Free Fruit of the Poisoned Tree by Joyce and Jim Lavene Page A

after those failures, they became even more distant. Peggy actually found herself feeling sorry for the Dragon Queen when she saw her from time to time around the city. It couldn’t be easy living her lonely life.
    Unlocking her bike, Peggy got ready for the long, cold trip back to the Potting Shed. There were times when she wasn’t sure if her commitment to the environment was worth another long ride home. Especially in the winter. But she supposed it was as good for her health to ride the bike as it was for the Carolina blue sky.
    A green Saturn Vue pulled up at the end of the drive, and a big, sloppy smile spread across her face. Steve rolled down the car window and grinned at her. “Need a ride?”
    “Not really. My bike is fine.” She was joking, of course. She was disgustingly happy to see him. Steve Newsome had become very important to her in a very short time.
    The grin faded from his handsome face. “I came all this way so you wouldn’t have to ride back after everything that happened today.” He opened the car door and started around the back of the Vue. “You have to come with me. You don’t have any choice. The ozone can handle this trip.”
    She laughed. “I was just kidding. Thank you for coming. It’s been a terrible day.” She grabbed him and hugged him tight, planting a large kiss on his cool lips right in front of all of Myers Park. Her mother would swoon to see it. A lady never kissed a gentleman in public.
    “That’s more like it.” He kissed her back, then took the bike from her and put it in the cargo space alongside cat carriers and bags of dog food, all tools of his profession. “I’m sorry about your friend. Sam told me when I called. I hate that you had to be there when it happened. Would you like to talk about it?”
    “I don’t know what to say. I’m not sorry I was there.” She walked around to the passenger side. “I’m glad I was there with him when he died. But I know I’ll see that car going over the guardrail for the rest of my life. I knew it was him. I don’t know how. I can’t explain it. There are only about a thousand burgundy Lincolns in this town. But I knew. ”
    He got in the warm car and covered her hand with one of his. “I’m sure he was glad you were there, too. I know it had to be terrible for you. If there’s anything I can do, you know I’m here. Feel free to call me anytime you see the car going over the rail again. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there with you.”
    She leaned over and kissed him again, looking into his clear brown eyes that she thought were so ordinary when she first met him. Why had she thought that? He was the most extraordinary person she knew! “Thank you. I’m really glad you’re in my life.”
    “Coincidentally, so am I!” He glanced at the house. “How’s his wife doing?”
    “As well as she can.” She told him about the police considering Park’s death a suicide. “She didn’t need that right now. Not that anyone ever does. Why does everything have to be so complicated?”
    “You don’t think it’s possible?”
    “Not really.” She shrugged, wishing she could be more definite. “But I don’t know. John used to tell me people will do anything if they’re pushed. He saw some terrible things happen to good people. I don’t know all the details yet. But maybe Park was in a bad place. Maybe he felt this was his only way out. I won’t believe it until someone proves it to me, Steve. And I hope it’s not true for Beth’s sake. It’s not just the insurance money either. There’s the stigma she’d have to live with and the unanswered questions.”
    “You’re right. No one should have to ask those questions.” Steve shook himself free of the events that hung over them both like the dismal turn the weather had taken. “I guess we’ll all have to hope for the best. That’s all we can do anyway. So. Where are we going now?”
    “I need to go back to the shop and close up. Shakespeare is still there,