Free A Corpse for Yew by Jim Lavene, Joyce Page A

much I love and appreciate you?”
    “I don’t think you can get away with it that easy.”
    She kissed him again and snuggled closer. “How about this?”
    “That could work. I’ve always been a sucker for beautiful redheads.”
    “You can’t exactly call me a redhead anymore.” She pushed at her white hair self-consciously. “Now, in my youth . . .”
    “You’re starting to make me forget my commitment not to talk about how hard this has become with your parents and Paul,” he warned with a smile. “Let’s have a little more of that kissing and stuff right now.”
    “I can do that.”
     
     
    A LITTLE LATER, after breakfast with Steve, Peggy went down to the basement to check on her experiments. Steve had to leave early since he had surgery that morning. It seemed one of his patients, Conner McCloud, a python, had somehow managed to swallow a stone that would have to be removed. She didn’t know how Steve was able to cope with such things, but she knew he had a great love for all animals. He was her own Dr. Doolittle.
    It was because of his love for animals that they got together right after she’d found herself with Shakespeare in her life. He was her first pet. She’d taken him from an abusive owner and Steve had helped her nurse him back to health. Because of that, she’d gained so much richness in her life. The two of them had helped her move past John’s death.
    The basement ran the full length of the house, with French doors that opened into the backyard. Here Peggy had kept plants since she’d moved there with John, fresh out of college. To begin with, it was some herbs and a few early tomatoes. After Paul had moved out, she’d installed a pond and begun working with other botanists from around the world on projects they talked about on the Internet.
    Right now, she was observing some high-yield rice plants growing in the pond beside her native lilies and cattails. Her hydroponic gardening had expanded in the last few months to include a new form of bean that was a cross between a pea and a butter bean. It was high-yield and fast-growing to accommodate areas desperately in need of food. The more they could naturally tinker with plants that could feed millions, the closer they came to stamping out world hunger.
    Of course there were some plants that were just for fun. She had the beginnings of a lovely, large passion flower vine growing near the windows, in the sun. There was also a grape-colored tomato growing close to it. She planned to surprise some dinner guests with that and a matching lavender lettuce she’d devised.
    After being sure all her plants were in good shape, Peggy let Shakespeare inside and set off for the day. It was still early enough that she could ride to the Potting Shed before she had to go to the lab. Being there would make the rest of it easier, she hoped.
    Thinking about the Potting Shed made her worry again about what she could do to keep the shop open until the drought passed. She had no doubt the dry weather would go away. It always did. It was tough going for farmers and anyone who relied on good weather and plentiful moisture for their living. She just had to figure out a way to survive until rain started coming regularly again.
    She waved to Mr. Stogner, who stood on the corner of College and Fourth streets. He was always out there, walking his spaniel as he ate Krispy Kreme donuts. The little spaniel had such a round belly, she thought Mr. Stogner must share with him.
    Peggy loved watching the city come to life in the morning. She’d been raised with the smell of the sea and in a port town atmosphere, but now Charlotte would always be home. It was growing too fast for its own good and losing too much of what was important about living there, but these were only growing pains. She had no doubt the Queen City would thrive and find a way to grow even more beautiful.
    Sam was already parked behind the shop, his pickup loaded with fertilizer. She was glad to see he