The Moon is Waxing

The Moon is Waxing season 1 

Fatal tea and fractured hearts

Chapter 1

Resisting the urge to succumb to another round of morning sickness, Accounts Vice Director Soleil Goldfield flipped through the files for her cousin Leo’s next project. The buyout of an older impoverished neighborhood would cost the Goldfield Group a fortune, but her mother Sophia and Aunt Lynn’s insisted the historic community park be preserved. The elderly residents who resisted leaving be given a residential building with a senior center on the first floor would gain the group much goodwill. In these turbulent times while some capitalist development groups were resorting to criminal means to force residents of such areas to leave, Sophia and Lynn had decided the Goldfield Group would be the exception.

Soleil pushed the call button to get her assistance attention. She knew she should eat some noodles, but when her pregnancy promised to make her regret eating. The stress of being assistant manager of accounts for the group’s development and construction branch wasn’t helping, but neither was waking to find Todd missing from their marital bed on many mornings. She always found him sitting on the balcony of their central district flat smoking and typing on his phone.

As soon as he saw her he jumped up, sprayed himself with odor neutralizer and rushed in., “Sorry, my sunshine, I was just checking the overseas markets. Why are you awake?” Todd worked in a foreign investments division and his reason made sense, it always did.

“I woke up and missed you.”

He hugged her. “I’ll come back to bed.”

Since learning she was pregnant, he doted on her every need. He insisted on hiring a maid and cooked for her himself. He was most distressed by the morning sickness she suffered. In the month after learning they were having a daughter, he began buying expensive imported tea for morning sickness. He banned his own mother from visiting after Mrs. Shill made Soleil so angry she fainted. His mother held many of the old beliefs, including that it was more important to have sons then daughters, and argued with Soleil and her mother Sophia often. Todd’s care was a boon because since her fifth month she fainted at least once a week from low blood sugar and had days where she could only keep the simplest noodles or porridge in her stomach. Pressing the call button again Soleil stood and swayed. Nausea washed over her like a wave. She clutched the side of the desk trying to make it to the water closet in the corner of her office.

“Ma’am?” Mika rushed to her side.

Holding her hand over her mouth Soleil waved her other in the direction she wanted to go. Her assistant quickly helped her into the water closet where she wretched violently for several minutes.

After Soleil came out Mika guided her to the couch, “what can I bring you ma’am?”

Hearing her phone chime Soleil asked, “hand me my phone and can you bring me some hot water?”

“Yes do you want mint tea or the nausea tea?” Mika asked if she handed over the phone. “I have bags of both it was so nice of you to share them with me when I had the stomach flu.”

“I am glad they helped you.” Soleil leaned back. “When Mah said I gave her morning noon and night sickness for ten months I thought it was just motherly guilt. I never realized it was true. “

Giggling, “Mika patted her hand. “My mother said the same. All mothers say it to make their daughters filial… I’ll get the hot water and make your tea.”

While her assistant went to the lunch room, Soleil glanced at her phone.

Hot pot lunch between seminars? Doctor bestie says yes lawyer bestie also coming. Let’s go! I need food!

Grinning at seeing her stepsister’s message, Soleil shook her head and typed back, Go without me. The baby and I can’t stand the smell of spicy or pork hot pot. See you at dinner.

Luna replied - Waterboy says have some light broth and come see him soon. Future judge from hell asked if you need a restraining order against the vomit monster.

The response made Soleil giggle as she typed, Tell Kent and Violet to eat my share and half of yours.

Soleil imagined she could hear her stepsister’s dismay in the reply, Noooo… my hot pot! *laughing emoji*

“Ma’am your 11:00 is here.” Mika carried the tray in followed by Leo Goldfield.

Her cousin grinned at her as he asked, “Why are you smiling so brightly little sunshine?”

“Leo!” Soleil held out her phone after they hugged.

Looking at the chat he chuckled, “Luna has always been obsessed with hot pot.”

“Mr. goldfield would you like a beverage?” Mika offered politely.

“I would love a coffee but I wouldn’t torture my cousin so I’ll just have what she is having, “ Leo announced chivalrously.

“Leo, it’s nausea tea,” Solace started to refuse for him but he interrupted, “that’s perfect. I’m just getting over gastritis again… auntie and mom have been cooking all morning. They sent us rice porridge and soup dumplings.” Leo set a pair of lunch boxes on the table. “You know they always go crazy cooking for the festivals.”

“The key is for pregnant women,” Soleil scolded.

Leo shrugged with another chuckle, admitting, “I don’t mind Opal has me tasting everything she eats drinks or makes I’m going to get so fat.”

“She’s a five star chef and foodie Blogger. Should you expect anything else?” Soleil taunted as she added a bag of the imported tea to leo’s cup. “I like it with honey. The flavor takes a few days to get used to but Todd spent a lot of money importing it for me. He can’t stand to see me getting sick and it really helps.”

“I am glad he is taking such good care of you… his family…”

“Don’t start.” Soleil’s mood soured like her stomach had been earlier she sipped the floral ginger tea trying not to grimace at the pungent secondary flavor. She and Todd were not socially matched or financially and politically equal, but she loved him and his scholarly personality. Todd’s family was nouveau rich. His father had turned the family’s gift for mathematics into a statistical investment model that caught their grandfather’s attention. When Todd’s father died suddenly of a heart attack, Grandfather Goldfield bought the small company and offered to let Todd return to university and scholarly life, but Todd refused and began studying the international markets to remain with Soleil.

“Soleil?” Leo called her attention back from her memories, and she hummed in acknowledgement.

“I said this tea is very interesting. I didn’t expect the after taste to be so pungent, but the chamomile and ginger will help with nausea.” Leo walked to the desk and picked up the files Soleil had been reading earlier. “Mom and Auntie’s idea for the senior building and center convinced the last holdouts to accept our offer,” he said as he sat back down. He squeezed some lemon and put a slice of candied ginger in his tea and tasted it again seeming happier with the combination.

As they ate the bland meal and stomach-soothing tea, the cousins talked about all aspects of the new development. Over the rest of the afternoon and several more cups of tea they sorted the details of the elderly residents and left behind grandchildren many were raising.

“Ma’am, Mr. Shill has arrived,” Mika interrupted.

Both Soleil and Leo looked up at the clock shocked that the whole afternoon had already passed.

“Do you want to come back to the manor? We are having a welcome home dinner for Luna,” Soleil invited.

“I wish I could, but I have a three hour drive home. Opal is dragging me off to India for something called Diwali,” Leo smiled with Crescent shaped eyes, the love for his pregnant wife shining in them. “I’ll be back by the time they start demolition.”

Standing they hugged. Leo swayed and yawned, making Soleil yawn as well. They both laughed. She handed him the box with the remaining tea bags then picked up her purse, “Walk me down and say hi to Todd. He’s about to spend the evening getting the stink eye from Luna and your mom.”

Leo agreed only because she asked so sweetly. He wondered if Todd had gotten over his resentment at Grandfather Goldfield for buying Theodore Shill’s company, or if he had ever figured out that Theodore’s amazing investment plan had simply been a Ponzi scheme that the immense wealth and influence of the goldfield group had remedied to protect Soleil’s heart and her beloved fellow mathematics student. Feeling muddled and tired, Leo decided he needed to stop for an espresso for the road and was glad not to be spending the evening with the man who held his cousin’s heart.

<***>

Luna Shield walked into the pink blossom spa and looked around at the familiar marble floors and walls. She noted the staff were wearing more of a burgundy color of uniform than the dark pink from her last visit. The goldfield family, like many of the elites in the city, had visited this spa for decades.

“Miss Luna? Welcome back,” the matronly Hostess was an elderly woman who had known Luna’s mother when she was Sophia’s bodyguard, long before Luna and Soleil were born. “Miss Haley is still in her pregnancy massage,” Mrs. Wyon revealed.

“Is there time for me to get some lunch?” Luna was starving. The speaker at the law enforcement conference had gone long, overlapping the lunch break and into Luna's afternoon off. Leaving her with no chance to grab anything to eat on her way.

“Today’s lunch special is shrimp and salmon with cucumber salad. I will have two plates brought immediately,”Mrs. Wyon offered. She smiled in a knowing grandmotherly way familiar with Luna’s appetite. “Miss Soleil may have already eaten. I’m old I forget, but I’m sure you can manage.” She went out while Luna changed into a deep wine colored robe.

Two attendants returned with the food and began arranging the room for side-by-side manicure and pedicures. As she ate, Luna’s mind went over the case that was in this morning’s topic source. She had never realized time could be used as a murder weapon when combined with microdosing poisons that varied from plant derivatives to heavy metals like arsenic cadmium and selenium and even copper or lead. It seemed like anything could be used as a poison given enough time and a high enough accumulated dose exposure.

As their usual manicurist Shao Shao took the plates she offered, “missus Wyon said they are almost finished with your sister’s massage and to offer you a facial while we wait.”

Not wanting the expensive treatment added to today’s bill, and hating the feeling of someone touching her face, Luna refused, “No thank you. I’ll just make notes on this morning’s seminar while I wait.” She waved her phone.

Truthfully she wanted to take a nap but as an investigating forensic agent for the National Security Agency she was used to staying awake for a day or more. All had been at the hospital late for the last two nights. Soleil’s cousin Leo was in a car accident and being charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic. Luna still couldn’t figure it out. Leo wouldn’t drink alcohol after an accident killed his college roommates. He had only survived because he had decided to wait for the family driver instead of getting into his dormmate’s crowded car. Remembering his guilt and struggle, she understood his choice to always be sober when he wasn’t at home. Saying she looked over her notes on the case cited in today’s conference lecture. A drug company tried to hide that threw a misplaced decimal in a children’s vitamin formula, they had turned a beneficial medicine into a low dose poison. Tens of thousands of children were sickened and it was only discovered after sixteen children died. She read over the symptoms again as Soleil came in.

“Hey sis, sorry it took so long. My legs were very swollen, and I kept falling asleep,” Soleil apologized.

“Well, it wasn’t like we weren’t awake until 2:00 in the morning,” luna reminded.

“Can’t texted me that Leo is awake and has no idea how he came to be illegally inebriated.” Luna shook her head. “I am going to look at the evidence this evening.”

“How was the seminar this morning?” Soleil asked, changing the subject.

“It was interesting,” Luna responded then she yawned. “It was about…”

“Nope. Don’t.” Soleil interrupted and held up her hands. “I know what interesting means in Luna speak. My morning noon and night sickness doesn’t want the details.”

Her tone made her foster sister laugh. Mrs. Wyon smiled as shall show giggled.

“May we get you ladies some beverages?”

“Co-coffee, black with five sugars,” Luna baked as she yawned again, “Make it two cups.”

“Miss Soleil?”

“There is an enameled tea box in my bag and bring me some honey and hot water please,” Soleil ask sweetly, then explained, “Todd ordered me a special tea for nausea two months ago. It’s amazing and before you ask, I showed the ingredients list to Kent and he said it’s fine,”

As they soaked their hands, the manicurists worked on their feet. Shao Shao scolded Luna about not taking care of herself now that she had moved to another province to work. Luna chose a dark blue with sparkles in the Polish for her feet and clear Polish for her fingernails because the national security agents dress code rules stated no colored fingernail Polish. Soleil chose a Peach blossom color for her fingernails and toenails with delicate floral patterns painted in ivory and blush. While they chatted, the smell of Soleil’s tea made Luna sneeze.

After the fourth time, Luna scowled and asked, “Does that tea contain gardenias or cannabis?”

“No… those weren’t on the ingredients list,” Soleil answered, but Luna did not miss how her sister’s bright and attentive eyes seemed to be glazing over.

“Ohh, no,” Soleil groaned then giggled, “I need to go to the ladies’ room again.” She pointed at her phone separated toes. “I’m so sorry.”

The second manicurist fanned soleil’s feet as shall shall tutted clicking her tongue, “Go and take her. We can fix them if they get smudged.”

Luna held out her hand to help her sister stand. Her thumb ran over her sister’s knuckles then she paused pulling Soleil’s hand closer she stared at her sister’s naked fingernails seeing the white discolorations, but before she could ask, Soleil said, “Luna let go… I really have to go to the ladies room, Noel is sleeping on my bladder.”

As soon as Soleil left, Luna got up and pulled her phone from her locker “ Shao Shao, how long has my sister had those ridges on her nails? the horizontal ones.” She showed the family’s long-time manicurist a picture on her phone.

The older woman scowled, “Two months or so. We started filing them five or six weeks ago so the young lady’s nails would be smooth.”

“Are you certain?” Luna asked in a very serious .

“Yes, Miss Luna, I am.” Shao Shao pulled a book out of her pocket and showed Luna the notes from the weekly visits for the last two months.

“Shao Shao, could I…”

“Miss Luna come quickly! Miss Soleil has collapsed.” Mrs. Wyon rushed in.

Luna and Shao Shao ran out into the hall following Mrs. Wyon. Luna pushed the spa workers aside and bent to press her fingertips on her sister’s throat. Soleil’s pulse was weak. Her skin was clammy and cool. Her breathing was so shallow that her lips were as pale as a ghost’s.

“Mrs. Wyon, have someone call an ambulance. Shao Shao, I need our things and put my sister’s tea bags in a plastic bag to go with us to the hospital,” Luna ordered in an iron tone that reminded the older staff of her late mother. While she lifted Soliel’s eyelids, Luna noted the bluish tint of the corneas.

Mrs. Wyon pressed her hands together. “Luna, dearest moon, what did you figure out?” She stared at the young woman who had discovered and revealed an employee was stealing her family’s secret-recipe skin care clay and replacing it with a fake clay mask containing toxic mineral and chemically made fragrance oils. It had saved the Pink Blossom Spa when Luna was barely seventeen.

Luna looked up at her with desperate eyes, wet with unfallen tears. “I am certain that my sister has been poisoned,” she whispered.

Several protested as Shao Shao looked horrified and blurted out, “Who would try to hurt the young lady?! She is so kind and charitable.”

Pressing her lips together as she took the bags of their clothes and their purses, Luna said nothing, because she was a special investigator and forensic pathologist from the National Investigation Agency. To keep any hint from being leaked to the media, she swallowed her accusation. She needed to gather evidence, but Agent Luna Shield was certain her brother-in-law had tried to murder his wife and unborn daughter.