AN UNTHYMELY DEATH by Susan Wittig Albert Published on the Web by Mystery Parters www.mysterypartners.com In An Unthymely Death, a killer uses a powerful plant poison. Who is the killer? What's the poison? Learn about the deadly potential of an important herb as China and Ruby solve an unkindly murder. Author's Note: This story was originally written in eight episodes for the Country Living Gardener website and posted there over eight consecutive weeks. If I'd been writing the story for a one-sitting reading, it would have been constructed a little bit differently and would probably read more smoothly. In its original presentation, the story also included hyperlinks to other sites, not all of which could be included here. For me, part of the fun of writing for on-line presentation is having the ability to include "extra" resources (plant info, recipes, herb lore, character background) for readers who want to know more. I 'm looking forward to more experimentation with hyperlinks in these on-line stories. EPISODE ONE "Hey, China, what's that you're planting?" Ruby Wilcox asked. "Ginkgo," I replied, pushing my shovel into the ground. Ruby bent over and peered at it doubtfully. "That dinky little twig? I thought ginkgos were trees." "Give it time," I said. "Like about fifty years. I started this one from a cutting, and it's got a lot of growing to do." In my opinion, ginkgo -- a tree that's been extinct in North America since the Ice Age -- is among the most fascinating herbs in the world. When I had to cut down the old oak behind my herb shop, Thyme and Seasons, I didn't hesitate. It was a perfect spot for a ginkgo tree. From the back door of the shop, my helper, Laurel Riley, waved at me. "You're wanted on the phone, China," she called. "It's Hannah Bucher." "Oh, good," I said. I stuck my shovel in the ground and headed for the shop. Hannah is a 70-something woman who lives in Cedar Crossing, Texas, about 40 miles east of Pecan Springs. In addition to having a beautiful garden, she grows and breeds thyme -- dozens of different species and varieties of this beautiful herb. She had promised to give me some plants of a new cultivar of lemon thyme, so I could try them in my garden. I'd been waiting impatiently for her call. But Hannah hadn't phoned to talk about herbs. She had called to ask me to come to Cedar Crossing for a visit, and something in her voice prompted me to ask why. "It's an urgent personal matter," she said. She lowered her voice, as if she were afraid she might be overheard. "I hate to say it, but I'm afraid someone is --" She stopped, and then in a lighter, brighter voice, said, "I do hope you'll be able to come and get those plants soon, China. I've been saving them for you. How about this weekend?" I glanced at the calendar. For once, there was nothing scheduled. "Would Sunday work for you?" I asked. Ruby and I had been meaning to visit our friends Barbara and Ramona, who live there. Both Thyme and Seasons and Ruby's Crystal Cave are closed on Monday, so we could take a long weekend. "Sunday would be fine," Hannah said gratefully. Her voice became urgent again. "Unless you can come sooner. I'm very anxious to talk to you." Frowning, I said goodbye and put down the phone. I turned to Ruby, who had followed me into the shop. "Want to drive over to Cedar Crossing on Sunday?" "Your plants are ready, then?" "Yes, but that isn't why Hannah called. She wants to talk to us. She says it's personal -- and urgent." Ruby gave me a curious look. "What's up?" "I don't know," I said, feeling troubled. "I guess we'll find out on Sunday." But Hannah never got a chance to tell us what was bothering her. Two days later, we learned that she had died. - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode One: RUBY WILCOX, China's best friend and tenant, owns the Crystal Cave, Pecan Springs' only New Age shop. She's wild and wacky -- a six-foot-tall redhead with gingery freckles who wears strange clothes. Divorced, she has two girls in their early twenties. Ruby is impulsive, intuitive, and very, very right-brained. She loves to imagine herself as a private detective -- Nancy Drew and Kinsey Milhone rolled into one. The oldest surviving tree on earth, GINKGO is also a healing herb especially effective for elders. It helps to prevent and treat many ailments associated with aging: stroke, heart disease, age-related erectile disfunction, and memory loss. For medicinal use, use standardized commercial preparations. THYME AND SEASONS is China Bayles' herb shop. It's located about two blocks from the courthouse square, in a century-old stone building surrounded by China's herb gardens. The shop carries many different herb products (vinegars, jellies, soaps, candles) as well as essential oils, wreaths, plants -- everything herbal. PECAN SPRINGS is a small town halfway between Austin and San Antonio, on the eastern edge of the Hill Country. The courthouse sits in the middle of an old-fashioned square, with a bank on one corner and the Nueces Street Diner on another. On the north side of town, you'll find Central Texas State University, where Mike McQuaid teaches in the Criminal Justice Department, and China's friend Sheila Dawson is the chief of Campus Security. THYME is an aromatic perennial herb that's a favorite for both culinary and medicinal uses. Grow it from cuttings or root divisions, in a dry sandy soil in full sun. To harvest, cut stems or the entire plant, and dry. In the kitchen, use it in stews and fish dishes, and with beef, lamb, pork, or poultry. In the medicine cabinet, you'll find thyme oil in many commercial preparations, such as mouthwashes and hemorrhoid salves. The plant has a long association with the afterworld in folklore, and it was said that after death the soul found sanctuary in its blossoms. Thyme was strewn on the coffin to ease the passage into the next world. LEMON THYME is a variety of thyme with a sharp, lemony taste -- especially good in fish and chicken dishes, and in lemon desserts as well. (Try some chopped leaves in your favorite lemon-bar recipe.) CRYSTAL CAVE is Ruby Wilcox's New Age shop. When you go in, you'll hear soft music and smell sweet incense. Ruby carries such items as tarot cards, rune stones, crystals, books on astrology and the occult, and meditation cushions. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE TWO "A heart attack?" Ruby asked, shocked. "That's what the newspaper says." I handed her the obituary that Ramona had faxed to me. "She died on Monday, the day after we talked." "What a shame," Ruby said sadly. "She was such a lovely, vibrant woman. I had no idea she had heart trouble." "Neither did I." I frowned, thinking about the tone of Hannah's voice when she had said that she needed to talk to me, urgently. "What would you think about going to Cedar Crossing anyway?" I asked. "Ramona and Barbara are already planning for our visit. And I really would like to have those lemon thyme plants Hannah was saving for me." "And I want to see Ramona and Barbara," Ruby said in a decided tone. "Let's do it." Cedar Crossing is a small town about 40 miles east of Pecan Springs, along the Guadalupe River. Its chief claim to fame is a beautiful white-painted church with a delicate steeple, built by the German settlers who established the town 150 years ago. Hannah's house and gardens were just down the road from the church. We drove slowly past, admiring the warm-toned foliage that spilled over the stone wall. A clump of St.-John's-wort tumbled its bright yellow blooms against the feathery purple of a bronze fennel, and golden-leafed feverfew splashed at the foot of a tall gray-blue Russian sage. When I saw a woman pushing a wheelbarrow down the path, I pulled over and stopped. I studied her for a moment, then turned to Ruby. "I'd like to talk to her," I said. "But let's pretend we don't know anything about Hannah's death." Ruby gave me a curious look. "Why would we do that?" "I don't know," I said with a shrug. "Because I have a hunch, I guess." Ruby grinned. "Go for it," she said. Ruby is the kind of person who always trusts a hunch. The woman behind the wheelbarrow was tanned and athletic looking, with dark brown hair twisted into a loose, thick braid down her back. She wore a red bandana headband, a sweatshirt and jeans, and heavy garden gloves. Her face was stern and unsmiling. "Hi," I said cheerfully. "I'm China Bayles, and this is Ruby Wilcox." The woman frowned. "China Bayles. Aren't you the person who wanted some of Hannah's new lemon thyme?" I nodded. "That's right. Hannah said we could pick the plants up today." I shaded my eyes with my hands and looked around. "Is she here?" "Hannah's dead." The woman pressed her lips tightly together. "She died early Wednesday morning." Ruby's hand went to her mouth and her eyes widened. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed. "An accident?" "They say it was a heart attack." The woman's voice was taut, and she wasn't looking at us. "The funeral was yesterday." She nodded in the direction of the church. "You can see the garden from the place where she's buried." "I am so sorry," I said quietly. "Hannah was a lovely person." I looked around the garden, which must have covered at least two acres. The fragrance of honeysuckle and roses surrounded us. "It's so sad to think that she won't be here to take care of this beautiful garden. I hope the next person who owns it will love it as much as she did." The woman's eyes flashed an enigmatic message. "I'll take care of it," she said sharply. "I promised Hannah I would." "It's a big job," I said. "Something like this takes a lot of skill and knowledge. You really have to love it." "That's why Hannah did what she did," the woman said. She turned toward the house and a look of sheer hatred crossed her face. "And no matter what they say," she burst out passionately, "she wanted me to have it after she died -- not just the garden, but the house too. She gave me this entire property. And I won't let them take it away!" - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode Two: ST.-JOHN'S-WORT (Hypericum perforatum) was traditionally gathered on St. John's Eve (the summer solstice) to ward off evil spirits. This perennial herb has gained attention in recent years for its use as an effective antidepressant. Grow it for its beautiful yellow flowers, and steep its leaves and blossoms in vegetable oil (in a cool place) to make a soothing massage oil. BRONZE FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare) is a hardy, anise-flavored relative of dill, carrot, and Queen Anne's lace. It's easy to grow from seed or from purchased plants and will eventually reach three to five feet. Use all the fennels in salads and soups and, for a special taste, in sausage dishes. FEVERFEW (Chrysanthemum parthenium) is primarily grown as a medicinal herb, but its daisylike flowers are also quite pretty. If you suffer from migraines, try chewing a few leaves every day -- recent research suggests that the herb is an effective treatment for some people. It has also been used to treat PMS. RUSSIAN SAGE (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is wonderfully aromatic, with long downy stems and finely cut gray leaves. It produces an airy cloud of blue-gray blossoms, useful for border color and as cut flowers. Beautiful interplanted with roses. Yes, HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera sp.) is an herb. Both the leaves and the seeds were traditionally used in a tea to treat headaches and asthma. For modern gardeners, these plants are lovely ornamental vines that will thrive in any good garden soil. Our lovely garden ROSES have been used medicinally in many cultures including early Egypt, Greece, India, and the Orient. Westerners are probably most familiar with rose hips, the fruit of the plant, which are rich in Vitamin C and flavonoids. Roses are also used in herbal crafts, such as potpourri. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE THREE "Who are 'they'?" Ruby whispered to me, as the woman strode away, pushing her wheelbarrow. "Who is she? And why did Hannah give her the property?" "I have no idea," I said. I glanced toward the house. Another woman, short and plump and wearing a blue apron, was standing on the back porch, under a golden tumble of hops vine. As I watched, she beckoned to us. "Let's talk to her," I said. "Maybe she knows what's going on." "You must be China and Ruby," the woman said, as we approached the pretty, vine-covered porch. "Aunt Hannah had told me you might be here." She bit her lip. "I suppose you know that she died earlier this week." She invited us inside. The kitchen was almost as pretty as the garden, with a cheerful red-checked cloth on the table and the window sills filled with pots of scented geraniums. As the woman poured glasses of iced mint tea and put out a plate of cinnamon twists she introduced herself as Luella Mitchell, Hannah's niece, and told us about the circumstances of Hannah's death. "It was very sudden," she said. Her round face was sad. "And quite unexpected. I've lived with my aunt for the past three years and helped take care of her accounts, and I never even suspected that she had a bad heart." She sat down and pulled a tissue out of her apron pocket to wipe her eyes. "It's all so hard to accept." I leaned forward. "Your aunt told me that she wanted to talk to me about an urgent personal matter," I said. "She sounded terribly troubled. Do you know what was bothering her?" Luella's face tightened. "I certainly do," she said. "She was afraid." "Afraid?" Ruby echoed, surprised. "Of that woman you were talking to, out there in the garden. Jessica Powell, her name is." Luella shook her head sadly. "Jessica killed somebody once, and spent a long time in jail." "She did?" Ruby breathed. Luella nodded. "Aunt Hannah realized that she'd made a dangerous mistake, giving Jessica a job and letting her live in the garage apartment. And worse, naming her as her beneficiary. The woman has a green thumb, but she's simply taken over the place. She pushed poor Aunt Hannah right out of her own garden!" "It's true, then, that Jessica Powell will inherit this place?" I asked. Luella nodded. "Aunt Hannah called you, China, because she wanted you to help her rewrite her will. She had finally got up her courage and decided she had to get rid of Jessica. But unfortunately, she died before..." She was interrupted by a knock on the screen door. We turned to see two uniformed police officers standing on the porch. "We're looking for Ms. Mitchell," one of them said, through the screen. "Hannah Mitchell's niece." "I'm Luella Mitchell." She stood, her face suddenly apprehensive. "What can I do for you?" The officer held out a paper. "We have a warrant to search the residence of Jessica Powell." "My apartment?" Jessica Powell asked angrily. She had suddenly materialized beside the porch. "What are you looking for?" "Please show us your living quarters, Ms. Powell," the officer said without answering her question. The two men followed her through the garden, in the direction of the two-story garage. "Why have they come?" Luella asked in a bewildered voice. "What in the world do you suppose they're looking for?" "They're looking for evidence," I said. "Evidence of a crime." Ruby's eyes were large. "Murder?" she whispered. "Your guess is as good as mine," I said grimly. - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode Three: HOP (Humulus lupulus) is best known as an aromatic, bitter-tasting herb used to preserve and flavor beer. But it has also been used for centuries as a digestive aid and mild sedative. (Just try staying awake in the shade of a large, blooming hop vine!) If you're looking for a fast-growing herbal vine, this is it. Cut it back to the ground in the fall and it will return vigorously in spring. SCENTED GERANIUMS aren't geraniums at all, but Pelargoniums, native to Africa and brought to Europe and England in the 17th century. Most of these lovely, strong-scented perennials are quite tender, so plan to take cuttings or move the plant indoors for winter. China's favorite varieties include lemon, nutmeg, rose, and peppermint geraniums. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE FOUR Fifteen minutes later the officers were back. Jessica Powell was with them, stony-faced and silent -- and handcuffed. "But I don't understand!" Luella exclaimed. "Why are you arresting her?" One officer gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, ma'am, but your aunt didn't die of natural causes. The autopsy report you requested indicates that she was poisoned." "Poisoned!" Luella whispered. Her hand went to her heart. "But -- but how? What kind of poison?" The other deputy held up a plastic evidence bag. "Nicotine poisoning," he said. In the bag was a can of chewing tobacco. Later that day, Ruby and I were seated at the table in the dining room of Ramona's and Barbara's home, finishing a delicious dinner. It was a pretty room, with a pair of French doors that opened out onto a stone patio bordered with rosemary, and the setting sun cast a golden light over Ramona's garden. The two women bought the house together last year. Barbara is a lawyer, and Ramona has her own interior decorating business. "Nicotine poisoning?" Ramona asked blankly. "I've never heard of such a thing." "I have," Barbara said in a grim voice. "Nicotine is wicked stuff. Terribly toxic." "Tobacco is toxic, all right." I nodded, agreeing with Barbara "It's one of our most problematic herbs." Ruby gawked. "You're saying that tobacco is an herb?" "Sure," I said. "It's a member of the nightshade family, like peppers, belladonna, and angel's trumpet. Vegetables too -- tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant. Tobacco has been used to treat all kinds of ailments, including cancer. Native peoples smoked the dried leaves as a stimulant and a narcotic, and priests used it as part of their religious practices." Ramona frowned. "Well, I know that nicotine in cigarettes is bad news, but..." "It's not just cigarettes," Barbara said. "I prosecuted a case a few years ago where the defendant poisoned his victim with a pesticide containing nicotine." "Gardeners sometimes make their own pesticide spray by steeping cigarettes in water," I said. "Some people have been poisoned by getting it on their hands." Barbara gave me a curious look. "So the police, acting on a tip, searched Jessica Powell's room?" "And found the tobacco can," Ruby said. "They think she made a nicotine concentrate and somehow administered it to Hannah. In her coffee, maybe, or in some strong-tasting food, like chili." "But why?" Ramona asked with a bewildered look. "Everyone liked Hannah." "Because Jessica was the beneficiary of her will," I said. "And Hannah had become afraid of her and decided to change it," Ruby added. "It's a clear motive for murder." "Change it?" Barbara asked, surprised. "That's why Hannah called China," Ruby explained. "According to Luella Mitchell, her aunt intended to make a new will and..." "But she had just made that will!" Barbara exclaimed. "I know, because I prepared it for her, less than two months ago. I can't believe she changed her mind, or that she would make another will without consulting me." I stared at her. "You were Hannah Bucher's lawyer?" "I've been Hannah's lawyer for over two years." Barbara's eyes narrowed. "And she never said a word about being afraid of Jessica Powell. She and Jessica have been friends for several years. Hannah gave her a place to live and a job right after she got out of prison." "She killed someone, Luella told us," I remarked. Ramona nodded. "She did six years for manslaughter. She shot an abusive husband." Ruby frowned. "Maybe Hannah just didn't want to tell you she was afraid of Jessica." "Maybe," Barbara replied. "But she did tell me that she was afraid of her brother." "Her brother?" I asked. Barbara nodded. "Luella's father. When Hannah told him she was leaving her property to Jessica, he got so angry that she thought he was going to hit her." She poured herself a second cup of coffee and passed around a plate of Lavender Madeleines. "If you ask me, the case against Jessica Powell isn't as open and shut as it appears. I think you should have a talk with Harold Bucher." - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode Four: Because of its traditional medicinal and ritual uses, TOBACCO (Nicontiana tabacum) has long been considered an herb. Columbus brought it to Europe from the New World, where he discovered (as he wrote in his journal) "native peoples carrying some sort of cylinder in which sweetly smelling herbs were glowing. The people sucked the other end of the cylinder and, as it were, drank in the smoke." The plant was used as a relaxant and in ritual celebrations. The alkaloid nicotine is a virulent poison that causes cardiac irregularities and can be fatal. PEPPERS, BELLADONNA, and ANGEL'S TRUMPET are all members of the nightshade (Solanacea) family. Chili peppers have a long history of medicinal and culinary use; the "heat" of the pepper has a pain-killing effect. Belladonna, however, was once a primary ingredient in witches' flying ointment; it causes hallucinations that may have convinced people that they were flying. Angel's trumpet (also called datura, jimson weed, and thorn apple) has large, white, bell-shaped leaves. Belladonna and angel's trumpet are narcotic and hallucinogenic. Please keep the seeds of angel's trumpet away from your children! For the recipe for LAVENDER MADELEINES (featured in Susan Albert's book Lavender Lies and served at China's and McQuaid's wedding), email Susan at china@tstar.net. She'll be glad to send it to you. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE FIVE We could have let the police talk to Harold Bucher, but since Jessica Powell had already been arrested, they were probably satisfied that they had the killer in custody. But Ruby and I were curious about Hannah's brother -- and anyway, it was a beautiful Monday morning, and our day off. So we got directions to the Bucher ranch, and after breakfast with Ramona and Barbara, we got in the car and drove north on Cedar Crossing Road for thirty miles or so. Cattle ranching isn't as profitable as it used to be, and in this part of Texas, a great many of the large ranches have been broken up and sold as recreation land. Barbara told us that the Bucher ranch -- the B-Bar-R -- had been a huge spread once, but all that was left of it now was the old ranch house where Harold Bucher lived. When we turned off the county road and down the narrow lane, we saw the house, built of native stone and nestled into a grove of cottonwood and willow beside a small creek. Around it bloomed a wild garden, filled with wildflowers and herbs: echinacea, tansy, and Joe-Pye weed. "Looks like Hannah and her brother shared one interest, anyway," Ruby remarked, as we got out of the car. "They were both gardeners." I glanced toward the house. A colorful flock of banty chickens was chasing bugs through the grass, while a black dog napped on the porch. He raised his head when he saw us and gave a short, sharp bark. A moment later, we saw a stooped old man in denim overalls and a wide-brimmed straw hat, emerging from a vegetable garden, hoe in hand. Ignoring us, he began to hoe weeds along a row of healthy-looking garlic. "Are you Mr. Bucher?" Ruby called. "That's me," the old man said shortly. "What d'ya want?" We walked closer. "We'd like to talk to you about your sister," I said. "We were friends of hers." "We'd like to offer you our condolences," Ruby said softly. "Her death must have been a terrible shock." Harold Bucher stopped hoing and glanced up. He might have been in his late seventies. His face was lined and gray, and his eyes were slitted against the bright sun. "She was an old woman," he said sourly. "People die when they get old." "But your sister didn't die of old age," I objected. "You've heard the results of the autopsy, haven't you?" "My daughter Luella told me. She also said the sheriff arrested that Jessica woman for poisoning her." He gave a short, barking laugh and went back to chopping weeds. "Well, all I got to say is, Hannah's fancy new will won't do Jessica no good in jail." He was right, of course. A murderer cannot profit from her crime. If Jessica Powell was convicted of murdering Hannah, she wouldn't inherit. But who would? "Are you Hannah's only surviving kin?" I asked. "What if I am?" He eyed me obliquely. "How come you want to know?" I shrugged. "Just curious, that's all." I looked around the place. It must not be easy for a man his age to live so far from civilization. What would he do if he got sick? "You ever think of moving into Cedar Crossing?" "Luella's been after me to do it," he said grudgingly. "Reckon I might, if I could find me a nice place with a garden." He kicked at the ground. "Wouldn't feel right if I couldn't dig in the dirt." I nodded. "Did you visit your sister often?" His mouth turned down. "Saw her last week, day before she died. We had some fam'ly business to transact. Didn't get it done, though. Got interrupted by that nosy neighbor of Hannah's. Rawlins, her name is." He put his hand into the pocket of his bib overalls. "You want to know about Hannah, Mildred Rawlins is the one you oughtta ask. She and Hannah and that Jessica woman were thick as thieves." He took his hand out of his pocket. He was holding a can of chewing tobacco. - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode Five: WILLOW is another herbal tree. The white willow (Salix alba) grew on the banks of the Nile and was thought by ancient Egyptians to be a symbol of joy. Since 500 B.C., Chinese herbalists have used it to relieve pain. But it took five whole centuries for that important knowledge to make its way into our Western medicine cabinets -- in the form of aspirin! Contemporary herbalists recommend white willow bark for headache, fever, arthritis, pain, and inflammation. ECHINACEA (Echinacea angustifolia or E. purpurea) is a beautiful native American herb that should be in every garden. It is easy to grow from seed or root divisions, and (prepared as a tincture or tea) can help boost the immune system and fight colds, flu, and yeast infections. TANSY (Tanacetum vulgare) is an old-fashioned cottage garden herb that has naturalized in many areas of this country. The plant's rhizomes yield a green dye and its flowers a yellow dye. At one time it was used medicinally as a tonic and in "tansy cakes" that were baked and eaten during Lent as a blood cleanser and tonic. The yellow button-shaped flowers, atop tall stems, are a pretty accent in the garden. JOE-PYE WEED (Eupatorium purpureum) is another native American herb. An astringent and diuretic, its roots were boiled to treat diseases of the genitourinary tract. Other names for this easy-grow perennial are purple boneset and queen-of-the-meadow. It grows five to six feet tall in ordinary garden soil, and can be naturalized in the wild garden. It was named for an Indian doctor called Joe Pye, who publicized its medicinal uses. GARLIC (Allium sativum) has been called the "herbal wonder drug" for its many medicinal uses. It has been found in Sumarian caves, where humans lived over 12 millennia ago, and modern gardeners prize it for its wonderful flavor. It is has powerful antibiotic properties and has been used to treat heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Start garlic from cloves planted two inches deep and six inches apart in early spring, in deeply cultivated, well-drained soil in full sun. Harvest in late summer and dry for later use. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE SIX "Do you think Hannah's brother could have killed her?" Ruby asked, as we drove back to Cedar Crossing. "He seems to have had a motive," I said. "According to Barbara, he was furious about the will." "He had the means, too," Ruby said grimly. "Did you see that can of chewing tobacco he took out of his pocket? And he admitted that he was with Hannah the day before she died, so he had opportunity, as well!" "It's certainly something to think about," I agreed. Mildred Rawlins lived across the street from Hannah. Her garden was much smaller, but very pretty and bordered with a clipped germander hedge. Ruby and I were knocking at the front door when she came around the house, carrying a tray of lemon thyme seedlings. She was a tall, thin woman with gray hair in short, tight curls all over her head. We introduced ourselves, but she already seemed to know who we were and asked us to come in. Ruby and I went into the living room while Mildred went for tea and cookies. Mildred Rawlins obviously enjoyed garden crafts, and the room was full of her work -- bowls of rose potpourri, bouquets of dried flowers, and some beautiful botanical plates made with pressed pansies, lavender, and dried herbs. Mildred came back with a tray. "Hannah talked about you two often," she said, pouring tea out of a china pot. "She was anxious for your visit. She hoped you could help her." She sighed heavily. "I certainly do miss her. We were good friends -- it's hard to believe she's gone." "Did she tell you what she wanted to talk to us about?" I asked, taking a gingersnap from the plate she offered me. "Not directly," Mildred said. "But I got the idea that something crooked was going on and she hoped you could help her straighten it out." "Her death was tragic," Ruby said with a sigh. "I'm glad they've caught the killer." "I wouldn't be too sure about that if I was you," Mildred replied darkly. "Jessica Powell isn't much liked around here. Folks don't forget or forgive the past. But Hannah gave her a job and a place to live when she got out of prison. She was sweet and generous. Jessica would never have done anything to harm her." "They found a can of tobacco in her room," I pointed out. "So what?" Mildred tossed her head scornfully. "Lots of folks in this town have tobacco in their houses, one way or another. Cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco. Even nicotine patches. I read that five or six of those patches can kill a person." "But if Jessica didn't do it," Ruby asked, "who did?" Mildred shook her head, tight-lipped. "I'm not one to accuse people, mind you. But that brother of hers -- he's a devious old man, with a terrible temper. And he was here the day before Hannah died. I know because I walked in on them. They were having a fight." "What about?" I asked. "About the house, that's what," Mildred said fiercely. "They'd been fighting about it ever since Hannah made that will. The house belonged to their grandmother, you see. He said it would be a sin if it didn't stay in the family." She stood up and went to a corner cupboard. "Hannah asked me to keep something for her until you got here." She turned, holding a large manilla envelope. "I don't feel real comfortable handing this over to Luella, or hanging onto it, either. I want you to take it." "What's in it?" Ruby asked curiously, as I took the envelope. "Papers," Mildred said. "That's all Hannah told me -- just some old papers." - - - - - - - - - - Notes for Episode Six: Germander (Teucrium sp.) is a fine border plant for a small garden. There are several varieties, each with its own special growing habit. Teucrium lucidum has small, stiff, glossy dark leaves that are often clipped into a low hedge. It was often used in apothecary gardens of the medieval period, and a decoction of the plant has been used as a diuretic and a remedy for gout. - - - - - - - - - - EPISODE SEVEN It was early afternoon by the time we got back to Barbara and Ramona's house. Barbara was still at her office, but we found Ramona at the picnic table in the garden, painting terra-cotta flowerpots with a moss milkshake to prematurely age them. This is something I enjoy doing myself, because it makes new pots look right at home. "Hi," she said, looking up from her project. "Did you learn anything new?" Ruby shrugged. "We learned plenty -- we just haven't figured out what it means." I put the envelope on the picnic table. "Hannah left this with her neighbor for safekeeping." I frowned, wondering why she had felt it necessary. Was she afraid that someone might steal it? "What's in the envelope?" Ramona asked curiously, pouring us glasses of Green Tea Punch from the pitcher on the table. She pushed a plate of elegant-looking cream-cheese sandwiches -- made with nasturtium petals and brown bread -- in our direction. "Let's take a look." I opened the envelope and slid the contents onto the table. If we were hoping to see something dramatic -- a threatening note, or a map to a long-lost treasure, or old love letters tied with a faded pink ribbon -- we were disappointed. Ruby let out her breath. "It's just checks," she said. "Cancelled checks." She took out one of the two bundles, held together with a rubber band, and flipped through them. "They're all made out to the Fidelity Investment Company." she said, "and they go back about three years." She pointed to the signature. "It looks like they've all been signed by Hannah." I looked through the other bundle. "These are made out to the same investment company." I looked closer. "There's an account number typed on the check." I read it aloud. Ruby picked up a sandwich. "But these checks have a different account number!" she pointed out. "I wonder why Hannah wrote the checks, but typed the account numbers," Ramona said, puzzled. "That doesn't make any sense." "Maybe somebody else typed the numbers," Ruby suggested. "And opened another account?" Ramona asked. "It's possible that Hannah didn't know there were two accounts," I said slowly. "When she signed the checks, she thought she was depositing the money in her account. After the check was signed, somebody else typed in the account numbers." Ruby snapped her fingers. "And then maybe she found the checks and figured out what was going on! Which was why she called you, China -- to help her put a stop to the thefts." Ramona stood up. "I'll call Barbara and tell her what you've found. As Hannah's lawyer, she can phone the investment company and get the names on those accounts." It took Barbara only a few minutes to make the call and phone us back -- long enough, though, for us to finish off the sandwiches. Ramona put the call on the speaker phone. "You were right, China," Barbara said. "There were two investment accounts. One is in Hannah's name, and has $30,000 in it. When the other account was closed last Saturday, the balance was nearly $70,000." "Closed on Saturday!" Ruby exclaimed. "Two days before Hannah died," I said. "That can't be a coincidence. Whose name was on the account?" "Jessica?" Ramona asked. "Hannah's brother?" Ruby guessed. "Hannah's niece," I said. "That's right," Barbara said. "The name on the account was Luella Mitchell." EPISODE EIGHT "But just because Luella was investing Hannah's money in her own name doesn't mean she killed her aunt," Ruby pointed out. "Let's see if we can reconstruct what we think happened," I said. "Luella figured out that her aunt was on to her scheme and was planning to put a stop to it. She brewed a nicotine concentrate and put a fatal dose into her aunt's coffee or some strong-tasting food to kill her. Then she hid the tobacco can under Jessica's mattress and tipped off the police that it was there." "But why incriminate Jessica?" Ramona asked. "If Jessica were convicted of murder," I replied, "she couldn't inherit Hannah's estate. It would go to Luella's father." "And he's an old man," Ruby said. "It wouldn't be long before it belonged to Luella." She frowned. "But how are we going to prove it?" "I wonder," I said, "where Luella might have gotten that can of smoking tobacco she put under Jessica's mattress. It was an odd brand, as I recall. Duke's, wasn't it?" "Yes, that's it," Ruby said. "Do you suppose she might have been careless enough to buy it around here?" As it turned out, that was exactly what happened. It took us only an hour to canvas three convenience stores and the only grocery in town. In the end, we found one that carried that particular brand of tobacco, and a curious clerk who remembered Luella's purchase. "We don't sell much of that around here," she said, "so I remember. It was a lady that bought it. I was a little surprised, since it isn't exactly the kind of thing most women around here buy. They smoke cigarettes, you know -- and they don't roll their own. But I figured maybe she was getting it for her husband or somebody." Once we had the clerk's statement, it didn't take long to convince the sheriff to arrange a lineup and invite Luella to be a part of it. The clerk identified her without hesitation. Confronted with the evidence of her crime -- the tobacco purchase and the fraudulent account -- Luella broke down and confessed. And the case became even stronger when a partial fingerprint on the tobacco can matched one of Luella's prints. A few hours later, Jessica was a free woman. "If it hadn't been for you," she said to Ruby and me as we stood together in the garden, "I might have been convicted of a crime I didn't commit -- and worse yet, of killing a woman whom I loved and respected. I don't know how I can ever thank you." Around us, the thyme that Hannah had planted was blooming, each bush covered with bees gorging themselves on the fragrant nectar. I thought of an old bit of folklore I'd heard once -- that each thyme blossom contains the soul of a departed loved one -- and felt glad that Jessica would be around to take care of Hannah's beautiful garden and carry on her tradition of growing thyme. Hannah's soul might not be here in these beautiful plants, but I knew that her legacy would linger on as long as the garden bloomed. Susan Wittig Albert, known both for her China Bayles herbal mysteries and for the books she co-authors with her husband Bill Albert, became a full-time writer after abandoning her second career in teaching (she got fed up with academic politics and said thanks, but no thanks), after "finishing" her first career as a mom. She started by writing young adult books, married Bill in 1986, and the rest is... murderously good fiction. Copyrights (c) 2000 Susan Wittig Albert