Page 72 of A Fabulously Unfabulous Summer for Henry Milch

“Those are native plants, aren’t they?” Edward asked.

Bev nodded.

“Oh my God,” I said, thinking,And people just leave plants like this lying around?

“Most people up here know that.”

“They wouldn’t actually kill a person, though” Edward said.

“No,” Bev agreed. “But just because people know a plant is poisonous doesn’t mean they know the particulars. Most people just know the plants are poisonous and that’s it.”

And then Detective Lehmann came through the curtain. It was getting quite crowded in that little space. I looked at Edward, who said, “The minute I suspected poisoning I was legally required to call the police.”

Detective Lehmann took a look at the lasagna, and asked, “Is that the, uh, delivery device?”

“Yes,” Edward said.

“I’ll take it then.” He opened up a bag he’d brought with him. Bev put the casserole inside.

“I suppose you’ve all touched the dish?”

“I haven’t touched it,” Edward said. The rest of us were mute.

“And what do you think is in here?”

“Either Solomon’s seal or baneberry leaves,” Bev said. “I can’t be sure, but it’s definitely not spinach. And berries. Possibly berries from either plant. Maybe both.”

“Where do you find those?”

“Everywhere. They’re native.”

Once again, it seemed very foolish to just—

“Oh,” Detective Lehmann said, sounding disappointed. “That doesn’t exactly narrow things down.”

“It wouldn’t kill anyone,” Bev said. “Well, not an adult. Whoever made the lasagna either didn’t know that or just wanted to make Henry sick.”

“Bev, we don’t know—”

“So, it was left for you, Henry?”

“Probably not. No. It was just left outside on the stoop. There was no note or anything.”

“You didn’t find that suspicious?”

“People have been dropping off casseroles since my grandmother had her stroke.”

“I made a hearty mac ’n’ cheese with ham and tomatoes,” Bev said.

“Oh, that one was good,” I said, and it was. I ate almost all of it myself.

“Do you have any idea who might have done this?” Detective Lehmann asked me.

“Isn’t it your job to figure that out?”

“You’d be surprised how often people know exactly who hurt them.”

“Well, no, I don’t—I mean, I guess it could have been Reverend Hessel’s killer. But I don’t exactly know who that is.”