A few moments later the door was opened by a large unkempt man who looked like he hadn’t slept recently. His eyes were bloodshot, and the t-shirt he wore was stained. His hair was standing on end and in urgent need of some extensive grooming. His nose looked like it had been broken and badly set. From what she’d heard about his past, that didn’t surprise her. Although Liz didn’t feel particularly threatened by him, he was not a pleasant sight. “What do you want?” the man asked in a harsh challenging tone of voice.
“I’m Liz Langley, and I assume you’re George Myers. I work with the police chief, Seth Williams. He told me you’d called him several times regarding your wife who seems to be missing. I’d like to talk to you, so we can start the procedures for filing a missing person report. Seth had some other things that needed to be taken care of today, and he asked me to come in his place. May my dog and I come in?”
“I don’t like dogs much. Why does he have to come in?”
“Unfortunately I have a medical condition, and he’s a therapy dog. My doctor insists I keep him with me at all times.”
“Well, in that case I guess he can come in. Is he housebroken?” George asked as he opened the door for Liz and Winston.
“Yes, and he won’t leave my side. I’ll only be a few minutes,” she said sitting down in a chair he indicated with a wave of his hand while Winston sat next to her. “Please tell me everything you know about your wife’s disappearance. You might want to start with the last time you saw her.”
George put his head in his hands and was quiet for several long moments. Finally he looked up at Liz, sighed, and began to talk, “I came home for lunch day before yesterday, just as I usually do. We kind of had a loose arrangement of meeting at home for lunch. Ruby was here before me, and when I came in we talked for awhile. She left to go back to work at the Forestry Service office, and I left to go to my job at the lumber mill. That was the last time I saw her,” he said visibly distraught.
As he spoke to Liz, his voice shook, and he nervously wrung his hands together. He continued, “She never came home that night. Yesterday I went over to Pleasantville where her mother lives, and I saw Ruby’s car in the driveway. I went up to the door and rang the bell, but no one answered it. It was as if she was avoiding me for some reason. I went back to her mother’s house yesterday afternoon, but Ruby’s car wasn’t there. I don’t know what’s happened to her.”
“Mr. Myers, did you have an argument with her? Could there be some other reason she might be avoiding you?” Liz said thinking of David and his former relationship with Ruby. “Could her mother be protecting her for some reason?”
“If she is I don’t know why,” he said in a ragged voice. “Her mother’s never liked me, and she barely agreed to come to our wedding. She didn’t think I was good enough for her daughter, but I’ve been a very good husband to Ruby. I can’t figure out why she’s avoiding me.”
I think I can, Liz thought, but it probably would be premature for me to say anything.
“Mr. Myers, since you didn’t see Ruby when you went back to her mother’s home yesterday, is there a chance she’s left and gone somewhere else?”
“I don’t know. All I want is for Ruby to come back home.”
“Has she ever done anything like this in the past?”
“Never. We’ve been married for six months, and it’s been the happiest and best time of my life. I thought it was for her too. Now I don’t know what to make of her disappearance.”
“I hate to ask this, Mr. Myers, but have you ever given her reason to fear you? It’s been my experience that if a woman doesn’t want her husband to find her, often it’s because she’s afraid of him.”
“No. I’ve never threatened her, and I’ve never touched her in anger. I’m one of the mildest people in the world. I can’t remember the last time I was angry about anything.”
“Let me change the subject. You mentioned you work at the lumber mill. Why aren’t you there today?”
“I can’t face up to going to work until I find Ruby. I didn’t go in yesterday. Look at me. I’m a mess without her. I’ve got to find her. Please help me.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I believe you mentioned to the police chief that Ruby sometimes went to a bar after work. What’s the name of it? Maybe someone there knows something.”
“It’s the Last Chance Saloon. I called there night before last to see if she’d been there that night, but they said they hadn’t seen her. I dunno. Maybe they were protecting her or something.”
Liz stood up and put out her hand. “I’ll see what I can do about finding Ruby. If you think of any reason why she may be avoiding you, please call me. It might help me find her.”
“Yeah, you’ll be the first to know after I talk to her.”
Liz looked him squarely in the eye. For a brief moment she saw rage in his eyes, and then they reverted to the puppy like quality she’d seen in them when she first entered the house. “Mr. Myers, if she doesn’t want to see you at the moment, I’d advise you to give up your search until this problem is solved. If she’s afraid of you for some reason and finds out you’re searching for her, it might cause her to continue to stay away or do something stupid which could result in her being hurt.”
He muttered something under his breath, and Liz swore he said, “The only person that might hurt her is me when I find her.”
“Mr. Myers, let me caution you again to let the professionals do what they’re trained to do. The police chief has made her disappearance a priority, and I’m sure we’ll find her. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Winston, come,” she said, and the two of them walked out the front door and over to her van.
After she and Winston had gotten in the van she turned to Winston and said, “Either George Myers has his head in the sand, or he’s hiding something, and it’s up to me to find out which one it is.”
CHAPTER 18
“Winston, we’ve got a little time before I have to get back to the lodge and get ready for dinner tonight. I remember seeing that art gallery across from the parking lot out by the Jefferson timber property. I think we need to go there and see if I can find something for the lodge.”
Winston thumped his tail in complete agreement. Red Cedar was a small town, and George lived only a few minutes from the Markham Gallery, so the drive to the gallery was short. Liz glanced at her watch and saw it was almost noon. Good, she thought, I’m sure the gallery will be open by now. After she parked in the lot she noticed there was an OPEN sign on the front door of the gallery. When she opened the door a bell tinkled, and an attractive woman entered the room through a piece of cloth that had been hung up to separate the front of the building from the back.
“Hi. I’m Joan Markham. Welcome to my gallery. Sorry for my appearance, but I’m working on a painting,” she said laughing as she pointed to the paint-spattered smock she was wearing. Liz immediately liked the dark-haired woman with the greyest eyes Liz had ever seen. Her hair was pulled away from her face and swept up in a ponytail. Even though she appeared to be in her early 40’s, an age when most women wouldn’t consider wearing their hair in a ponytail, on Joan Markham it seemed perfectly natural.
“Well, if you’re busy painting, I assume that most of the paintings I see on the walls are by you. Would that be correct?”
“Yes. I suppose some people would say it’s an exercise in vanity, but I always wanted a gallery where I could display my art, and a few years ago I asked myself what I was waiting for. My parents owned this property, and it became mine when they died. The building we’re in was originally their home. I converted the front into an art gallery, and I live in the back.”
“You probably know Gertie of Gertie’s Diner. I was driving by here the other day with her, and she mentioned that you display your work at a gallery in San Francisco as well as here,” Liz said as she walked around the room admiring the paintings that were on display. “You’re very good. I like how you’ve brought people into the landscapes and seascapes
of Northern California. The effect is quite stunning. How did you come up with that particular way of doing art?”
“People fascinate me. Some of my first memories include me trying to capture what a person looked like by drawing them on paper. It continued as I got older. I rarely forget a face, and I like to paint people as they appear in natural settings. With so much beauty around here, I try to preserve it through my paintings. I don’t know if it will be here forever. I suppose it’s my way of giving back to the universe.
“To change the subject, yes, I do know Gertie, and I heard about her step-brother’s death. Please tell her how sorry I am. I don’t know her well, but occasionally I go to her diner for a hamburger and chocolate malt. I know I shouldn’t,” she said patting her stomach, “but it’s as if my stomach has a mind of its own on those occasions, and my only job is to listen to it. I heard her step-brother was murdered somewhere on the timber property just across the road.”
“Yes. Actually, I’m helping the police chief try to solve the murder. For some reason I’ve found myself embroiled in some other murders, and I’ve been able to solve them, so Chief Williams asked if I’d help him with this one.”
“When was he murdered?” Joan asked.
“Probably late in the afternoon the day before yesterday. Why?”
“Maybe I can help you,” she said. Joan walked over to a desk on the far side of the gallery and opened a drawer. “I have this compelling urge to take photographs of everyone who visits the parking lot across the road, whether they’re hikers, lumberjacks, or whatever. When I find a face that appeals to me, I incorporate it into one of my paintings. I use the photographs as a starting point for my art, although I do change the features a bit so the person isn’t easily recognizable. I don’t want to be sued for invasion of privacy. I suppose someone who knows the person might say that the painting bears a resemblance to so-and-so, but I think that’s as far as it would ever go.
“The photographs are dated and have the time of day on them, so I know exactly when they were taken. I remember taking some that afternoon. Let me see what I have,” she said, pulling a stack of photographs out of the desk drawer and leafing through them.
“That could be a huge help to me,” Liz said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that just because someone’s photograph was taken here on that particular afternoon that they had anything to do with the murder, but they might have seen something. I really appreciate it. Thanks.”
“Here. I found five photographs. There’s a young woman who left by herself, and about twenty minutes later a young man left. This photograph is of a man who struck me as being unhealthy. You can see from his photograph he looks very pale, and he’s a little too young to be that stoop-shouldered. Here’s one which is probably Gertie’s step-brother, because he’s wearing a Forest Service uniform, and the last one here is a photograph of a man who looked angry to me. I hope they’re of some help to you.”
“Thank you so much. I’m not sure how I’ll find these people, but Red Cedar isn’t all that big, so someone should know them unless they’re from out of town.” Liz glanced down at the photographs and involuntarily gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Joan asked.
“Well, this is almost uncanny. I recognize this man. In fact I just came from his home, and he didn’t say anything about being here. This photo confirms what his wife told me when she said she’d seen his car in the parking lot across the road.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that. You’re welcome to keep the photographs. None of the people has the type of face I’m looking for to include in my artwork. As I said, taking these photographs is kind of a compulsive habit of mine.”
“Thank you. I’d like to buy that piece hanging over in the corner,” Liz said pointing to a painting of a woman hiking on a trail. “I own the Red Cedar Spa and Lodge, and guests often ask me what else there is to do around here. I could show them that painting and tell them about the trailheads located across the road on the U.S. Forest Service land. Even if I didn’t own the spa, I’d probably buy this piece because it really speaks to me.”
“Would you be open to a trade?” Joan asked. “I’ve been promising myself forever that I would visit your spa. I really need to take time off for some massages, because I tense up with concentration when I’m working on a painting, and lately my back has really been bothering me. I’d like to apply the money I’d get for the painting to spa treatments. Would that work for you?”
“Absolutely. When you call to make an appointment, ask to speak with Bertha. She’s my manager, and I’ll tell her about our arrangement.”
“Great! Let me wrap the piece for you. I understand the dinners at the lodge are wonderful. I might have to work one of those in as well, and of course I’ve heard about the exploits of your dog, Brandy Boy, and how he carries brandy to cottage guests when one of them rings a bell,” Joan said laughing.
“Let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll show you how to ring the bell so you can watch him in action,” Liz said as she took the package from Joan. “Again, thank you. I really enjoyed meeting you and look forward to seeing you again.” Liz walked out the door to the van where Winston was standing in the front seat, keeping the van safe from all intruders.
I know it’s instinctual on his part, but you’d have to be crazy to try and break into my van with a guard dog like him standing there. She silently thanked Roger once again for giving Winston to her as a gift.
CHAPTER 19
When Liz opened the front door to the lodge, she realized she’d spent more time at the art gallery than she’d intended, and it was already mid-afternoon and time to get ready for tonight’s dinner. Gina was sitting at the kitchen counter waiting for her.
“Sorry I’m late, Gina. I got tied up. I took some steaks out of the freezer before I left this morning, and I’m planning on having Roger cook them. Sunny days like today are pretty rare here on the coast so I might as well take advantage of it and use the barbecue. I’d like you to make my special recipe for twice baked potatoes and also some rosemary bread. Oh, and I’d like to serve a wedge salad with dinner. You can put the lettuce wedges on the plates along with a salad fork and chill them in the frig. Fry some bacon and crumble it. We’ve got bleu cheese and some ranch dressing I can put on right before we serve the salads. I’ll take care of dessert, and I’ll also prep some fresh asparagus. Go ahead and assemble a cheese platter and get some crackers out of the pantry. I think that should do it for now. Let’s get started.”
They worked silently for the next couple of hours. When they were nearly finished Liz said, “I’m going downstairs and get dressed. When I come back I’ll open the wine and put the cheese and crackers out. How are you doing?”
“Fine. I finished everything you asked me to do. The only thing that’s left is to clean up the kitchen before the guests arrive. Do you want me to start the barbecue?” Gina asked.
“No, when Roger left this morning I asked him if he’d mind barbecuing the steaks tonight, and he said he’d make sure that he was home in plenty of time to take care of it. Matter of fact, I think that’s him now,” Liz said as they heard a car pull into the lodge parking lot.
Liz opened the door and waved to him when he got out of his car. She kissed him on the cheek as he came through the door. “Perfect timing. You’ve got about half an hour until the guests arrive, and we’ll eat about forty-five minutes after that. Don’t forget you promised to barbecue steaks tonight, so you’re in charge of getting the fire started. And last, but not least, how was your day?”
“Long. I need to change clothes and wash up. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Take your time. I need to go down and get dressed, too. Everything’s prepped and ready for dinner. I even have the mushroom caps ready to be sautéed in butter and garlic.” Together they walked down the stairs.
“Liz, I don’t have time to go into it now, but I made an appointment for you tomorrow with one of Lewis’ lumberjacks. I met with h
im and Lewis today, but you need to talk to him. I think he might be of some help in the murder investigation. Hope you don’t mind, but you’re scheduled to meet him at 11:00 in my office. I’ll tell you more after dinner.”
“That definitely whets my curiosity. I have a few things to share with you as well. After dinner it is.”
A few hours later after the last guest had left, Liz turned to Gina and said, “You’ve put in a long day, young lady. Thanks for everything. I had a lot of compliments on the twice baked potatoes and the salad. I think you’re probably about ready to do a whole meal by yourself.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Liz, but I don’t think I’m anywhere near ready for prime time. Don’t even consider it. I’d be scared to death. Let me keep learning from you for a few more months before you trust me with anything like that. I’d hate for you to have a mass exodus from the cottages because of me preparing a really bad dinner or even worse, everyone getting sick from something I did or didn’t do,” Gina said laughing as she walked out the door. “See you tomorrow afternoon.”
“Roger, why don’t you go downstairs and unwind while you watch the nightly news. I’ll take care of Brandy Boy and Winston. Since the cottages are full, I better make sure Brandy Boy has enough brandy in his cask to make his deliveries. I’m sure some of the guests will want to see our famous St. Bernard in action tonight. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
*****
“Well, now that you’ve had time to take a few deep breaths and unwind a little, tell me what Lewis’ employee had to say at your meeting today.”
“I don’t know what to make of any of it, but he said he saw several people near the scene of the murder on that afternoon. He recognized one of them because he’s a Jefferson Lumber employee. Evidently he’s the one I mentioned to you that has cancer. Apparently he’s certain he got it from exposure to the formaldehyde that’s used by Jefferson Lumber in the manufacture of their plywood. Think I told you Lewis is a little concerned that his manager got sloppy, and that the necessary safety precautions weren’t taken care of properly. This employee’s name is Mark Bailey. He also saw a younger man and a woman walking together near where David was murdered. A little later he said he saw a bearded man in a California Forestry uniform and lastly, a large man who, in Mark’s words, looked like he was angry.”
The Blue Butterfly: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Page 7