“I do.” Pulling the single bloom from the pages of the book, I handed it to her. “Do you recognize this?”
She held the flattened, droopy thing that bore little resemblance to the pretty and delicate blossom it once was. “It’s Asclepias, or as the average person would know it, white milkweed. You can find them in fields and by the roadside. Bees and butterflies love them. Most people associate milkweed with the silky white seedpods that fly all over the place, but the flower is very pretty, isn’t it?” She handed it back to me. “Where did you get this one?”
“It was in a bouquet.”
“A bouquet! Not many people would put…Wait a minute.” She pointed at the ruined milkweed. “Marlette gave this to you, didn’t he?”
I nodded.
“That man! He was such a nuisance.” She went back to her side of the counter and started vigorously snipping iris stems.
I leaned my forearms on the counter. “What do you mean?”
“Every day he’d show up at the office, and he’d always bring some kind of flowers, usually weeds, as an excuse to give us his query letter.”
“Did you ever read his letter?”
“Are you kidding?” She scrunched her nose. “He was a loony. And he stank. I couldn’t stand having him anywhere near me! I’d chase him out as soon as he showed up.”
How could this beautiful creature not have an ounce of compassion for Marlette? “So you have no idea what his letter said? Or what his novel was about?”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
“Poor man.” I couldn’t help my remonstrative tone. “He died at the office today.”
Her dainty hands flitted to her throat. “How? What happened?”
“We don’t really know. Jude Hudson thinks someone murdered Marlette, and—”
“Jude?” Her voice had an edge of panic. “Jude was involved?”
I touched her arm reassuringly. “We don’t know who was involved. Jude saw something that made him believe it was murder. The police are investigating.”
“I bet Jude accused Zach.” She rearranged the irises in the vase, her expression grim and knowing. “Didn’t he?”
Taken aback, I asked, “Why would Zach murder Marlette?”
“Well,” she began, leaning in close, “about two months ago, just before I left, Zach almost signed Taylor Boone, you know that reality show teenager who became an actress? She was writing a tell-all about the life of a Hollywood glamour girl with lots of stories about parties, drugs, and sex. Zach was going to make a fortune on her deal.”
I was puzzled. “So what did Marlette have to do with that?”
“When she came in to sign her contract with Zach, Marlette was in the lobby.” Addison twirled the end of her braid. “I was having a particularly hard time getting rid of him that day. Taylor walked up the stairs, and there was Marlette, waiting at the top, like some dirty scarecrow. She screamed when she saw him, and Marlette tried to comfort her by putting his hand on her shoulder. Then she really freaked out. Zach came running and confronted Marlette, but Taylor took off and never came back.”
“Oh my,” I said and opened my eyes wide in encouragement.
Addison flipped her braid to her back. “Yeah, it was bad. Anyway, Zach never forgave Marlette. Every time he saw the bum after that, he’d mutter threats under his breath. Stuff like, ‘I wish you were dead.’ Not that Zach would hurt anyone. He just talks a big game.” She shook her head emphatically. “At least I don’t think he would.”
The bell jangled behind us. A stooped man with a cane approached the counter. He removed his hat, revealing a full head of silver hair, and said in a distinguished voice, “Good evening. Is that my iris arrangement?”
“Yes, it is, Mr. Blake. I just need to put a ribbon around the vase.” Addison pulled two lengths of blue and lavender ribbon from the spools behind her.
Mr. Blake turned to me. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to bring this to my girlfriend in time for dinner. It’s her seventy-fifth birthday, and irises are her favorite flower.” He smiled. “She’s expecting me at seven and doesn’t take too kindly to me being late.”
“Seven?” I looked at my watch. “I’ve got to catch the train! Addison, can we get together for coffee sometime? I’d like to hear more about your time at the agency.”
She shrugged. “I guess so. You know where to find me.”
“Thanks.” I ran out through the Secret Garden gates just as the whistle of the Inspiration Valley Express blew in the distance. As exhausted as I was, I sprinted all the way to the station.
Chapter 5