“No. That comes from the unique way in which the tree grows. To form new stems, the existing branches grow down to the ground, then eventually bury themselves into the soil. The new stems rise up out of the ground around the ones that grew down creating linked trunks that remain separate. The new is created from the old. Death and rebirth. Druids, with their belief in reincarnation, and later Christians with their faith in the resurrection, regarded it as a natural emblem of everlasting life.”

“Maybe Gabrielle wasn’t trying to die,” Jack said, “but trying to come back.”

This is exactly what Val thought, and what precisely made her question Gabrielle’s motives and actions with a murder–suicide.

Dr. Delarosa nodded. “Very possible. There have been reports of the seeds being used in an ancient mystical practice, where yew seeds were consumed when Venus and Jupiter come into alignment. Believers ate these seeds to experience the afterlife and then come back again. But yew seeds are so toxic that even eating a few would be lethal.”

“Would she have been healed in this rebirth?” Val asked.

“Depends on the religious belief,” Dr. Delarosa said. “There’s variations. Do you know if she belonged to any druid sects, or more specifically shamanistic groups, which rely more on the spirit world and holistic medicine?”

Val thought of the white gown and ritualistic nature of Gabrielle’s death.

“That might not matter in an investigation like this because there is also another group of people who might try something like this,” Jack answered. “Desperate people will believe anything. My point being, Gabrielle did not have to belong to any religious affiliation to engage in its practices. An internet search could have given her all she needed to know.”

Jack was right. Even those who do not subscribe to a religion may undertake its practices if they perceive they’ll get what they want from it. In other words, desperate people do desperate things even if common sense dictates something entirely different. Dying people want what no one can give them. Life. Any promise is better than no promise. Hell, what do they have to lose?

“How often does this alignment occur?” Val asked.

“About every thirteen months.” Dr. Delarosa pulled out his phone, tapped the screen, scrolled and then looked up. “It just happened about five days ago, on January 22. This one was unusual because it was right after the total lunar eclipse, a blood moon. The name comes from the reddish color the moon takes on. It was all a pretty big celestial event.”

“Perfect timing,” Jack said.

Val said, with skepticism in her voice, “Too perfect.”