Pushing Up Daisies

EPILOGUE

DNA evidence proved the baby Yoly was carrying was Richard Stapley’s. He was convicted of the murder of Guido Chiaramonte, and is awaiting trial for the 1974 murder of Yoly Rivera. While in custody his eBay auction for The Temple of Flora ended with no bids since he wasn’t able to answer the 235 questions from members regarding its authenticity. A total of 197 members left negative feedback.

After divorcing Richard, Margery Stapley sold her house and embarked on a round- the- world trip for single seniors, on which she met a wealthy Italian clothing manufacturer. Margery and Enrico were married in a fifth- century church in Lugano, Switzerland. No charges were ever filed against her, and the Bulletin never retracted its original report that the baby I’d found “almost certainly belonged to one of the Peacock sisters.”

On the strength of the Rivera articles, Jon Chappell received a job offer from the National Enquirer, but declined, in favor of more serious journalistic pursuits at the New York Post.

Babe Chinnery and Neil MacLeod opened a small herb and tea kiosk in the parking lot of the Paradise Diner. Honeybush tea is now on the menu at both places.

Gerald Fraser and Hillary Gibson are living together. She’s arranging for an exhibit of his sculpture in a tony Bedford gallery. He’s hand- carving a new sign for her home’s entrance but no one’s seen the name yet.

Felix Ontivares returned and was my date for Hugo and Anna’s wedding. His involvement in the Rivera case further burnished the family name at home and he is currently entering local politics in Mexico.

Win Fifield’s aide released a statement that the congressman “hadn’t rested a day since the disappearance of that poor girl” and “his mother was proud to be instrumental in the resolution of this long, local tragedy.” Win’s approval rating shot up ten points, due to support from Springfield’s Hispanic community, which he had largely ignored in the past.

Lucy Cavanaugh didn’t get nominated for a Peabody, but she did make a deal with a cable network for a thirteen- part series tentatively titled Sin in Suburbia, which she is actively researching in Main Line Pennsylvania.

Anna Peсa and Hugo Jurado were married, not on Halcyon’s terrace, which was still surrounded by crime scene tape, but on Dina Fifield’s new dining pavilion, under a borrowed arbor, facing the sea. Pete’s buttercream cake was a huge hit.

Mike O’Malley and I are now sparring partners at the local gym. He is still smoke- free and has lost twelve pounds due to his new modified Zone diet, which I am advising him on. He has yet to play the accordion for me.

And the white garden at Halcyon is in full bloom, currently with masses of gypsophila, baby’s breath.