The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (Berkley Prime Crime)

They’d a whole lot rather take off her clothes than shoot her.” At that, she paused, struck by a thought. Turning to Lizzy, she asked, “When Grady told you about the way Bunny was shot, did he say anything about an assault?”
    “Assault?” Lizzy asked, frowning.
    Really, Verna thought. Sometimes Lizzy was so innocent. “You know. A sexual assault. A—”
    “Oh, you mean rape,” Lizzy said. “No, he didn’t, so I guess there was nothing like that.” She tilted her head. “Although maybe the doctor didn’t do that kind of autopsy? Or maybe he couldn’t tell? And even if the doctor had mentioned that, Grady might not have said anything to me. It’s ... well, you know.”
    “I know,” Verna said, and sighed. Men didn’t discuss things like that with women. At least, not Southern men.
    “If she was raped, Charlie Dickens wouldn’t print that in the newspaper,” Lizzy said. “But I agree, Verna. I don’t think either Willy or Pete could have anything to do with Bunny’s death. Those kids are as lazy as all get-out. Anyway, no matter who she was with at the picture show, the movie was over by nine thirty. The car wasn’t reported stolen until midnight. If she felt like dumping her date, she had plenty of time to get rid of him and go off with somebody else—somebody she couldn’t be seen with in public.”
    “Exactly,” Verna said. Somebody like Benton Moseley, she thought. Or Lester Lima. “Lizzy, let’s go over to the drugstore and talk to Mr. Lima.”
    “Talk to him about what?” Lizzy asked. “He sure as shootin’ wasn’t with Bunny at the movie. And if he knows anything about how she died, he’s not dumb enough to tell us about it.”
    “I don’t mean question him,” Verna replied. “I just mean ... Well, we could just sort of casually ask if he noticed anybody talking to Bunny while she was at work. You know—probe a little. See how he reacts.”
    Lizzy looked at her watch. “Okay, but let’s hurry. I’ve got to get back to the office.”
    Lima’s Drugstore was across from the picture show, on the southwest corner of the courthouse square, at Rosemont and Dauphin. But when Verna and Lizzy got there, they discovered a piece of paper taped to the door, clumsily hand-lettered in red crayon: CALLED OUT OF TOWN. CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
    Lizzy blinked. “Closed?”
    “Well, for pete’s sake,” Verna said, astonished. “What do you suppose?”
    “Beats me,” Lizzy replied, shaking her head. “I don’t remember that Mr. Lima has ever closed the store, only at Thanksgiving and Christmas. He always said that he hated to take vacations because some of his patients might need their medicine.”
    Verna narrowed her eyes. “This certainly seems suspicious to me, Lizzy. Do you think it has anything to do with Bunny? With what Mildred Kilgore saw behind that curtain?” She paused. “If Mr. Lima was getting after her hot and heavy at the shop, what do you think was going on after hours?”
    But of course there was no answer to this question. The two of them crossed Dauphin and began walking across the courthouse lawn. After a moment, Lizzy broke the silence.
    “I’ve been thinking, Verna.” She stopped and cocked her head, giving Verna a sidewise glance. “This may seem like a silly question, but do you ... well, do you ever miss it?”
    “Miss what?” Verna asked, preoccupied with the puzzle of Mr. Lima. What could have made him close up the drugstore and leave town so unexpectedly? Had Mrs. Lima found out that he and Bunny had been having—
    “You know. Sex.” Lizzy colored and looked away. “Walter has been dead now for ... how long? Ten years?”
    “Ten years last month,” Verna said. She was surprised at Lizzy’s question but tried to answer it honestly. “Yes, I do miss it, I guess. Walter and I didn’t always get along, but when it came to that, he was ...” She smiled, remembering the pleasure. “He was just great. It may be awful for me to say it, but after he was gone, sex was what I missed most. Certainly wasn’t his camellias.” She paused. “Why are you asking?”
    Lizzy’s color deepened. “Oh, just wondering.”
    “Wouldn’t have anything to do with Grady Alexander, would it?”
    “Sort of.” Lizzy sighed. “I have to decide what to do about him, Verna. I’m not sure I can put it off much longer.” She laughed a little. “If I don’t decide, the decision may get made for me.”
    Verna frowned, thinking about the