Murder & The Monkey Band: High Desert Cozy Mystery Series

by Dianne Harman

  “I know exactly what you mean,” Laura said. “I never thought I’d be happy in a town that has one main street, one church, and one market, but I feel so lucky I stumbled on this place. I find the local residents to be absolutely charming. They don’t have pretenses, and even though I’m a newcomer they’ve accepted me. Wherever I go, they greet me and sincerely seem to care how I’m doing. After living here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  Marty pulled into a parking space in front of the Hi-Lo drug store and said, “This may not be healthy, but I also love this drug store. When’s the last time you ever had a pharmacist ask you if you could tell him about a Victrola record player he inherited from his grandfather? It’s wonderful.” They opened their car doors, stepped out, and walked into the store.

  CHAPTER 23

  “Meet you in the car. I left it unlocked,” Marty said to Laura as she walked over to the photo department. “Hey, Lucy. Good to see you. I trust you got the photos I uploaded to you last night and my photographs are ready.”

  “Sure thing, Marty,” Lucy said looking around to make sure no one could hear her. “Know I’m not s’possed to look at the photos, but ya’ always got the best. Purtier things than I’ve ever seen. Lawdy, some of that furniture, guess it was in the dinin’ room, jes’ ‘bout took my breath away. Ain’t never seen nothin’ like that. Must be somethin’ bein’ an appraiser.”

  “I’m very lucky. I really enjoy what I do, and I really appreciate the job you do for me with these photographs. I need them to be very glossy and very clear so the marks and some of the things like mortise and tenon joints show and can substantiate the age of a piece. You always manage to make me look good, and I want to thank you.”

  “Ain’t no need to thank me. Jes’ doin’ my job. Gonna’ send me some more tonight?”

  “Yes, I’ll transfer the pictures I took today from my camera to my computer and send them to you.”

  “Whatcha’ see today?”

  “Well, normally for confidentiality purposes, I never discuss my appraisal or who I did it for, but since you’re going to look at the photos no matter what I say,” Marty grinned, “get prepared to see some of the oldest and most beautiful perfume bottles I’ve ever seen.”

  “Ya’ mean people have enough money they can collect somethin’ like perfume bottles? Man, guess I better be a little more careful ‘bout that Avon bottle Jake gave me for Christmas.”

  “Uh, Lucy, these are not store bought brand name bottles, they’re containers which fine perfumes were put in with most of them dating from the 18th century.”

  “Well, dang it all. Had my heart goin’ fer’ a minute jes’ thinkin’ I could get rich offa that Avon perfume. Never can ‘member the name. It’s some fancy schmancy Frenchy name. ‘Member it means water.”

  “In that case it would probably be ‘eau’ of something. That’s the French word for water.”

  “Ya’ know, ya’ ain’t the only one who has me develop pictures of old things. Ol’ Randy, ya’ know the one who lives in that shack outside of town with the shed behind it?”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever met him,” Marty said, “but yes, I know the shack you’re talking about.”

  “No big loss. He’s kinda mean, but man ya’ outta see the pictures he gets developed here. Got lots of Injun stuff, ya’ know some pieces of pottery, headdresses, and beaded belts. Think that meanness comes because he’s lonely. Used to live with Marty BirdSong, but he kicked her out awhile ago. Comes inta town some Saturday nights and gets all drunked up over at the Road Runner Bar. I kinda like that bar, and some Saturday nights Jake and I go in and have a coupla of brewskies. That’s when I seen him.”

  “I was in there once, and it does have a lot of local flavor. Tell me more about Randy. I’m curious.”

  “Well,” she said, looking around again. “Ya’ didn’t hear it from me, but one time Jake and I were sittin’ at the bar and Randy was talkin’ to some dude ‘bout sellin’ him some of his stuff. Didn’t hear much but ‘member he was tellin’ the dude that his stuff was real Injun stuff. Said he was always worried the feds would come and take it away from him. Don’t know whatever happened ‘bout that. He’s a strange bird. Want me to tell him yer’ some hot shot appraiser?”

  “No, thanks. I’d rather you didn’t. Sounds like he knows the value of what he’s selling, although I remember reading something about certain Native American items being illegal to either sell or possess, particularly if they were found and removed from federal government land or burial sites.”

  “Oh, I jes’ ‘membered hearin’ somthin’ else that night. Ol’ Randy told this dude he’d found a cave where the Injuns had kept their stuff, and he was the only one who knew ‘bout it. Kinda got my interest up with that one.”

  “I can see where it would. Sounds like something out of a novel. If we’re ever in here at the same time, I would like to meet him. He must be quite a character.”

  “That he is, ceptin’ for his meanness I’ve always liked him. Gives me a tip every time he comes in. None of the other customers do that. Kinda surprisin’ comin’ from him. Always wondered ‘bout it.”

  Sweetheart, I think the tips he gives you might just be called insurance, hoping you won’t tell anyone what’s in the photographs you’re developing for him. Obviously you missed the memo on that.

  “Lucy, I’ve got to go. We have a dinner guest coming to dinner tonight out at the compound, and John’s cooking up some new dish. He doesn’t like it if I’m late for dinner. See you tomorrow night. As always, thanks!”

  “Can’t wait to see them perfume bottles. Tell John ya’ got somethin’ to do before you eat, like sendin’ me them photos,” she said laughing.

  Marty walked out of the store and saw Laura sitting in the car waiting for her.

  “Got them, now home for another fantastic John meal. Any idea what tonight’s is going to be?”

  “I thought he said something about Cuba, but I could be mistaken.”

  “Sounds good, of course anything John makes is wonderful.”

  CHAPTER 24

  “Laura,” Marty said as she got out of the car and looked at her watch, “I’ve just got time to get the photos we took today downloaded onto my computer and send them over to Lucy at the Hi-Lo Drugstore. I’d like to pick them up tomorrow after we finish the appraisal. While I was talking to Lucy, I had a quick look at the ones we did yesterday, and so far, everything looks good.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I could use a shower. Meet you in the courtyard.”

  Marty sat down at her computer and downloaded the photos she’d taken during the day from her digital camera and sent them to Lucy, knowing full well that Lucy would look at each one and probably compare her Avon perfume bottle with the perfume bottles in the photographs.

  She paused for a moment and thought about Lucy and her Avon perfume bottle. It brought back memories of an appraisal Marty had done many years ago, actually it was her first appraisal. She’d been so nervous that she wouldn’t be able to identify what something was, and then she had to laugh when she realized her first appraisal was going to be nothing but Avon products. The owner had made her home into a museum for Avon products. They filled the bookcases, shelves, kitchen counters, bathroom counters, and the woman even had special Lucite stands built to display what she considered to be the most important ones in her collection.

  I remember thinking I’d spent all that time in college taking art history courses, spent money traveling all over the United States taking courses that were required in order for me to become certified, and here my very first appraisal was an Avon collection. When I told the woman what my fee was I felt a little guilty, because my fee was more than the items I’d appraised, but the woman hadn’t cared. She was infatuated with her Avon pieces and the fact that now she could tell people her collection was so important she had to have it appraised was all she’d cared about. People! So many define themselves by their “stuff.” I’d never realized how many un
til I started appraising.

  She heard voices coming from the courtyard, so she quickly changed clothes, and joined the others. “Good evening,” she said as she looked around at Jeff, John, Les, Max, and Laura. “Sorry I’m a couple of minutes late, but I had to get some photographs downloaded and sent to the drug store so they could be developed, and I could pick them up tomorrow. Anyway, looking at the full glasses in front of you, you obviously didn’t wait for me,” she said, laughing as she poured herself a glass of wine.

  “How did the appraisal go today?” Jeff asked.

  “We got quite a bit done, and we’ll finish tomorrow. After dinner, I’d like to talk to you about a situation that came up. Since it falls into the realm of the murder investigation, I probably should only tell you.”

  “Aw, Marty, that’s not fair,” John said. “We’re all really interested in it.”

  “No, Marty’s right,” Jeff said. “It’s been my experience when a person is aware of a little known fact about a crime, it’s very easy for them to innocently say something to someone, and it could cost us an arrest or worse. There are some things I’d like to talk to you about as well, Marty, but for now let’s just enjoy what I’m sure will be another fabulous dinner. I can’t believe my good fortune in getting invited here two nights in a row. John, what do you have for us tonight?”

  “I was watching television a couple of nights ago and there was a movie on about a food truck in Florida that had made a name for itself because of the sandwich it specialized in. It was called a Cubano sandwich, and it’s made with slices of marinated pork shoulder. I’ve had Cubano sandwiches before, but this one’s a little different. I marinated the pork shoulder that goes on the sandwich for twenty-four hours in a citrus type of marinade. I had a couple of slices after I baked it, and I have to say it’s really tender and tasty. Of course the fact I studded it with a lot of garlic slices didn’t hurt.”

  “Okay,” Laura said, “you’ve piqued my curiosity. What else goes on it?”

  “Black Forest ham, sandwich pickles, Swiss cheese, butter, and mustard. It’s a lot simpler to make than most of the things I serve. We’ll see how you like it.”

  “John,” Max said. “When ya’ tol’ me ‘bout it yesterday when we was serving people downtown, I went home and made one. Course I didn’t have no time to marinate the pork, so I just cooked a pork chop and sliced that sucker up, and man, gotta tell you, even without that slow cooked pork, it was one good belly thumper. And I just used them ham slices that are processed, not that fancy Black Forest ham.”

  “Glad to hear that. Actually, since Marty and Jeff need to do some business after dinner, I think I’ll go in the kitchen and get started. Max, you can give me a hand.” The two of them walked into John’s house. They returned a half hour later with John carrying a huge platter of Cubano sandwiches, and Max following him with halves of fruit-stuffed cantaloupes on a large serving dish.

  “John, this looks wonderful, and the cantaloupe halves with fruit inside looks delicious,” Marty said.

  “The cantaloupe is something I serve at The Red Pony. I mix raspberries, chopped apricots, and strawberries together, and mix them with some whipped cream cheese and a little brown sugar. Then I pack the mixture into the cantaloupe. It’s really refreshing on a hot day, and you know how many of those we have here in the desert. Now, as the Italians would say, mangia, mangia, or eat, eat!”

  Everyone was quiet for a few moments and then Les was the first to speak. “John, this may be the best sandwich I’ve ever had. I know I shouldn’t, but I’m going to have another one, even if I do have to work tomorrow. The combination of flavors is great.”

  “Thanks. So you think I should put it on the menu?” John asked.

  There was a resounding chorus of yeses as hands reached out for their second Cubano sandwich.

  “I’m so glad you like it. When I was looking at the movie, I thought it would be tasty. I’ll buy several pork shoulders tomorrow and start marinating them.”

  An hour later, John said, “Max, would you help me clear the table and do the dishes? I need to load the truck a little early tomorrow. We’ll be delivering some boxed lunches to a company on our way into town, so I have to get up early and assemble them.”

  “No sweat, Boss. I can come over here and help ya’. Ain’t no skin off my back to get up an hour early. I kinda like the quiet you find early in the mornin’ in the desert.”

  “That would be great. You can leave your car here, and as soon as we finish making the boxed lunches, and we have to make forty of them, so it’s going to take a little while, we’ll head out. Should give us plenty of time. While you’re making the boxed lunches, I can do some prep work for the lunch crowd at The Red Pony.”

  “I’m on it, Boss. Don’t ever need to worry ‘bout stuff like that when I’m here.” He followed John into his house, loaded with plates and cutlery.

  “Laura,” Les said as he stood up. “I finished a painting today, and I’d like you to take a look at it.”

  “I’d love to,” she said following him into his house.

  It was quiet in the courtyard for the first time that evening. “It’s so beautiful tonight, mind if we stay our here and talk?” Jeff asked Marty.

  “Actually, I was going to suggest exactly that. Think there’s some saying about great minds…”

  “Think alike,” Jeff said, grinning.

  CHAPTER 25

  “Do you want to go first, or do you want me to?” Marty asked, after the others had left, and they were sitting alone at the picnic table in the courtyard.

  “Why don’t you start?” Jeff said. “And by the way, this conversation is not to be repeated.”

  “Jeff, one of the things I learned early on when I started appraising was the importance of maintaining confidentiality. I lock my appraisals up in a file cabinet, put the computer files on a thumb drive, and never talk about them to anyone other than in a very, very general way. It’s quite a responsibility when you know who has really good things and where they live. I’m sure there are a lot of unsavory people who would like to have the information I have, so they could commit a burglary. It’s kind of a heavy burden.”

  “I’m sure it is, and I wonder if all appraisers are as honest as you are. I would think there’s a lot of money to be made by letting that confidential information get into the wrong hands.”

  “That’s probably true, but I’ve never had to deal with it. Okay, I’ll get started. Nikki Bolen visited me this afternoon at the Jensen home.”

  His right eyebrow shot up and he lowered his head and looked into his almost empty glass. “I hope I wasn’t the cause of that visit.”

  “Yes and no. She said you told her you wouldn’t be seeing her again…”

  Jeff interrupted her. “You and I haven’t really gotten to know each other that well. I think I mentioned the other day that I was divorced many years ago while I was still working in La Quinta. There were a number of reasons for the divorce. We married when we were just out of college, kids really, and grew to have different interests and different ways we wanted to lead our lives. She was adamant about having a family. I was just as adamant about not having children. I’ve seen too many of my colleagues shot or hurt in the line of duty. I made a vow I would never have children, because there was always the chance that something might happen to me. I couldn’t have children knowing there was a chance they might be raised without a dad.”

  “Oh, Jeff. What a tragedy that you even have to think about things like that.”

  “Anyway, after five years of being married we got divorced. There was no rancor, we didn’t hate each other, in fact we’ve actually remained good friends and even talk now and then. She remarried and has three children. That’s what she always wanted, and she’s happy. I have no children, never remarried, and thought I was happy until I met you yesterday. Nikki and I have been seeing each other for the last couple of months. No, I’m wrong. Might as well be honest with you. I’d want you to be hone
st with me and starting out a relationship with dishonesty is not the way I want ours to develop.

  “We weren’t just seeing each other, we were having a torrid affair, an affair I ended this morning. I have no idea what happened when I met you, but there was something about your warmth and easygoing manner that made me want to know you much better. Nikki’s perfect cosmetically enhanced body and face seemed so totally false after I met you. Anyway, I just wanted you to know the background.”

  “Well,” Marty said, “while we’re talking about the past, might as well tell you my story. I thought I had a perfect marriage. We’d been married for twenty-five years when my husband told me he wanted a divorce, so he could marry his secretary. My perfect world in a small town in the Midwest crashed. After he told me, I understood why conversations always stopped when I walked into a room or a store. I had to be the only one in town who didn’t know about the affair. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. About that time Laura called and told me she knew Scott and I were getting divorced.”