Murder in Cottage #6 (Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series Book 1)

by Dianne Harman

  She called Wes back. “Wes, this is Liz Lucas. I got your message. I have one question, well, actually two. Have you told Seth yet, and have you told Dave?” She listened and then said, “Would you do me a favor and wait about an hour before you tell Seth? I’d like to tell Dave myself, and I’d also like to ask him where he was from the time Barbara left the lodge after dinner at about 8:30 until the time when Bertha found her a little after 8:00 the next morning. It seems to me there’s almost a twelve hour time frame when anyone who is a possible suspect needs to account for their whereabouts. It sounds very strange to me to be using terms like suspects, but I guess I better get used to it if I’m going to solve the crime. By the way, I appreciate your words of advice about me trying to find out who did it, but I have to tell you this is completely new territory for me. Looking at something through the eyes of a private investigator is nothing I’ve ever done before, but it’s something I better try to do if I want to keep my spa’s reputation from having mud splattered all over it. When you get the results back from the police lab in San Francisco, I’d really like to know what they found out. Thanks a lot for telling me first about the autopsy results.”

  After she ended the call she said, “Winston, come. Time for your first trip in the van. We need to go see Dave and tell him his wife was murdered. Just the visit I really want to make. Let’s go.” She picked up her purse and headed out the front door. As usual, Brandy Boy was sound asleep on the porch. He opened one eye when Liz closed the door, not bothering to acknowledge Winston.

  “You’re a good rider, Winston,” she said a few minutes later. “I’d take you into Dave’s house with me, but I don’t think I’m in any danger from him. You stay in the van. This shouldn’t take long.”

  She knocked on the front door, and this time it was quickly opened by Dave. “Hello, Liz. I hope you have a more pleasant reason to be here than you did yesterday. Please come in.” He looked past her and saw Winston standing on the front seat of the van. “New addition to the family, or have you always had him?”

  She walked into the hallway. “A friend gave him to me today. He thought I needed a guard dog out at the spa.” She took a deep breath and said, “I wish this was purely a social visit, but I just had a call from Wes Anderson. The autopsy report indicates Barbara was murdered.”

  She was curious as to what his reaction would be. He bent over as if he’d been punched in the stomach, and said stuttering, “BBaarbara wwwas mmmurdered. That can’t be. Wwhho would murder Barbara? WWhhy?” He stumbled to a nearby chair, sat down heavily, and put his head in his hands. “Are you certain?” he asked after a few moments, taking his hands away from his face and looking at her.

  If he’s acting, he’s doing a very good job, but then again, I’ve never had to tell anyone their wife was murdered, so I really don’t know if this is a normal or abnormal reaction to hearing news like that.

  “All I know is what Wes told me. He thinks she was poisoned. Wes said he had the necessary testing equipment to determine that she didn’t die from an overdose of alcohol or sleeping pills or a combination of the two. He couldn’t identify the substance used to poison her because his testing equipment is not state of the art. He didn’t see any needle marks on her body, so he assumed she ingested whatever it was orally. He sent a blood sample to the police lab in San Francisco and said he should hear something from them tomorrow or the next day.”

  “Barbara didn’t take drugs of any kind. She wouldn’t even take aspirin. I really don’t understand this. Someone must have given her something, maybe hiding it in her food or whatever, but who or why?”

  “I have no idea. It’s been my experience from the little I’ve had to do with the Red Cedar police chief that solving this case in a timely manner is not going to happen. Since her death occurred on my property, I’m going to ask a few questions of the people who knew her well. Sorry Dave, but any good detective would ask where you were between the hours of 8:30 night before last and 8:00 yesterday morning.”

  “You’re kidding, right? This is ridiculous. I don’t have to answer that question. It’s none of your business,” he said angrily.

  “Since it’s my reputation that’s on the line here, I’m definitely not kidding. If you don’t tell me, I may have to ask the state police to come in and investigate, and I don’t think either one of us wants that along with the bad publicity that will go with it. I wouldn’t think a recently re-elected mayor who might have thoughts of higher office would like that kind of publicity.”

  He was quiet for a moment with a grim look on his face, seemingly deep in thought. “You met Darcy Martinez when you were here yesterday.” He looked down at his hands. “Barbara and I had an agreement. Over the years, we’d lost interest in each other. There just wasn’t anything there anymore. We had nothing in common. I was interested in politics. She was interested in antiques. Darcy shared my passion for politics, and in the last few months, we’ve been seeing one another. I was with her on the night in question, but let me make one thing crystal clear. I respected Barbara and almost put her on a pedestal. She knew about Darcy, but I was very careful to be discreet. I don’t think anyone in town even suspects that Darcy and I are seeing one another. As the principal of the high school, she had to protect her reputation as much as I had to as mayor.”

  This man is living in a dream world. Gertie, the police chief, and everyone else in town seem to know about the affair. What is he thinking?

  “Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it must be painful to have to admit something like that, but sometimes in life these things happen. I won’t be the one to sully your reputation by telling people about it. I’ll leave you alone now. Stay where you are and I’ll let myself out. Oh, by the way, where does Darcy live?”

  “Why? Are you going to check my story with her?”

  “I’d like to know where she was during those hours. Given the circumstances, I’m sure you’ll agree that a prudent investigator would want to ask her that question.”

  “Well, she’ll tell you the same thing I just told you. She lives in the apartments across the street from Lucky Boy Supermarket. Her apartment number is 201.”

  Liz opened the front door and walked down the sidewalk to her van. Winston was wagging his tail, clearly glad she’d returned from possible harm’s way, safe and sound.

  “Good job guarding the van, Winston. Good boy. I have to make one more stop, and then we’ll go home. When we get back to the lodge, I need to call Judy and confirm she’s coming up tomorrow. Also, I need to discuss everything that’s happened today with Roger. He’s going to want to know how I like you, which I really do, and I’d like to know how his trial is going.”

  A few minutes later Liz pulled up to an attractive brick apartment building with white wooden shutters and brightly colored flower beds flanking the sidewalk that led to the large cedar entry doors. She turned to Winston. “Stay. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She entered the building and saw the elevator a few feet down the hall. She took it to the second floor and made her way to apartment 201 which was only a few steps from the elevator. Liz heard music coming from inside the apartment. She knocked on the door, and a few moments later it was opened by Darcy.

  She stood there looking at Liz, obviously trying to place her. After a moment she smiled with recognition and said, “Please come in. I met you yesterday at Dave’s home. You’re the owner of the Red Cedar Spa. I just left the high school. What can I do for you?”

  Liz told her what the coroner had said. Darcy stood quietly for a moment, looking out the window, and then she began speaking. “I only met Barbara once, but she seemed very nice. Do you have any idea who might have killed her?”

  “No, I wish I did. Since she died on my property, I definitely want to find out who did it. I don’t want to lose business because of this, and if the case isn’t solved quickly, there’s a very good chance I will. I’m visiting the people who might have known either her or Dave. You seem to be a good friend of his.
I’m wondering where you were between the hours of 8:30 night before last and 8:00 yesterday morning.”

  There was no mistaking the look of anger that flashed across Darcy’s face. “What makes you think I’d tell you that? You’re not part of law enforcement. There’s no reason for me to tell you.”

  “Well, there actually is a reason. I just came from Dave’s home, and he said he spent the night with you. He told me he’d been seeing you. I think it’s rather obvious that you might have benefited if Barbara died. I understand she was a very strong Catholic and wouldn’t even consider a divorce. With her out of the way, you and Dave would be free to get married.”

  “David said he spent the night with me? Is that true?” Darcy demanded.

  “Yes. Like I said, I just came from Dave’s home, and he’s the one who told me.”

  “I see. Well, if he told you that, I’ll confirm that yes, he was here all night on the night in question. We both left the apartment yesterday morning about 7:00. I like to get to the high school before the teachers or students arrive, and he likes to get to his insurance agency an hour or so before his clients start arriving for scheduled appointments. We were here all night. Neither one of us left the apartment that night, so it couldn’t have been either one of us who committed the crime.”

  “Thank you, Darcy. I’m sure you can understand how anxious I am to find out who the killer is and have this unfortunate episode behind me. It’s getting very close to my busiest season, and if word gets out about this and people think there’s a killer on the loose at the spa, it could be a disaster for my business.”

  “Yes. I understand your concerns. You seem like a nice person, and I wish I could help you, but I can’t. I know nothing more than what I just told you. From what I understand, Barbara and Dave haven’t been close for many years. Maybe she had a boyfriend. Those things happen, you know.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that but maybe she did. Thanks for your help. This can’t be an easy time for you. I’m sure very few people know that Dave and Barbara have had a marriage of convenience only for a long time. It must be very difficult for you to have to stay in the shadows.”

  “It is, but perhaps in a few months Dave and I can be seen together publicly. Maybe something good will come from something that is terribly bad. Isn’t it strange where life takes you?” she said wistfully.

  “Yes it is. I wish you well, Darcy. Again, thanks.”

  Good grief. These two must be living in la-la land if they think no one knows about their affair. And isn’t it convenient that Dave and Darcy backed up each other’s alibi. If one of them is the murderer, maybe they decided in advance to use each other as an alibi. Wow, that sounds real private eyeish. And Barbara having a boyfriend? No one’s mentioned that. If there was any truth to it I would have thought her partner at the antique store might have mentioned it. However, with Barbara being such a strong Catholic, I have a hard time thinking of her having a romantic affair outside of her marriage. Then again, you just never know about people.

  CHAPTER 12

  Fortunately it was one of the few nights of the year when there weren’t any guests staying in the cottages, so Liz didn’t have to rush home and fix appetizers and dinner for them. Knowing that no guests would be on the property, she was glad Winston would be with her. With everything that had happened in the last day and a half, she was no longer comfortable being by herself at the lodge during the night.

  “Okay boy, time for dinner,” Liz said as she pulled her van into the lodge’s parking lot. Winston’s ears went up, and as soon as she opened the door on the van, he ran up the steps to the front door of the lodge, waiting for her to open the door. A few minutes later he was hungrily eating the bowl of food Liz had put out for him. “Good grief, Winston. Ed didn’t tell me you were such a big eater. I’m glad he put the amount of the dog food you’re supposed to have on the instruction sheet, or I would have kept feeding you until you stopped eating! From what I’m seeing your tummy probably would have burst about that time.” He wagged his tail and continued eating.

  No doubt about it. This dog understands everything I’m saying!

  She suddenly remembered she hadn’t booked any spa treatments for Judy or herself for tomorrow. She looked at the kitchen clock and thought, Delores should still be at the spa.

  “Hi, Delores. It’s Mrs. Lucas. I want to book four spa appointments for tomorrow, two for me and two for a friend of mine, Judy Rasmussen. I’d like to book facials and massages with Cindy and Gina for both of us. I can have a massage while Judy’s having a facial, and then you can reverse them. I’m open on the times. If you have to stagger us, that’s fine too. Go ahead and check what’s available, and I’ll wait.” She doodled on the pad of paper next to the phone while she waited for Delores to come back on the line.

  “That’s great. So you booked me for a massage at 9:00 and Judy for a massage at 10:30 and facials at 2:00 and 3:00. Perfect. See you tomorrow.”

  She called Judy. “Hi, hope you’re still planning on coming up tomorrow, because I just booked our spa appointments.”

  “What time is my first appointment?” Judy asked.

  “You’re on for a massage at 10:30. You should be able to easily make it here by then. I have a massage at 9:00, so I’ll probably be over at the spa when you get here. I reserved cottage #1 for you. We didn’t have any guests today, so it should be ready for you when you get here. You can go to Bertha’s office in the lodge and get the key from her. Judy, do you have a few minutes? I’ve got a lot to tell you.”

  Liz filled Judy in on everything that had happened at the spa beginning with Bertha discovering Barbara’s body. She related her thinking about some of the possible suspects and finished by telling her Roger had gotten her a guard dog.

  “Liz, I haven’t met Roger yet, but he must really care for you if he got you a guard dog. Is this man becoming a person of interest in your life?”

  “Could be, Judy, could be. I like him a lot. I really do want you to meet him. He’s started coming up here quite often. In fact, he drove up last night and left early this morning. He had to get back in time for a big trial he has that started today.”

  “Wait a minute. The guy drove up from San Francisco the night before he’s starting a big trial just to see you, and then he gets you a guard dog that’s fully trained? Do you have any idea what dogs like that cost? I looked into buying one once, and we’re easily talking high four figures, maybe five. That doesn’t sound like a casual relationship to me. Want to tell me anything else?” she said with a teasing sound in her voice.

  “Nope, nothing else to tell. Anyway, I won’t be seeing him for the next few weeks because of his trial.”

  “If he came up the night before a big trial, I’d bet everything I own he’ll be back a lot sooner than you think. For whatever it’s worth, that’s my two cents on the subject. When I get there tomorrow I want to hear every detail about this murder. I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but it probably won’t help your spa business when the word gets out.”

  “I’m well aware of that. The coroner told me I should try to solve the crime myself, because he doesn’t think much of the abilities of the chief of police.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding! You don’t know anything about private investigating, do you?”

  “Well, I’ve never done it before, but if it means the difference between losing the spa because of bad publicity and holding on to it, I’ll do everything I can to find the killer.”

  “I don’t know if I can be of any help in catching whoever did it, but count me in. Hate for my best friend to get knocked off while she’s trying to find the killer. Liz, I’ve got to tell you this sounds like something stranger than fiction. I’m really glad Roger got the dog for you. Maybe he had some kind of a premonition. Gotta go. Someone’s at the door. See you tomorrow!”

  “I don’t know how this is going to work out, Winston. Judy doesn’t know any more than I do about finding a killer, and it doesn’t
sound like the chief of police could find one if it was right in front of him. Good grief. I can’t believe this is happening. Oh well, it’s always better to do something rather than nothing. Roger should be home by now. I’ll see if I can reach him. Anyway, I need to thank him for you.”

  Winston walked over to her and put his paw on her lap.

  Not only does this dog know what I’m saying, he knows the right thing to do. My life is turning into something beyond bizarre. Glad Brittany and Jonah aren’t around. They’d probably have me committed, and I’m not so sure they wouldn’t be right.

  “I’m glad you could answer your phone, Roger. Are you at home or on the road?”

  “I’m home and have been for about an hour. We’re still picking the jury, and when it started to get late in the day, the judge decided not to call in another panel that late in the afternoon, so he dismissed us a little early. I’m just going over some of my trial notes for tomorrow. Now, tell me about your day.”

  “First of all, I’m in love with Winston, and I can’t thank you enough for giving him to me. He’s not only beautiful, but he’s the smartest dog I’ve ever been around. I absolutely positively believe he understands everything I say to him.”

  She stopped talking and held the receiver away from her ear. When he’d finally stopped laughing, she said, “Roger, you may not believe me, but just wait until you meet him, and you’ll understand then. Anyway, I need to talk to you about Barbara’s death. It turns out her death wasn’t from natural causes or suicide, and the coroner thinks she was poisoned. Let me start from the time you left, and I’ll fill you in.”