6 A Thyme to Die (9 page)

“No. It’s natural for evergreens to cycle through some color changes as they grow.” She touched the needles of the tree closest to her as she walked down the stairs. A few came off in her hand.

It was a pleasure to see the tree growing each day. She and John had planted it when they first moved here.

“I told him the same thing,” Walter said. “If you don’t know anything about plant life, it’s best to leave it alone.”

Paul shrugged. “I’d hate to see you have to take it out, that’s all. Ready?”

Paul had seen the tree every day of his life. Peggy liked that he’d thought about its health. She agreed with him about not wanting to take the tree out. She was very careful with it, and regularly consulted an arborist who was a friend of hers. She might have him come by and take a look, just to be sure.

“I’m ready,” she said. “Let’s hope things go better today.”

Walter snickered. “Or at least they’re as
interesting.
”

Traffic was light from Queen’s Road to the convention center. They made excellent time. Despite what had happened yesterday—or maybe because of it—the parking lot was full. People were lined up at the gate waiting to get inside.

“Looks like the murder helped attendance,” Paul said. “I’ll let you two off here and park the car. Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

Peggy poked him. “There were crowds here yesterday that had to be turned away. Maybe some of them are lookey-loos, but gardeners from across the world attend the flower show every year. Just because you don’t like gardening, doesn’t mean other people don’t.”

Her son laughed. “You are so predictable. Just mention something bad about flowers and you get all riled up.”

She ignored him and got out of the car. Walter was already out and waiting for her. It was nine-forty-five; the gate would open at ten. Peggy hoped everyone was ready for the surge of traffic that would come through the doors.

“Good morning again, Peggy.” Reggie saluted her. “Looks like a busy morning. I hope things go better today, I surely do.”

“Thanks. I hope so too.”

Chapter Nine

Daisy

Daisies have been known since at least 2,000 B.C. They were cultivated for their herbal and medicinal properties. These flowers have always been used by pharmacists and physicians from around the world, as the daisy has some hybrid in every culture. During medieval times in England, it was known as ‘daes eage’ which meant ‘day’s eye’, a correlation to using the flowers as a cure for eye ailments. The plant has been used at one time or another to treat nearly all the parts of the human body.

The convention center was humming with activity as everyone did last minute prep for the visitors waiting outside. Thousands of colored chrysanthemums made up everything from rainbow bridges to tents and animals. Thousands of daisies had been used to create dream gardens and everyday items such as wheelbarrows, tractors, and fountains. The smell of roses, every shade imaginable, brought cottages, forests and carriages with flowered horses to life.

“Wow!” Walter stopped walking, staggered by the hours of work that had gone into creating these microcosms of life. “I had no idea it would be this way. What an accomplishment!”

Peggy smiled when she saw the amazed look on his sallow face. “I told you another murder wouldn’t be better than seeing all of this.”

Paul made it inside before the gates opened. Peggy let Walter wander the premises as he pleased. Rebecca Bandy, whose exhibit had been torn apart by the police, was still desperately trying to get it back in order.

“This was insane,” Rebecca said to Peggy as the two of them were putting in clumps of violets, oxalis, and other plants to recreate her exhibit. “I wish someone would’ve told me. I could’ve been here earlier to get this cleaned up.”

“The police wouldn’t let anyone come in any earlier.” Peggy tied pieces of moss to the sides of the cabin Rebecca had worked on. “I’m sorry this happened to you. Did you know Dr. Abutto?”

Rebecca Bandy was a tall, strong-looking woman with very short dark hair and a constantly angry expression on her plain face.

“I didn’t know him at all.” She used orange mums to decorate her attractive fence post. “I don’t know why someone decided to kill him in
my
exhibit. Why didn’t they kill him in his own exhibit?”

“I’m not sure.” Peggy helped her lift a wagon wheel that had been knocked aside by the police. “Maybe this was closer for them. I think this may be a crime of happenstance rather than premeditated. There were thyme flowers where Dr. Abutto was buried. I think the killer was remorseful after the deed was done.”

“Thyme flowers?” Rebecca considered the idea. “Do they know who killed him yet, or why?”

“Not as far as I know. It’s hard to figure these things out most of the time.”

Peggy finished helping Rebecca get set up before she walked down the concourse, checking in with the vendors and growers. Most of the people understood that the flower show had been disrupted under terrible circumstances. They asked about Dr. Abutto’s family.

Others told her they planned to demand the money back that they’d paid for registration. There was no accounting for how people would react to adversity.

She finally reached The Potting Shed’s exhibit on her return trip. Selena and Sam had set it up and they’d done a great job. Peggy was afraid other exhibitors might get upset if she had anything to do with her own exhibit. There were prizes for the best and most interesting features at the show. She wasn’t judging them, but she would be handing them out.

“What do you think?” Sam asked when he saw her. “I think everything held up okay.”

Sam wanted to promote the landscaping aspect of the business, of course. Peggy hadn’t objected—the landscaping promoted the shop and vice-versa. It was hard to notice one without the other.

To make that happen, Sam had created a real waterfall with rocks and bright green moss. It had taken him days to put it all together. The back of the exhibit appeared to be the back of a house. It was meant to state, ‘Your backyard could look like this!’

Selena had spent hours creating bluebirds out of mums that had been dyed blue. There were rows of dwarf asters in purple, blue, and pink that were accentuated by columbines and coreopsis. On one side, the tall flowers, including fox gloves, day lilies and campanulas that created a showy height which set off the rocks and the waterfall.

“It looks wonderful, breathtaking!” Peggy raved. “Who wouldn’t want their backyard to look this way?”

“I wouldn’t,” Paul said. “Not unless Sam was going to take care of it. I don’t even like to think about all the work that went into this.”

Sam and Paul shook hands.

“You pay me and I’m part of the deal,” Sam said. “Ask your mom. I’m not cheap, but I’m easy.”

Selena giggled. “You can say that again.”

“Anyway.” Peggy shook her head. “I have to go check in with everyone else. The exhibit looks fantastic, you two. Lunch is on me. Let me know what you want and I’ll send Paul out for it.”

“I’m not here to run errands.” Paul’s trained eyes searched the crowd that had begun to throng through the convention center. “I’m supposed to be here watching out for you.”

Sam frowned. “What happened?”

Peggy waved her hand as though it was unimportant. “Police protection. I’ll explain later.”

She left quickly before she got trapped into answering other questions. Paul stayed with her even though the crowd swelled so much that both of them were crushed as they strolled down the concourse.

The media was on hand again, from different cities across the region. Peggy did several interviews which included questions about the murder. She kept her answers circumspect, not wanting to hinder the investigation. She didn’t want to spend all her time talking about the murder either.

“It looks as though murder is good for business,” one reporter from Atlanta quipped.

“I think this show would’ve done very well without the unfortunate circumstance. It’s a time-honored event every year, with a devoted following.”

“Would you like to show us Dr. Abutto’s exhibit?” the reporter asked.

“I’m sure it’s off limits. Thank you so much for coming today.” Peggy shook the woman’s hand and walked away. They’d have to figure it out by themselves.

Paul stayed at Peggy’s side all morning as she made the rounds talking to all of the vendors at the show. Most were happy to be there. Their exhibits looked good and the crowd continued to grow.

Contrary to her earlier statement, Selena went out to get lunch for Peggy, Paul, and Sam. She came back with sub sandwiches and news that the parking lot was full and traffic was spilling into an alternate lot.

“There’s Dabney Wilder.” Peggy pointed out the head of the convention center. She knew he also was responsible for several other public venues in Charlotte. “I wonder if Al has had a chance to talk to him yet.”

“We’re not doing that, right, Mom?” Paul finished his sandwich and balled up the wrapper. “You’re way too busy keeping the show running to be involved in the investigation, right?”

Sam and Selena both laughed. Over lunch, Peggy had told them all the details about the two visits from different Tanyas and her dinner at Bob’s Chicken Coop last night.

“Peggy’s never too busy to ask questions and otherwise get involved in anything she isn’t supposed to be involved in.” Sam chugged the last of his bottled lemonade.

“That’s true,” Selena said. “Badly put together, but true.”

“It’ll only take a minute.” Peggy kept her eye on Dabney to keep from losing him in the crowd. “You stay right here. I’ll be right back.”

“If you’re going, I’m going.” Paul got to his feet. “It’s not like he’s gonna know I’m on the job. I won’t spook him, but if something goes down, I’ll be there.”

“Paul—”

“Let’s do it.” He helped her to her feet. “I’ve always wanted to see my mother, the botanical detective, in action.”

“Oh, all right then.” She touched up her lipstick and picked up her bag. “Don’t say anything.”

“I won’t,” he promised with a smile. “This is all on you.”

They walked through the crowd that was hovering around The Potting Shed’s exhibit. Sam had handed out hundreds of flyers already. Selena had made more while she was out getting lunch.

Dabney was with a man Peggy recognized, Tim Roseboro. Tim was a wealthy man who came from a rich and important background in the city. One of his forefathers had signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, a historic document that had preceded the national version. His father had been on the city council for many years.

The family was ensconced in a huge mansion on Sharon Road, aptly named Rose Cottage, presumably for the beautiful, old rose garden that grew in front.

Peggy knew Tim from working with the committee to bring the flower show to Charlotte. He’d been deeply involved in the process.

“Dabney. Tim.” She approached them with a smile on her face. “What a wonderful turnout, don’t you think?”

“Especially after the terrible thing yesterday.” Dabney shook his head, his wild blond hairdo flying everywhere. He was a famous Charlotte attorney who’d once run for DA. After the loss, he went over to the defense side, taking on the biggest and richest clients in the state. “I never expected to see this crowd today. It’s amazing.”

Tim also said hello to Peggy. “No one can buy that kind of publicity. You know everyone here is expecting to see something that relates to the murder.”

“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Peggy asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. He was a short, thin, studious-looking man, although rumor had it that he was nothing like that. He’d dropped out of several universities across the state. He wore thick, square, black-framed glasses that made his face look too pointed.

“I don’t care. Whatever brings the people in. My mother is so happy to have the show here. She’ll probably be here everyday. She called the governor yesterday when the show was canceled. She wants it to come to Charlotte every year from now on.”

Elaine Roseboro was a formidable woman, from what Peggy had heard of her. Peggy guessed that she must be in her nineties now. She was small but had the ego of a queen. Peggy could imagine the demands she’d put on her son.

“I’d like that too,” Peggy admitted, turning to Dabney. “Would you mind if I take a minute or two of your time? I have something I want to ask you.”

Dabney shrugged and told Tim he’d see him later. “What is it?”

Peggy’s green eyes were sharp as glass. “I heard you had dinner with Dr. Abutto at the Chicken Coop the night he was killed. You may have been the last person to speak with him before his death. Did he say anything unusual?”

Chapter Ten

Chamomile

Chamomile has a long history of curing digestive problems and having a calming effect on the body. The flowering plant, part of the daisy family, is native to Europe and Asia. The ancient Egyptians used it for fevers and other ailments.