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“What about the curare? Surely you’d need to be a chemist?”
“Not necessarily. Curare is also extracted from a plant. Before we get carried away, I think we need to test the plant and the contents of the syringe as a proteolytic acid. We need the confirmation. Let me have the plant and the syringe tested. In fact, I’ll take them over to the university myself. While I’m there, I’ll go along to the botanical department and find out what I can about the Venus flytrap.”
Gardener checked his watch. “When are you going?”
Fitz hesitated. “I suppose I could go now.”
“We’ll come with you.”
Chapter Sixty-one
After leaving the plant and the syringe for testing, the three men sought out Vanessa Chambers. They found the botanist in her office. She was approximately thirty; blonde and bubbly. Although she gave the impression of a scatterbrain, Gardener liked what he saw. She spoke with a confident upper-class accent.
“Doctor Fitzgerald! What a lovely surprise. What brings you here?”
It was the first time Gardener could recall Fitz being called by his full title.
“Business. I’d like to introduce a couple of colleagues of mine who have an intriguing problem, to say the least.”
Vanessa glanced at Gardener. “Where have you been hiding him?”
Reilly smiled when Gardener blushed as Fitz made the introductions.
“Take a seat, if yo
u can find one,” Vanessa said as she rushed around the office clearing books and magazines.
Gardener found a seat and briefly went through what he knew, disclosing a little about the case and his possible theories.
“Oh, this is interesting,” she squealed. “What can I tell you about the Venus flytrap? It was described by Darwin as ‘one of the most wonderful plants in the world.’ Insects are attracted by red pigment and secretions of nectar on the inner surface of the trap lobes where the sensitive trigger hairs are. A single touch has no effect. But a second touch within a few seconds will induce sudden closure of the jaws.
“Specialized glandular hairs on the upper surface of the leaf secrete a fluid that helps digest the prey. It’s thought that the movement of hydrogen ions, giving changes of acidity, occurs in the walls of some of the cells. What is now well established is that the secretion of the glandular hairs contains a mixture of enzymes, the most important being proteolytic.”
“Which is what, in English?” Gardener was growing impatient. Fitz had a habit of doing exactly the same thing to him, talking gibberish.
“Breaking proteins into smaller fragments. The fluid kills and digests the prey. When the trap reopens, it reveals a skeleton.”
A series of images of the dead men swept through Gardener’s mind.
Vanessa continued. “The digestive enzymes include proteinases, peptidases, and phosphatases, all of which break down the body of the insect.”
Gardener leaned back in his chair. “So, if the fluid secreted by the flytrap was injected directly into the jugular vein, would it have the same effect on the human body?”
“Very probably.” Vanessa giggled – an excited, childish laugh. “How ghastly. What an awful way to die. Would be terribly painful. As it travelled around the body, it would literally dissolve everything, reduce it to a liquid mush, leaving only the skeleton.”
Fitz interrupted. “Vanessa, would the enzymes disappear?”
“Oh, yes. Leave no trace of themselves, only amino acids.”
Gardener noted an expression of confirmation from Fitz. “I’d say we’ve found our answer, gentlemen.”
Gardener turned to Vanessa. “Be honest with me. Would it be possible to extract the fluid from the plant?”
Vanessa placed her hands around the back of her head. Her face changed expression a number of times, and she muttered to herself while thinking. “Yes. It’s very possible. Particularly if you know what you’re doing. Unique as well. I’ve never come across it before.”
Gardener was disappointed. Not with the botanist’s knowledge. She’d answered each question confidently. None of her responses were what he wanted to hear, however. Vanessa Chambers had given Gardener everything he needed, but little of what he wanted.
“One last question. What’s the best way to cultivate the plant?”
