to question what happened.”
“But if it wasn’t me and it wasn’t Mr. Cheever, who did it?” Keeley asked. “Who else was at the shop that night?”
8
Holly
Botanical: Ilex aquifolium, Ilex opaca Family: Aquifoliaceae
Common Name: Christmas holly
HUNTER CALLED FROM THE COURTHOUSE as Peggy was leaving the hospital. “Mr. Cheever was held over for trial. No bond. The DA made it sound like he was a risk to himself and others. I couldn’t exactly claim a homeless man had strong ties to the community.”
“What happens next?”
“Without a lot of fancy footwork to prove the case, the trial should come up pretty quickly. Maybe right after the beginning of the year. The forensic evidence is all in their favor. They found him with Warner’s possessions. He admits he took them and said Warner was on the floor ‘asleep.’ His fingerprints are all over everything. Mr. Cheever doesn’t remember what happened. I won’t even be able to use him on the witness stand. He’s his own worst enemy.”
Peggy stood next to a badly pruned holly bush. It was cut back so far, there were no red berries on it. For some reason, the one beside it wasn’t pruned to within an inch of its life. It had mounds of berries. It reminded her of all the possible suspects popping up in Mark’s death. “Suppose you could show it was
“That would be fine.” Hunter’s voice faded in and out on the cell phone. “Creating reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury is the only thing that’s going to save your friend. I have to tell you, I pleaded not guilty for him today. But I think we should be going for diminished capacity. He’s not all there. I don’t know if it’s drinking or something else. They kept him at the hospital for more tests. The doctor thinks it’s possible he had a stroke.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Not really. Unless you have some evidence that can create reasonable doubt.”
Peggy considered her words carefully. “I might have some evidence. I don’t know exactly what to do with it. Can you meet me somewhere?”
THEY MET AT the Potting Shed at six when it closed. Peggy was straightening up when Hunter walked in. She’d already sent Selena home. She didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say.
“This is where it happened, huh?” Hunter put down her briefcase and looked around the shop. “I recognize this area from the police photos. Warner was on the floor in the middle of your autumn collage.”
“That’s right. Some other facts have come up since then.” Peggy took out two cream cheese and sprout bagels, handing one to Hunter.
“Thanks. Have you told the police?”
“I wanted to tell you first. The police don’t seem too interested in anything but Mr. Cheever anyway.”
Hunter unwrapped her bagel. “Tell me what you know, and we’ll see.”
Peggy told her what she knew about Ronda McGee, Angela Martin, and Keeley as she poured them each a cup of lemon balm tea. “I can’t believe Keeley was involved with him. I promised her mother no one else would know unless it was absolutely necessary.”
“I guess that depends on how you gauge something being necessary.” Hunter sipped her tea. “The DA could ask for the death penalty. I think it’s unlikely, given Mr. Cheever’s current state. But the best scenario possible puts him in a hospital for the rest of his life. That seems pretty necessary to me.”
“I know. But what good will it do to shift the burden of guilt from one innocent person to another?”
“Are you sure she’s innocent?”
Peggy wiped her lips with her napkin. “I’ve known her since she was born. She did something stupid, but I don’t believe she killed Mark. She loved him and thought he was going to marry her. I wouldn’t want to see her on trial for the murder any more than I want to see Mr. Cheever there. There must be another way.”
“What about the other women?” Hunter wiped cream cheese from her hand. “Angela and Ronda. Do they have alibis for that night? Isn’t it possible one of them could be guilty?”
“I don’t know about Ronda,” Peggy admitted. “Angela said she was in all night by herself. Not much of an alibi, but she didn’t have a motive to kill him either.”
Hunter considered the prospects as she polished off the rest of her bagel and some cookies that Peggy brought from the Tea and Coffee Emporium. “We could hire a private investigator to find out everything about Warner’s relationships with these women. Even if we don’t find anything that proves one of them was responsible, I could use the possibility of their guilt to show the jury Cheever wasn’t the only one who had access and motive for the crime. I could use Keeley as a last resort if the other two don’t work.”
“I’m afraid a private investigator is out of my price range,” Peggy admitted. “Maybe I could keep looking around and asking questions. You said we have a while before the trial. If it gets too close and I don’t find anything, I could turn everything over to an investigator.”
“I guess that’s okay. I spoke with Cheever’s daughter after the arraignment. She doesn’t have much money
