Whodunit Tale: Friendly Assistance Leads to Unraveling of the Puzzle
On a mid-June day, Betty Birdsall took pride in her perfectly manicured rock garden, complemented by blooming pink hydrangeas and a variety of flowers. Clara Cogbill, chair of the annual House and Garden Tour, visited and suggested more pink flowers for future plantings.
However, a hidden conflict emerged between the two women. Betty harbored a secret compost mixture, adding special coffee grounds that she shared with a select few friends. Meanwhile, Clara subtly hinted at a hidden issue in the garden, yet failed to broach the topic directly.
Betty's scruffy dog, dubbed Mabel, made its presence known, whining and clawing at Betty during Clara's visit. Mabel has a reputation for her ferocious overbite and surprisingly effective pest control in the garden.
Just thirty seconds after Clara departed, chaos unfolded in Betty's neighbor's yard, with screams echoing and a black rat snake creating a spectacle. The snake, affectionately known as Hugo, was a frequent guest in Betty's garden, responsible for controlling moles, mice, and chipmunks that wreaked havoc on her gardening efforts.
A snapping turtle named Gertrude appeared later, laying her eggs in the neighbor's yard. In a surprise twist, the turtle exited Betty's property via an unconventional route – a snake-sized hole underneath a fence that had been in use for over three decades.
Following this unusual incident, Mike Daley, a local college chemistry teacher, offered a homemade deterrent solution to keep Hugo and other unwanted creatures away, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals. Throughout the encounter, Gertrude seemed delighted by her annual visit and traveled to the green space to lay her eggs.
Staying on theme with Earth Day, it's important to note that during this time, the mysterious killing of plants occurred along the public flower beds. Betty, Mike, and neighbors Jenn and Mike Daly were puzzled by the incident, unsure of the culprit or the motive. Clara Cogbill insisted on replacing dead plants with hostas from Betty's garden, igniting tension between the two women.
Fortunately, the House and Garden Tour went without any major setbacks, allowing the community to enjoy the beautiful gardens on display. However, the unsolved mystery of the dead plants continued to pose a question: who was behind this puzzling crime, and would the true identity be revealed?
Betty, intrigued by Clara's suggestion for more pink flowers, ponders whether she should share her secret compost recipe, which includes special coffee grounds, with Clara as well. Meanwhile, Clara contemplates the hidden issue in the garden subtly hinted by Betty, wondering if it might be related to the odd pest control methods, such as Mabel the dog and the frequent visits from Hugo the black rat snake.
