Sweet Ginger Poison

Sweet Ginger Cake.”

“But I didn’t do that.”

“I know. But think about how it looks. You knew the cake would seem extra moist, but it wouldn’t taste funny, because purified fish oil doesn’t have a smell or taste. And if anyone else ate the cake they wouldn’t be harmed. It would only hurt Navy, because of his allergy.”

“But, Ginger—”

“—and the only other thing you had to do was remove the Epi-Pen from his glove box. And that glove box door has your fingerprints on it.”

“Are you going to tell the police about all this?”

Ginger studied Lacey’s face. She looked fragile, like a young child.

“No,” said Ginger. “Not until I absolutely have to.”

Lacey smiled. “Thanks, Ginger.”

“But I hope you know that we may both end up in jail.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want you to go to jail for me. Maybe I should go turn myself in right now.”

“No. I’m sorry, Honey, I shouldn’t have said that. I was just kidding. I’ll protect myself. If they put me under oath, I’ll tell the truth. In the meantime I’ll try to be legally…evasive.” Ginger wondered if there was such a thing. “So, just go home and try to get some rest. And enjoy your day off tomorrow.”

Lacey and Ginger stood up.

“Oh,” said Lacey, “there’s one other thing. I think it may have been a mistake to put my grandmother’s house up for sale.”

“Really? Well, maybe you should quit referring to it as your grandmother’shouse. She left it to you because she wanted you to have it. It’s yourhouse. And you can do whatever you want with it.” Lacey had told Ginger that her grandmother had left everything to Lacey when she died. But it was only the house and a few thousand dollars. The money had been just enough to pay for the funeral.

“I know. But you were nice enough to set me up with your realtor friend. So, I hate to back out. She’s already spent a couple of weeks trying to sell it.”

“Don’t worry about that, Lacey. Just give her a call. She’ll understand.”

“Okay. I’ll call her. I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it—that I’d see my grandmother in every room. I’d just start crying all over again. But now I wantto see her there. I want to remember the good times we had in that house.”

Ginger smiled. “I understand, Honey. Then do it. Call Peggy tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Ginger followed Lacey to the front door.

Lacey turned back around. “I’m sorry, but there’s one other thing.”

“Yes?”

“Well, it’s kinda bad. But it’s not what it looks like.”

Ginger braced for the worst.

Lacey reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a pistol.

Ginger jumped back. “What are you doing?”

Lacey was holding the gun as though she was planning to shoot it. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She repositioned her grip to the tip of the handle, letting the gun dangle between her thumb and index finger. “I need to get rid of this thing.”

“Lacey.” Ginger was afraid to ask. “You didn’t…shootanybody, did you?”

“No, no—of course not. It’s not even my gun. It’s Danny’s.”

“Danny’s?”

“Yes. I don’t know where or why he got it, but I don’t want it in my apartment. What can I do with it? I can’t just throw it in the trash. And I sure don’t want to turn it in to the police.”

“No, you surely don’t.” Ginger inched her way closer. “Let me take it.” She reached out and carefully took the gun from Lacey.

“What are you going to do with it?”

“I’ll figure out something. But you can’t tell anybody you gave it to me.”

“I won’t. Don’t worry.”

But Ginger wasworried. A few minutes earlier she had joked about going to jail with Lacey. Now it didn’t seem so funny.

Chapter 14

The auditorium of Corey Acres Baptist Church was packed on this cool, crisp Sunday morning. Ginger hadn’t seen some of these faces in church since last Easter. Their little town had been sobered by the murder of Navy Newcomb, making it a little harder to sleep in on the Lord’s Day.

Ginger was sitting in her usual spot next to the other three Domino Girls. They always made a point of getting into the auditorium right after Sunday School to secure their section of pew number seven, left side—next to the center aisle. The seating order had been established years ago: Ginger on the aisle, then Jane, Ethel, and Barb.

Sometimes it was all Ginger and Ethel could do to keep Jane’s loud mouth in check. Jane had never mastered the art of whispering. She apparently had been sick the week they taught it in elementary school.

Elijah stepped to the podium to deliver his sermon. Ginger thought he looked very handsome in his Oyster poplin suit. She could remember when such attire would have been considered almost blasphemous. Those were the days when the deacons expected to see their pastor in a dark suit every Sunday morning.

Times had changed. And Ginger was all for it. But maybe her feelings were more about the man than the suit.

She opened her Bible to the fifth chapter of Matthew. Elijah had been preaching a series of messages based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This morning he read a short passage, beginning at Verse 21.

“Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.”

Elijah looked up and paused, as his words continued to reverberate throughout the auditorium.

Ginger sensed that everyone was thinking about Navy’s killer. Was it possible that he was sitting in this very auditorium? People seemed to be eyeing each other, considering anyone and everyone. Some had a smug look on their faces, as though they were thinking: the judgmentmeans you’re gonna burn, Buddy.

Elijah went on.

“But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”

Ouch. Suddenly everyone in the congregation seemed to realize that the sermon was about them. In God’s eyes, they were no better than the killer. They could rationalize their anger—convincing themselves that it was with just cause. But was it?

Ginger marveled at how quickly Elijah had changed the people’s focus from hate toward the vicious murderer—whoever he was—to dealing with their own demons. Nowthey were ready to hear the sermon.

Off the top of her head, Ginger couldn’t think of anybody she was angry with. Not that she thought she was perfect. She had just learned not to hold a grudge. It wasn’t worth it. She’d found that when she did, she was only hurting herself.

**********

Ginger and company praised Elijah for his powerful message as they shook his hand and hurried out the door to Barb’s car. It was important to make it to Luby’s before the line got too long.