Page 8 of A Dark and Stormy Night

Is the poison fast?

Not fast, but irreversible. Wait a minute, I have to take care of one of the kids.

Cornelia looked around again. This lady person took care of children. So probably a woman, a teacher or a child care provider.

That just wasn't right. Yet who could Cornelia tell?

The lady came back and texted, That kid is so cute, six years old and lost both her front teeth, just like in the song.

Ahhhh.

A sentimental response to losing teeth, a common childhood occurrence. That also seemed feminine. So perhaps a lesbian couple?

What does she like to eat?

The kid?

No. Don't be deliberately stupid.

Oh. No. You mean…Just about anything. She’s has a good appetite.

Does she like fried mushrooms?

Yes.

That makes it easy. How about steak? Does she like steak?

Yes. T-bone is her favorite, with rosemary garlic roasted potatoes.

T-bone steak it is. As soon as I get home, I’ll dehydrate the Galerina autumnalis and grind them up, and you can dust them on the steak and mix them in the fried mushrooms. Symptoms won’t occur for six to twenty-four hours. That way, when they investigate the death, if they suspect poison, you can act innocent and say she likes to pick mushrooms, you cook them for her, and she must have got a bad one.

Cornelia sat, riveted, waiting to hear what s/he was going to say.

Finally, s/he came back with How long have you had the poisoned mushrooms?

I got them this morning! Really, dear, they grow everywhere. And what does it matter? We’ve been talking about this for *months.*

Not poison. We hadn’t discussed poison.

Poison is a natural.

I suppose. But —

Does she like dessert?

Yes.

Do you want me to pick up something at the bakery?

Yes. Yes, if she has to die, at least let her die happy.

This matter was beyond Cornelia's ken. She didn’t know what to do. She supposed she should ask someone who would know. Someone who knew everything about real life.

Looking up, she beckoned Rainbow.

Rainbow looked behind her, both ways, then pointed to herself and raised her eyebrows.

“Yes,” Cornelia said. “You!”

---