A clanging sound rang out from outside. My stomach growled as if to answer it.
“That must be the dinner bell,” she said. “I won’t keep you from it.”
She stood up and held out her hand for my glass.
“Thanks for the lemonade,” I said.
“You’re welcome,” she said. “By the way, you have any idea who I should thank for the candy?”
“Candy?”
“Not you, then? Must be someone from the camp, though.” Seeing my puzzled face, she walked over to a small side table and picked up a box. “This was on my doorstep this morning. With a note that said ‘Thanks for your hospitality.’ No signature.”
She was holding a small rectangular box wrapped in green paper with a purple ribbon trailing from it. It looked like the same paper and ribbon I’d seen Grandfather pull out of his trash. I bent over so I could read the attached note without touching it. The block-printed letters were also a match. The wrapping paper had been opened on one end, and I could see beneath it the corner of a box of a familiar, inexpensive brand of chocolates.
“You didn’t eat any of this?” I asked. Although I was pretty sure she hadn’t. The cellophane wrapping seemed slightly loose, but that could have happened when she was tearing the package open. She hadn’t even fully removed the purple paper.
“Didn’t even open it all the way,” she said. “I have to watch my sugar. I cheat sometimes, but frankly a box of cheap, drugstore candy like this isn’t much temptation.”
“Thank goodness.”
“I’d thought of asking you to take it back to camp and pass it around,” she said. “But then I realized that whoever sent it would realize I hadn’t liked the gift. So maybe you could take it into town and give it to Anne at the library. She likes to have treats to give the children when they drop by.”
“I will not be taking this to Anne to give out to the town children,” I said. “And thank goodness I was the one you asked to take it.”
I explained about the attempt to poison Grandfather and what had happened to the unfortunate to whom he’d given his anonymous gift. Annabel fell silent for a few moments after I’d finished my explanation. She was frowning and staring at the chocolate box.
“Not sure which I like least,” she said finally. “The fact that someone tried to poison me or the company they tried to poison me in.”
“Fortunately, the would-be poisoner didn’t know either you or Grandfather very well,” I said. “We need to get this to Chief Heedles.”
“Fine. You take it. It’s nothing to do with me.” She picked up the box and shoved it toward me. “No, wait.” She jerked the box back. “No need to add your fingerprints to mine.You still have those gloves I gave you?”
I pulled a lime-green kitchen glove out of my tote and pulled it on before accepting the box.
“I’ll turn it over to the chief.” I said. “But she’ll probably want to talk to you.”
“Not sure I’ll feel up to it,” Annabel said. “Gives me a funny feeling, having someone try to poison me. I may have to take to my bed. Call Dwight—Dr. Ffollett, will you? Ask him to come out to see me.”
She rattled off a number. I pulled out my notebook and scribbled it down.
“It might be nice to warn him if you’re in need of medical assistance or if you merely want him here to help fend off the chief,” I suggested.
“Just tell him to come,” she said.
“Want me to stay and look after you until he does?” I asked.
“I can manage,” she said. “Go get your dinner.”
“Call me if you need anything,” I said. I flipped to a blank page in my notebook, wrote down my name and cell phone number, tore it out, and handed it to her. “Or if the campers keep getting on your nerves.”
She studied it for a second, then nodded.
“I will,” she said. “Thank you.”
“And don’t eat or drink anything unless you know where it came from!”
I tucked the candy box in my tote and left. I could feel her eyes on my back as I walked to my car. She didn’t look so overcome with shock that she needed to take to her bed. More like someone who wanted some peace and quiet in which to figure out who was after her and plot revenge. Or was I projecting how I’d be feeling onto my distant cousin?
I waited until I was almost back at camp to call Chief Heedles and tell her about the suspicious candy.
“Keep the thing safe and out of sight,” she said. “And don’t mention it to anyone. I’ll be out to collect it as soon as I can.”