Murder at the Plant Sale

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Murder at the Plant Sale

The trestle tables covered with plastic table cloths from last year
are fully loaded with potted plants
the coffee is brewing
the kettle is boiling
there is hustle and there is bustle ….
the annual plant sale is about to begin.
And unbeknownst to the organizers
some of whom are wearing rain coats that even Vera would have thrown out,
unbeknownst to the organizers
beneath one of those trestle tables
covered by a tarp and a pile of those black trays used for carrying plant pots
lies the body of a local man called Jeff
seeds already germinating in that gash on his neck.
People will later talk of a heated argument the night before
between Jeff and a member of the committee
something to do with the best time to plant grass
but now he lies unnoticed and the plant sale is in full swing
speaking of Vera…
Doris, the local detective
who watches way too much British crime drama
and who styles herself on Vera
right down to the tatty rain coat and the old jalopy,
receives a tip from an anonymous caller,
something to do with a body at the plant sale.
She arrives when the sale is still in full swing
and the crime scene is beyond contaminated.
“Who’s in charge here?” says Doris.
A burly woman in a tatty raincoat steps forward and says:
“I’m Joan and I’m in charge and you’re on teas,
remember to put the milk in first
or you’ll crack the china”
Doris shows her badge and Joan snorts:
” No discounts, badge or no badge
and it’s cash only.
Also, we have no butter
so tell them they don’t need butter on the scones.”
And Doris thinks:
“This one could take more than one episode to solve.”
Then there’s a milk-curdling scream,

someone has looked under the tarp for more black plastic trays.
The theme music starts…..

Taking part in OpenLink over at dverse.

16 thoughts on “Murder at the Plant Sale”

  7. kim881's avatarkim881

    I love this, Jim! Such an intricate plot, with a hint of humour, dark and otherwise. I can imagine something like this happening at our village fete, where they have a plant stall every year. You made me smile with ‘rain coats that even Vera would have thrown out’, and Jeff with ‘seeds already germinating in that gash on his neck’. What makes it even funnier, is that the characters are so familiar!

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  8. Kim of Glover Gardens's avatarKim of Glover Gardens

    This is awesome! I love British murder mysteries and have read the Vera series, but haven’t watched the show yet. Your wonderful and detailed descriptions fly off the page and into the imagination, and the character studies are PERFECT.

    Now I realize I MUST find and watch the Vera TV series. I feel like I’m behind!

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