Murder & The Monkey Band: High Desert Cozy Mystery Series

by Dianne Harman

  “Would you like me to get you a glass of water?” Jeff asked.

  “No, I’ll be fine. I’m just so scared.”

  “That’s perfectly normal. Now tell me what happened.”

  Rosa took a deep breath and then told him about a man named Lou who had approached her and given her $5,000 and how she’d taken $45,000 from him the following afternoon after she agreed to his request to not turn on the alarm. “He must have thought Mrs. Jensen would be out to dinner like she was most nights, and he killed her when she found him stealing the Monkey Band. I know that’s what happened. I might just as well have killed her myself. It’s all my fault.”

  “You did something wrong, Rosa, but you didn’t kill her. You said his name was Lou and that you called him. I’d like his telephone number although I’m sure he changes phones every couple of days, and I’d be willing to bet that’s not his real name. Did he tell you who he was working for?”

  “No.”

  “Have you ever heard of a man named Henry Siegelman?”

  “Yes. He’s called here several times, and one day when Mrs. Jensen got off the phone she told me she wished he’d never call again. She said all he cared about was completing his Monkey Band set.” Suddenly her eyes went wide as she realized the implication of what she’d just said. Her hand went to her throat and she asked with a stunned look on her face, “Do you think this Lou guy was working for Henry Siegelman, and he killed Mrs. Jensen and stole the Monkey Band?”

  “I don’t know. I wish I could find the man who told you his name was Lou. Since we talked yesterday, have you noticed that anything other than the Monkey Band is gone from any of the rooms?”

  “No. That’s the only thing I’ve noticed. Don’t you think it’s strange in a house filled with antiques that only one thing would be missing? It looks like she was killed for the Monkey Band set since nothing else is gone. I don’t know how I can ever live with myself. And my grandbabies? What will happen to them if Lou comes after me and kills me?”

  “Rosa, you are not going to be killed. Until this case is solved, I’ll provide round-the-clock protection for you and your family. I’ll call right now and have a policeman here when you leave. There usually are three shifts, and I’ll make sure that while you’re here at the house for the next few days, someone else will be guarding your grandchildren. My job is to find out who Lou is and who killed Mrs. Jensen. I understand why you did it. Life isn’t always fair, and you did what you had to do for your granddaughter. Desperate times often require some sort of desperate action. Even though I’m a man of the law, if I’d been in your shoes, I just might have done the same thing. As soon as the policeman I mentioned gets here, he’ll escort you home, and try not to worry.”

  Jeff continued, “Rosa, I do need to tell you that if it turns out this Lou guy is the murderer, you would be an accomplice to grand theft.” He held up his hands. “Please don’t cry. I understand why you did what you did. If you would be willing to testify against Lou if and when he’s identified and caught, I won’t arrest you. I’ll need your testimony at the trial. I know it’s a little soon to talk about this, but keep it in the back of your mind.”

  “Thank you, detective. You’ve been very kind,” she said, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. She walked into the kitchen, looking like an old woman, beaten by the world.

  CHAPTER 21

  “As you well know, I’m not an antique collector, but these bottles are charming. Tell me something about them,” Laura said, “and while you’re at it, what do you want me to do here?”

  “First of all, I’d like you to put each bottle on either this white piece of cotton fabric or on this black velvet piece. Spread it out, so I can photograph the bottle. If it’s a clear bottle or a white bottle, put it on the black velvet. Like Carl, I always carry a piece of white fabric and some black velvet with me for use as a backdrop when I’m photographing small items.

  “This is probably the finest perfume bottle collection I’ve ever seen. I remember going out on an appraisal years ago and the client had an extensive perfume bottle collection. The woman was paranoid about it. She told me she lived for that collection, and every spare minute she had she spent studying auction catalogues and going online to see if any new bottles had come on the market, but the reason I remember that particular appraisal so well is that she told me I couldn’t touch any of the bottles. She said she would stay in the room with me the whole time while I appraised the collection to make sure I didn’t lay one finger on any of the bottles.”

  “Don’t you have to look for identifying marks, and aren’t they often found on the bottom of the bottles?”

  “Exactly. If something had ever happened to any of those bottles, I’m not sure the insurance company would have paid a cent based on all the caveats I put in the appraisal report about not being able to see the identifying marks, etc. I’ve often wondered whatever happened to her. I hope she and her collection are happy, because I think that’s about all she had.

  “Anyway, you asked about antique perfume bottles. They were made in all kinds of mediums, including glass, silver, metal, art glass, cut glass, pressed glass, porcelain, and enamel. Even Meissen made perfume bottles and unless I’m way off, I’d be willing to bet that figurine towards the back of the collection depicting a monk carrying a young girl on his back is a Meissen. Yes,” she said, picking it up and looking at the bottom, “there are the crossed swords in the underglaze blue, the early mark. Believe me, a Meissen perfume bottle made in the 18th century is hugely desirable. I wonder if Henry Siegelman knows about it. If he does, I’m sure he’d want to add it to his collection.”

  “I’d love to see his collection,” Laura said, “but even the thought of him fills my mind with the color black. I don’t need to be around that kind of dark energy.”

  “If he had something to do with the theft and the murder, I would think black would be the operative color for him. Okay, let’s get started. I just did a quick count, and we’re looking at over two hundred pieces. That’s going to take at least three hours. We can probably do the perfume bottle collection and then finish up with one of the guest bedrooms, and that will be it for today.”

  “Where do you want me to start?” Laura asked.

  “I’d like you to arrange them by category, you know, put all of the silver ones together, then all of the cut glass, and so on. That will make it easier for me when I research them.”

  A few hours later Rosa knocked on the door, even though it was open. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t want to startle you and have you drop one of those perfume bottles. Mrs. Jensen loved that collection.”

  “I’m not surprised. It’s a superb collection. What can I help you with?” Marty asked.

  “Mrs. Bolen is here and would like to talk to you. She says it’s important.”

  Marty raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Really? That’s kind of thought-provoking. I can’t imagine what it’s about. Would you tell her I’ll meet her in the breakfast nook in a minute? I’m down to the last one of these perfume bottles, and I’d like to finish up, so I don’t lose my train of thought.”

  “Marty, why don’t you talk to her alone? She didn’t ask for me, and it may be a private conversation. I’ll stay here and put the bottles back just the way we found them. I can take some photographs of the items in the guest bedroom. It looked like it was just furniture, a couple of rugs, and some paintings. You can finish up after you talk to her. Okay?”

  “That would be a big help. I really don’t want to stop what I’m doing to talk to her, but if she came out here to talk to me, I probably better make the time,” Marty said as she walked out of the room.

  Nikki was sitting in the breakfast nook sipping a glass of the pomegranate rickey Rosa had served them at lunch. She was just as beautiful and just as impeccably dressed as she had been yesterday. A simple turquoise sleeveless linen sheath hugged the curves of her body, making the dress appear to have been custom made for her. Silver bracelets
, earrings, and rings with turquoise pieces studding them accented her dress as well as her dark hair which had been woven by her hairdresser with auburn strands. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, and she knew it.

  She looked Marty up and down as Marty approached the table. Marty read the silent disapproval and felt like she not only belonged back in the Midwest, but probably should have been in one of the barns back there. Nikki looked every bit the uptown girl and next to her, Marty felt like she was a “farm girl.”

  Well, I am what I am, Marty thought. Might as well get this over with as fast as I can.

  “Good afternoon, Nikki. What can I do for you?”

  “Sorry if I appeared to be giving you the once over, but I was. You really should consider getting your hair styled by a good hairdresser. It would be a start and would help you a lot. I’ll make this brief. The only reason I’m here is because Pam was my best friend. I called Jeff this morning to talk to him. He and I have been out to dinner quite a few times, and I was under the distinct impression it was more than a casual relationship. Evidently I was wrong. He told me he didn’t want to see me anymore, and that he was interested in someone else. I asked him if I knew that someone else, and he told me it was you. Sorry, Marty, but I’m having a hard time thinking you’re more appealing to a man than I am, but that’s what he told me.”

  Jeff thinks I’m more appealing than this vision, Marty thought incredulously. Think the man needs to have his eyes checked. I would have bet the farm that the two of them were probably an ongoing item and that last night was nothing more than a hiccup in his social life. Maybe not.

  “Anyway, that’s history. I have enough men interested in me that you’re more than welcome to him. This is the reason I’m here. I met a friend for lunch at Mai Tai Mama’s today. Pam and I met there almost weekly for years, and I know everyone who works there. The hostess, Jill Lakey, was visibly upset when I got there. I know her well enough that I asked her what was wrong. She told me that the owner, George Ellis, had really been acting strange the last few days. Jill knew he and Pam had been seeing one another, and she wondered if he was grieving over her death.”

  “If he’d been seeing her, I wouldn’t think that was particularly unusual,” Marty said.

  “Nor would I. Jill told me that a few minutes before I’d gotten there she’d knocked on his office door to see if she could bring him something to drink. She’d seen him go into his office, so she knew he was in there, but he didn’t answer her knock, and so she walked in. He was seated at his desk, and there were a bunch of small china figurines on it. She thought that was really strange. She asked him if she could get him anything, and he was furious she’d come into his office without his consent. He screamed at her to get out, or he’d fire her. She ran out of the room.”

  “I probably would have left too if someone had screamed at me to get out of their office.”

  “Yes, but here’s the thing I need to tell you and you probably need to tell Jeff, since he won’t accept my calls. I tried calling him with this information, but it went to voicemail, and I know he monitors his calls. It was obvious he didn’t want to talk to me. Jill told me she’d never seen anything like those little figurines. I asked her what was so unusual about them, and she told me they were little monkeys all dressed up in old time costumes and playing musical instruments.” Nikki sat back and watched Marty’s reaction.

  “The Monkey Band,” Marty gasped. “Do you think it was the Monkey Band that’s missing from here?”

  “I have no idea, but I think it’s really a strange coincidence that George would have been seeing Pam for several months, Pam breaks it off, and then after she’s murdered he suddenly has a Monkey Band set. I’m sure Pam would have told me if he had a Monkey Band set. I know she liked him, but that was it. After Brian’s death she told me she would never marry again, because Brian had been the love of her life. What do you think?”

  “I don’t know what to think,” Marty said, “but I certainly agree that it’s strange. I’ll mention it to Jeff. I’m sure it might very well have some bearing on this case.”

  Nikki stood up and said, “I’d say it was nice seeing you again, but we both know that would be a lie. Enjoy Jeff. He’s a nice man.” She turned and in a loud voice said, “Goodbye Rosa, I’ll let myself out.”

  Marty stood for a moment before she went into the guest room, knowing that what Nikki had just told her was important, but not sure where it fit into the murder of Pam Jensen and the theft of the Monkey Band.

  CHAPTER 22

  “We’re at a good stopping place,” Marty said, “Let’s call it a day. We can finish this tomorrow. The main thing tomorrow will be the Meissen collection and the furniture and art in the living room. There are a couple of other rooms we haven’t done yet, but they’re not a problem. I have a book expert coming to appraise the antique books, and he’s going to meet us here at nine tomorrow morning. That should give him plenty of time. I’ll be glad when this one’s over. Way too much drama for me.”

  “I agree. While you’re doing a quick scan of your photos, I’ll tell Rosa we’re leaving.”

  They walked out the door to Marty’s car with Rosa following. Rosa turned around and went back in the house. “Go ahead, I need to turn on the alarm,” she said. She came out of the house, waved to them, and began walking towards the bus stop.

  Laura looked to Marty and said, “See that car over there. It’s probably a psychic thing, but I think it’s following Rosa, and she doesn’t look the least bit nervous. I’ve got a feeling it’s the police, and they’re watching her. Maybe she told Jeff something that led him to believe she needed police protection.”

  “Come on, Laura. Police protection? That’s a pretty big stretch, even for you. I know Jeff was going to talk to her, and maybe it has to do with that. If it turns out it is police protection, I’ll owe you a big apology.” They put the camera equipment into the trunk and got into the car. Marty turned to Laura. “You’ve been here with me for two days. Any thoughts on who did it?”

  “Well, one thing I’m noticing is that Rosa looks like the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders. We’ll have to ask Jeff what happened during their talk.”

  “I’m glad. She seems like a very nice woman. I’m sure Jeff has to talk to everyone connected with the case, but I’d hate to hear she had anything to do with it.”

  “She didn’t.”

  “How do you know?” Marty asked.

  “Same way I always know. I just know. Just like I know the car following her is police protection for her. Now tell me what Nikki wanted to talk to you about.”

  Marty related the conversation she’d had with Nikki and concluded with, “I’m glad she told me. It does indeed sound strange that George would have possession of a Monkey Band set.”

  Laura was quiet for a moment. “You need to tell Jeff about that. Somehow that’s a very important part of the case.”

  “What makes you say that? I agree, it’s weird this George Ellis guy would suddenly have a Monkey Band set when one was stolen out of Mrs. Jensen’s house, but I sure can’t see him doing anything to harm Pam Jensen. Remember, he wanted to marry her. You usually don’t murder someone you want to marry, right?”

  “Maybe if you’d been thinking your whole life you were going to marry a certain woman, and then she tells you she has no intention of marrying you, you might do whatever is necessary in order to make sure that no one else ever marries her if you can’t have her.”

  “Laura, that’s a little farfetched even for you. You don’t seriously think that the man who wanted to marry her was also the person responsible for killing her?”

  “It may be farfetched, but the spirits or whatever in the heck you want to call them, are telling me he needs to be investigated. I strongly suggest you tell Jeff, and if you don’t, I will.”

  “Well, you don’t need to get all high and mighty on me. I’ll tell him. Anyway, he’s coming for dinner tonight.”

  “I�
��m well aware of that. If you remember, I was the one who had to ask him, because you were afraid of what your friendly neighbors in the compound would think if you did.”

  “I’m beginning to think it’s a good thing I’ve never taken you on any of my appraisals before this one. I’m beginning to think it’s affecting your common sense.”

  “I think it is, too. Let’s hope you don’t have any more appraisals where the owner gets killed, and one of the victim’s collections is missing and playing a major role in solving the murder.”

  “Laura, we don’t have any proof she was killed for the Monkey Band. At this point, it’s sheer conjecture.”

  “It’s not only sheer conjecture, I’m actually certain that was not the reason for her death.”

  “So you think it was a random thing. Someone just happened to gain access to her house, offed her, and then stole the Monkey Band set. Please Laura, that’s a little hard to swallow.”

  “Maybe so, Sis, but when this is over and done with, I’d like you to think back to this conversation and remember what I said about the Monkey Band not being the reason for her death.”

  “So you think the theft of the Monkey Band was collateral damage?” Marty asked.

  “Yup, that’s what I think,” she said, crossing her arms.

  “Well, you’re entitled to believe whatever you want. Anyway, I need to stop at the Hi-Lo drug store and pick up the photos I uploaded to their photo department last night.”

  “Since we don’t have to cook again tonight, no problem,” Laura said. “I need to pick up some eye drops anyway. I love living here, but this desert air really affects my dry eye syndrome. As long as I wear my contact lenses, I’m fine, but when I wake up in the middle of the night and in the morning, I can barely get my eyes open. Feels like sandpaper.”

  “I had no idea it was that bad. I’m sorry, Laura. I’m going to change the subject, but I have to tell you how much I love this little town of High Desert. I mean, look at the buildings. They’re old-time, not some modern monstrosity. Everybody keeps their houses and offices up beautifully. It has a great deal of charm. We’ve got all the basics here like a doctor, a dentist, and those types of services. And I love the market. It’s a real market where people come into town and bring what they grew in their gardens, although that’s not so easy to do in the desert. The owner of the market even puts colorful plants in the flower beds next to the entrance. You never see that in big cities, but I think what I like best of all is that the people here are real people. Every time I’m in Palm Springs, all I want to do is get back here and be around people like Max, people who have lived here all their lives and can’t imagine living in some big city and probably wouldn’t be able to survive if they did.”