Poisoned Petals by Joyce Lavene, Jim Read Free Book Online Page B

evening.”
    “Take your time,” Selena told her. “I’ll handle the shop. And this big dork!”
    “Don’t worry,” Sam responded, as he always did, “I’ll handle the shop and this pitiful excuse for an assistant.”
    “Pitiful?” Selena rounded on him as Peggy opened the door to leave, calling out that she would see both of them later.
    She closed the door firmly behind her and smiled at Steve as the breeze blew through his thick, brown hair. “I’m ready to go.”
    “How do you ever get anything done with the two of them fighting all the time?”
    “They don’t fight all the time. They really love each other. It’s just kid stuff. They’re like brother and sister.”
    “I’m glad they work for you and not me.” He shook his head. “They’d drive me crazy.”
    “You may have to hire an assistant, as busy as you’ve been,” Peggy joked. “Selena has a younger sister looking for a summer job.”
    “Troublemaker. Are we taking my Vue or your truck?”
     
PEGGY ALMOST LOST HER NERVE when they finally got to Asheville.
    It wasn’t hard to find the reflexology clinic. There were colorful patterns painted everywhere on the building walls. It reminded her of the Volkswagen van Rosie used to drive in college. Then she and Steve followed the signs to the apartment above the clinic, and now Peggy faced the door.
    There was a large sign showing the important parts of the foot right next to the green door that led into the apartment. Peggy stared at it like it was fascinating, hoping Steve would think she was too enthralled with it to notice she hadn’t knocked on the door. She continued to look at it while she considered what she would say after almost twenty-five years of neglecting her friend.
    Of course, the person behind that door might not be Rosie. Maybe she should have called first. It was a long trip to find a stranger looking back at her.
    But she felt sure Rosie would be there. They were so close in college, always finishing each other’s sentences and knowing each other’s thoughts. People joked that they must be psychic. Peggy felt like that now. It was as if she knew Rosie was there from the moment she first saw her name online.
    “Cold feet?” Steve guessed accurately from behind her. “No sign can be that fascinating.”
    “Yes.” It was amazing how well he knew her after such a short time. Almost scary.
    “We’ve come all this way. I think you should at least see her. Maybe it won’t even be her. Of course, if you’d rather, we can just leave and drive back the way we came.”
    “I know. But that would be too easy. I’m not a coward, but I hate trying to come up with a reason for not calling until I could tell her Darmus was dead.”
    “I know you’re not a coward.” He grimaced. “ Too well. It might be better if you were more afraid of some things.”
    “What kind of things? How can being a coward ever be good?”
    “Well, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
    She supposed he was right but didn’t say so. She faced the door, lifted her hand, and knocked. Her heart was beating fast, and her palms were sweaty. The green door slowly opened and the smell of patchouli wafted out. A young man, not much older than Paul, smiled at them. He was wearing a gold and red African robe. “Yes?”
    Could it be? She stared at him, certain he would think she’d lost her mind. Was it possible? There was no question about it. The eyes were the same and there was something about the expression on his face. The tiny dimple in his left cheek as he smiled. It was like looking at a ghost from the past. This had to be Darmus’s son.
    Then Peggy knew. She knew what Darmus was talking about that day when he’d come to Charlotte to see her all those years ago. She knew why he’d been afraid she might not speak to him. She understood why Rosie disappeared so suddenly and never came back to school. Stupid! Why didn’t I see it then? The timing was there. Why didn’t I think of Rosie