She waited a few moments and then continued, “Can either of you think of anything Jimmy said about having words with someone or a negative feeling about someone? Just reach back in your mind and think for a few minutes.”
Ruby was the first to speak. “His sister called Jimmy ‘bout a week ago. Jimmy thought she’d married a real loser years ago and pretty much wrote her off. He tol’ me once that he didn’t regret doin’ it, but he’d left a little something for her in his trust. He called it guilt money.”
“Yes, go on,” Marty said, as Ruby began to tear up again.
“Well, he was purty mad after he got off the phone. Tol’ me the only reason she’d called was to get some money fer her no-good son, leastways that’s how Jimmy referred to him. Didn’t hear any more about it, but she’s family, so I’d think that would take her offa’ any suspect list.”
“Not necessarily,” Marty said. “Stranger things have happened.”
“I can think of a couple of people now that ya’ mention it,” Horace said. “First of all, his agent, Randy Allen, called Jimmy and asked him if he’d give him the money that Jimmy was gonna’ leave him in his trust, now, rather than when he died. Tol’ Jimmy he needed it to pay his alimony.”
“Why now?” Marty asked.
“Well, Jimmy was makin’ a lotta’ money when he was performin’ in Vegas, and Randy was gettin’ fifteen percent of everthin’. Had been fer all these years. Then Jimmy had the heart attack and couldn’t work in Vegas no more. Heard Jimmy say he was only makin’ one-tenth of what he used to make, which would mean Randy was down 90%. That man jes’ had a thing for marryin’ women.
“Everybody, including Jimmy, tol’ him to jes’ sleep with ‘em, but that boy had some itch that he needed to marry ‘em. Problem was, they was all gold diggers and left him after a while. Guy ended up payin’ alimony to a bunch of ‘em.”
“Okay, that’s two possible suspects. Who else can you think of?” she said to both of them.
Ruby spoke up. “That new neighbor next door. Leastways she’s somewhat new. Bought the property ‘bout a year ago. Jimmy told me she met him at the mailbox one day and they had words about them Mexican Fan Palm trees in Jimmy’s back yard. She said they were an eyesore. Jimmy planted them himself, so he didn’t take kindly to her sayin’ that. Guess they kind of left each other on not very good terms.”
“Seems kind of like an insignificant thing to kill someone over, but you’d be surprised at some of the things that motivate a person to commit murder. Do you know her name or anything about her?” Marty asked.
“Yeah. Her name is Carla McIntyre. I remember readin’ in The Desert Sun that she’d bought the house next to Jimmy Joseph’s. She’d been an actress several years ago, but retired, sayin’ that all the roles now were for younger women and she was gonna’ enjoy life in the desert and not have to try scroungin’ for roles she never got. Sounded kind of bitter, if ya’ ask me.”
“I’ll talk to her when I leave. Which side does she live on?”
“She’s lives on the left side as yer’ lookin’ at Jimmy’s house. He said she was a looker, but had a real nasty side,” Horace interjected.
“I don’t know about you, Marty, but I sure could use some coffee ‘bout now. Mind if we take a break while I make some?” Ruby asked.
“Not at all. I agree. I think we could use a break about now. Let’s have some coffee and resume when we’re finished. I think if Jeff were here, he’d do the same.”
CHAPTER 14
“Thanks, Ruby. That coffee really helped. Okay, let’s get back to the suspect list. Can either of you think of anyone else that should be on it?” Marty asked.
“Horace,” Ruby said, “whatta’ ‘bout that guy that used to perform at the Red Velvet Lounge? I ‘member Jimmy saying somethin’ about the owner tellin’ him that the guy wasn’t too happy when Jimmy replaced him. I guess he tried to convince the owner that he and Jimmy should both play there, but the owner wouldn’t go fer it. Am I right?”
“Yeah, but that’s about all I can remember too. I don’t think Jimmy ever even talked to the guy. As soon as the Velvet owner heard that the doctor weren’t gonna’ let Jimmy travel no more, he offered Jimmy the gig at the Velvet. Weren’t nothin’ like where Jimmy performed in Vegas, but I remember he said it would keep him from bein’ bored.”
“It’s probably nothing, Horace, but if you can come up with the guy’s name, I’d like to have it.”
Horace was quiet, obviously trying to recall the man’s name. “Ain’t 100% on this, but seems like I used to see an ad in The Desert Sun for a guy named Miles Reed. The ad always had him sittin’ at a piano and it kind of reminded me of Jimmy when he was playin’ in Vegas. That’s why I remember it.”
Marty wrote it down. “I agree, it’s probably nothing, but since there’s not all that much to go on, it’s worth checking into. Anything else?”
“Man, I don’t know where this came from, but I remember a coupla’ weeks ago I was sittin’ in Jimmy’s backstage room at the Velvet when the manager came in and told Jimmy about a fan who wanted to talk to him after his performance. Had her business card in his hand. Reason I remember it is he told Jimmy he’d pass if it was him, ‘cuz the woman was the ugliest human being he’d ever seen.”
“Wow, that’s harsh. Did the woman overhear that?”
“I have no idea.”
“Do you think the manager would remember her name?”
“Again, ain’t got no idea, but I think I might still have her business card,” Horace said.
“Why would you have saved it?”
“Jimmy had a computer file that I kept with the names and addresses of his fans. Coupla’ times a year he’d send out a newsletter to them, tellin’ them where he was scheduled to play, and things like that. After his heart attack, we sent one out tellin’ his fans he was fine, but his doctor preferred that he didn’t travel. He said somethin’ about if they was ever in the Palm Springs area, to go see him at the Red Velvet Lounge. Guess old habits die hard. I jes’ always took business cards and saved them. Let me go to my office and see if I can find it.”
Patron watched him go, again, the hackles on his back standing on end, but he was quiet. Marty had never seen him behave quite like this. He was either a complete “lap dog” or doing a 180, barking and growling at some perceived menace. The only thing she could think of was that it had something to do with yesterday and the discovery that Jimmy had been injured.
Horace returned a few minutes later and said, “Here it is. Thought I had it. Ugly one’s name is Priscilla Simpson. Also has her telephone number and an address on it. Looks like a residence to me,” he said, handing the card to Marty.
“Thanks. I’m sure this is a complete longshot, but I know Jeff would want everyone’s name, no matter how far down the list of possible suspects they might be. I’ll add hers to it and see what happens.”
“Marty, if we’re finished, I need to think about sendin’ a newsletter to Jimmy’s fans. With everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, it never occurred to me. But now that the subject of his fan file has been brought up, it’s only right that I send somethin’ out about his death.”
“I agree, and I can’t thank you enough for meeting with me. Again, my thoughts are with both of you. It’s hard enough when someone we care for greatly dies, but I’m sure it’s vastly harder to discover they’ve been murdered, but please don’t put that in the newsletter.
“Trust me, my husband and his department will do everything they can to find the person who killed Jimmy. If either of you think of anything else, please call me. You have my number. I’ll be back in a few days to finish up the appraisal. Again, thanks for your time.”
Marty stood up and motioned for Patron to follow her. Patron looked over his shoulder at Horace and Ruby, but willingly followed her.
CHAPTER 15
When Marty was back in her car, she looked at the dashboard clock and realized that she’d spent over two
hours at the Joseph home talking to Ruby and Horace. She was starving and decided to get some lunch at an In N’ Out hamburger fast food drive thru.
Minutes later she gave her order to the young clerk at the drive-thru window, “I’d like a double cheese, animal style, animal fries, and an iced tea. Oh, and two plain hamburger patties. Thanks.” Marty was not a fan of fast food places, but this particular one was practically an institution in California. She knew of no other hamburger place that served their burgers and fries “animal style” meaning extra Thousand Island dressing, mustard on the patties, and extra pickles on the burger with the fries being topped with cheese and grilled onions.
The one time she’d given Patron an animal style burger, he’d turned his nose up at it, clearly not a fan of dressing, but she knew she wasn’t the only one who had made In N’ Out their favorite fast-food place. She remembered reading a newspaper article about some fraternity members at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who had their pledges drive to the nearest In N’ Out and bring back sacks of hamburgers. At the time the nearest one was in Carpinteria, requiring almost an hour round trip.
She’d noticed a dog park on her way to the Joseph house and decided that she and Patron could eat in the car and then she’d give him some exercise and socialization time at the park.
Patron had definitely liked his plain hamburger patties and when he was finished, he was ready to run it off. Marty unlatched, entered, and then closed the two gates that led into the dog park. Patron was immediately in heaven sniffing the other dogs who had come to greet him. While he ran and played with his new friends, Marty sat on a bench and began texting Jeff with the suspect list she’d gotten from Ruby and Horace that morning.
She looked at her watch and saw that she’d spent almost an hour composing the text to him, which was quite long. She sent it and sat back, watching Patron as he raced back and forth across the dog park area. He was easily one of the larger dogs, but even so, the fact that so many little dogs were running with him indicated that they felt safe with him.
I just wish I understood his behavior earlier today, Marty thought. I really don’t know what to make of it. He was clearly in protection mode, but did none of the other things he’s done before. Maybe he’s just maturing and the barking and growling are gone. I need to talk to Laura tonight and get her thoughts.
Her cell phone pinged indicating she had a message which she assumed was from Jeff. It was, and he thanked her for finding out as much as she had and that he’d see her at dinner that evening.
She called out to Patron, who unwillingly trotted over to her. She snapped on his leash and said, “Sorry, big guy, but I need to go see one of the possible suspects. You can nap in the car. Say goodbye to all your new four-legged friends.”
Marty had been certain for a long time that Patron understood everything she said and today was no exception. He turned back towards his admiring fans and yipped as if to say, “It’s been fun. See you next time.”
*****
The dog park was just a short distance from Jimmy’s home and his next-door neighbor. When Marty drove by, she noticed the entry gate to Carla McIntyre’s home was open, so she turned in and drove up the driveway. The house and yard were kept private by a thick hedge on both sides of the property, effectively shutting the house and front yard off to a neighbor’s view.
Marty turned off the engine and opened the car windows so Patron could get some fresh air while she was gone. However, the more she thought about it, she realized that meeting with someone who could possibly be a murderer without Patron beside her would not please Jeff. Plus, it could be deadly for her.
She didn’t want to frighten the woman by taking the big dog with her, so she rolled the windows down further, making a compromise with herself and her mixed emotions. If Patron was as psychically inclined as Laura said he was, he’d know if Marty needed his protection and he could get out of the car through one of the windows. She also knew he was well-enough trained that he wouldn’t frivolously jump out the window, plus he was tired from the dog park and the two hamburger patties he’d eaten earlier.
Marty walked up to the bright red doors and rang the doorbell. A moment later someone came to the door and a voice came through the intercom, “How can I help you?”
“My name is Marty Malone, and I’d like to speak to Carla McIntyre. It’s regarding her neighbor, Jimmy Joseph.”
The door was opened by a very attractive blond woman who looked to be in her forties. She wore a coral silk short-sleeved blouse and white silk slacks, which contrasted beautifully with her deep tan. Gold earrings and a necklace further set off her tan. On her right hand was a huge marquise cut diamond surrounded by smaller marquise diamonds. The effect was of a large flower surrounded by petals.
“I’m Carla McIntyre. What can I help you with?”
“May I come in? I’ll only be a few minutes.”
The woman thought for a few moments and then said, “Yes, we can talk in my study, but it will have to be short, since my agent will be here momentarily.” She closed the door behind her and indicated for Marty to follow her down the hall. They entered a study with bookcases lining the walls.
Carla motioned for Marty to sit on a couch that faced the unlit fireplace and said, “Now, what is this all about?”
Marty took a deep breath and said, “I’m a friend of Jimmy Joseph’s. You may have noticed the ambulance at Mr. Joseph’s yesterday, as well as the law enforcement cars that are there today.”
“No, I was gone yesterday and I haven’t been out of the house today. Why, did Mr. Joseph suffer another heart attack, although I doubt that would necessitate the law enforcement cars. Is he having some kind of a problem?”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Joseph died last night. The coroner has confirmed it was murder.”
Carla’s eyes became wide and she said, “Oh no. What happened? Are you with the police?”
“No, my husband is the head detective in the case. He’s swamped with some other cases, and asked me if I could do a little legwork. Anyway, we don’t know exactly what happened. As a neighbor, I thought maybe you might have heard or seen something that could be helpful in determining who the killer was. At least that’s the reason I came here, but seeing how private your home is from your neighbor’s, you probably didn’t.”
“No, I only talked to him once and that was about a week ago. I introduced myself to him and then we talked for a few minutes. The conversation turned to the Mexican Fan Palms he has in his back yard and how I think they’re the ugliest things I’ve ever seen. They’re the first thing anyone talks about when they go into my back yard. Nothing is said about the infinity pool I had installed. All anyone talks about are those stupid palm trees.”
“You mentioned you were gone yesterday. Can anyone corroborate that?” Marty asked.
“If you’re thinking that I could be a suspect, better think again. I was reading for a role in a movie, and as a matter of fact I got it. That’s why my agent is on his way here now. In answer to your question, yes, probably twenty people can vouch for my whereabouts.
“I don’t know what time Mr. Joseph was murdered, but I didn’t get back from Los Angeles until around 10:00 last night after leaving the house at 7:00 yesterday morning. I met my agent in Los Angeles at 9:00 a.m. When was he murdered?”
“He was murdered around 11:15 yesterday morning.”
“Well, in that case I have a solid alibi with a lot of witnesses. I was literally reading for the role at that time. I stayed in Los Angeles and met friends for dinner. I figured a celebration was in order.”
“I won’t take up any more of your time, Ms. McIntyre,” Marty said as she stood up, “and congratulations on getting the role. Will you be staying here or moving to Los Angeles?”
“I’ll be staying here. The movie is going to be shot on location in Hawaii. Maybe my tan had something to do with me getting the role. In any event, I’ll see what happens from here. I just hope whoever is going to ta
ke over Mr. Joseph’s house cuts down those horrible eyesores.”
She walked Marty to the front door and said, “Please, talk to the people who are going to live in the house and tell them the neighbors are up in arms about those awful palm trees.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Marty said as she left and walked to her car. She got in, looked at Patron, who opened one eye as if to say “I knew you didn’t need me, so I slept.”
What a cold person, Marty thought on her drive home. She was far more concerned about the Mexican Fan Palm trees than she was about the fact that her next-door neighbor had been murdered. I hope her return to the world of entertainment is short-lived.
CHAPTER 16
A half hour later Marty pulled into the driveway of the compound. No cars were in the driveway and Les kept his in the garage, because he rarely left the compound, spending most of his time painting his highly sought-after art works.
Marty’s black Labrador retriever, Duke, was waiting by the gate for her and Patron to return, his usual place when Marty was gone. He slept there until she returned.
“Duke, we’re back. Looks like it’s just you, me, and Patron, although Les is probably in his studio. Come on, let’s take a minute to enjoy the desert, and then we’ll go in and you can go back to sleep while I work.”
The dogs took some time looking for little critters moving around on the desert floor and were rewarded by seeing several lizards. They soon got bored, took care of their business, and Marty brought them into her house so they could sleep. She changed her clothes, booted up her computer, and spent the next three hours reviewing auction results for memorabilia objects.
“Okay, guys. I’m sufficiently brain dead,” she said to the two dogs. “Time to meet the group in the courtyard and see what special treat John has in store for dinner for us tonight. Ready to join me? Oh, and did I mention that it’s probably time for dinner for both of you?”
Murder in Palm Springs Page 6