by Raven Snow
For all the snark, Rowen liked Lucy. She had been a close friend of Seraphina, a woman who had befriended Rowen’s aunts and frequented their shop. Her statue still stood in front of Odds & Ends, a monument almost as ostentatious as the woman herself had been. Lucy had since purchased her old friend’s house. She lived in it only occasionally, as a vacation home of sorts. “I appreciate you coming all the way out here,” said Rowen after swallowing her mouthful of granola. It was chewier than she would have liked and very dry. “Is there a dress code in there? I won’t stay long.”
Lucy laughed. “I was only joking. There’s no rich and glamorous here in Lainswich. This place is a glorified community center. I hate it.” She motioned Rowen back to her car. “Follow me and keep close. Don’t let them shut the gates on you.”
Rowen hurried back across the street and did just that. “What did she say?” asked Margo, still staring intently at her reflection in the mirror.
“She said I don’t look like I’ll fit in here, but it might not be a big deal if we hurry.” From the corner of her eye, she saw the beginnings of a self-satisfied smile sneak onto Margo’s face.
“See? I told you!”
“You did.”
***
The gate very nearly swung shut on the bumper of Rowen’s car, but she made it through. She followed Lucy up along the drive, to the large country manor that served as the club’s main structure. There were already a couple of employees hurrying out the front door as she parked. She could see one of them talking quickly into a walkie-talkie.
Rowen cut the engine and got out of the car. “I’m sorry,” said the man not holding the walkie. He rushed up to her, a big mirthless smile on his face as he crowded her back toward her vehicle. “This is actually private property. There’s an office outside of the gates, if you—”
“She’s with me,” said Lucy.
The man crowding Rowen took a step back. It was a good thing too. He’d just taken her arm like he was going to shove her back into the car himself. That had been an intensely uncomfortable thing. Now his eyes grew wide. “Oh!” he said, eyebrows rising high. “Ms. Odele, I didn’t realize. You’ve, ah… You’ve never brought guests before.”
“Well, I have today,” she declared, as if it was fine. As if, regardless of what country club rules might be, she could follow or ignore them as she saw fit.
Apparently, that was the case. The man stepped back. He quickly went to the fellow with the walkie-talkie and said something to him. In turn, the guy with the walkie-talkie hurried off into the distance. Rowen watched him wave his arms at a golf cart bouncing along the dips and hills of the course in their direction. A couple of security guards, she realized. The cart slowed to a more reasonable speed.
“Is there anything I can help you with, Ma’am?” asked the man who had crowded Rowen.
“I’m not sure yet,” said Lucy. “I’ll think on it. Come on, girls.” Lucy led the way inside. Rowen followed along behind her. Margo did the same, regarding the club’s staff coolly as she passed them.
The inside of the country club really was impressive. Lucy might not have thought so, but Rowen did. The floors were a glossy polished marble. There were white columns and huge bay windows that allowed lots of natural sunlight in. It had a last century charm to it. Rowen wondered if they were doing anything for the tricentennial. Surely, this place had a history.
“I donate quite a lot of money to this place,” Lucy said, once they were out of earshot to the staff. “I don’t know why, but I do.” She sighed as she walked across the building and right out the back, onto the patio. She took a seat at a white table, beneath the shade of an umbrella. There were a few people also seated nearby. They all looked to be having lunch. A few glanced up, frowning in Rowen’s direction as she took a seat across from Lucy. “They do make some amazing Greek food here,” said Lucy, removing her gloves one finger at a time.
A waiter hurried over and offered them all some menus. He took their drink orders. Lucy and Margo both ordered something fruity and alcoholic. Rowen just frowned at the menu. “Is water free?”
The waiter raised his eyebrows at her. “That um… Well, I guess that depends at what kind of water you want.”
There were water options. Rowen wasn’t used to water options. “The free kind?” she ventured.
The waiter nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Rowen looked back to the menu as soon as he had gone. As nice as it would be to sit here and have lunch with Lucy, these prices weren’t something she was prepared to pay. “I should actually try and talk to as many people as I can while I’m here,” she said.
“Rowen.” Margo shot a dirty look at her cousin. “Lucy was kind enough to let us in here. The least you can do is be civil enough to sit down and have lunch with us.”
“I’m all right,” said Rowen, even though she was starving. She pulled the remainder of the granola bar from her pocket. “I’ve got this.”
Lucy frowned again, but there was no judgment there this time. She was frowning at the granola bar. “That looks terrible. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Rowen took a big bite of the bar to try and prove this was what she would rather eat anyway. It tasted as terrible as she remembered. How did Margo stomach these things?
“Who was it you needed to talk to?” asked Lucy, changing the subject.
“Anyone involved with Edward Waite. Dentist friends, caddies, anyone he played golf with.”
“Edward Waite.” Lucy gazed out across the green. “I remember him, I think. Well, I don’t remember him exactly. I do recall a pack of dentists I’ve seen rove about on occasion. If I were you, I would go speak with the caddies. Do you have any cash on you? They’re dreadfully underpaid. I’m sure any one of them would be more than willing to chat for a twenty.”
“That, I think I can spare.” Rowen stood. “I’ll be back.”
“I think they like to sit around in that little white building out there,” said Lucy, pointing. “Take care.”
Rowen looked down at her cousin, but Margo continued to stare intently at her menu. There was no point in making a fuss. It wasn’t like she couldn’t do this on her own. She started in the direction of the building, eating the rest of the granola bar as she went. It really was better than nothing. Barely.
The building Lucy had pointed to was more or less a shed. It was painted white. There was no sign anywhere that said only employees were allowed inside, but it looked implied. It was the sort of place where you would find equipment. Most of the people who came to a course like this likely brought their own. Rowen shoved her empty wrapper in her back pocket and opened the door.
There were only a couple of guys in the shed. They jumped when the door opened and stared at her when she entered. The shed was indeed a place to store equipment. It also looked to be where the poor caddies and maintenance men took their breaks. One of the guys was young and in khakis. The other was wearing blue coveralls. Both sat on overturned milk crates and had half eaten subs in their laps. A box fan sat between them.
“Don’t you guys have a break room?” asked Rowen, tugging at her collar. The shed felt hot and stuffy and she had only just stepped in it.
“Um.” The young guy kept right on staring. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so.”
“Are you a member of this club?” asked the older man in coveralls.
“No, but I came here with someone who is. She said that you could help me.”
“They can probably help you a lot better at the front desk, Ma’am. This isn’t really—”
“I have some questions I hope you guys can answer for me. I’m sure you’d be able to a lot better than anyone up at the front desk could.” Rowen took her wallet from her purse and prayed they didn’t take offense. “My friend said you’d be the people to ask if I had questions about other folks who come golfing here.”
“If I can,” said the young man, eyes on her wallet.
The maintenance guy smirked. “
I’m Walt, that’s Blake.”
“Don’t give her our names, man!”
Walt just laughed. When Rowen looked at him, fingers still in her wallet, he inclined his head toward Blake. She handed Blake forty rather than splitting it up. “Who were you wondering about?” he asked, shoving the bills in his pocket.
“I’m sure you heard about Edward Waite. The guy who was murdered? I hear he used to be a member here.”
Blake and Walt exchanged another look, this one somber. No doubt, it was a subject of much gossip among the staff. “Yeah. Scary stuff, isn’t it?” asked Blake. “Cults. I mean, seriously? Cults? I didn’t know that was a thing that actually happened.”
“You’d be surprised,” said Walt.
“So, do you two remember him?” asked Rowen, getting things back on track.
Blake frowned. It was the kind of thoughtful frown that said no memories were leaping immediately to mind. He had probably seen the guy around, but he clearly hadn’t stood out. “I remember the group he was in, I guess,” he said, finally. “He was a dentist, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Yeah. He golfed with a lot of other dentists most of the time. I hate dentists.”
“Do you remember anything that might be helpful?” asked Rowen.
Blake chewed on the inside of his mouth. The kid genuinely looked like he wanted to help. “I guess… Maybe they didn’t really like him? If it’s the guy I’m thinking about, they would talk behind his back a lot.”
“Did you hear what they said?”
“Not really. They’d glance back at him a lot and talk really quick to one another when he wasn’t looking. I’m not really sure what they were talking about. Work maybe?”
Rowen nodded. That would make sense. Edward’s wife had mentioned that he had had a drug problem. If that was the case, then they probably had talked about him quite a bit. “Did Edward seem to notice?”
“I really don’t think he did. He was always going off by himself. He seemed out of it when he got back, like…”
“Like what?”
“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”
“He’s dead.”
“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead then.”
“Did it seem like he was slipping off to get high?” Rowen came right out with the question since it seemed like Blake didn’t want to just say it.
Blake winced. “Not that exactly. He was being distant, but it was more like he couldn’t keep up the act for long periods. I had an uncle who was an addict. He’d show up to family gatherings like he was fine, but then his hands would start shaking. You could totally tell when you spent too long around him.”
Rowen nodded. As sad as all that was, it didn’t tell her a whole lot that she didn’t already know. “Anything else?”
“I think some of them are here right now.”
“Really?” That stirred Rowen’s interest.
Blake’s expression brightened, like he was pleased to have finally earned that forty bucks. “Yeah. I know at least two of them are. I saw them getting here right before I came in here for lunch.”
“Do you know where they are?”
“They haven’t been here long. Probably on the first or second hole still.”
Rowen nodded. “Thanks. She turned for the door. Sorry to take up part of your lunch break and, don’t worry, if anyone asks, the two of you only told me to check with the front desk.”
Blake and Walt settled easily back into whatever conversation they had been having before she had interrupted them, like this didn’t bother them in the least. Rowen headed back across the lawn, making her way to the table where Lucy and Margo still sat. Their food had already been delivered as well as their fruity drinks and Rowen’s free water.
“Well, that was quick,” said Lucy, looking up. She nodded to the seat Rowen had vacated. “I don’t suppose you want half my sandwich, do you? I can never finish a whole one as delicious as they are.”
Rowen wondered if Lucy had ordered a sandwich just so that she could offer to buy lunch for her without anyone taking offense. It was a kind offer regardless… and a tempting one. “I need to hurry out there and see if I can catch Edward’s friends before they leave,” said Rowen. “The guys I asked said that they were here.”
“Hmm.” Lucy looked out across the green. “Well, sit down and let us finish eating. I’ll go introduce you when we’re done.”
“What?”
“I’ll go introduce you when we’re finished.” Lucy took a dish some sort of white spread was on and scraped the last of the spread onto her own plate. “Here,” she said, handing the dish to Rowen and plopping half of her sandwich down onto it. “Eat. We’ll go meet them in just a little while.”
“Do you know them?”
“No, but I’m sure they’ve heard of me. I’ll introduce myself and then I’ll introduce you. Who wouldn’t want to meet me, after all?”
“But, what if they’re gone by then?”
“Golf is dreadfully slow. Trust me. They’ll be out there for ages.” Lucy took a bite of her sandwich, making a satisfied sound as she chewed. “Absolutely delicious.”
Rowen looked down at the sandwich. It smelled like turkey and herbs and something distinctly Mediterranean. Her stomach growled, and Rowen relented. Lucy was right. It was delicious. “Oh… Oh wow. Thanks for this.”
***
The meal was a nice one. Margo and Lucy made small talk while Rowen focused on what she would ask the dentists. Well, that and how good her sandwich was. She wished she had been able to have a whole one. Despite what Lucy had said, she definitely would have been able to finish it.
Once the check came, Margo was a lot less talkative. As nice as her salad had been, it was probably going to set her back quite a bit. “Excuse me.” Lucy got the attention of their waiter as he was returning their cards. “I saw some gentlemen arrive a little while ago. Dentists I think they were? They’re out on the green. Can you ask someone about that? Tell them Lucy Odele is asking after them. I’d love to chat.”
It was impressive how much sway Lucy held over everyone here. Once she was done agonizing over the tip, Margo was right back to watching her with a dreamy kind of smile. Maybe she’d be better off courting Lucy than Jasper. Rowen had never seen her cousin look at someone so fondly. Lucy must have noticed. She reached over and touched Margo’s arm. “You’ll have to come back here with me, if you enjoy this place. I don’t have anyone to sit around and judge others with since Seraphina left me.”
“I would love that,” Margo said, plainly—Even though Rowen had no idea how she would afford it.
It took about fifteen minutes before the man who had rushed them in the parking lot hurried over. “Hello there Ms. Odele… and guests. I heard you were hoping to speak with a couple gentlemen out on the fairway?”
“Is that all right?” asked Lucy.
“Of course. They said they would be thrilled for the company.”
“Thrilled?” Lucy repeated, raising her eyebrows. “Well, we better hurry over there.”
“Of course. We’ll have someone drive you.” They were all led to a golf cart driven by a young, bored looking man who reminded Rowen a lot of Blake. They were driven along a little white road and across acres and acres of green until they finally came to a stop beside a second golf cart.
Two older men stood there, one lining up his shot. They looked to be sharing a caddy. They both looked up. The man lining up his shot, made the quick putt into the hole and handed the golf club to the caddy. “Miss Lucy Odele,” he said, spreading his arms theatrically as he approached. “I’d heard you were asking after us, but I didn’t quite believe it.”
Lucy put on a smile. “Alfred Beech,” she said, as if she had known who they would be seeing when they got here the whole time. “I’m always having to turn down your dinner invitations. I thought I should at least come over and say hello when I heard you were here.” She nodded to the man he was playing golf with. “I’m n
ot sure I’ve met your friend?”
“Dr. McMillan,” said the man, offering his hand. “David.” David had light brown hair shot through with white and an impressive mustache.
Lucy shook McMillan’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Who are your friends?” asked Beech. He looked a little older than McMillan. His hair was completely gray. His eyebrows were thick and always moving, like they had a mind of their own.
Lucy motioned back to Rowen and Margo. “That’s Rowen Greensmith, and this is Margo Greensmith. They were also interested in meeting you.”
“Oh?” Beech’s eyebrows rose like fluffy clouds.
Rowen nodded. “We were hoping to ask you about Edward Waite.”
McMillan looked at his friend. He and Beech exchanged a look that was difficult to read. “It’s a shame what happened to him,” McMillan said when he looked back to Rowan and the others.
Beech nodded in agreement. “He worked at my practice. He’s certainly left a void, I can say that much.”
“He wasn’t working there when he was killed, though. Was he?” asked Rowen.
Beech stared at Rowen slightly longer than she was comfortable with. “You work with a newspaper, don’t you?” he asked, finally.
“Combination blog and paper, but yes,” Rowen said with a nod.
“I’m not sure how I feel about being interviewed,” said Beech. “No disrespect.”
“None taken,” Rowen said quickly. “I’m just trying to follow up on some things that his wife told us. She mentioned that he had a drug problem.”
Beech and McMillan exchanged another look. “Well, if Janice already said something, I suppose there’s no harm in it,” said Beech. “Edward did have a drug problem. It’s not too uncommon in this industry, I’m afraid. I’ve seen it happen before, and I don’t doubt I’ll see it happen again.” He shook his head, slow and sad. “I didn’t want to fire him. I was hoping he would beat his demons and come back to us. His job was still waiting for him. I hate that he never got the chance to reclaim it.”