Jill Churchill: The Accidental Florist

"Jane," he went on, "wouldn't you think a reasonable person would have gone out late at night, found a block where trash bins were sitting out for pickup in the morning, and put the Dopp kit in one of them?"

"Does he seem to be mentally impaired?"

"Not at all. He even said he'd found out where his mother had her meetings and wanted to talk to her, but she called the police and he went away."

"Where are they now?"

"In separate cells where they can't hear or talk to each other. By law, we can only hold them for twenty-four hours. But the house will be watched by a fleet of officers."

"Can you explain to the rest of my family why you bolted after the first dance?"

"Just generally, without any names."

Two weeks later, Mel told Jane, "They're back in Perth, with all of the documentation, and the brother will be charged with murder. He was handcuffed for the flight to a marshal at the back of the plane and his sister was handcuffed to another marshal at the front. The sister claimed she didn't know what he'd done and was so very sorry he'd killed their mother. Acted as if it was the most horrible thing she'd ever heard. She was a very bad liar. Couldn't even fake tears. She's being charged as an accomplice."

"You did a good job, Mel. And your office will be ready on Friday to move your things in,"Jane said.

A week later, Jane watched as the Salvation Army truck levered out the stove and refrigerator from Mel's apartment.Then the smaller items came out, the bread machine still in its box, and the electric meat slicer that from the picture on the box looked as if it could cut through a finger or two like butter. Then the box with the Cuisinart

that looked big enough to use on a cruise ship that had to make salsa for a thousand people a day.

There were boxes labeled dishes, silverware, and glassware. Mel had already taken all his clothing and computer parts away to Jane's house.

After he'd returned the key to the apartment, he came back outside, grinning and saluting Jane. "It's done! I'll follow you home."

The office was finished. There was a dark green carpet, walls painted ivory, a cherrywood-finish set of desk, file drawers, and a huge amount of shelving. He had blinds on the windows that Jane had helped him pick out. They even had screens, for a breeze on nice spring and fall days. Jane had feared that the dark carpet and dark shelving would make the room dreary, but the three big windows and doors and cream paint made it cheerful.

When Mel arrived a few minutes after Jane, she said, "Let's go buy that grill for you. I even bought you books about what you can cook on it. I suggest you have Todd and John Nowack put it together for us. They are good at following the instructions."

As they sat outside at the patio table under the umbrella watching the boys lay out all the pieces in order, and reading the instructions, Mel asked, "How are your parents liking their condo?"

"Fine so far. Food is an issue. The kitchen had the essentials. Stove, double ovens, dishwasher, microwave, and fridge. They've bought a kitchen table and chairs.

And dishes, silverware, two tablecloths, pots and pans, a toaster, and stuff like a Cuisinart. They've learned how to make toast and scrambled eggs, but eat out at local restaurants the rest of the time.

"I helped them buy a bed, linens, bedside tables and lamps, as well as a big dresser. But the dining room and living room are empty."

"Not even a television?"

"No. My mother doesn't want one at all and my dad wants a huge plasma screen. My mother's getting stingy about all these purchases."

"They can't be poor."

"They aren't. My dad told me about his pension. It's fabulous. And my mother has one as well as his wife who did years of entertaining. They also have stocks and mutual funds. They're richer than I am."

"The grill is ready," Todd said. "Do you want to learn how to turn it on?"

Mel grinned and got up. "I guess that's a good place to start."

He came back to the table and said, "I think we should invite your folks over tonight for steaks and baked potatoes."

"Don't you think it might be a good idea to try this out first on the three of us before we invite them?"

"Oh, I guess you're right. If I mess it up, only Todd and you will know."

He rummaged through the fridge and found three T-bone steaks. Also three baking potatoes, and an assortment of vegetables. Red peppers, a summer squash, some green beans, an onion, and a cucumber.

He'd already turned on the grill and started cutting the potatoes in long quarters.

"Why are you doing that?" Jane asked.

"Because they'd take a full hour to cook through. Do you have aluminum foil and butter?"

Jane showed him where both of them lived and tucked the vegetables and potatoes neatly on a plate with the steaks. With the recipe book under his left arm, he asked, "How does Todd like his steak done?"

"Well."

"Waste of a good steak." Both he and Jane liked theirs medium-rare.

Everything came out at the same time and was delicious.

"You are good at this," Jane said. "My parents have a grill in the middle of their stove. We'll do this again tomorrow and you show my father how to do it."

The day had been hot, but it turned cool by nine and Jane and Mel sat at the patio table, each drinking a half glass of red wine.

When Mel had finished his, he stood and stretched; "It's been a long day. Want to go to bed early?"

"Yes," Jane said with a big smile.