Laura Childs: Death By Darjeeling

Theodosia took a deep breath, then blew it out. “I’m okay.” Tidwell had led her gently from her perch on the front steps to more comfortable seating on the porch’s hanging swing.

“You’re sure?” One of Tidwell’s furry eyebrows quivered expectantly. “Because you look awfully pale. Ashen.”

“It’s just my post-traumatic stress look,” Theodosia said slowly. “Comes from confronting murderous maniacs.” There was a slight catch in her voice, but there was a touch of humor, too.

Tidwell cocked his head, studying her. “You’re right. You do project a certain been-to-the-edge look.” He grinned crookedly, but his manner was respectful.

Theodosia sat silently for a few moments, staring at Tidwell’s big hands fidgeting at his side. “Did you talk to her?” she finally asked.

Tidwell nodded gravely. “She wasn’t making a lot of sense, but, to answer your question, yes, I did.”

“I was so off base,” fretted Theodosia. “I was so sure Timothy Neville was the murderer. And that was only after I’d cast suspicions toward Lleveret Dante and Tanner Joseph as well.”

Burt Tidwell pulled himself up to his full height, sucked in his stomach, and gave her a look dripping with reproach. “I beg your pardon, madam. Kindly do not denigrate or underestimate your efforts. Justice will be served precisely because of your actions.”

As if on cue, the front door snicked open, and two uniformed officers led a handcuffed Samantha out onto the porch. The officers had allowed her to pull a pink wool blazer over her gardening clothes and tie a matching paisley scarf, turban style, around her head. Even though the scarf was pulled down across her ears, angry red blotches, the beginnings of blisters, were visible on one side of her face.

Samantha, hesitating at the top of the steps, looked around dazedly. As she suddenly spotted Theodosia, something akin to recognition dawned.

“Theodosia.” Her mouth twitched in a slightly vacant smile. “Be a dear and water that basket of plumbago, will you? And do take care with the sun.”

“She held a knife to your throat?” squealed Haley. “Haven’t you been listening?” Drayton returned snappishly. “Theodosia just told us it was pruning shears.” Still shaken to the core by Theodosia’s recent brush with danger, Drayton stretched an arm across the table and clasped his own hand warmly atop Theodosia’s. “Anyone knows a tool like that is a deadly, dangerous weapon!”

Drayton, Haley, and Bethany had sat incredulous and openmouthed as Theodosia related the bizarre string of events that had unfolded at Samantha Rabathan’s house. In fact, when Burt Tidwell led Theodosia into the tea shop some ten minutes earlier, pale and still slightly shaken, Tidwell had pulled Drayton aside for a hastily whispered conversation. Drayton listened to the amazing story and thanked Tidwell profusely. Then the usually unflappable Drayton had fairly kicked the few remaining customers out of the shop. As Haley declared later, this was the one time Indigo Tea Shop customers got the bum’s rush!

“And I was beginning to believe Timothy Neville was the guilty party,” spoke up Haley. “He’s such an arrogant old curmudgeon.”

“Timothy topped my list, too,” admitted Theodosia. “I was even worried that he might have been involved in Mr. Dauphine’s death. But Detective Tidwell assured me the poor man did suffer a heart attack.”

“I thought it must be Tanner Joseph,” said Bethany quietly. “Drayton confided to us earlier that he was snooping around outside your apartment last night.”

“He really has a thing for you, Theodosia,” Haley said, rolling her eyes.

“Well, he’s terribly misguided,” Drayton replied with indignation. “Crass fellow, sneaking around like that, peering in windows and such. I daresay he was probably planning to leave some kind of mash note until the security guard rousted him.”

Bethany put a hand on Theodosia’s shoulder. “So good to have you back safely,” she said, her eyes glistening with tears.

“It’s good to have you back,” said Theodosia.

“Nobody cast their vote for Lleveret Dante?” asked Drayton.

“As the murderer?” said Haley. “Not hardly. But I think that’s because we never knew enough about him to get really suspicious,” she added.

“Burt Tidwell does,” replied Theodosia. “He told me that Dante is in as much trouble here as he was in his home state of Kentucky.”

“Well, I hope he gets indicted and shipped back there,” said Drayton. “Good riddance to bad rubbish. We don’t need unsavory chaps like that in Charleston.”

“Right,” declared Haley. “We’ve got enough of our own.”

“Drayton,” said Theodosia, “what time is it?”

He wrinkled his nose and peered at his ancient Piaget. “Twenty to four.”

“Which means it’s really ten to four,” said Haley.

“Would you drive me out to Aunt Libby’s?” asked Theodosia. “I want to pick up Earl Grey.”

“Hear, hear,” said Haley, pounding on the table. “Let’s all drive out to the low-country and pick up Earl Grey. We can stop at Catfish Jack’s on the way and celebrate with beer and blackened catfish.”

“I love the idea,” said Theodosia. “But can we save it for another time? Tonight I’ve got to get right back.”

“Of course you do,” said Drayton graciously. “You’ve just been through a terrible ordeal. Best thing for you is to spend a nice cozy evening at home.”

Drayton’s right, Theodosia mused to herself. I should take it easy, give myself a little quiet time. And I will. Tomorrow night for sure. As for tonight, however... tonight I’m going to the opera!

3 cups water

8 small eggs

2 Tbs. loose-leaf black tea or 4 tea bags black tea

1 Tbs. kosher salt

Place eggs in pot with cold water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10–12 minutes. Carefully remove eggs and reserve water. Place eggs in cold water, and when they’re cool enough to handle, gently tap eggs all around with the back of a spoon to make cracks. Add tea leaves to the reserved water and place eggs back in. Add the salt and simmer, covered, for one hour. Remove pot from stove and allow eggs to soak in tea water an additional 30 minutes. Then remove eggs and cool. Eggs will now have a brown marbleized design. To serve, slice eggs in half and sprinkle with paprika and minced parsley.