Sheila invited her best friend to join her for a cup of tea in
Central Park. She even volunteered to bring the tea with her. A quick stop at
Starbucks and the two women were sitting on a park bench feeding the pigeons
and talking about their plans for the weekend.
Sheila answered her ringing phone. A look of concern changed
her countenance as she listened to the caller. Lydia looked up and
mouthed the word what.
"I'll be right there," Sheila, said with a deep frown on her face. She looked at her friend. "Sorry,
looks like our shopping trip is out."
"What's up?" Lydia asked.
"Some stupid emergency at the office. I have to run, sorry,
but you'll be over tonight for dinner, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it." Lydia stood and took a final
drink from her cup. "There's something different about this tea, but
I can't put my finger on it. It's still good,
though."
Oleander from Wikipedia
"Stevia." Lydia looked concerned then said. "I'd
heard that was a good sugar substitute, but I had no idea it'd be this
good. Nice accident." She finished her tea, threw the cup into the
waste receptacle, and waved goodbye.
Sheila headed in the opposite direction.
Once Lydia was out of sight, Sheila retrieved the cup Lydia had
thrown away. She replaced it with another cup she'd made sure had Lidia's
fingerprints and DNA. There'd be no evidence of poison if they looked.
At the office several hours later, Sheila broke down when she
learned her best friend, Lydia, had died in a car accident on her way home from
the park.
You won't sleep with my boyfriend again, stupid slut. Sheila thought but smiled behind her hanky. Her
coworkers circled around her to express their sorrow.
*****
FYI:
Flowers can
kill, and you may have one or two of those killers in your own garden. Nightshade,
Daffodils, Angels Trumpet, Monkshood, White Snakeroot, and Foxglove are just a
few that you can make a deadly tea with.
If you're interested in learning more just Google deadly flowers.
I'd post the link here but I've begun to worry about downloading viruses.
I'd post the link here but I've begun to worry about downloading viruses.
Sheila used Oleander to flavor her deadly tea. And it looks like Lydia isn't her only victim. Visit next Monday, when we discover her latest victim and the weapon she chooses.
Which flower would
you use to flavor your deadly tea?
*All in writing fun, folks, all in writing fun."
I remember once in Spain, I picked some oleander and we were at a juice bar. The guy at the bar nearly went nuts and I didn't know what he was saying. He eventually drew a skull and crossbones and conveyed the plant was poisonous. He insisted I wash my hands in the running stream passing by. Scary.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo,
DeleteI find it amazing that there are so many poisonous plants, and most of us don't even realize it. He was a good samaritan, and you were lucky.
Don't know if you are aware of it, but oleander is great for keeping mosquitoes away if you plant it in your yard.
DeleteThen I'll have to invest in it, because I hate mosquitoes. We have them by the hundreds. Thanks for letting me know because we want to put in a new patio, which I figured we couldn't use till fall, with a fireplace, or early spring, but summer, no way with all the bugs.
DeleteVery good, Yolanda. I enjoyed reading Killer Flowers. Especially this part "You won't sleep with my boyfriend again, stupid slut. Sheila thought but smiled behind her hanky. Her coworkers circled around her to express their sorrow." Love it. I do know about some killer flowers. Excellent job. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Robyn, thrilled to have you stop by. Sheila has a very mean streak, but people never get a glimpse. She's good, very, very good. :)
DeleteAhhhh....natural poisons. A fun topic but also dangerous in the actual scope of things given most of them are always detectable. I guess if I had to choose though, I've always had a special place in my heart for Belladonna.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree today's forensics is on their A-game! Belladonna is a good one!
DeleteForensics would catch almost anything today, that's true. But, in a car accident if the death is ruled an accidental death, the M.E, might not be looking for poisonous flowers in the tox screen. Also, the culprit was careful here to remove any evidence with her fingerprints or DNA that could connect her to the flower. That's not to say that someone didn't witness Sheila, earlier with the flower. There are far more ways to get caught killing someone than the killer could possibly consider.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, and Sheila may still pay for her crime. Interesting how things catch up with us!
Delete