A Twisted Web - Benoit Blanc

Seven - Flirting and Flowers

The poor flower beds looked like hell. Weeds grew clustered around the flowers, sucking the nutrients from the ground, and the flowers themselves needed some serious care. And the sign the grand kids had made for Gran for her birthday one year - reading, Flora's Flowers - needed a serious polish.  

Luckily, the back garden and assorted flower pots had always been  one of Flora's favourite spots on Granddad's property.  

And so she went to the shed and dug out some rain boots, gardening gloves, and some tools and set down to work. 

She remembered being ten years old picking flowers with Granddad while Gran - Flora and Flora - had been making cookies. When she had called them inside once the cookies were done, Granddad presented her with the bouquet he had arranged, and she had put it in a nice vase and set it in the centre of the long  dining room table. If Flora remembered correctly, Ransom had stolen most of the cookies, but other than that it was an overall happy memory. It had her smiling at least. 

Maybe she would pick some of these flowers and take them over to Gran and Granddad's graves - after Gran died, Harlan had always requested being buried next to her when he died. Well, at least Florence and Harlan were together again.

"Well good morning, Ms. Drysdale."

At the now familiar Southern accent, Flora looked up to see Blanc standing there in a long coat. 

"Morning, Detective. At it early this morning I see." 

"Always." He nodded to the flowers.  "Very nice."

"Oh thanks. We suggested hiring a gardener after Grandma died, but Granddad was always insistent about caring for 'Florence's Flowers' himself. He'd be turning in his grave if he knew what a neglected state they're in." Turning in his grave... Maybe it was a little too soon to say that. Way too soon. 

"Oh, here" Blanc bent down and retrieved a flower which had broken off mid-stem off the grass and held it out to her.  "For you, Miss."

"Ah, well, thank you, Kind Sir." Was he flirting with her? Was she flirting back? 

It was too soon to say that, too. Too soon to say for sure.  

"Oh, and here, one for you as well." She took the another broken flower and tucked it into the front pocket of his suit jacket. 

"Thank you." 

Flora then tucked the flower he had given her into the pocket of her sweater.  "There, now we're matching."

"It would appear that we are."

Another sort of strange exchange between them - but she liked it. In fact, she welcomed it. 

Marta was walking across the grass, approaching them.

"Morning, Marta."

"Morning, Flora."

"Miss Cabrera and I are walking the grounds with Lieutenant Elliot and Trooper Wagner," Blanc explained.

"Ah. Well, good luck with your continuing investigation."

"Thank you. Good luck with your gardening."

"Thanks." 

"Those flowers are lucky to have someone like you to care so nicely for them."

"Thank you." She watched him walk away. 

What a strange exchange between them, indeed. Strange but good.  

Marta didn't follow him right away.  "How are you doing, Marta?"

"Okay, you?"

"Okay, too."