Fruit of the Poisoned Tree

major renovations before the new owner moves in.”

“I didn’t say I was planning to move. But I probably won’t be alive in a hundred years either,” she rebutted. “I’m not ready to give up the house. But I’d like you to replace the furnace.”

“Replace it yourself. Or move out.”

The phone line went dead. Peggy knew he’d hung up on her. Not surprising. Most of their conversations went that way. How could John have been related to such an obnoxious old coot?

Steve brought back spicy rice and grilled vegetables for dinner. He served it with hibiscus tea and cheddar biscuits. They ate sitting on stools at the checkout counter while the other shops in the courtyard and the arcade closed down around them.

Peggy told him about her disastrous first obedience lesson with Shakespeare and her meeting with the medical examiner. He was surprised they would ask her to testify in a case where a friend was involved.

“There aren’t many experts in botanical poisons for the taking in Charlotte.” She wiped her lips with a napkin. “I suppose Dr. Ramsey was being expedient.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Prove that Beth is innocent. I hope.”

“What if she isn’t?” He took a sip of tea and held her gaze over the glass.

“There’s no doubt of that in my mind, Steve. I know her. She didn’t kill anyone.”

“Maybe she’s banking on you feeling that way. On most people feeling that way. No one wants to think someone would kill their spouse. But she’s got a lot against her, Peggy. Isn’t it at least possible? She did lie about the insurance and kept quiet about the affair. Why would she do that if she were innocent?”

The delivery truck driver honking his horn in the back of the shop kept her from answering. She knew Steve was being hypothetical. But she couldn’t bring herself to see Beth as a killer. No matter what it looked like, she didn’t believe her friend was capable of adding poisoned honey to the jar.

Besides her own belief that Park was already being poisoned in Philadelphia, there was Peggy’s other intuition about people that refused to admit Beth had any part in this. But Steve was a typical person who didn’t know Beth. She could imagine many people feeling that way, especially a jury.

As Steve helped her stow away the boxes of flowerpots, garden implements, and other items, he glanced at her. “I’m sorry if I upset you by saying that about Beth.”

“That’s all right,” she answered, checking out a dozen baby banana trees a customer ordered for her sunroom. The big leaves were drooping, but the plants seemed to be in good shape. “I’m not upset. You’re right in many ways. But I’ll have to be shocked and amazed if she’s guilty of anything more than a little anger when she learned Park was having an affair with his ex-wife.”

“I can see that. If she were my friend for years, I’m sure I’d feel the same. I just wanted you to see there could be another point of view.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you exercising my brain.” She grinned at him as she took off her gloves to sign the delivery slip for the driver.

“That about does it,” the big man said, hitching up his jeans. “See you next time, Peggy.”

“Thanks, Joe. See you next time. Say hello to Maria for me.”

“Will do!”

She locked the back doors and turned off the lights when he was gone. The shop was clean and ready for the next day. It was time to leave. Sometimes, when she was alone, Peggy sat in the rocking chair for a while reading new catalogs and listening to NPR. But tonight, Steve was with her. It made her conscious of the change her life had taken. It was good, but it was different.

“I don’t see what else you can do to help Beth,” Steve said as they got in his SUV. “Besides proving Park didn’t commit suicide, I don’t see what else you can do.”

“I’m not sure right now. I got some obscure information from Nightflyer. I was trying to follow that up.”

The distaste that name brought to him was evident in Steve’s voice. “Nightflyer? Are you still talking to him online?”

“He knows something about what’s going on,” she explained. “I don’t know why he can’t just come out and say it plainly, but it’s a game with him. Like chess.”

“Peggy, this guy is probably dangerous. I don’t know how he knows what he knows, but I don’t like it. He gets too personal with you.”

“I think you’re jealous!” She laughed. “I can’t believe it. But it’s true.”

“I’m not jealous of a crazy man who makes things up and plays a good game of chess,” Steve defended.

“Yes you are! Otherwise you wouldn’t care.”

“I’m concerned. Not jealous. You don’t really know who this man is. He might just seem to be helping you.”

“I told you, he worked with John. He’s not a threat,” she argued. “Except maybe to your ego.”

“My ego?” Steve demanded, turning on Queens Road. “I don’t have an ego. I’m just worried about you. If this guy is so smart and wants to help, why doesn’t he show himself? That’s all I’m asking.”

Peggy reached across the seat and hugged him when they stopped at a traffic light. “I’m not complaining. A woman my age doesn’t expect to have men fighting over her. It’s wonderful!”

He put his arms around her and kissed her fiercely until the light turned green and the car behind them honked its horn long and loud. “That guy doesn’t have a chance.”

Peggy sat back in her seat, a rosy glow on her face, her heart pounding in her chest. “Not at all. But if he can help me save Beth, I’m going to exploit our relationship.”

Steve pulled into Peggy’s drive. “What does that mean? Exploit your relationship. What relationship?”

She wasn’t listening. “What is Hunter doing here?”

“Never mind her,” he continued. “How do you plan to exploit your relationship with Nightflyer?”

But Peggy had already unfastened her seat belt and was out the door, walking quickly toward Hunter as the attorney got out of her vehicle. “Hunter? What’s wrong?”

“They got the results of the old lady’s autopsy back, Peggy. I went in ready for their questions but not ready for them to charge Beth with a double homicide. They arrested her. There was nothing I could do. Her bond hearing is in the morning. I’m sorry.”

13

Strawberry

Botanical: Fragaria ananassa

Family: N. O. Rosaceae

This type is the most widely used today. Not a true fruit but a pseudocarp because of the way the berries form. Native to Eurasia and North America, it was cultivated in Europe in the fifteen hundreds. All parts of the plant are used medicinally.

“HOW DID IT HAPPEN?” Peggy demanded. “What did they find that made them take such drastic action?”

“Apparently, one of Mrs. Lamonte’s bumps and bruises didn’t come from her fall down the stairs. Her skull was cracked, and the ME says it was done by the walking stick. They found some of Beth’s fingerprints. They’re testing her DNA for other evidence. It was an ambush.” Hunter finished and drew a deep breath.

“We have to get her out of there. What kind of bond do you think they’ll ask for?”

“I’m not sure. It could be high. I can’t see how she’d be perceived as a threat to the community exactly, even if they think she killed her husband and mother-in-law, but I