arrived outside The Magic Garden and used her key to open the door. The morning’s delivery would be out the back and it would take her some time to get that organised.
Throwing herself into her inventory, Fern was lost in roses and gerberas, when she heard the doorbell jangle.
“I’ll be there in just a minute,” she called out from the back room. Dusting herself from leaves and foliage, she stood up with a smile on her face, ready to greet her first customer of the morning.
Coming through the door, she felt her pulse quicken with nerves at the sight before her.
“Oh! Good morning, Willie, er, I mean Constable Gordon.”
Willie Gordon was a large set man with a shock of red hair and pale blue eyes. Which were now eyeing her warily. Fern felt her cheeks colour under his gaze.
“Morning, Miss Amesbury. Do you have a few moments, please? I have a few questions I’d like you to answer.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Fern ran her hands down her apron, waiting for him to speak first.
“I take it that your aunt has told you about Sir Pince-Wittington’s sheep being poisoned?”
“Yes, she has. I’m very sad to hear that.”
“Hmmm. So you’re aware that Lady Cecily had called on Owen Gordon to come over and check on her husband’s diminishing flock?”
Fern nodded and he continued.
“Well, as you know, after the investigation was concluded, Owen ruled that the cause of death was poisoning from azalea shrubs.” He glanced over at her buckets of fresh flowers.
“I don’t know why anyone would do that, Constable Gordon. It must have been a horrible death for those poor sheep.”
“Yes, it certainly was. The Pince-Wittington’s don’t grow that shrub on their property…but we’re all aware that you stock the flowers. I can’t seem them though - are you out of stock?”
“Of course I stock them. I’m a florist. But if you’re implying that I had anything to do with-“
He held up his hand and Fern at once stopped talking.
“Miss Amesbury, please don’t put words into my mouth. I merely said that you have access to these shrubs.”
“So you’re saying I’m a suspect?”
“Well, it would appear that way, until we find the real culprit.”
“But I didn’t do it. I’ve no motive to kill Sir Pince-Wittington’s sheep!” Fern felt her eyes prickling with tears and she quickly blinked them away, willing herself to get a grip on her emotions. There was something about Willie Gordon’s attitude, which always made him seem suspicious towards the Amesbury women and she didn’t appreciate it.
“Let’s just calm down, Fern. I’d like to have a list of customers who have purchased azaleas over the past three months.”
“Of course, of course.” Fern took a deep breath as she tried to gather herself.
“Does anyone come to mind at the top of your head, who may have purchased these recently?” He opened his notebook, pen poised for action.
Fern knitted her eyebrows as she recollected her thoughts. If only he wasn’t staring at her so intently, she might have recited a quick memory spell.
“Let’s see. Farmer Jerry’s wife was in here last week and I seemed to recall her buying quite a few different plants. I’m pretty sure that azaleas were in the order too. Okay, who else?” She bit her lip trying to remember which of her customers may have purchased the plants. “Also, Martha from the Fishmongers commented on them, but I can’t seem to recall if she actually bought some – that was over two weeks ago. But, I don’t seem to recall anyone buying them in the last week or so…”
Willie frowned, seeming somewhat disappointed with her answer.
“I’m sorry, but a lot of the locals have bought the shrubs in the past, even before I took over the shop. I’d say almost everyone in Thackery has purchased azaleas at some stage.” She shrugged her shoulders, apologetically.
“I understand. Do you have any idea if anyone is growing these flowers in bulk in the
Throwing herself into her inventory, Fern was lost in roses and gerberas, when she heard the doorbell jangle.
“I’ll be there in just a minute,” she called out from the back room. Dusting herself from leaves and foliage, she stood up with a smile on her face, ready to greet her first customer of the morning.
Coming through the door, she felt her pulse quicken with nerves at the sight before her.
“Oh! Good morning, Willie, er, I mean Constable Gordon.”
Willie Gordon was a large set man with a shock of red hair and pale blue eyes. Which were now eyeing her warily. Fern felt her cheeks colour under his gaze.
“Morning, Miss Amesbury. Do you have a few moments, please? I have a few questions I’d like you to answer.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Fern ran her hands down her apron, waiting for him to speak first.
“I take it that your aunt has told you about Sir Pince-Wittington’s sheep being poisoned?”
“Yes, she has. I’m very sad to hear that.”
“Hmmm. So you’re aware that Lady Cecily had called on Owen Gordon to come over and check on her husband’s diminishing flock?”
Fern nodded and he continued.
“Well, as you know, after the investigation was concluded, Owen ruled that the cause of death was poisoning from azalea shrubs.” He glanced over at her buckets of fresh flowers.
“I don’t know why anyone would do that, Constable Gordon. It must have been a horrible death for those poor sheep.”
“Yes, it certainly was. The Pince-Wittington’s don’t grow that shrub on their property…but we’re all aware that you stock the flowers. I can’t seem them though - are you out of stock?”
“Of course I stock them. I’m a florist. But if you’re implying that I had anything to do with-“
He held up his hand and Fern at once stopped talking.
“Miss Amesbury, please don’t put words into my mouth. I merely said that you have access to these shrubs.”
“So you’re saying I’m a suspect?”
“Well, it would appear that way, until we find the real culprit.”
“But I didn’t do it. I’ve no motive to kill Sir Pince-Wittington’s sheep!” Fern felt her eyes prickling with tears and she quickly blinked them away, willing herself to get a grip on her emotions. There was something about Willie Gordon’s attitude, which always made him seem suspicious towards the Amesbury women and she didn’t appreciate it.
“Let’s just calm down, Fern. I’d like to have a list of customers who have purchased azaleas over the past three months.”
“Of course, of course.” Fern took a deep breath as she tried to gather herself.
“Does anyone come to mind at the top of your head, who may have purchased these recently?” He opened his notebook, pen poised for action.
Fern knitted her eyebrows as she recollected her thoughts. If only he wasn’t staring at her so intently, she might have recited a quick memory spell.
“Let’s see. Farmer Jerry’s wife was in here last week and I seemed to recall her buying quite a few different plants. I’m pretty sure that azaleas were in the order too. Okay, who else?” She bit her lip trying to remember which of her customers may have purchased the plants. “Also, Martha from the Fishmongers commented on them, but I can’t seem to recall if she actually bought some – that was over two weeks ago. But, I don’t seem to recall anyone buying them in the last week or so…”
Willie frowned, seeming somewhat disappointed with her answer.
“I’m sorry, but a lot of the locals have bought the shrubs in the past, even before I took over the shop. I’d say almost everyone in Thackery has purchased azaleas at some stage.” She shrugged her shoulders, apologetically.
“I understand. Do you have any idea if anyone is growing these flowers in bulk in the
Similar Books
Wildfire on the Skagit (Firehawks Book 9)
M. L. Buchman
The Queen's Tale
Grace D`Otare
The Starter Boyfriend
Tina Ferraro
Songbird
Maya Banks
Alone and Not Alone
Ron Padgett
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe
J. Michael Orenduff
Infinite
Jodi Meadows
The Sheikh's Secret Princess
Holly Rayner
The Charioteer
Mary Renault