Murder and Brandy Boy: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series Book 2

by Dianne Harman

  “Hugely. Chopping and measuring takes up so much time, and thanks for coming out here on a Sunday afternoon to help me. I want you to know how pleased I am with your work. I’m really glad you approached me after I spoke to some of the seniors at the high school about the restaurant and hospitality industry. The family meals I serve to the guests probably wouldn’t compare to some of those served in five star restaurants in San Francisco, but working here and preparing meals is bound to look good on a résumé, and it’s so fortunate it works with your schedule this last semester of school. As I told you when we first talked about it, I’d like you to work here through the summer. That’s our peak season. After that you might want to go to a cooking school in San Francisco or get a job in a restaurant there. I’d be happy to write a letter of recommendation for you, but other than Gertie’s Diner and here at the lodge, Red Cedar doesn’t have much to offer for someone who wants to get experience in the restaurant industry.”

  “Gosh, I’ve been going to Gertie’s my whole life. Her malts and hamburgers are the best, but I know what you mean. I washed dishes for her for a while, but you’ve given me a chance to cook things I’d never have the nerve to try. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

  “It’s my pleasure. You can stand in for my son Jonah. He lives in Seattle, so I don’t see him all that much, but he used to help me in the kitchen when he was in high school. Here are a couple of the recipes we’re going to make today. The appetizers and desserts freeze a lot better than the main courses, so you can help me by making some of those. Why don’t you start on the frozen Butterfinger pie and the congo bars recipes? When you finish those, you can make some spinach balls I can freeze. Then I’d like you to make a mustard sauce and some herbed olives. Those will keep in the refrigerator for a long time, so it’s okay to make them now. Any questions?”

  “Nope. These look good,” he said putting on an apron and getting the ingredients out of the pantry. They worked in silence, intent on what they were doing. Several times Liz looked over at the young man and noticed he seemed to have a look of concern on his face.

  “Mark, I need to take a break, and I bet you could use one, too. Let’s get something to drink and sit over by the window for a few minutes. My back is telling me I’ve been standing long enough. Okay with you?”

  “That would be great. I’m at a good stopping point.” He opened the refrigerator and took a soft drink out of it while Liz poured herself a glass of iced tea.

  “So, how are the last few weeks of high school going for you?” Liz asked a few minutes later.

  He involuntarily looked away from her and looked down at his hands. He was quiet for a few moments, then he took a deep breath and said, “Actually, it’s been better, Mrs. Lucas. I’m struggling with something that’s bothering my conscience, and I don’t know what to do about it. A really good friend of mine told me about something he’d done, something that was wrong, and he felt guilty about doing it. I think the only reason he told me was that he wanted to get it off his chest. The thing is it was really the wrong thing to do, and it’s going to affect a lot of people if anyone ever finds out about it. I don’t know if I should tell someone about it or keep my mouth shut. Well, I did tell my girlfriend part of it, but she won’t tell anyone.”

  “Mark, I can’t give you any advice without knowing what your friend told you. If it’s bothering you, maybe it would be best to tell someone about it.”

  “The problem is, it’s so bad that if I do tell anyone, I could be in danger and so could my friend.”

  “Mark, this sounds really serious.”

  “It is, Mrs. Lucas, it is. That’s why I’m so worried about it. It’s the most serious thing that’s ever happened in my life. I just don’t know what to do about it.” He was quiet for a few moments. “Never mind. Forget I said anything. I’m sure it will go away. I’ve decided I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”

  “If that’s what you want me to do, I will, but please, Mark, if you feel you need to talk to me about it, I’m here for you.”

  Later, after she got the call from the police chief, she wished she’d taken more time and found out what was troubling him.

  CHAPTER 4

  Liz and Mark worked side by side for the rest of the afternoon preparing and freezing different dishes that would be served to guests in the coming days. It was very apparent to Liz that something was really bothering Mark. He wasn’t at all his normal happy-go-lucky self. Very quietly he went about his assigned tasks with hardly saying a word to Liz.

  By just watching his body language, Liz thought, anyone could see Mark is deeply troubled by something. I wonder what it could be. He’s had a worried look on his face all day, and other than smiling at me when he came in, he hasn’t smiled since, and he hasn’t made any wisecracks like he usually does. He’s always so friendly and outgoing that this kind of behavior is totally uncharacteristic of him. It’s like he’s in some other world and has lost track of reality. He’s such a nice young kid. It kind of reminds me of when Jonah and Brittany were teenagers. They’d often make a mountain out of a molehill. I guess all teenagers do that when it comes to dealing with the bumps in the road that life brings you, but this may be even more serious from the way he looks. I wish he would have told me what was concerning him when we talked earlier. Maybe I could have helped him with a little motherly advice.

  “Well, Mrs. Lucas, it’s 4:00 and time for me to be heading back home,” Mark said as he put the last dish Liz had asked him to prepare in the freezer.

  “I agree, and thanks again for helping me out so much here in the kitchen. And Mark, about that conversation we had a little while ago, if you ever want to talk to me about anything that might be bothering you, I want you to know my door is always open.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Lucas, but I think I’ll be able to work it out by myself. I’ve pretty much made up my mind what I have to do,” Mark said as he left the lodge and started walking towards the employee parking lot located in an out of the way spot behind the spa.

  Liz worked the rest of the afternoon getting the family style evening meal prepared for the guests. It had been a long day for her, beginning with the early call from Roger, and she was tired. She finished up the last of the dishes from the guests’ dinner, let Winston out, and went downstairs to her private living quarters. She remembered she’d told Roger she’d give him a call tonight and let him know what people had thought of the article in the Chronicle about the spa and Brandy Boy.

  I’m just too tired to call him. Anyway, he’s involved in a big trial, and I’ll bet he’s up to his eyebrows in trial preparation work. Probably best if I don’t bother him with a call tonight.

  Just then she heard the distant ding-ding-ding of a ship’s bell followed immediately by the thundering sounds of Brandy Boy charging off the porch to make one of his evening deliveries.

  That loveable big ox of a dog has become a real asset to the spa. I must remember to give him an extra couple of treats tomorrow as a reward. As late as it is, I think I can skip refilling his cask tonight. I’ll do it in the morning.

  She was still sitting at her desk thinking about what needed to be done tomorrow when her cell phone rang. She looked at the screen and saw it was Seth Williams, the Red Cedar Police Chief, a rude and crude man she despised more than any person she’d ever known in her life.

  I wonder why that lecherous fat slob would be calling me at this late hour. I hope it’s not another one of his vulgar offers to buy me some sexy underwear from Victoria’s Secret. What an absolute disgusting boor he is! I’m tempted to just not answer the call, but when the chief of police calls this late at night, I probably better.

  “Hello, this is Liz. Is that you, Seth?” she asked.

  “Well, if this here ain’t my lucky day,” Seth said in a voice that sounded slick and oily. “Gettin’ a beautiful lady to answer the phone right at bedtime. I hope you’re reclinin’ in some big ol’ king size bed and got on a nice lil’ ol’ black lace se
e thru’ somethin’ or other. I got’s it pictured in my mind’s eye, and I don’ mind tellin’ ya’, it looks pretty dang good. Problem is I want to see that pretty black lace up close. Maybe someday if you’d stop bein’ so darn standoffish to me, we could make that happen. How’s that sound to ya’?”

  “Seth, I’ve told you before you are a disgusting individual, and I don’t want anything to do with you. I’d appreciate if you’d keep away from me. Why are you calling me this evening? I’ve had a long day, and I’m really tired,” she said in a cold voice.

  “Afraid I got’s a little piece of bad news fer’ ya’. Seems like that young high school kid, Mark Scott, the kid that’s workin’ as an intern fer ya’ out there at your spa, has done gone and killed hisself.”

  “Oh, no! That can’t be. Please, Seth, tell me this is just some cruel joke of yours. Mark was here working all afternoon and left in his car about 4:00 this afternoon.”

  “Yep, that’s just about the time he decided to do the nasty to hisself. Ya’ know how the highway out in front of yer’ place leads down a steep grade towards town, and there’s that sharp hairpin turn at the bottom of the grade? Well, there’s an eighty foot cliff that drops down to the ocean on the other side of that there hairpin turn. If ya’ miss the turn yer’ gonna be flyin’ out into space doin’ a big ol’ swan dive ‘til you crash at the bottom and that’s ‘xactly what yer’ boy Mark did this afternoon. He hit the guard rail at a high rate of speed and crashed right on thru it. It fer’ sure weren’t no accident cuz’ there weren’t no skid marks. He jes’ put the pedal to the metal and barreled right on out inta’ the wild blue yonder.

  “The Sheriff’s Search and Rescue guys had to rappel down to the bottom of the cliff with ropes to recover his body. When they brought him up, I figured out who he was by lookin’ at the driver’s license in his wallet. Went out to his home and tol’ his parents the bad news. His mother was the one who tol’ me he was workin’ most afternoons out at yer’ spa, so I thought I’d give ya’ a call and tell ya’ the bad news. These days seems like I’m always readin’ in the paper ‘bout some dumb teenager that goes off and kills hisself. Jes’ last week some kid in Los Angeles hung hisself in a tree cuz’ some girl he wanted to take to the school dance turned him down. Too bad, but it seems like these teenage suicides happens all the time.

  “California Highway Patrol gots jurisdiction over the accident scene cuz it occurred on a state highway. They got a big ‘ol tow truck out there right now hauling the remains of Mark’s car up the face of the cliff. Ain’t much left of it, but what’s there I guess they’ll take to the impound lot they got over in Santa Rosa. Anyway, that’s what happened to young Mr. Scott. ‘Spose we’ll never know why he gone and done it. Ya’ have a nice night, pretty lady. Sweet dreams.”

  CHAPTER 5

  After a sleepless night, Liz got out of bed at 5:30 and walked over to her desk.

  I know it’s early, but since Roger’s an early riser, and he’s got a court case starting this morning, I’m sure he’s up, and I have to talk to someone about Mark.

  She picked up her cell phone and clicked on Roger’s number. “Good morning, Roger. I know it’s early, but I also know you get up early, so I thought you’d be up.”

  “Been up for an hour, Liz, but it’s not like you to call this early. Is something wrong?”

  The tears that she’d held back all night broke loose, and she had trouble talking.

  “Liz, just tell me one thing. Are you all right?”

  “Yesss,” she said, struggling to compose herself. “Do you remember Mark, the young man who’s been my apprentice for several weeks? You met him the last time you were up here.”

  “Of course, what about him?”

  “His car went over the cliff where the highway makes that sharp turn just a little ways from here, and he died. He was on his way home from working with me.”

  “Oh, honey! I’m so sorry. What happened? Have they been able to determine the cause of the accident, and please don’t tell me that idiotic police chief is handling it.”

  “He’s the one who called me and told me Mark had committed suicide. He said it happens all the time to teenagers, but Roger, I want to tell you about a conversation I had with Mark yesterday afternoon.” She told him how worried Mark had looked and what he had told her.

  “Like you Liz, I sure would like to know what was troubling him. That may be the reason he committed suicide, if in fact he did. That highway is a state road, so the Highway Patrol has jurisdiction over it, although your police chief has jurisdiction over Mark’s death. It can be a bit confusing. I’m sure the Highway Patrol will do a thorough examination of his car and see if there was anything wrong with it.”

  “Are you suggesting that there may have been foul play?”

  “No, I’m not suggesting anything at this point, but if they find that someone tampered with his car, that may be the conclusion, and the problem is that the chief of police will be in charge of the investigation. From everything you’ve told me about him, I can’t think of anyone worse to head it up.”

  “I’ve decided to go over to his parents’ home and offer my condolences. Maybe they can tell me something.”

  “It usually takes the Highway Patrol a day or two to examine the car. Any idea who took it?”

  “Yes. Seth said the CHP was going to tow it to their impound yard in Santa Rose. Well, anyway, now you now know as much as I do. I’ll call you this evening and tell you if I’ve found out anything. Good luck in your trial today.”

  “Thanks. Liz, I’m glad Winston is there. Something happened either with the young man or to him and that something could affect you. Give me a little piece of mind and take Winston with you when you go see his parents today. It would make me feel better.”

  “I will, but I don’t think it has anything to do with me or the spa. Talk to you tonight.”

  *****

  That morning, Liz and Winston drove the short distance to the Scott home. There were several cars in the driveway and in front of the house which was badly in need of repair. Paint was peeling off of the brown painted siding and weeds lined the cracked sidewalk. A broken porch swing sat forlornly at the far end of the porch. A sad house made even sadder by yesterday’s news, Liz thought. She left Winston in the car and walked up the steps of the front porch. She heard voices coming from within the house and the sound of a woman crying. Moments after she rang the doorbell it was answered by an unshaven man with swollen red eyes, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt.

  “Yes, may I help you?” he asked.

  “I’m Liz Lucas, the owner of the Red Cedar Spa. Mark was my intern, and I wanted to personally give my condolences to the family.”

  “Consider it done. I’m his father. Come in.”

  “Thank you. I just want you and your wife to know what a wonderful young man Mark was,” she said, having trouble with the word ‘was.’

  “Yeah, that’s what everyone says, but it ain’t like it’s gonna bring him back. I’d introduce you to my wife, but she’s not in shape to meet anybody.”

  A young woman with long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail walked up to them. From her red splotchy face, it was obvious she’d been crying off and on for several hours. “Mr. Scott, I need to go home and get some sleep. I’ll call you later. Do you want me to call Hank at the paper and give him the details of the funeral?”

  “Yes. Thank you, Emily, we’d appreciate it. I don’t think either one of us can take too much more.”

  She put her arms around Mr. Scott and Liz heard her say in a strained voice, “I’m going to miss him just as much as you are.”

  Mr. Scott patted her on the back. “I know, Emily, I know.” She turned away and walked heavily out the door as if the innocence of her youth had suddenly been snatched away from her.

  “Was that Mark’s girlfriend?” Liz asked.

  “Yes, that’s Emily Myers. She and Mark have been goin’ together all through high school and were planning o
n getting married within a year or two. Don’t seem fair to the missus and me, and it sure don’t seem fair to Emily. I appreciate your coming, but I think you better leave. We’ve got a lot to do. We decided to have the funeral tomorrow afternoon. No sense puttin’ it off. Won’t bring Mark back,” he said, opening the door for her.

  “Again, Mr. Scott. I am so very sorry. If I can do anything, please call me.”

  “Thanks, but nothin’ will bring him back.”

  With a heavy heart, Liz walked to her van and drove back to the spa.

  So that’s his girlfriend, she thought. I’d give anything to know what Mark told her, but like Mr. Scott said, it won’t bring him back.

  CHAPTER 6

  Liz was utterly overcome with grief. All she could think about was how she’d compared Mark to her son Jonah on Sunday. She couldn’t imagine having her son die and likewise, she couldn’t imagine Mark having died. There was something wrong when that happened. No one was supposed to die when their adult life was just beginning. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so sad.

  When she arrived at the church half an hour before the scheduled funeral service, she was amazed to see that the parking lot was completely full and people had to park on nearby streets. She found a space for her van about a block away and walked to the church. Considering the size of the crowd, she felt lucky to find a seat in the church, even if it was in the rear of the church. Once she was seated she looked around at the crowd. It seemed that everyone who knew Mark from the Red Cedar High School was there. According to Hank’s eulogy published in the paper that morning, Mark had been one of the most popular students at the school.

  She recognized Darcy Martinez, the principal of Red Cedar High School, sitting two seats over in the pew in front of her next to a man she didn’t know. The high school had closed at noon in honor of Mark, and she assumed that a lot of the people sitting near Darcy were probably teachers at the high school. They seemed to know each other although in a small town like Red Cedar everyone pretty much knew everyone else.