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trying to keep the petals centered in his palm, but there were too many of them and two of the colorful blooms fell to the floor.
    Helena’s brow furrowed as she studied the plant. “I’m not sure what it is.”
    â€œIt looks like a red vanda.” Isabelle Martell had come up behind her and was staring fixedly at the blossoms on the constable’s rather large hand.
    Helena turned sharply. “You can’t be sure of that. There isn’t enough of the plant here to be absolutely sure as to what it might be. We’d need to see the entire specimen to know for certain it was a vanda.”
    Thea joined them. She slipped past the other two, bent down, and picked up the blooms that had fallen to the floor. She studied them closely as she straightened. “It is a vanda. See.” She held the blooms toward her two friends. “There’s a dorsal sepal here and the red spots are quiteclear against the pale orange body. There’s nothing else I know of that has those kind of red spots. It’s a vanda.” She pushed closer to the constable and stared at the smashed plant. “And look, you can see how the stem is thick here”—with her other hand she pointed to the bottom of the plant—“so it can support a lot of branches.”
    â€œAre you certain, Mrs. Stanway?” Witherspoon asked. He’d no idea why the identity of the plant might be useful, but his “inner voice,” as the housekeeper called it, was telling him it was very important indeed.
    â€œI’m fairly sure, but if you’d like the opinion of a real expert, you might contact Mr. Harry Veitch. He’s the chair of the Orchid Committee for the Royal Horticultural Society.”
    â€œThere’s really no need to bother anyone at the Royal Horticultural Society.” Helena said quickly. “I’m certain you’re right, Thea. It is a red vanda. As you pointed out, the stem is thick at the bottom and the red spots on the sepal are proof enough.”
    Thea smiled at Witherspoon and handed him the blossoms. “The vanda generally has twenty or more separate blooms. That’s why a thick stem is important. It’s a beautiful orchid.”
    â€œAnd a rare one.” Isabelle eyed Helena speculatively. “They cost a fortune.”
    â€œIs this yours? Was it in your conservatory?” Witherspoon watched Helena as he spoke. He didn’t like to make assumptions about guilt or innocence until all the facts of a case were thoroughly investigated, but he found some of her statements to be very suspicious. But her expression didn’t change as she shook her head.
    â€œAbsolutely not. I’ve never seen it before.”
    â€œYou can take this into evidence now.” Witherspoon eased the blooms back into the bag. “Give it to Constable Griffiths and ask him to find some way to preserve it if possible.”
    â€œYes, sir.” The constable hoisted the bag onto his chest and covered the dirt with as much of the burlap as possible. He moved carefully out the door and into the corridor.
    Witherspoon turned his attention back to Helena. “Could Mr. Filmore have been bringing you this orchid because he thought you might want it?”
    She shook her head. “As Isabelle, I mean Mrs. Martell, said, they’ve very expensive.”
    â€œThey’re from India,” Isabelle added.
    â€œI don’t think he’d bring something that valuable to any of his clients without discussing it beforehand,” Helena continued. “The one he brought me before without asking was nowhere near as valuable as the vanda.”
    â€œBut it’s possible? Right?”
    â€œI suppose so, but I don’t think it likely.”
    â€œWhy not?” Isabelle asked. “You told me yourself that Mr. Filmore had gotten you some wonderful plants for next month’s competition. Perhaps he knew you’d want this one as well.”
    â€œWhat