic on all the roads. She thought about the night before as she rode past Myers Park Presbyterian Church. The image of Jesus with the lambs didn’t seem so comforting now. Even though Beth survived what happened to her, her life would never be the same again.

  And what would happen when it was time for Beth to go home? They wouldn’t keep her forever. The killer would have to act again to secure the money. Unless he or she were long gone with all of it. Unlikely, she considered as she rode her bike up to the back of the shop. Beth’s life could be in danger again. She had to prove what really happened. But where could she start?

  “Good morning, Peggy!” Selena sang out from behind the cash register. “I hope your friend’s doing better. It’s a great morning, isn’t it?”

  Peggy took off her coat, scarf, and gloves. “Either your grades have come up, or you’re dating someone new.”

  Selena laughed. “How about both? I finally found a good way to get tutored. I’m dating the professor!”

  “Don’t tell me who it is,” Peggy urged, holding out her hand. “It’s not ethical to date a student. I have enough secrets in my brain right now. Wouldn’t it be easier to learn the material?”

  “Those old rules for not dating professors are stupid,” Selena told her. “I’m an adult. He’s an adult. What we do isn’t anyone else’s business. This is working for both of us. Can’t anyone just be happy for me?”

  Peggy assumed from Selena’s tone that she’d already been chewed out by someone else, probably her mother. Glad it wasn’t her job to rein the girl in, Peggy started her day as she always did with a cup of tea and a look at the delivery book. It was early for customers. The silence in the shop was only broken by the sound of the radiators fighting the chill that tried to creep in from outside.

  There was a full day ahead of her. She was glad about that. It made her feel better to call the customers who had benches coming, clear out space for some pansies, and stock shelves with seed packages. She had pussy willows and blue Dutch irises for Diane Walters who practiced ikebana, a Japanese form of flower arranging. But the pink thrift that meant sympathy brought her right back to the muddle in her brain.

  Hunter came by with David a little while later. She looked as pale and hollow-eyed as Peggy felt. “I just left the hospital. Beth is still unconscious. Her parents are with her.” David slipped his arm around her shoulders.

  “She’ll come out of it,” Peggy predicted. “She’ll be embarrassed about all the fuss. I know I would be.”

  “I’m not sure where to go from here,” Hunter confessed. “I know she’s not crazy. This could happen to anyone under the kind of stress she’s had to deal with.”

  “Unfortunately, the law doesn’t care about the circumstance,” David reminded her. “She’s your friend. You’ll just have to stand by her through everything that’s going to happen. People can come out on the other side of something like this. Mental illness is a treatable disease.”

  “I know you’re right.” Hunter kissed his cheek and hugged him. “I wish I could crawl under my bed for a while, but I can’t. I have a wrestler with a bad attitude waiting for me. I’ll talk to you later, Peggy. Let me know if you hear anything about Beth. I’ll be in court, so I won’t have my cell phone on.”

  “I’m making dinner tonight for Hunter,” David said as they were leaving, “why don’t you and Steve join us? I’m sure we could all do with a bottle of wine and a little conversation over some good food. Around seven?”

  Peggy smiled. “Thanks, David. I’ll talk to Steve and get back with you.”

  When they were gone, Selena shook her head. “You didn’t give Hunter a hard time about dating someone so quickly.”

  “My problem with you dating your professor has nothing to do with dating someone quickly,” Peggy explained. “But I’m sure you’ve heard all the arguments already. You’re an adult. You get to make these choices for yourself. You also get to cope with the mistakes you make.”

  “Why does everyone assume it will be a mistake?”

  “Because the ethical question rubs up against the notion of romance in this case,” Peggy answered as she put on her work jacket to go into the warehouse space in the back of the shop. “Would you want your daughter to date her teacher?”

  “Oh, Peggy.” Selena frowned. “You sound like my mother!”

  Customers began filtering into the shop, and a delivery driver needed help dropping off a load of apple trees in the back. Contrary to what most people thought, winter was a good time to plant trees. As long as they were healthy and well-footed, they should thrive.

  Gratefully, Peggy left Selena in the front and went to help him. She certainly wasn’t in any frame of mind to offer advice to the girl. She had all the peace of mind that a ticking time bomb in her pocket could bring her.

  Lunchtime came quickly. Peggy felt like she looked up from a delivery of carrots and animal sculptures with solar batteries that made them glow at night when Steve was there with Shakespeare, waiting to go to Whiskers and Paws. She picked up her coat and gloves, smiling at Selena. “I should be back in a couple of hours.”

  “Good luck with the horse,” Selena said. “Peggy?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks for caring about what I do anyway.” She smiled self-consciously and glanced at Steve. “I know I get to make my own choices now. Maybe they won’t always be right. But I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me.”

  Peggy paused and looked at her. “Are you all right? I can skip the lesson today if you need me to stay.”

  “I’m fine.” Selena opened the shop door for them. “We’ll talk when you get back.”

  “What’s with her?” Steve asked as they left the shop.

  It was her words to Selena about the ethical question of romance that struck Peggy like a bolt of logic. Suddenly, she knew the answer. She pulled out her cell phone. “I have to cancel Shakespeare’s lesson for today.”

  “What’s up?” Steve wondered, herding the dog into the SUV.

  “I think I know what the link is between Cindy and the money. And I’m sorry, Steve, but you can’t help me find it.”

  18

  Amaryllis

  Botanical: Hippeastrum

  Family: Amaryllidaceae

  The amaryllis is a relative of the daffodil. It is native to the Andes mountains of Chile and Peru. It was discovered in the eighteen hundreds by Dr. Eduard Poeppig. This showy plant is one of the greatest treasures of the gardening world. It can be grown indoors or out with great success and minimal effort.

  STEVE WASN’T SURE IF he should be offended or glad he had to be excluded. “What are you planning to do?”

  “I’m going to take a look around Cindy’s condo.”

  “You’re going to ask her first, right?”

  She glanced at him, eyebrows raised.

  “Never mind.” He started the Vue’s engine. “I don’t want to know. But you can’t go in alone.”

  “I have to. It’s the only way.” Peggy outlined her plan. “I know where she lives. We’ve done work there. I think I can get the doorman to let me in.”

  “I could be there with you, taking Sam’s place,” Steve volunteered. “I won’t let you go in alone.”

  “All right. You wait downstairs. If you see Cindy, call me on the cell phone, and I’ll get out.”

  “I don’t like it,” he maintained. Shakespeare barked to agree. Or disagree. It was hard to tell. “What are you hoping to find?”

  “The link Al told me has to exist. Cindy can’t get her hands on the money and probably isn’t doing this for herself. She’s always had bad taste in men. If I’m right, she’s involved with Gary Rusch. He could access Park’s money. It would be easy for him to ‘take care of’ the estate and the insurance. And Beth’s suicide attempt came on the heels of her telling me she said something to him about it. I’m betting he gave her the Nembutol w
hen she was with him.”

  “I can’t believe I’m going to say this.” Steve shook his head as they stopped at a light. “But if you actually suspect Gary of being the killer and Cindy of being his accomplice, wouldn’t it make more sense to go through Gary’s place? He might still have some of the poisoned honey. Or something else incriminating.”

  Peggy leaned over and kissed him. “That’s why I love you!”

  The light changed, but Steve didn’t move the Vue forward. “You do?”

  She cleared her throat and rearranged the folds of her scarf, carefully not looking at his handsome face. “Yes, I suppose I do. It happened so fast that I—”

  He took her in his arms and kissed her while car horns blared and drivers either laughed or cursed as they went around them. “I love you, too, Peggy. For different reasons, probably. I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time.”

  “You mean all three months we’ve known each other?”

  He grinned. “Every minute since you crashed into the side of my car.”

  She stared into his wonderful eyes, almost forgetting her plan to find Park’s killer. She never thought she’d see that look in another man’s eyes. “Well! I don’t really know what to say.”

  “Don’t worry.” He started the Vue off again down College Street. “I’m not asking to go house hunting or hit the bridal registry at Belk. What we have right now is enough for me as long as it’s enough for you.”

  “It is.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”

  He squeezed back, then sobered, his eyes glued on the road. “So where does Gary Rusch live?”

  Peggy didn’t know. “But it should be easy to find out.” She used her Internet connection on her cell phone to access the Charlotte Yellow Pages. “Well, that’s cozy!”

  “What?”

  “Gary lives in the same condo complex as Cindy. What a coincidence!” She glanced at Steve. “So Plan A still works, except I get into Gary’s condo instead of Cindy’s, and you keep watch downstairs for either of them.”