Dragonwell Dead

enjoyed some sort of secret relationship? Or that Fayne had been rebuffed by Mark? And, as a result, been very, very upset.

Upset. In a Fatal Attraction sort of way?

Theodosia stared at the old brass clock that ticked away on the top shelf of her mahogany secretary. It was ten-thirty now and it would probably take her at least another hour to sort through all this stuff.

She stared at Earl Grey, stretched out and snoozing comfortably. It was going to be a long night.

10

“Are you serious?” squawked Haley as she stared at Theodosia with saucer eyes.

Theodosia nodded, then turned her gaze on Drayton. It was nine a.m. and she had just told both of them about the two notes she’d discovered among Mark’s things last night.

“So the first note was a kind of simpering thank-you?” asked Haley.

“Pretty much,” said Theodosia as she sipped a cup of Mango Verde, Drayton’s house blend of an Assam green tea flavored with tiny bits of mango.

“And the second note?” asked Drayton, equally surprised by this revelation. “It was definitely more . . . uh . . .passionate?”

“I’d say so,” replied Theodosia. She had both notes tucked in her pocket but didn’t feel it would be proper to completely reveal their contents.

“Wow,” said Haley. “Looks like Mark might have been having an affair with this Fayne what’s-her- name!”

“Fayne Hamilton,” murmured Theodosia.

“Of course he wasn’t,” snapped Drayton. He paused, then peered carefully at Theodosia. “At least I don’t think he was.”

“I seriously doubt if Mark was involved with her,” said Theodosia. “Both of Fayne’s notes seemed more sadly hopeful than anything.”

“Then maybe Fayne Hamilton murdered Mark,” proposed Haley. “Unrequited love is a very powerful emotion. Makes people do crazy things.”

“It can,” agreed Drayton. He picked up the floral teapot that sat in the middle of the table and poured himself another cup of Assam.

“When you talk to Fayne Hamilton in person,” said Theodosia, trying to share her impression of the girl with Drayton and Haley, “she doesn’t strike you as being capable of murder. She’s a quiet girl, rather polite and unassuming.”

There, thought Theodosia. That’s a pretty fair assessment.

“But that’s exactly what people said about that BTK guy,” exclaimed Haley. “His neighbors claimed he was a nice guy, soft-spoken, helpful, always polite. And look what a monster he turned out to be!”

“Oh, Haley, please,” said Drayton. “Now you’ve gone to the absolute extreme.”

“Listen,” said Haley, still wound up, “if this Fayne person knew about the nightshade garden you guys found last night, maybe she snuck in, grabbed a handful of plants, and poisoned Mark’s sweet tea. After all, you guys were sticking fresh sprigs of herbs and flowers in all the glasses. Who would notice? She could have slipped it right in!”

“Ah,” said Drayton, looking supremely unhappy now. “The nightshade garden. I have some information that could put a considerable wrinkle in your theory.”

Haley eyed Drayton suspiciously. “What are you talking about?”

“Last night Miss Maybelle Chase shared with me her list of garden docents.” Drayton paused. “I read through the names this morning and guess who cropped up?”

“Harlan Noble,” guessed Haley.

“That’s right,” said Drayton.

“And Leah Shalimar,” said Theodosia.

Drayton pointed a gnarled index finger at Theodosia. “Bingo. That lady also wins a prize.”

“So both Leah and Harlan knew about the plants and had access to them,” mused Theodosia. “That’s fairly interesting.”

“Some might say damning,” said Drayton. “You’re going to phone Sheriff Billings and see if he knows about the existence of the nightshade garden?”

Theodosia glanced at her watch. “That’s definitely on my agenda. Soon as we get the tea shop prepped for the day.”

“Are you going to mention Leah and Harlan’s names to him, too?” asked Drayton.

Theodosia thought for a minute. “I almost have to. Especially Leah, since she was a docent at Carthage Place and she worked with Mark.”

“It’s certainly a major coincidence,” said Drayton, narrowing his eyes. “I wonder if Ms. Shalimar will admit to being at the Plantation Ramble on Sunday.”

“Was she there?” asked Haley.

“Don’t know,” said Theodosia. “But you can certainly ask her. She’ll be here in a matter of hours.”

“Oooh, that’s right,” said Haley.

“Uh, excuse me, but there’s another big question on the table,” said Drayton. “Do you plan to tell Angie about the notes Fayne Hamilton wrote to her husband?”

“I’m kind of agonizing over that one,” admitted Theodosia.

“Well, I don’t think you should tell her,” said Drayton. “At least not right now. Angie’s in a very fragile state. Seeing those notes might upset her even more.”

“What do you think, Haley?” asked Theodosia.

Haley pushed her stick-straight hair behind her ears and exhaled slowly. Finally she said, “I think, as a friend, you owe it to Angie to be completely honest.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that,” said Drayton.

Theodosia slipped one hand into her pocket and fingered the two notes. “A dilemma,” she murmured.

Midmorning, just as their customers had settled in, just as Drayton was pouring steaming cups of Irish Breakfast tea and Theodosia was distributing lemon–poppy seed scones, Delaine Dish came bustling in. She slalomed her way through the tea shop, delivering air kisses and emitting delighted squeals as she ran into friends on the way. Then she plunked herself down at the small table next to the stone fireplace.

“Angie Congdon tells me you’re investigating Mark’s death,” Delaine said without preamble once Theodosia had drifted over with a small pot of Russian Caravan tea and a plate arranged with a trio of fresh-baked mini pecan muffins.

Theodosia gave a hesitant smile. She didn’t feel it was appropriate to reveal everything to Delaine. “Somewhat,” she hedged. “Angie kind of asked for my help with some things.”

“Theodosia Browning,” scolded Delaine. “Here you are snooping around over another mysterious death and you didn’t tell me? Honestly, Theo, I thought we were friends. Dear friends at that.” Delaine shrugged off her raspberry pink jacket revealing a matching raspberry pink sheath dress underneath.

“We are dear friends,” said Theodosia, sliding into the chair across from her and noting that Delaine’s lipstick matched her dress. Theodosia always found it a little bewildering that Delaine viewed her as a best friend. Delaine was often highly critical and short with her. Although Delaine was basically kindhearted where children and small animals were concerned.

“To tell you the truth, though,” said Theodosia, “I’m thinking it’s really best to let the authorities handle things.” Theodosia hoped her statement might help stem the tide of questions Delaine probably wanted to ask. After all, Delaine always had a long list of questions.

“Definitely let the authorities take charge,” concurred Delaine as she popped a bite of pecan muffin into her