A Fair to Die For Read Online Free Page A

now.
    “Marijuana was actually grown in Jamestown Colony as early as 1600. It was called hemp, and mostly grown for fiber, but smoking hashish, a version of marijuana, became popular to some degree, and had spread far and wide by the 19 th century. It was thought to relieve all kinds of troubles—medical and mental.”
    Carrie, concealing her surprise with difficulty, said, “It sounds like you’ve done a lot of research.”
    Edie snorted. “You might say I have a family interest. My mother . . . well, I would like to find out what my father’s business really was in the hope it will bring her peace. She’s had to bear the sadness and uncertainty for so long.”
    Edie shut her eyes for a moment before she continued. “Opium was originally prescribed for female complaints and much more. Started out good, ended up bad. Coca Cola syrup really did have cocaine in it at the beginning. And, why not? In 1886, the Surgeon-General of the United States Army endorsed the medical use of cocaine.
    “Then there’s morphine. It was used as an injectable pain reliever during the Civil War. As a result, heroin was being marketed as a so-called cure, or at least a substitute, for morphine addiction by 1898.
    “And, what about meth? I’d bet you think of it as a relatively new drug, but amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887, and widely distributed to soldiers during and after World War II to counteract fatigue and fight depression. Addictive drugs, most of them first used medicinally, have been part of our country’s history, beginning in Jamestown a hundred and seventy-five years before we even were a country. I can’t help but wonder what miracle drug today will become a public nightmare tomorrow.”
    Henry said, “Excellent point, and some doctors and pharmacists openly agree with you. The problem is made worse today because misuse of prescription drugs by teens is causing addiction, even deaths. But Edie, terrible problems with drugs once thought beneficial are far from being the only drug problem in the United States.”
    “I know. But I have wondered if my father wasn’t in pharmaceuticals. That doesn’t sound so bad.”
    “Well,” Carrie said, “if he was, then why any need for secrecy?” She immediately wished she’d kept her mouth shut, and looked at Henry in dismay. His returning look was bland, but it included the tiniest hint of a smile.
    “We may never know,” he said. “So, Edie, tell us more about your work, and what growing up in Washington, DC was like.”
    That was that. It was obvious Henry didn’t want to be involved in this cousin-or-not’s quest for the truth about her father, and Carrie wondered whether she did . . . or not.
     

Chapter Three HERE AND WHERE
     
    The remainder of the afternoon was spent talking about family news, looking at Carrie’s box of pictures, then moving to the deck so they could enjoy the warm afternoon and hint of fall color. While they were outside, Edie often seemed to fade into her own private world, sitting silently and looking out into the forest.
    Carrie thought she understood that. Visitors from a city were usually enchanted by this close contact with nature. During Edie’s silent periods both Carrie and Henry were also quiet, though Carrie’s mind was busy, wondering what the woman might be thinking. Guests at Blackberry Hollow often commented on their location in the middle of a forest, appreciating the peace they felt, and asking questions about this bird or that tree. Edie, however, kept her thoughts and any questions to herself.
    I kind of like her, Carrie decided. But she never laughs. Smiles only rarely. Does her quest to learn more about her father cause that, or is there some other burden weighing on her? I wish I could cheer her up. I hope she’s enjoying her time here, and our company. At least we’re providing a change of pace for her.
    When the afternoon sun began tingeing everything with gold, Carrie wondered briefly if she should invite