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

  “What the…?”

  “I know, Bertha and I are as shocked as you are. I don’t know what happened.”

  “Sheesh. I was jes’ with Dave and Barbara night before last at his victory party down at the Elks Lodge. Barbara seemed fine then. She was probably jes’ glad his girlfriend didn’t show up at the celebration. When did Barbara get here?”

  “She checked in yesterday morning, had two spa treatments, and ate dinner at the lodge with the other guests last night.” Liz put her key in the lock and opened the door. They both stared at Barbara lying in the bed. Liz noticed the half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels on the nightstand that Bertha had told her about.

  Seth walked over to Barbara. “Yup, she’s deader ‘n a doornail. Better call the coroner. Ain’t nothin’ no one can do fer her now.”

  “Wait a minute. What kind of a vehicle will he come in? I really would like to avoid having to tell the other guests about this until we know more.”

  “He drives a big white van. Looks kinda like a bread delivery truck. Guess it kinda is, if ya’ know what I mean. Ain’t much difference between deliverin’ a loaf of bread and deliverin’ dead bodies,” he said laughing obscenely. “Yer’ guests’ll just think someone’s deliverin’ somethin’ to you.”

  Liz steeled herself not to comment on his insensitivity. This man is disgusting, she thought. Is he the best the city of Red Cedar can do? And what was that reference to Dave’s girlfriend all about?

  “Go ahead and call him. How long do you think it will be before he can come out here?”

  “Don’t know. I’ll call him now, and then I need to call Leroy, my deputy chief. Need to figure out what in the blazes happened out here, although it looks pretty obvious to me.” He punched in a number on his cell phone and she heard him say, “Wes, got a cold one out here at the Red Cedar Spa. Dave’s wife. How soon can ya’ be here?” He hung up and turned to Liz. “He’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. Give me a minute while I call Leroy, then I’ll need to ask ya’ some questions.”

  He spoke with Leroy who carried the ceremonial title of deputy chief, which had been bestowed on him by Seth in exchange for passing on a pay raise, but he was actually nothing more than a patrol deputy on the small six man Red Cedar police force. After talking to Leroy for a few minutes he turned to her. “Sorry, Liz, but he’s gonna have to drive a police car over here cuz his personal car broke down this mornin’ while he was drivin’ to work. No big surprise there. Dang thing’s been smokin’ like a chimney for the last two weeks.”

  “Well, I guess that can’t be helped. Hopefully, the guests will be in town or having a spa treatment.”

  Seth took a stubby pencil and a tattered notebook out of his shirt pocket. He flipped the notebook open to an empty page that appeared to have a catsup stain on it and asked Liz, “Who discovered the body?”

  “My manager, Bertha.”

  “Wouldja call her and tell her to get over here? Gonna need to get a statement from her. Ya’ said Barbara had two spa treatments yesterday. Need to talk to the people who gave her them treatments.”

  Liz called Delores, the spa receptionist. “This is Mrs. Lucas. Would you check the reservation book and tell me what treatments Barbara Nelson had yesterday?”

  She listened for a moment. “Are Gina and Cindy free, or are they busy with clients?” She waited while Delores checked the reservation book. “Good. Please ask both of them to come to cottage #6 immediately. I also want you to have them bring the spa registration form that Barbara Nelson filled out yesterday. Thanks.”

  A few minutes later Bertha came to the cottage, still clearly shaken by the morning’s events. She was followed by Gina and Cindy who handed Liz the spa registration form for Barbara Nelson.

  “Good morning, Seth,” Bertha said.

  “Hey, Bertha. Liz tells me you was the one who found Barbara. Need ya’ to tell me everything.” Bertha related to Seth essentially what she’d told Liz earlier.

  When it was obvious that Seth wasn’t going to ask Bertha any more questions, Liz said, “Bertha, you can go now. I think he’s through with you. I’ll stay here while he talks to Gina and Cindy and I also want to be here to find out what the coroner has to say about the cause of death.”

  “Ladies,” Seth said to Gina and Cindy, “wanna know what kind of treatments Barbara had and if she seemed to be okay when you saw her yesterday.”

  “I saw her yesterday morning at 10:00,” Cindy said. “She’d requested the stress-releasing massage. She was fine while she was with me and was feeling good when she left. She didn’t say or do anything that seemed unusual to me. There’s really nothing more I can tell you,” Cindy said

  Seth turned to Gina. “How about you?”

  “Pretty much like Cindy just said. I saw her at 3:00 yesterday afternoon. She had a facial and purchased some beauty products from the spa that I recommended. She was quiet during the facial, thanked me when I was finished, and left. Other than that, I don’t know anything about her.”

  “Thank you ladies. You can go back to the spa now. If I got any more questions, I’ll get back to ya’, but I’m pretty sure I know what happened to her.”

  He had just finished getting statements from Cindy and Gina when a white van drove up the narrow lane that led to the lodge and spa followed by a Red Cedar police car. They pulled to a stop next to cottage #6.

  “Hey,” Seth said as they got out of their respective vehicles, “Wes, Leroy. Stiff’s in there. Got a statement from Liz and Bertha as well as the two wimmin who treated her at the spa yesterday. Leroy, you go in, and see what you can find. Probably better wear gloves, but there’s not much to dust. Maybe ya’ oughta do that Jack Daniels bottle in there. When you finish with it, take it back to the station. We oughta send a sample of the contents to the state police lab for testin’, but I reckon me and you might have to do a little testin’ of that Jack Daniels ourselves. Hate to let good booze go to waste, if ya’ know what I mean. Wes, like to know what ya’ think caused her death, but it seems purty black and white to me. Be willin’ to bet she decided to buy the farm when she found out Dave had the hots for Darcy. Whole town knows they’ve been getting’ it on. Maybe she jes’ found out. Decided to come out here and mix a little Black Jack with a handful of night-night pills and bingo, the deed is done.”

  Who is this Darcy woman? Liz thought. I wonder if Barbara knew about the affair? And if she was going to commit suicide, why would she buy beauty products from the spa? Could Seth be right, that she came here to end her life? If that’s true, sure wish she’d gone to another spa. I don’t need this kind of publicity.

  Liz took a couple of deep breaths and a few minutes later followed the men into the cottage. She walked over to the coroner and asked, “Wes, do you have any idea what caused her death?”

  “No. There’s no sign of a struggle or foul play of any kind. Leroy quickly examined the door, and he said he didn’t see any signs of forcible entry or that the lock had been tampered with. I’ll know more after I do an autopsy on her. Maybe it’s like Seth thinks, that she took some sleeping pills and combined it with the alcohol, although I don’t see any prescription bottles. I understand she ate dinner at your lodge last night. Did you serve anything that might have caused her to suffer an allergic reaction? Sometimes a severe allergic reaction can lead to anaphylactic shock and death.”

  “I don’t think so. I served the guests wine with several different kinds of cheeses and crackers. Dinner consisted of lamb chops baked in a wine sauce, broccoli with almonds, a rice pilaf, and an ice cream sundae with caramel sauce. When guests come to the spa they have to fill out a registration form and one of the things they’re asked is if they have any food allergies. I know people can have life threatening allergies to things like peanuts or shellfish, so I’m very careful to always check each guest’s registration form and make a note if they have any food allergies. Barbara wrote on her registration form that she wasn’t allergic to anything. The people who work in the spa also h
ave each guest fill out a general health form, and one of the questions asked is if they’re allergic to any beauty products or chemical substances. According to what she filled out on her form, she wasn’t allergic to anything.”

  “Well, we probably won’t know anything until I complete the autopsy tomorrow. I have another one I need to do today. Dave been told yet?”

  “No. I wanted to wait until I talked to you. I’m planning on going to his insurance agency and telling him shortly.”

  “Liz, be happy to do it for ya’, course you’d owe me somethin’ in return, if you know what I mean,” Seth said suggestively.

  “No. Since it happened on my property, I should be the one to tell him.”

  Wes took a gurney out of the back of the van and rolled it into the cottage. He and Leroy carefully transferred Barbara from the bed to the gurney and then pushed the gurney out to the van and loaded her body into it through the open rear doors. When they were finished, Wes drove back down the lane to the highway leading to town with Leroy following.

  “I’ll be goin’ now, Liz,” Seth said. “Ain’t no more I can do ‘til I get the results of the autopsy from Wes. Nice seein’ ya’, and don’t forget about that invitation to dinner or my offer to get ya’ a little somethin’ from Victoria’s Secret.”

  “Believe me, Seth, I won’t forget. Thanks for getting out here so fast.”

  Liz looked around as he drove down the lane, thankful that it looked like no one had seen the police car or the unusual activity going on at cottage #6.

  When she returned to the lodge, she called Bertha. “Would you please tell Sarah to clean up cottage #6?”

  CHAPTER 4

  Red Cedar was a small town and even though Liz had never been to Dave Nelson’s office, she knew that the office in the early 20th century building with the red awning and the words “Dave Nelson Insurance Agency” was his. On her way she passed Gertie’s Diner, known as the “in” place to find out the latest rumors about anything happening in the small town. People from as far away as San Francisco were known to come to Gertie’s for the rich chocolate malted milk shakes and thick juicy burgers.

  She smiled as she drove by the other shops that were owned by some of the more interesting and colorful townspeople of Red Cedar. There was the Custom Candle Shop, run by Nate, who had retired from his job working on the docks of San Francisco. Everyone who entered the shop was startled to see that it was owned by one of the biggest and hairiest men around with a smile that could light up a city block.

  Then there was Walt’s Western Shop, a wannabe cowboy shop owned by Walt, a former Chicago stock broker, who at age sixty decided to do what he’d always wanted to do – play like he was a cowboy. The shop was stocked with anything and everything a customer who had dreams of becoming a cowboy could want – from spurs to Stetson hats.

  When she passed Susie’s Hair Salon, she made a mental note to make an appointment to get her hair colored. At age fifty-two Liz was still a very attractive woman, short and full-figured, but her auburn hair had always been her best feature, even if she did need a little help from Susie to keep its deep rich color. Thick and lustrous, it framed her alabaster complexion and accentuated her sea green eyes and dark double fringed eyelashes.

  As she pulled into the diagonal parking space a few shops down from the Dave Nelson Insurance Agency, she noticed the sign for Red Cedar Antiques and Art and remembered that Barbara Nelson and her partner owned the shop.

  When I finish with Dave, I need to go in there. I should tell her partner about Barbara before she finds out from someone else.

  She took a deep breath and opened the door of her van. When she walked into the insurance agency, she was greeted by an older rail-thin stony-faced woman with pink rimmed eyeglasses on a chain perched on the end of her long nose. “May I help you?” the woman asked. The nameplate on her desk read, “Rosie.”

  “My name is Liz Lucas. I’d like to see Dave Nelson. I don’t have an appointment. This is a personal matter.”

  The woman looked Liz up and down. “Want to tell me what’s so personal? I’m his secretary. Been with him for twenty years. He’s not here, anyway. Took an early lunch like he does most days,” she harrumphed.

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news. His wife was found dead this morning. I’m the owner of the Red Cedar Spa, and Mrs. Nelson was a guest at the spa. Her body was discovered earlier this morning by one of my employees.”

  Rosie half stood up and then sat back down, obviously struggling to keep her composure. “I told him if he kept seeing…”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t understand you,” Liz said.

  “It was nothing. I didn’t mean to say anything. It doesn’t matter now, anyway.”

  “Could you tell me where I could find Mr. Nelson? I really don’t want him to find out about this from someone passing on a rumor made up of half-truths.”

  “Usually goes home at lunchtime. I’d knock real loud if I were you. May take him a little while to answer the door,” she said cryptically.

  “I’m not sure I know where he lives. Would you mind giving me his address?”

  “He lives two streets over. 417 Cedar Road. You can’t miss his house. It’s the big white one in the middle of the block with a grey roof. His silver colored Ford pickup truck will probably be in the driveway along with another car.”

  “Thank you,” Liz said as she left.

  That was weird. I think she said, “I told him if he kept seeing.” Wonder what that was all about.

  A few minutes later she parked her minivan on the street in front of Dave Nelson’s house. In addition to the Ford pickup truck, there was a red convertible in the driveway. She walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. When there was no response, Liz knocked as loud as she could, certain that someone must be in the house if there were two cars in the driveway. Finally she heard footsteps coming towards the door and a male voice asked, “Who is it?”

  “It’s Liz Lucas. I’m the owner of the Red Cedar Spa, and I need to speak to Dave Nelson about his wife.”

  “Just a moment,” the voice said. She stood waiting for several long minutes and then the front door was finally opened by the man she recognized as Dave Nelson from his campaign photos.

  “May I come in?” she asked.

  “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I don’t know where my manners are. What can I do for you, Mrs. Lucas?”

  “Mr. Nelson, I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but Mrs. Nelson was found dead this morning at the Red Cedar Spa. She was discovered by my manager when she didn’t check in for her spa reservation.”

  He blinked several times and then staggered backwards, landing on a nearby couch. “Barbara dead? Are you sure it was her?”

  “Yes. She had dinner with the other guests and me at the lodge last night. She told us how happy she was with the spa gift you’d given her as a thank you for helping you win the election. After dinner was finished she retired to the cottage where she was staying. That’s where she was found.”

  “I can’t believe this. She was fine when she left yesterday morning. Do you know what she died from?”

  “No. The police chief and the coroner were out at the spa this morning. The coroner is going to do an autopsy tomorrow. I imagine we’ll know more then.”

  “Dave, what’s going on?” asked a female voice which came from an adjoining room. Liz heard high heels clicking on the wooden hallway floor and turned her head just as a beautiful brunette woman walked into the living room.

  “I heard voices and wondered who was here.” She walked over to Liz and extended her hand. “Hi! I’m Darcy Martinez, the principal of Red Cedar High School. Dave has been helping me over at the high school by talking to some of our seniors about different occupations and careers they can pursue when they graduate. And you are?”

  “I’m Liz Lucas, the owner of the Red Cedar Spa.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’ve been meaning to get out there one of these days and treat myself to a l
ittle rest and relaxation.” She looked at her watch. “Dave, I have to get back to school. Lunch break time is almost over. Is something wrong? You don’t look very good.”

  “Darcy, Barbara was found dead this morning at the Red Cedar Spa. They don’t know what she died from.”

  “Oh, honey, that’s terrible news. I’m so sorry. I hate to leave you at a moment like this, but I really do have to get back to the high school. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Lucas. Come by the high school some time. Maybe you could talk to some of the seniors,” she said as she walked out the front door.

  Honey? That’s weird. Dave doesn’t even seem aware she said it. His grief seems genuine.

  “Mr. Nelson, can I call someone for you? Or take you somewhere?”

  “Yes. Here’s my sister’s phone number. If you could call her, I’d appreciate it.”

  Liz punched the numbers into her cell phone and told his sister what had happened. “Mr. Nelson, she’ll be here in a few minutes. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No. Thank you for taking the time to come to my home and tell me in person. I’ll be fine. It’s just such a shock.”

  “Stay where you are. I’ll let myself out. Again, I’m sorry.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Liz got out of her car and looked at the front of the Red Cedar Antiques and Art shop, surprised at not only how large it was, but at the caliber of the merchandise. The front window had a display of brightly colored pottery, Arts and Craft style furniture, stained glass lamps that looked to Liz’s untrained eye like real Tiffany lamps, and other decorative pieces, all beautifully arranged in a room setting.

  “Hi, may I help you with something?” the attractive blond woman asked Liz when she walked into the store.

  “I had no idea your shop had antiques of this quality. When I used to live in San Francisco, I loved to go to some of the antique shops and just look around. I fell in love with the Arts and Crafts style furniture and accessories. You have an incredible collection of them. Red Cedar is such a small town I’m amazed your shop can carry this caliber of merchandise. Do you have a lot of customers from the San Francisco area?”