Alex Harris 00 - Poisoned

Of course he could see through my pathetic tiptoeing around.
    I coughed hoping for a bit more time to think of a good lie. “Oh, the heck with it. I know Steven is into them, roses, and Trish said—”
    “Alex! When did you speak with Trish?”
    I opened the oven and took out the pizza hoping John wouldn’t think of getting too mad at a woman with a hot pizza in her hands. “Well, she wanted to apply at the agency so I took an application over to her.”
    “And this was when?”
    “This morning.”
    “Sunday. Hmmm. Since when do you go delivering applications on a Sunday? Don’t answer.” John put up his left hand and counted to ten. “Okay, I’m calm. So what about the roses? Not that I am condoning your playing detective.”
    “Well, it seems that Steven— Here, let’s take this into the living room.” I took the plates off the small kitchen table and handed them to John then walked into the living room with the pizza. After I had placed bubbling pieces on our plates, I continued. “Where was I? Yeah, right. Steven. Well, it seems he likes roses. A lot. They’re his hobby and he takes very good care of them. Sprays them a lot. Sprinkles stuff on them to keep them from getting these little bugs. Hmmm, this is really good if I do say so myself.” I wiped a piece of goat cheese from my chin and took a sip of wine.
    “And did you just happen to see what it is that he sprays and sprinkles?”
    “Well, no. I didn’t. And Trish didn’t mention anything either.”
    “Where was Steven when you were interrogating Trish?”
    “He wasn’t there. Trish said he went to play tennis. And I wasn’t interrogating. I told you, I brought her an application.” I licked a bit of sauce off my finger. “I mentioned seeing her father at my club and she said no way would he change clubs. So either she doesn’t know her father gambles and may be having financial difficulties or Ann at the club was mistaken.” I cut another small piece of the pizza and put it on my plate. I love homemade pizza.
    “So what do we know so far?” I began again. “All the suspects were in the house and there’s really no reason to suspect anyone outside of the family, right?” John nodded his agreement with a mouth full of pesto sauce. “Okay, so we have May and June, both of whom wanted that land sold and could easily go out to the shed or look for something under their own sinks. Maybe we should find out if they have problems with rats. And May has a blender. I’m not sure about June.”
    “Ah, yes. I almost forgot,” John said. “I assume you know neither women has a rose garden because you went to visit them as well. Don’t tell me you took them a job application, too.”
    I cut my eyes to him and said haughtily, “No, I did not. But in June’s case it might not be such a bad idea. I think she could use the money.”
    “So what’s this about a blender?”
    “Well, it seems May has a blender. And it’s been used recently,” I said brightly.
    “I have a blender,” John countered, “and I used it two nights ago to make a fruit shake. What does that tell you about me?”
    “That you’re self sufficient and can take care of yourself.” I placed a greasy kiss on his cheek.
    “Seriously, Alex, what is all this about May having a blender?”
    “I managed to get a look at it and did see something suspicious in that rubber thingy around the base, but I couldn’t tell whether or not it was Jequirity bean goo or not.”
    “So that’s what all this is about. And how exactly— No. Don’t tell me,” John put up his hands. “I do not want to know how you managed to take the woman’s blender apart. Some things are better left unsaid.”
    “Suit yourself.”
    “Who else have you been bothering?”
    “Did you know June and Mrs. Brissart have had a feud going on for fifty years over some man named Charles? Seems Mrs. Brissart stole him from June and June’s never forgiven her. And when Charles died, his sister wrote to June telling her how much Charles had still loved her?”
    “No, I didn’t know any of this,” John said with a look that was either annoyance or embarrassment. I couldn’t tell. “How did you find all this out? Please tell me you’re not reading their mail.”
    “No. Marsha brought it up and I asked several people to verify it.” I smiled sweetly.
    “Like who?” This time John’s voice was full of annoyance. I could definitely tell the difference.
    “Well, like Trish, and May and