Lyndsey Cole - Lily Bloom 02 - Queen of Poison (3 page)

Ryan knocked on Lily’s door early the next morning. Rosie was excited to have company but Lily had been hoping to sleep in. She dragged herself out of bed. “Ryan? What’s going on?”

“Can I come in? Something’s come up.”

Lily was having trouble reading his mood. “Sure. I’ll make some coffee.”

“Did you go to the museum last night between seven and eight?”

“Come in and sit down.”

Ryan was fidgeting and stayed outside. “I’m here on official business, not a social visit.”

Lily didn’t have a clue what this was all about. “Okay. Come in and we can talk official business then.”

Ryan reluctantly sat at her kitchen table. “So, were you at the museum last night?”

She poured two steaming cups of coffee.
“Yeah. Elizabeth called me. I forgot my purse and she wanted me to come get it before she left for the night.”

Ryan warmed his hands around the coffee cup but didn’t pick it up.
“Did you see anyone else?”

Lily thought for a minute. “No. I heard a door close when I left, but I didn’t see anyone. Why?”

Ryan couldn’t look at Lily. “Elizabeth Stevens was found dead this morning. And the painting was stolen.” He paused. “The painting that you interpreted with your flower arrangement.”

Lily stopped cold. “And?”

Ryan finally looked at Lily. “And. A florist pruning knife was found near the body. The murder weapon. We’ll be checking it for prints. Lily, I’m asking as your friend, not a cop. Did you kill Elizabeth Stevens?”

Lily stood up.
“Are you serious? You think I killed her?”

“I have to ask. You’re the last one
who saw Elizabeth.”

“Look at me.” Lily put her hands on the table and stared at Ryan. “I did not kill Elizabeth Stevens. I picked up my purse. We talked for a minute. She was still very much alive when I left. How do you know someone else didn’t come in? Or maybe someone else was already hiding in the museum and killed her after I left?
Have you checked the security cameras?”

Ryan looked exhausted and drained. “I don’t think you killed her. But there is circumstantial evidence that doesn’t look good for you. We haven’t finished searching the whole museum. I
hope we find some other clues to point us to someone else.” Ryan stood up. “The security system was off, maybe as a result of that power outage. I have to go now.”

Lily watched him walk out of her kitchen.
This felt like a nightmare. Why would anyone kill Elizabeth? She was a sweet, hardworking, dedicated woman. And why would the murderer make it look like Lily was the killer?

There was no chance of getting back to sleep now. “Come on Rosie. Let’s take a walk. I need some exercise.” Lily attached Rosie’s leash and they headed on their loop around town. It was early enough that they could walk without having to stop to chat with anyone. Rosie sniffed all her usual spots and Lily
got lost in her thoughts. She made an omelet when she got back and fed Rosie her kibble. Another cup of black coffee and she was wired to get to the shop. “Rosie, you have to stay here. I’ll be back at lunch time to let you out.” Rosie whined and tried to push through the door with Lily but she had her knee in the way and made Rosie stay inside.

Walking into her shop
was instantly calming. Lily took a deep breath. The smell of lavender drifted up from the basket next to the door. She had poured her heart and soul into building up this business and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it. Lily already had several orders on the answering machine for flowers connected to Marion’s death. She got busy with those. Work was a good way to forget about her problems until Daisy rushed in with the latest news.

“Have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

Leaning on the work bench, Daisy
flattened the front page of the paper for Lily to see. “Elizabeth was murdered at the museum last night. Here’s a photo of you next to your arrangement and the floral painting. The painting was stolen. Were you the last one to see her alive?”

Lily grabbed the paper. “I had a bad feeling when Nina wanted to take that photo. Guess who the prime suspect in the murder is?”

Daisy gave Lily a blank stare.

“Does the article say anything about the murder weapon?”

“I don’t think so.”

Lily slammed her hand on the work bench. “Can you believe it?”

“Believe what? Fill me in.”

Lily was all worked up and agitated after reading the article.
“Ryan came to my house this morning. He told me I was the last person to see Elizabeth and she was murdered with a florist pruning knife.”

“What?”

“He basically said it looks like I’m the murderer.”

“If he believes that, why didn’t he arrest you?”

Lily picked up some bella donna delphinium and continued working on her arrangement. “He said
he
doesn’t think I’m the murderer, but the evidence is pointing to me.”

Daisy pulled out her phone. “I’m calling mom. We need to put our heads together and figure out who had a motive to kill Elizabeth.”

The bell above the front door jangled as people came into Beautiful Blooms. Some were ordering flowers but others just seemed to be gawking and whispering about Lily since her photo was on the front page of the paper. Misty Valley was small enough that the drama at the museum would be the center of everyone’s talk. Tamara Biotchi pushed through to talk to Lily.

With her hands on her hips she glared at Lily and demanded an answer.
“What happened last night after everyone left? I heard you went back to the museum and murdered Elizabeth Stevens?”

Lil
y tried to stay calm. “Tamara, don’t believe everything you hear. I did go back to the museum but I can assure you,” she looked around her shop, “and anyone else in here who’s pretending not to listen, that Elizabeth was very much alive when I left.”

Iris arrived with Marigold. “Lily I need to talk to you.” She pulled Lily to the
design room in the back of the shop, away from prying eyes and ears. Iris got Marigold comfortable in a chair out of the way. Sweet Pea, Lily’s resident cat, immediately found Marigold’s comfy lap and curled up.

“Marigold overheard some interesting talk last night. Everyone panicked when the lights went out
, but of course she didn’t know what happened. It’s always dark to her but her ears are extra sensitive to make up for what she can’t see. I’ll let her tell you what she heard.”

Daisy called back to Lily that someone needed to speak to her on the phone.

Lily picked up the phone on her desk in the design room. “Hello? … No … I’m not interested in giving an interview.” Lily slammed the phone down. She looked over and saw Iris watching her.

“
This is getting so out of control. That was Nina Baldwin. She’s covering the murder and wants to interview me. Can you believe it? What does she think, that I’ll give her an exclusive on how I killed Elizabeth Stevens?”

“Lily! Don’t even talk like that as
a joke. Someone might hear you,” Iris cautioned.

Lily covered her mouth with her hand. “She really got under my skin. Thanks for bringing me back to reality.”

The back door of the shop opened and a head poked in.

Iris and Lily looked at each other confused. “Who is that? Another gawker?”

Lily yanked the door wider. She felt like she was about to boil over with all this chaos surrounding her. “Who are you? What do you want?”

A meek voice answered
, “Sorry. I didn’t know there was anyone in here.”

L
ily recognized the girl from last night’s opening. “Aren’t you Marion Barry’s niece?”

The girl nervously looked around and tried to back away from the prying eyes on her. Lily pulled her inside. “What are you carrying?”

The girl clutched a big tote close to her chest, a flat rectangular object inside. “Nothing.”

“How about you come in and tell me why you’re poking around my shop?”

Her eyes got big. “You’re the one on the front page of the paper.”

Iris stepped forward. “And you’re Maggie, the niece. What are you doing here?”

“I should go.”

Iris grabbed her arm. “No you
shouldn’t. Not until you tell us what’s going on.”

The tote slipped from her grasp and the corner of a picture frame jutted out.

Lily gasped as she pulled out the floral painting that was stolen from the museum.

“You stole the painting? The police will be interested to know about this.” Lily got her phone out.

Maggie pleaded, “Don’t call the police. I didn’t steal it. I found it.”

“Found it? You expect us to believe that?”

“It’s the truth. It was outside, in back of the museum. I was looking for a place to hide it until a reward was posted for its return.”

Iris looked disgusted. “It’s your aunt’s painting and you want a reward?”

Maggie hung her head. “I need the money. My brother won’t loan me anymore.”

Lily found some bubble wrap to cushion the painting and wrapped it securely with an old blanket. “This is going to the police. You’ll have to figure out another way to get some money. Maybe you should think about finding a job.”

Iris checked on Marigold who just sat quietly, smiling and stroking Sweet Pea.  She was happy to be in the middle of the action.

Lily walked to t
he front of the store to see how Daisy was handling everything there. It had quieted down; it seemed that everyone’s curiosity was satisfied, at least for the moment.

“Guess what just walked in the back door?”

Daisy closed the display cooler. “What or who?”

Lily held up her wrapped package. “Marion Barry’s niece with the stolen painting. I’m taking it to the police station. Are you all set here until I get back? Mom can help too.”

“I’m all set.”

Lily went back to get Maggie and bring her along but she had fled out the back door
before Iris could stop her. The front door jangled and Lily heard Ryan’s deep voice asking Daisy where he could find Lily. He didn’t sound happy. Lily walked to the front.

He looked at her package. “What do you have?”

“I was just coming to see you. Marion Barry’s niece was sneaking in my back door to try to hide this in my shop.” Lily unwrapped the painting and held it up.

Ryan was shocked at what he saw. “I just got an anonymous call that I could find the painting here. But I didn’t believe it. Lily
, this doesn’t look good at all.”

The door opened and Nina Baldwin burst in, snapping photos. Of course she got one of Lily holding the painting before Lily had a chance to put it down or shoo Nina from the store.

Nina fired questions at Lily. “Why did you steal the painting, Ms. Bloom?”

Lily’s mouth opened and closed without any words coming out.
She couldn’t believe what was happening. She wondered who kept making her look like a thief and murderer. Her anger fired up her determination to find who was doing this.

Nina turned to Ryan. “I just got an anonymous call that Lily Bloom had the stolen painting. My article will be on the front page again.”

Ryan gently took the painting from Lily. He leaned close to her so no one else could hear. “I think you should come to the station so we can talk about this.”

Lily started to argue but changed her mind. “Okay. I was coming anyway.
”

Lily sat across from Ryan with a pitcher of water and two cups on the table between them.
Her brain was trying to organize the events of the last twelve hours. There had to be a logical explanation in there somewhere. Ryan poured water into both cups.

“Lily. Tell me what happened.”

“I’m trying to figure it out myself.”

“Well, start at the beginning and tell me everything you can remember.”

“Elizabeth Stevens introduced me to Marion Barry just before the lights went out. I felt something fall into me, which turned out to be Marion. Is there a cause of death yet?”

“Not yet.”

Lily continued. “Ruth Walsh, Marion’s personal secretary—have you talked to her?”

“Just tell me the facts and then we’ll talk about what I know.”

Lily took a sip of water and forced herself to focus. Too much information was twirling around in her head. “Ruth Walsh basically accused me of being the cause of Marion’s death.” She paused. “It came out of the blue and shocked me.” Lily noticed people walking by the room, glancing in. She was glad it was Ryan sitting across from her.

“
Nina pulled me away and took some photos. By then, it was like a circus and I left with Daisy, Marigold and my mom.”

Ryan was busy scribbling down notes. “Do you remember anything or anyone else that seemed strange?”

“Not really. Elizabeth and her husband were standing together while she announced that the museum was closing.”

Ryan looked up. “You went straight home?”

“No. We stopped at the market and I ran in to get some premade pizzas. Then we went to my house. Daisy put the pizzas in the oven and I invited Jennifer over. Nothing out of the ordinary there.”

Ryan scowled. “
I know you told me some of this before but I want to go over it again to make sure I have it straight. Why did you go back to the museum?”

“We were just about to eat when
I got a call from Elizabeth that she found my purse at the museum and could I pick it up. She said she would be leaving shortly but would wait if I came right over.”

“What time was that?”

“Um, I guess it was around seven thirty. I drove right over, talked to her for a minute and went back home.”

Ryan put his pen down. “Did she seem agitated or upset? Anything out of the ordinary?”

Lily got excited. “
Now that you mention it, she did seem distracted. She glanced toward the back of the museum and I heard a door close, so someone else must have been there. At the time it didn’t seem unusual, considering what had happened.”

“Did you notice if the painting was still there?”

“It was definitely there. She met me right next to the table with my flowers and the painting.”

Ryan wrote down more notes, took a sip of water and studied Lily. “Tell me what happened this morning at your shop.”

“Well, Maggie, Marion’s niece, came in the back door carrying a big tote. She was trying to sneak in and seemed surprised that I was there. She dropped the tote and the painting fell out.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Lily looked down at her sweaty hands on the table. She wiped them on her pants. “I was surprised and was trying to figure out why she had the painting. She said she found it and was hoping for a finder’s reward. Can you believe it? Wanting a reward for her aunt’s painting? I was about to call you when you arrived.”

Ryan nodded. “This all fits together.
Apparently someone called me and Nina—I think it was Maggie—about the painting being at your shop.”

Lily relaxed a little. “
So that’s it in a nutshell.” Lily sat back and tried to look confident.

Ryan
was quiet, thinking. “Do you know the hierarchy at the museum?”

“What do you mean?”

“Obviously before Marion died she was in control. You mentioned her personal secretary, Ruth.  Is she in charge now?”

Lily considered this. “I have no idea. I suppose there is a board of directors for that stuff, or maybe her will spells it out.”

“I’m trying to get a look at her will. I haven’t talked to Ruth yet. I wonder if there was a power struggle between Ruth, the personal secretary, and Elizabeth, the director. Who else would benefit from Elizabeth’s death? And why steal the painting?”

Lily got excited. “Daisy heard the niece and nephew
gloating that they expect to be millionaires now. That’s a motive. Their mother must be in that equation somehow too. Her name is Evelyn Barry Nash. She’s much younger than her sister Marion. I think they are all staying at Marion’s house. They probably own it now that Marion is dead.”

“What about Kirk Stevens? Elizabeth’s husband? Do you know anything about him?”

“He owns an antique business in town. Uncommon Antiques. That’s about all I know.”

Ryan stood u
p. “Thanks for your help. There are a lot of possibilities to look into. I’ll call Nina Baldwin and tell her you found the painting and were turning it over to me so you don’t get any more bad publicity over this affair.”

“Thanks. So you’re not arresting me?”

“Not yet.” The corner of his mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh.

Lily followed
Ryan to the door. “By the way, your sister is great. She shared a lot last night after we all had a couple of glasses of wine.”

Ryan stopped and tensed. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that. Maybe I
will
have to arrest you after all. For twisting her arm.”

Ryan walked Lily out
. “Oh, there’s one more thing.” He pulled an envelope out of his pocket. “These were found on the floor around the body.” Ryan took Lily’s hand and dumped flowers on her palm.

Lily gasped. “Monkshood. These flowers were in the arrangement next to Marion Barry’s portrait.”

“Do they mean anything?”

She looked up into Ryan’s eyes.
“The plant is poisonous and can mean danger is near. Some people call it the queen of poisons.”

He nodded. “
I had a feeling you would know something. I’ll add that to my notes.”

Ryan
watched Lily drive off. She saw him in her rear view mirror. He looked handsome and vulnerable standing in the doorway. At least
he
believed she wasn’t involved in the murder. Now she could concentrate on solving the mystery and clearing her name before it affected her business.

Reality hit her smack in the face when she tried to pull into Beautiful Blooms and there wasn’t any spot to park.
I hope this is all business
, she thought to herself.

No such luck.
TV crews were set up and Nina approached her as soon as her big toe hit the pavement.

“Lily Bloom? Did you kill Elizabeth Stevens?”

She pulled her foot back in the car and slammed her door. She picked up her phone and called Daisy.

“What’s going on inside? I’m mobbed out here.”

“Crazy here too. Should we close for the day?”

“Yes. Meet me at
Mom’s house.”

It took longer than Lily expected for Daisy, Iris, Marigold and
Rosie to show up. But at least when they pulled into the driveway no one was tailing them.

Lily was busy at the kitchen table writing down everyone she thought had a motive.
She had to figure this out and get her life back to normal.

Iris was the first to enter the house. “What took you so long at the police station? We were worried you were thrown in jail.”

“Not yet. Sit down. We’ve got work to do. I’ve got a list of people and we have to do some snooping around.” Lily looked up at everyone. “Do you want to help me?” A chorus of yes, of course and definitely, met her ears. “Great.”

Iris sat down after she helped Marigold
get settled. “First, you have to hear Marigold’s story. She was about to tell you before Ryan showed up at the shop.”

Daisy interrupted,
“No. First, let’s have some lunch. I’m starving. What have you got to eat around here, Mom?”

“Look in the fridge. I think I have some left over tortellini and greens. Make a big salad. There’s homemade bread in the bread drawer too.”

Daisy got busy with that while Marigold told her story. “Well, you all know how my hearing is pretty sharp, right?” Everyone nodded, which was ridiculous since Marigold couldn’t see that, but she continued anyway. “I heard two women arguing about who was in charge right after all the commotion started. One reminded me of monkshood and the other had a sweeter voice like a white carnation. The second one was the voice that talked at the end when we all had to leave.”

Iris was excited as she looked at Lily. “It must have been that horrible R
uth person who accused you of being the reason Marion died, and Elizabeth. I bet they don’t like each other and both want to have control of the museum.”

Lily wrote some notes on her paper. She had columns for suspects, motives and clues. “So you think Ruth killed Elizabeth to get control?”

“It’s a possibility.” Iris sat back with a smug look on her face.

Daisy put a big bowl of tortellini salad in the middle of the table, with plates and forks. “Water?”

Nods again. Iris passed around the plates, filled one for Marigold and one for herself. “Dig in everyone.”

Lily remembered about the flowers near the body. “Daisy? Do you remember when we were looking at the arrangement next to the portrait of Marion Barry? Did you notice who made that arrangement?”

Daisy chewed slowly and thought. “I think it was Ruth. Why?”

Lily
got busy writing again before she answered. “Ryan told me monkshood blossoms were around the body.”

“He knew it was monkshood?” Daisy asked skeptically.

“No. He showed me the flowers and I told him what they were.”

Marigold r
esponded. “That can mean danger. And that’s the voice I heard. Monkshood. Danger. Ruth.”