Killing Weeds (13 page)

Her phone rang again. This time it was Bobby Dean.

“Peggy, I just wanted to give you a status update on your claim for The Potting Shed. The police have finished their investigation into the break-in and vandalism. They have no suspects at this time but have assured me that they will continue to look into it.”

“Does that leave you clear to write me a check for the damages?”

“There’s only one thing that still bites my butt. What happened to the alarm company? I haven’t been able to get any answers out of them. I’ve never had this problem before. I’m reluctant to release those funds until we know that your shop will be adequately protected.”

“I understand. I’m reluctant to put new things in there, too, until a new alarm system is set up.”

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I was wondering if you could meet me at the shop today. The techs from the alarm company are supposed to be there surveying the damage and giving us an idea of what happened.”

Peggy smiled at her father. “I’d be happy to meet you there, Bobby. What time?”

“I’m headed that way now. Let’s say thirty minutes?”

“That’s fine. It would be nice to get all of this out of the way.”

“Thank you, Peggy. I’ll see you then.”

“I suppose you’re proud of yourself,” Ranson said after she was finished on the phone. “You found a way out. But you’re not going alone. I’ll call Sam, Paul, and Al to meet us there. Maybe I’ll call Steve and Hunter too.”

“That’s fine, Dad. I think they’ll be a little bored talking to my insurance adjuster, but call them all. Maybe Mom would like to go too.”

“I could shake you sometimes.” He shook his head instead. “You’re as stubborn as your mother.”

“Stubborn? What about you?”

“I’m stubborn, but I have other redeeming qualities that offset it.”

“Wait until I tell Mom that. I’m sure we’d both like to hear about your
redeeming qualities
.”

“Well, no matter what, you’re not leaving this house alone. Just get used to it.”

Peggy sighed and went downstairs with her father and Shakespeare at her heels.

Lilla didn’t feel her presence would make much difference if someone wanted to kill her daughter. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.”

“And what are you going to do if the killer shows up at the door?” Peggy asked.

Lilla pulled a small, pearl-handle revolver out of her handbag. “I’ve been shooting since I was a little girl. I’m not worried about killing someone who might be after my family. You two go on. I’ll hold down the fort here.”

Ranson and Peggy left, meeting Walter as they walked out of the house.

“I’m glad to see you,” he told Peggy. “I’ve been looking around all morning for any research where hogweed may have been used as a poison in a homicide before. No one has ever heard of such a thing. I’m hitting a dead end even at my conspiracy sites. Do you have any information?”

“No, she doesn’t.” Ranson took Peggy’s arm as he started toward the car. “And if she did, she wouldn’t share it with you after you stole her job.”

Peggy took her arm from her father and turned back to her friend. “I’ve been doing the same thing all morning, Walter. I’ve hit several dead ends with the poison and the suspect I had in mind. I don’t think I can help you right now.”

Walter glanced up at Ranson’s lean body that was much taller than his. “Thank you for your help. Perhaps you could explain to others that I haven’t taken your position with the city. It is only for this case.”

Her father didn’t respond. He got in the car on the passenger side and closed the door.

Peggy got in the car too. “If I’m okay with what happened between me and Walter, you should be too. He didn’t know what he was doing this morning. But he made up for it by preparing me for the police raid on my basement.”

No matter what she said, he was angry at her neighbor. Talk about being stubborn!

They reached The Potting Shed at the same time as Bobby Dean and parked close together behind the shop. It was sad to see Brevard Court bustling and the garden shop closed. She had to remind herself that it wouldn’t be this way much longer.

They let themselves in through the back door. There was no sign of the alarm company yet. Peggy left the door open to get some air inside. She couldn’t do the same with the front door, or she’d risk turning away customers.

Everything was as they’d left it. The space looked oddly empty and sad after years of being filled to the brim. Peggy was excited to see the little lizard sitting on the side of the pond sunning himself. At least that hadn’t changed.

If you could only talk
, she considered.

There was a knock at the front door. Two men in gray uniforms waited impatiently for her to open it.

“We’re here from the alarm company.”

“Yes.” She stood back and let them in.

Bobby and Peggy introduced themselves to the men.

“I have a few questions,” Bobby said. “Did you bring your supervisor with you?”

The alarm company employees glanced at each other as though they had no idea what he was talking about.

“No. We’re here to repair the alarm. No one mentioned answering questions. Our supervisor is out of town.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you to repair this alarm and have it connected to the service again,” Bobby said. “At least not until we know why the alarm wasn’t triggered at your end when it was cut.”

The two techs shrugged, clearly out of their depths.

“Sorry,” the first tech said. “But if we don’t reconnect the alarm today, it could be a week before we’ll be back.”

Bobby frowned. “I’m sorry, Peggy, but I just can’t authorize this.”

“I guess that’s that.” She smiled at the men from the alarm service and handed them her business card. “Could you get someone to give me a call? I’d like to get this done, but I need the insurance company to be happy with it too.”

One of the men took the card and stuffed it into his pocket. “You know all the alarms in Brevard court and Latta Arcade are with the same leasing company, and we do all their work. Eventually, you’ll have to hook up with us whether you like it or not.”

Peggy wasn’t happy with his tone, but he wasn’t the one she needed to talk to. “Just have your supervisor give me a call when he’s back. Thanks.”

They seemed dumbfounded at being turned away, but eventually they left, hurrying down the cobblestones toward their truck parked on the street.

“Now what?” Ranson asked. “You can’t open your business again until this is settled?”

Peggy and Ranson both stared at Bobby.

He didn’t back down from his original statement. “I’m sorry. I’m going to meet with someone from the security firm again. I need to know that the alarm problem isn’t going to happen again. I’m sure you want that peace of mind too.”

Peggy agreed that it was important. But so was getting The Potting Shed up and running again. She couldn’t restock a shelf or order more plants until this was settled.

“I understand, even though I don’t like it. Thanks for your help.”

“We’ll get through this, Peggy.” Bobby shook her hand. “Trust me. We want you back in business too.”

Bobby nodded to Ranson and then left too.

Peggy waved goodbye to him and took out her phone.

“Calling Steve?” her father asked.

“Maybe he’s got the answers we need from the alarm company.”

But Steve didn’t answer, and Peggy had to leave him a message. She was ready to leave when Emil and Sofia came through the front door.

“Oh my God!” Sofia threw her arms around Peggy. “What you’ve been through. No one should have to go through this. Come back with us to The Kozy Kettle. We’ll make you food, and you’ll feel better.”

Lavender

While lavender has been used for hundreds of years, it is considered unsafe to apply to the skin of young boys. Lavender oil has a hormonal effect that could disrupt the normal hormone balance in a boy's body. Lavender also has a calming effect on the central nervous system that may be harmful during surgery. Do not use at least two weeks prior to surgery.

Chapter Twenty

Emil’s thick gray mustache wiggled as he agreed with his wife. “You haven’t been eating. Look at you—wasting away because that worthless husband of yours can’t protect you. We have a cousin, Milo. He’s not much to look at, but he’s rich. You’d never have to work another day in your life.”

Emil and Sofia had first met Peggy when she was alone, after John’s death. They had always tried to play matchmaker with her then, and the tradition continued. The couple had never grown to like Steve. They thought he was bad for her and that she should get rid of him to marry one of their many family members.

“I’m fine.” Peggy smiled.
Was there ever a time when she was less fine than this?
“I’m eating, and I’m working at home until we get the go-ahead to re-open the shop. I’m sure your cousin is very nice, but I really love Steve and want to stay married to him.”

Sofia’s jangly bracelets jingled as she hurriedly crossed herself. “You don’t have to pretend with us. How long have we known you? We’ve known you long enough to see you’re unhappy.”

Emil agreed. “Come over for some garlic soup anyway. It will fix you right up. We’ll talk about your husband—and the man you should have.”

If Emil and Sofia weren’t such good friends in every other way, Peggy would have stopped associating with them long ago. But she didn’t want to allow a small idiosyncrasy to ruin their friendship.

When she didn’t answer right away, Emil took her hand in his big, work-worn one. “At least tell me you’ll have your weekly flower club meeting tomorrow night. I’m making scones for you.”

“Of course.”

It was the last thing she wanted to do knowing everyone who’d be there would want to talk about Paul and The Potting Shed. But maybe something normal would be good. “I’ll be there at seven. Thank you both for being such good friends.

Emil and Sofia both hugged her and Ranson extensively. They walked back across the cobblestones to their shop, whispering, and Peggy locked the front door behind them.

As she did, she glanced at the picture of her and John that she’d framed and put on the shop wall when she’d first opened. She’d been so determined to follow through on the dream they’d shared. Nothing could have stopped her.

She turned around and stared at what was left of that dream. Everything was gone, but it was more than she’d started with all those years ago. She’d brought The Potting Shed to life once before, and she’d do it again.

“You still miss him, don’t you?” Ranson asked as he watched her.

“Of course. I’ll always miss him. But I love Steve. They are two different men. It doesn’t seem possible to love them both, but I do, Dad.”

“The girl who fell in love with John is a different person than the woman who fell in love with Steve.”

She smiled and hugged him. “When did you get so wise? I don’t remember you being so smart when I was younger.”

“You just didn’t appreciate how smart I was.” He chuckled. “And I’m still getting better. Just like you, sweetheart.”

“Let’s get home before someone misses me. Maybe there’s good news waiting. And I have to call someone to take down my tree.”

They rode back home together. Sam called to let her know he’d planted what he’d taken that day from the house and managed to sell another two thousand dollars’ worth of the previous order.

“I’ve only got three thousand left to go,” he said. “I think I’ll be able to break even on this. Where are you?”

“Leaving The Potting Shed and heading home.” She explained about the alarm system.

“Listen, Peggy, we’ve gotta get up and running again before people forget who we are. I’ll sleep at the shop with a shotgun if I have to until the alarm is back on.”

She laughed at his eagerness to reopen. He was almost as bad as her.

“I’m not sure about that idea, but we’ll work something out. I’ll see you in a little while.”

Steve was back at the house, sharing tea with Lilla. Shakespeare barked at Peggy as she went inside, and she let him out into the backyard.

“Please tell me you have good news about the alarm service,” Peggy said to Steve. “I’ve got serious issues with that trying to get the shop open again. I haven’t talked to Dalton yet, but he’s not going to like it that someone got in the house without us knowing either.”

“There are twenty-four hundred employees of the alarm service that takes care of the house and the shop. I looked through their records, and no names jumped out at me, no one from the list of names at Stewart’s Furs either. But I’ve got their employee information, and I’m having the FBI computer search through it for possible suspects. If something comes from that, we can set up individual interviews. Until then, we’re still at the same place.”

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble using the FBI computers?” she asked. “One of us is already out of a job. Someone needs to have a paycheck.”

He kissed her forehead and smiled. “It seems there are protocols set in place for FBI personnel under threat. My boss says this is my top priority. I’m using everything the FBI has to find this person.”

“I understand that.” Ranson nodded. “Can’t get a good day’s work out of someone fearing for their family. Smart move—even for the FBI.”

“In the meantime, unlike The Potting Shed, whoever came in the house did it while the alarm wasn’t set. We have an idea about when that was since you think it was when the supply truck got here yesterday morning. We can use that information once we have a few names to create profiles for. In the meantime, the head of the alarm company assured me that our personal alarm is safe.”

“Well thank goodness for that,” Lilla said. “At least that makes me feel better.”

“What about those people from the shop who bought the same mink coats that killed that woman?” Ranson asked.

Steve shook his head. “None of them have a criminal record. They have no ties to this family or Nita Honohan. I think it may be just coincidence that they were there.”

Peggy sat down. “Where does that leave us? Someone still entered the house and killed my tree as well as framed Paul for murder. How do we find that person?”