Can You Solve This Two-Minute Mini Mystery? ‘Murder In Bloom’
Grab your magnifying glass and channel your inner Sherlock Holmes to crack the case!
Woman’s World readers are entertained each week with a two-minute mystery story in every issue (and have special Mini Mysteries magazines devoted to cracking even more cases!) — from whodunits to who-stole-its to who’s up to no good — and we’re sharing those stories here each week to bring more laugh-out-loud fun to our readers.
Read on for the newest installment!
Murder In Bloom by Cindy Anne Hogg
Miss Lavinia Lewis leaned over Cordelia Evans’ bedside and gave her friend’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “I’m so glad your heart attack wasn’t serious, my dear. I was worried sick, but I expect you will be up and about soon. But for now, just have a good rest.”
Cordelia quickly grabbed Lavinia’s arm and pulled her closer. “No, don’t go yet,” she whispered. “I’m afraid.”
Lavinia stopped in her tracks and looked surprised. “Afraid of what, exactly? The doctor said you will be fine!”
Cordelia glanced toward the door. “Please stay just a little while longer. Have a seat in that big easy chair over by the window. Come on, just for a bit longer. Would you, honey?”
So, Lavinia sat in Cordelia’s grand bedroom, bright-eyed and alert, as family members and a maid traipsed in and out.
First came Mrs. Evans’ daughter, Shirley. She opened the drapes to let in the spring sunshine and gazed out the window to see the gorgeous views.
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“Oh, Mother,” she said, “the garden is so beautiful with everything in bloom. I’ll send Bessie out to pick you some fresh flowers.”
Shirley then busied herself fluffing up her mother’s pillows, running a comb through her hair and moving the empty water pitcher and glass off the bedside table to make room for the breakfast tray.
After Bessie entered the room and set down the tray, Shirley instructed her to go pick some tulips, daffodils, lilies of the valley and early spring roses. Bessie returned shortly after with a big basket of flowers, but wearing a grim expression. “Master Raymond is on his way up.” Raymond was Shirley’s son and a rather unpleasant, unpopular fellow. Bessie curtsied and started to leave the room, almost bumping into Raymond as he breezed in.
“Hello, Granny!” he said. “Well, you didn’t kick the bucket after all! Poor Mom and Pop — looks like they’ll have to wait a little longer to inherit all your money. Here, I brought you a little jar of peppermints to celebrate!”
“Oh, Raymond,” Shirley sighed, and turned to work on the flowers, plucking wilted lilies of the valley from one vase and dropping them in the trash before moving on to the next vase.
Cordelia had just finished her breakfast when Shirley’s husband, Philip, entered the room. Bessie returned, removing the breakfast tray and placing the water pitcher back on the nightstand. Lavinia watched with interest as Philip produced a bottle of pills from his pocket. “Time to take your heart pill,” he said.
Cordelia made a face. “I hate the taste of that pill. Don’t make me take it.”
“Here, Mother,” soothed Shirley, pouring a glass of water from the pitcher sitting on the nightstand. “Just wash it down with plenty of water, and you’ll barely taste it.”
Raymond stepped forward. “And then pop in one of my peppermints. That’ll take care of the bad taste.”
Suddenly Lavinia sat up very straight, feeling alarmed. Something was not right about the scene in front of her.
“No, stop!” she cried, but it was too late. Cordelia had already swallowed the heart pill and followed it up by popping in a peppermint.
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Suddenly Cordelia’s eyes grew wide, she clutched her heart, and fell back on her pillow.
“Quick, someone call the doctor!” cried Shirley.
Philip leaned over his mother-in-law, then shook his head. “No need, my dear. She’s gone.”
In the ensuing chaos, Lavinia quietly excused herself and headed straight to the Millville Police Department. “Sergeant Donaldson!” she said breathlessly, “I would like to report a murder — and name the guilty party!”
WHO DID LAVINIA SUSPECT?
Lilies of the valley are so toxic that even water simply leftover in their vase is poisonous. Lavinia noted the empty water pitcher on the nightstand suddenly had water in it, conveniently right when Cordelia needed to take her pill and surmised that Shirley, eager to get her inheritance, had poured water from the flower vase into the pitcher to give to her mother. When the water in the pitcher was tested, it confirmed Lavinia’s theory and Shirley was forced to confess.
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