Mulch Ado About Nothing

“The junior college staff person who's in charge of community relations and set these summer classes up. Well, he may be only second in charge. That's what Miss Winstead said.'

“And is this Stefan odd, too?'

“Not at all. I think he got the job because he is so cheerful and handsome, though Miss Winstead hinted that he's up to something.”

Mel got up and paced. 'And Miss Winstead is…?'

“Another person in the class. Former librarian. And former cousin-in-law of the substitute teacher, Dr. Eastman. She hates him.'

“Why does she go to the class then?'

“You'll have to ask her the whole story, if you really want to know.' Jane stopped and thought a minute. 'That's odd… She'd signed up for the class to hear Julie speak, but said she always went to Eastman's lectures to make him uncomfortable. How would she have known he'd fill in”

? 'If she knows the Stefan guy, he might have told her,' Mel guessed.

Jane looked relieved. 'That must be it. I'd hate to suspect Miss Winstead of anything worse than wanting to make a man she doesn't like miserable.”

Mel was quiet for some time. Then he asked, 'Do you really think anyone in the class is a suspect?”

Jane shrugged. 'Probably not. I keep wavering. But since you have so many others to consider, I doubt it.'

“Could you give me a list of the others in the group?' Mel pulled a notepad out of his jacket. 'Stewart Eastman, Ursula Who?'

“Appledorn.'

“And how do you spell the Stefan guy's name?'

“No idea,' Jane replied. 'But Miss Winstead is Martha. And she's a next-door neighbor of an obsessively tidy youngish man named Charles Jones. And there's an older man named Arnie Waring who used to be a firefighter. Shelley has everyone's addresses, since she made up the schedule for visiting the gardens.'

“Anyone else?'

“Just Shelley and me. Are you going to investigate us?'

“I already have,' Mel said with a straight face. Jane laughed, then realized he was serious. 'Did you really?'

“It was a long time ago. That cleaning-lady business. When she was strangled in Shelley's guest room. I didn't even know you then, except that you were there when I arrived.”

And solved the case, Jane thought, but didn't say.

“Oh, I forgot. Geneva Jackson has come along to the classes, too. She says her husband sent her away from the hospital because she was getting on everyone's nerves because she's such a chirpy visitor.'

“Was she signed up?'

“I don't think so. She's just stuck here until her sister is well, and apparently needed to fill her time with something interesting. She's involved in the plant business as well. You don't seriously think anyone in the class is responsible, do you?'

“Probably not, but it's interesting and might be relevant down the line. Jane, I'm falling-down tired. I better go home and get some sleep before something else comes up. Do you need anything done before I go?'

“Just one thing. Tell me what you thought when you met me the first time.”

Mel grinned. 'That you had terrific tits.”

He had to dodge some hurtled sofa pillows, a paperback book, and an emery board to escape.

Fifteen

Shelley came over a few minutes later. 'Any- thing you need help with?'

“Not a thing,' Jane said, still laughing silently over Mel's abrupt departure as she limped back to the living room. She'd learned she could go a few steps without the crutches if she took it carefully and stayed on carpeted floors.

“I saw Mel leave in a hurry. Did he tell you anything new about Julie Jackson?' Shelley asked.

Jane started repeating what he'd said about the attack, but Shelley interrupted. 'What about the flowers with the strange note?”

Jane slapped her forehead. 'I completely forgot to ask.'

“How could you forget, Jane? That seems to me to be a very important part of the case. It was a warning, and by saying 'You're next,' it suggested that an earlier crime had been committed.'

“I hadn't really thought about it that way, but you're right,' Jane said, easing herself back onto the sofa.

“I only realized it myself about an hour ago. You can't imagine how hard it was to wait for Mel to leave, so I wouldn't be butting in.'

“I don't dare call him and ask now,' Jane said. 'Mel's working three cases and just went home to try to catch some rest. I can't believe I didn't realize the significance of the note before. Why is this foot injury going to my brain?'

“What else did he tell you?' Shelley asked, heading for the kitchen. 'Want a soda?'

“No, thanks, but help yourself.”

When Shelley was settled in with a Diet Coke and handful of Wheat Thins, Jane reviewed the conversation with Mel. Unlike her guilt at telling Miss Winstead too much, she knew Mel was aware that she'd tell Shelley everything and they'd keep it to themselves. In fact, Shelley would be more reliably silent than Jane herself had been.

“So he does suspect one of the class members?' Shelley asked.

“Not exactly 'suspect.' I had the feeling it was just one more thing he felt he needed to check out to be thorough. Just in case.'

“It sounds like he's got a full plate of suspects already,' Shelley agreed. 'But it could have some connection to someone we've met. Ursula is an obvious madwoman, and that Jones guy who looks like he gets his hair cut every three days seems more than a little bit strange. If Miss Winstead is telling the absolute truth about her cousin, Dr. Eastman isn't a very nice man either. Miss Winstead herself is frightening. Such anger.'

“But not at Julie. And justified,' Jane said. 'If, as you say, it's the truth.'

“Yes, but she's a strong-minded woman. It wouldn't surprise me completely if she just decided to eradicate someone.”

Jane laughed. 'So are you firm-minded!'

“That's why she worries me,' Shelley said with a smile. 'Seriously, I only get irritated with incompetents and fools. I don't hold lifelong grudges against anyone but the IRS. After they had those public hearings, their threats got smarmier, but they're still threats…'

“Shelley!' Jane exclaimed, having heard this all before.

“What I'm getting to is that I guess if Miss Winstead were to try to bump someone off, it would have been Dr. Eastman a long time ago. No real reason to wait several decades.'

“I wonder if her hints that Stefan Eckert was up to some sort of hanky-panky were true.'

“That was an odd thing for her to say. Maybe she's just naturally suspicious of everyone. Especially someone who can line up speakers that she couldn't manage to get. I'm sure that irritated her. I think she expects to get her way by ordering people around and hates it when someone like Stefan outwits her with pure charm and good looks. Did you notice how much he looks like George Stephanopoulas?' Shelley said.

“I certainly did, but what I'm most anxious to look at is Miss Winstead's garden,' Jane said. 'I felt that the other gardens we've visited really said something about the gardeners' personalities.'

“Oh, dear! Then I'm in trouble,' Shelley said. 'Mine isn't even really mine. It's out on loan.'

“So will mine be,' Jane said smugly. 'I followed your bad example and called the nursery. My garden 'arrives' tomorrow afternoon. And I have a water feature!'

“Jane! You didn't! What fools we're making of ourselves. I'm really regretting my pretense. The others are going to see right through us and despise us.'

“Why? It's not as if we won't enjoy having nice things for people to see. And we might both want to keep them all instead of letting them go back to the nursery.”