“There now.” Peggy put her arms around her. “Whatever it is has some answer. Please let me help you. Sit down.” She pulled the old wood rocker out of the spring promotion scene. “I’ll make some tea, and you can tell me about it.”
The woman continued to cry as Peggy put the kettle on the hot plate to boil and spooned peppermint leaves into two cups. As though it were a response to her profound sorrow, the sky outside got darker, shading the courtyard from the shadowed sun. No rain fell, but the sky grew heavy with deep clouds.
“I-I’m sorry.” The woman finally stopped sobbing. “I feel really stupid.”
“You don’t look a bit stupid to me. Just distressed. What’s your name?”
“Naomi Bates. I am—
Peggy smiled at the girl. “And Luther wanted you to give me that envelope?”
“Yes. He said it was a matter of life and death.”
The smell of peppermint floated in the air around them as Peggy poured hot water over the dried leaves. She handed the woman a cup with a daffodil painted on it. Naomi sounded a little melodramatic, but she was young and obviously deeply touched by Luther’s death. “I’m sure you can safely drink some tea first. How long did you work with Luther?”
“Since I was sixteen. My parents died, and the church adopted me and my aunt. Reverend Appleby was like a father to me. I stepped in to help out when he got sick.” Naomi picked up the envelope and handed it to Peggy. “Before he came to Charlotte, he gave me instructions to give this to you if
Peggy wanted to rip open the envelope, but she also wanted to talk to Naomi. “Why didn’t you come with him to Charlotte?”
“I stayed behind to see to the church. I was ordained last year when I turned eighteen.”
“Luther was very ill. I’m glad you were there to help him.”
Naomi’s lips trembled, but she sipped her tea and didn’t start crying again. “He was very strong. Not physically, but spiritually. He believed he was doing the right thing coming here to tend to his brother’s work.”
Peggy couldn’t wait any longer to open the envelope. “Let’s take a look at this. Luther gave it to you before he left the church?”
“Yes. He was very specific. He gave me your name and the address of your house and shop. He told me to bring it to you as quickly as possible. I heard about his death on TV.”
Not knowing what to expect, Peggy poured out the contents of the envelope on the counter next to her. Inside was a hodgepodge of items: a cell phone, a bank receipt for $10,000, an address, and a letter addressed to her, sealed in an envelope.
The cell phone only had one phone number programmed into it. It had been called a few times. The bank receipt was for a cash withdrawal of $10,000. The address, hastily scrawled, was in uptown Charlotte.
“Let’s take a look at the letter,” she said to Naomi. “Maybe that will shed some light on this.”
Peggy used her Potting Shed letter opener on it and unfolded the pages. The sheets of paper were stationery from Luther’s church.
“What does it say?” Naomi asked anxiously as Peggy read the letter.
“No!” Peggy said out loud, grabbing the side of the counter. “I can’t believe Nightflyer was right.”
“What is it? What does it say?”
Peggy couldn’t answer her. She was horrified and disillusioned by what she read.
The letter continued:
“Peggy.” Naomi grasped her arm. “Tell me what it says.”
Looking up from the letter, Peggy put her hand on Naomi’s. “I don’t know how to explain this, but Luther helped Darmus fake his own death. It’s unbelievable, but the truth is right here.”
Luther’s letter was damning. He’d attended a sick church member who had no family, no friends in the community. He already knew of Darmus’s wish to get away. He didn’t say how much he wanted to get his hands on Feed America, but Peggy could read
