Debut Cozy Mystery Box Set 2

by Dianne Harman

  “Well, years ago there was a thing called the Blue Book of Kansas City, kind of a social register for the upper class, so to speak. My family was in it for years. When the editor decided the cost of printing it was getting too expensive, and it should be borne by the families who were listed in it, he asked them for a donation. My grandmother was furious and told him she'd never pay to be included in it. She felt it was her birthright. That was the end of the Evans family in the Blue Book.

  “You’ll also probably find out my family had some money, actually quite a lot of money. Originally it came from a five-thousand-acre wheat farm and cattle ranch my family owned in western Kansas. Around 1950 the family discovered that the ranch was smack dab in the middle of the famous Hugoton oil and gas field which covers a large area of western Kansas. Today the Hugoton field is the 5th largest source of natural gas in the United States with approximately eleven thousand oil and gas wells operating in it.

  “Around five hundred of those wells are located on the ranch property owned by my family. Before we struck oil, the ranch was doing quite well financially, but the money really started rolling in with the discovery of oil on the property.

  “Money’s never been that important to me or my brother even though we each inherited a large trust fund. Both of our funds kind of sit there, doing nothing. No, that’s not true. Actually, both of us are big donors to a number of non-profit organizations whose names I won’t bother to bore you with. Bottom line is, I can well afford to buy you a gift.”

  “Well, I don’t know what to say except I hope you won’t mind if I put your grandmother in one of my books. Actually, I’d like to hear more about your family.”

  “Kat, my grandmother would have been the star of one of your books. I always thought she was feisty and independent enough that she might very well have had a secret life of her own that was very interesting and none of us knew about. I was pretty young, so I never heard the juicy parts, but I’m sure there were a lot. Anyway, I really do have to leave. Here’s the kennel guy’s information. I’ll call you later and see how you and Rudy, that’s the dog’s name, are getting along."

  “Blaine, I don’t recall saying I was going to get Rudy.”

  “Don’t think you did, but I know you meant to,” he grinned as he walked towards the front door. “Nice meeting you, Lacie. Look forward to seeing you again. Maybe later today when we both meet Rudy.” He closed the door behind him and walked to his car.

  “Mom, I know it’s none of my business, but you might want to think about developing a relationship with Blaine. It looks to me like you must have made some kind of an impression on him. He’s a lawyer, he’s the district attorney, he’s single, he’s rich, he's attractive, and he bought you a dog. What’s not to like about him?”

  “Well, at the moment, nothing, but I really know very little about him.”

  “Mom, as I recall you told me you married dad six weeks after you met him. I doubt you knew very much about him, but that seemed to work, didn’t it?”

  “Yes, sweetheart, it did. You need to get on your way, or you’ll be late for class. Here's the coffee cake and Lacie, thanks for stopping by this morning.”

  “I'm glad I did. I love you, Mom.”

  CHAPTER 11

  After assuring Lacie she’d be the first to know if Kat decided to buy a Rottweiler dog, she walked her to the door and again told Lacie how glad she was that she’d stopped by. She closed the door and stood next to it for a moment, thankful she was able to have such a good relationship with her daughter and sorry that Carl and Nicole didn’t get along. With Nancy dead, she felt something must be done to heal their relationship because they only had each other. The ringing phone jolted her out of her reverie. Answering it she said, “Hello, this is Kat.”

  “Good morning, Kat. I hope I'm not calling too early. This is Nick. I did quite a bit of research last night, actually into the early morning hours, and I’d like to share with you what I’ve found out so far on the case. At the moment I’m on a stakeout down the street from Tiffany Conners’ home. I’m curious about her.”

  “Nick, I’ve been up for hours, so you’re definitely not calling too early. I barely slept at all last night, and then my daughter came over from the university very early this morning, followed by your brother. I understand the two of you have decided I need to get a Rottweiler dog for protection, and you've already contacted a friend of yours who specializes in breeding them and training them for law enforcement personnel. I was just getting ready to call him when the phone rang. I’d love to hear what you've found out so far.”

  “I'll start with Carl Jennings. I’m no psychologist, but I have a pretty good idea why he hates your books so much and why he didn’t want Nancy to be your editor. His parents lived in the small town of Montezuma, Kansas. His father was the mayor of the town and owned the only car dealership for miles around. He was quite successful and was a pillar of the community. His mother was from a small nearby town. She was the homecoming queen in high school and a cheerleader while she was in college. According to what I read about her and the pictures I saw, she was extremely attractive. When Carl was growing up, she stayed at home to raise him. She’d gotten a degree as a physical therapist when she was in college, but never used it. Because Carl’s father was quite well off financially, he didn’t want his wife to work.”

  “None of that sounds all that unusual,” Kat said.

  “That part wasn’t the least bit unusual. It would have been more unusual if the mayor’s wife had worked, particularly when he was the owner of a successful car dealership. What was unusual was when she left her husband for a car salesman who worked for him, and the two of them moved to Wichita. She got a job as a physical therapist, and he worked as a car salesman. After her relationship with him turned sour, his mother lived with a different man almost on a yearly basis. For several years Carl’s father hoped she’d return to him and Carl, but it never happened. Every year Carl’s father hired a private investigator to find out where she was and who she was living with.

  “Finally he realized she was never coming back to them, and he divorced her. Unfortunately, his legacy to his son was to constantly tell him what a bad woman his mother was. Evidently he told Carl he’d found all kinds of sexy novels in her desk drawers after she’d left. There's documentation that his father told a number of people in the small town where he and Carl lived that the reason his wife left him was because she believed all the stuff she read in the tawdry novels. After she left, Carl’s father became quite religious and told everyone what a sinner his wife was, and that when she died she would surely burn in the fires of hell for the sinful life she’d led.”

  “Nick, that would sure explain why Carl was so adamant about Nancy not editing my books. They’re not that trashy, and a lot of people think they’re very well written, but that must have been what his thinking was. He was probably afraid Nancy would leave him just as his mother had left his father. Poor man. I almost feel sorry for him.”

  “I agree that it probably explains why he’s so opposed to books such as the ones you write, but it still doesn't mean he didn’t kill his wife. The whole thing could have gotten so twisted in his mind that he might have believed he needed to kill her to keep her, if you know what I mean."

  “Nick, here’s another piece of information I just found out from my daughter this morning. She lives in the Pi Beta Phi sorority house on the university campus, and Carl’s daughter, Nicole, is one of her closest friends. Nicole doesn’t want anything to do with her father, and she asked my daughter if she could stay at our house during the upcoming holidays. I can certainly imagine how that’s going to sit with Carl, and it’s not going to be good.”

  “Again, I’m not a psychologist, but if he’s as strongly opposed to sexy novels as we think, and if he murdered his wife to keep her from leaving him, he might just do the same to his daughter to keep her. What did you tell your daughter about letting Nicole stay with you during the holidays?”
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br />   “I said I’d have to think about it and let her know.”

  “And what do you think about it?”

  "I’m vacillating, but I probably will let her stay here. If Carl’s somewhat deranged, she'd probably be safer here at my house than at hers, particularly if I get the Rottweiler.”

  “Kat, I’m going to have to call you back. Tiffany just opened her garage door and is backing out. I want to follow her. I found out some information about her I think you'll find interesting. Call my friend and get the dog.”

  “I’ll call him now, and I’m really curious to know what you found out about Tiffany.”

  “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can,” Nick said ending the conversation.

  CHAPTER 12

  Using her cell phone, Kat pressed in the phone number Blaine had given her for the kennel. A moment later he heard a male voice say, “Casey’s Kennels, may I help you?”

  “I believe so. My name is Kat Denham. A friend of yours, Nick Evans, strongly suggested I talk to you about buying one of your Rottweiler dogs. He said you have one that’s a year old and is very friendly towards women. I believe he told me the dog’s name is Rudy. Actually Nick’s brother is the one who told me about you, but Nick confirmed the dog’s name is Rudy when I talked to him this morning. Can you tell me something about the breed? I have a Westie now, and I’ve never owned a large dog like a Rottweiler.”

  “Kat, I’m very prejudiced about the breed. Sometimes they get a bad rap for being too aggressive, but I personally believe it’s because they haven’t been properly trained, and they don’t know any better. These are very strong dogs, and they need to be socialized when they’re young. I don't sell any of them until they’re at least a year old. While I train them to be guard dogs, they are also part of my family, so they’re used to children as well as adults.

  “The breed is protective and considers the home where they live and property they’re on to be part of the area that needs to be protected. Unless the resident of the home invites someone in and is friendly towards them, Rottweilers don’t like to have strangers on their property. My dogs only attack when they are given a command to do so. I feel confident enough with the breed that I have no problem with them being in the house with my two boys who are very young. By the way, my wife loves the breed, and she’s particularly fond of Rudy.”

  “Do they need special exercising or things like that, since they’re guard dogs?” Kat asked.

  “No, but I wouldn’t want to see them try and acclimate themselves to a small apartment or condominium with no yard. They’re big dogs and need some exercise, but usually just being outdoors for a period of time will be enough for them. While they appear very threatening to others, as I said earlier, they don’t attack without provocation or a command being given to them.”

  “Since I have a small dog, the Westie I mentioned, could a Rottweiler co-exist with her?”

  “Yes. As I said, my dogs are totally socialized. Since I sell almost exclusively to law enforcement personnel they have to be trained to get along with other dogs and people. They are pretty much one person or one family dogs. In other words, the dogs have an owner who is employed in law enforcement. They’re not the property of the police agency. They like to bond with their owners. If you’d like, I can set up a time for you to meet Rudy and see if he’s what you're thinking about getting.”

  “Casey, I’ll be very honest. Until Nick’s brother turned up on my doorstep this morning and told me he was giving me Rudy as a gift, other than an occasional fleeting thought that I might need a guard dog since I live alone, I never dreamed I’d even think of owning a large dog like a Rottweiler. Now it looks like it’s going to be a reality. Could you see me this afternoon? And lastly, if Rudy and I get along, could I take him with me?”

  “Yes, if you like him, he can go home with you. I could see you at 2:30 this afternoon. Will that work for you?”

  “That would be fine. I have your address, and I understand your kennel is about half an hour from town. I'll see you then. If you need to get in touch with me, here’s my number.”

  Kat ended the call and sat for a moment, thinking how her life had changed in the last twenty-four hours. She’d discovered Nancy’s body, been outed as writing under the pen name of Sexy Cissy, accused of causing Nancy’s death by Carl, began a relationship with Blaine, and now she was probably going to bring home a Rottweiler for protection. She sat for a moment, amazed at everything that had happened. She slowly shook her head from side to side in disbelief and then called the district attorney's office. She asked the receptionist if she could speak with Blaine Evans and gave the receptionist her name.

  A moment later she heard Blaine’s voice. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” he asked warmly.

  “I'm reporting in. I have an appointment at 2:30 to meet Rudy, the Rottweiler you’re giving me. I thought you should be the first to know.”

  “Thanks, Kat,” he said in a somber tone. “I’m worried about you living alone given everything that’s happened. Actually, I was just about to call you. The judge became ill this morning and had to adjourn court. I have some unexpected free time. How about meeting me for lunch at the country club? If you'd like, I can go out to the kennel with you.”

  “That would be wonderful. Casey said I could bring Rudy home with me if I wanted to, but I was wondering how I was physically going to do that. What time do you want me to meet you?”

  “It's 10:30 now. Let’s say 12:30. That will give us time to have a leisurely lunch and then drive out to the kennel. I’ve never been there, and Nick has talked so much about it, I’d like to see it. We can take my car from the club. I saw your car yesterday and it might be a bit tight with you, me, and Rudy in it. I understand they’re pretty big dogs.”

  “That sounds great. I definitely would like to go in your car. Driving with a big dog would really be a first for me. I could probably use a dry run in your car.”

  “Consider it done. I'll see you at 12:30.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Kat opened her closet and stood for a few moments debating what the possible future owner of a guard dog should wear that would also be appropriate for having lunch with the man who was giving her the guard dog. She wanted to look good because she had to admit she had more than a passing interest in Blaine. She finally decided on a pair of herringbone slacks and a dark blue sweater with a cowl neckline.

  She didn’t know if Rottweilers shed much, but if they did, pants that were a single color probably wouldn’t work well. It had turned cold overnight, and she thought she better wear her heavy camel colored wool coat which she only wore in the dead of winter. The weatherman had predicted the change in temperature, and on the morning news she’d listened to him talking about an approaching snowstorm.

  She drove the short distance to the country club, parked in the lot, and walked up the steps. When she opened the door and saw the Christmas trees and their twinkling lights, it reminded her that Lacie wanted Nicole to spend the Christmas break at their home rather than be with her father.

  I just don’t feel comfortable with that. If I was Carl and it was my daughter, I’d be very hurt and very angry. I really don’t know how I'm going to handle it.

  Kat saw Blaine sitting at a corner table waiting for her, looking very handsome in a grey pinstripe suit. She waved to him and held up a finger indicating she’d be there in just a moment. When she’d walked into the restaurant she’d seen Barbara standing at the hostess station and decided to ask her if anyone else had a copy of the lost manuscript for The Country Club Cover-Up.

  “Good afternoon, Barbara. How are you today?”

  “I’m fine, Mrs. Denham. What’s the occasion? I haven’t seen you in ages and now you’re here two days in a row.”

  “Well, as you know, I met my good friend Bev yesterday, and I’m meeting my friend Blaine today. If you have a moment, I’d like to ask you a couple of questions.”

  “I’m all yours until someone comes in
. What can I help you with?” Barbara asked.

  “You told me that Nancy Jennings was here for lunch last week, and you found a manuscript with a note from me attached to it under the table where she’d been seated. You also told me you copied it and had given a copy of the manuscript to Sally Lonsdale and Tiffany Conners. Did you give anyone else a copy?”

  “No, like I told you I went in the office and made a copy for Sally and then later I made one for Tiffany.”

  “Wasn’t the club manager curious as to why you were copying something that had so many pages?”

  Barbara looked down at her fingernails and then up at Kat. “Please don’t say anything to anyone. The club manager was gone for the day. I didn’t think anyone would ever find out. I made two copies, like I told you, one for each of them. If the manager finds out, I’ll lose my job, and I can’t afford to be out of work. My husband, Johnnie, lost his job a month ago, and it’s a bad time of year to find a new one. Please Mrs. Denham, don’t say anything. We really need the money I make here at the club.”

  “I won’t say anything, but I’m wondering if you returned the original manuscript to Mrs. Jennings.”

  “Not exactly. Her husband was in here for lunch the day after I’d copied the manuscript, so I gave it to him to give to her. I hope that was okay to do. Now that she’s dead, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

  “Actually, that probably explains a lot of things. Don’t worry, Barbara, your secret is safe with me, and I hope Johnnie finds work soon. Thanks for being honest with me.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Denham.” Her voice clearly conveyed her relief.

  *****

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” Kat said a moment later to Blaine, as he stood up from the table and helped her take off her coat. “I needed to ask Barbara a couple of things.”

  “From the serious looks on both of your faces, I hope your questions were answered.”