Fruit of the Poisoned Tree

as well. Apparently it happened frequently with multiple deliveries to the building. She picked up her amaryllis and carefully shut Gary’s door behind her.

The buzzer sounded, and Peggy pushed open the door to Cindy’s condo. She knew she was at the right place as soon as she peeked inside. Clothes were strewn everywhere. Some of them were Cindy’s, but there was also some men’s clothing. Two wineglasses and two empty take-out boxes proclaimed the fact that Cindy had been there with someone else. Stationery from Lamonte, Rusch and Peterson had a shopping list scrawled on it.

“Let’s take a look in the kitchen.” Peggy left everything like she found it. As soon as she saw enough, she planned to go back downstairs and call the police. She wasn’t sure how she was going to explain what she knew about Cindy, but she trusted it would come to her when the time was right.

There were two quart jars of honey under the kitchen sink. Both were labeled with the handwritten date, September 9. She held the golden syrup up to the light, but there was no way to tell if it was poisoned without testing. On the kitchen table was one of Beth’s pretty tea mugs. It made her blood freeze to see it.

She’d seen enough. She couldn’t quite make the connection between Cindy and Gary, but it was obvious it existed. If the police found the poisoned honey in Cindy’s condo, she had no doubt it would be a short walk to arrest Gary, too. Cindy wasn’t made to be a hero. She’d crack under questioning.

“Peggy!” Cindy’s voice was accompanied by the distinct sound of a safety being released on a revolver. “How nice of you to visit!”

“Confess now and save yourself.” It sounded quaint, even to her ears. But Peggy refused to be bullied by the younger woman in the pale blue designer dress just because she had a gun. “I know you didn’t make this honey.” She opened the cabinet door. “Help the police get the real killer.”

Cindy looked confused for a moment. “What is that doing under there?”

Quick to catch on, Peggy shrugged. “He was probably setting you up to take the fall in case something went wrong. Did he just hide these here today?”

“Damn, worthless piece of crap! I knew I couldn’t trust him!” It was easy to see Cindy’s brain working hard enough to blow steam from her delicate ears. “Never mind. Pick those up. And give me your cell phone. We’re going for a ride.”

There was a side door to the condos only used by the residents. Peggy went out of it ahead of Cindy while her cell phone rang just out of reach. It was probably Steve, wondering what was taking her so long. There was no way he could have seen the woman pull into the side street and use the private entrance. Some plans didn’t work out.

“Where are we going?” Peggy asked her, conscious of the revolver pressed into her side under Cindy’s jacket. She carried both jars of honey carefully. One slip, and the evidence would be gone.

“You’ll see when we get there,” Cindy vowed as she opened the door to her Cadillac Escalade and pushed Peggy inside. “Just sit there and hold the honey and you won’t be hurt.”

Peggy did as she was told. She wasn’t in fear for her life so much as worried Cindy and Gary would get away with the murders they committed. She didn’t believe they wouldn’t hurt her. They’d already killed two people. What would stop them from killing her?

But if she dropped the honey on the ground or if she tackled Cindy as she drove through the deepening dusk that enveloped the streets of Charlotte, she might never make the connection between Cindy and Gary. This way, she’d look them both in the face. She’d be able to accuse Park’s killer of his terrible crime.

Just before they kill you. Her cell phone rang again. Steve would find some way to get upstairs at the condominium complex. When he did, he’d realize something happened to her. He’d see the amaryllis she left in Cindy’s condo. But will he realize Cindy kidnapped me? Will he know where I’m going? Will he get there in time?

Peggy wasn’t sure how much satisfaction she’d get knowing the truth if she couldn’t do anything about it because she was dead. She wasn’t afraid to die, but she wanted to see the couple brought to justice. Unfortunately, it seemed she couldn’t have it both ways. At least not at that moment.

Cindy drove the Escalade down Providence Road to Myers Park. Peggy frowned when she parked the SUV in front of a redbrick house, like Park’s, close to the Presbyterian church. “Get out.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’re going to have to see our little lover’s spat, Peggy.” Cindy smiled as she shifted the gun to her free hand. “I hope you won’t be too offended. Bring the honey with you. You can be my witness.”

Peggy picked up the jars of honey. The wind whipped her purple scarf free, and it fell to the ground. She didn’t move to retrieve it. Maybe it would help them find her if she had any chance of surviving.

Cindy walked up to the heavy oak door and pushed it open without knocking, nudging Peggy inside the foyer before her.

“Peggy!” Hunter greeted her. “You made it! I was beginning to wonder what happened to you. Where’s Steve? Who’s that with you?”

“Move, bitch!” Cindy waved the revolver so Hunter could see it. “Where is that snake?”

“SO IT WAS DAVEY all along.” Hunter sat beside Peggy in the dining room while they listened to the heated argument going on between David and Cindy in the kitchen. “He didn’t want to be with me. He used me. And he was sleeping with her. All I got were a few kisses and some worthless promises.”

“Don’t feel too bad.” David had duct taped them to the dining room chairs after taping their hands together. Peggy squirmed, trying to get her hands free as a loud whack and a dull thud came from the kitchen. “I thought Gary was the killer.”

“Dear old Dad.” David rejoined them without Cindy at his side. “He’d have a heart attack if he knew I took money from Lamonte, Rusch and Peterson. Point of honor and all that. Park came to me as a junior member of the firm to work with him on his will. It was like God sent him to me on a golden platter. He even confessed to me about Cindy. It was easy to get her to help me with the details.”

“So you decided to poison him.” Peggy wanted to ask him about Cindy but decided now wasn’t a good time.

“After adding myself to the will as executor in case Beth was unable to carry on. It was always my intention that the police would think Tomorrow’s Children killed him over the estuary battle. Poor Beth would succumb to her grief soon after.”

“And you learned all about horse chestnut.” Keep him talking until Steve can find you. Although she had no idea how that was going to happen. Steve would probably go to Gary’s office looking for her. By then it might be too late.

“Brilliant, wasn’t it?” he gloated. “I knew a man when I was growing up who lost all his bees to horse chestnut. Remember him, Hunter? Old man Jackson. He told me all about it.”

“Yes. Davey, please—”

“Shh.” He kissed her. “It will all be over soon. I’ve been working on this house for a while. But I’ve decided I don’t like it as much as I thought. And I’m thinking about taking a long trip somewhere. Just as soon as I transfer the Lamonte money to my name. In the meantime, I think there might be a tragic fire here. Three women. Only identifiable by their dental work, no doubt.”

“But why Isabelle?” Peggy asked. “You were going to lose the money because it looked like Park committed suicide. She kept that from happening. Why kill her?”

“It occurred to me Beth was going to inherit that estate as well. Why not have it, too? I made a big dent in the firm’s money. But now I find I’m not inclined to repair it. I have enough to start over. Maybe in Costa Rica. That’s a beautiful place. Have you ever been there, Peggy?”

“No. But my mama always says what goes around, comes around. Killing us won’t end it.”

“I thought you loved me,” Hunter whispered. “I thought we were going to be partners.”

David was still just as clumsy, getting his foot caught in the white drape as he walked past the window. “I know you did, angel. Cindy thought I loved her, too. In a way, I love both of you. You were both so helpful.”

“And you searched my house for the dragon’s head.” Peggy tried to keep the conversation going. How long