Murdered in Argentina: A Jack Trout Cozy Mystery Read online

  “Do you know what he meant by that?” Carola asked.

  “Ray always had his administrative assistant, Bea Lawrence, do the background checks on the upper level management personnel before they were hired, rather than have Human Resources do it.”

  “Why?” Carola asked.

  “I asked him that once, and he said if something negative was found, he didn’t want the entire company knowing he’d been thinking about hiring a loser. Ray only liked to pick winners. Anyway, he said something about Bea telling him a previous employer of Janelle’s had accused her of embezzlement. Janelle denied the claim and evidently the other company couldn’t get enough information to do anything about it.”

  “Did the company fire her?”

  “No, she left voluntarily. She told Ray the claim was completely false, and she didn’t want to work for a company that didn’t believe in her. That’s about all I know.”

  “Lisa, you mentioned Ray’s administrative assistant. How well do you know her?”

  “Obviously I’ve talked to Bea a number of times when I had to call Ray at the office. I’ve also been around her socially several times at company events. She was absolutely devoted to him. She wasn’t married and didn’t have children. Ray and the company were her life.”

  “I think you need to call her when we get back from town. First of all, she needs to be told by you about Ray’s death. Secondly, she might be able to tell you something about each of the people we’ve been discussing. She probably hears a lot of office gossip and might be willing to tell you something if she thought it would help solve Ray’s murder.”

  “Carola, that’s an excellent idea. I’ll do it as soon as we get back. Speaking of which, my watch shows that it’s almost ten. Are you about ready to go?”

  “I am. We need to stop by my room, so I can put Cayo in his carrier. Jack thinks he’d be okay, but I’m reluctant to leave him loose in the room for a long time. I don’t think animals are allowed in the lodge. Anyway, I certainly haven’t seen any, so I don’t want to cause a problem because of Cayo. Think we have enough to deal with at the moment.”

  They walked down the hall to Carola’s room. “Come on in, Lisa, I’ll just be a minute. Here, sweet boy,” she said as she picked up Cayo and petted him. “I have to leave for a little while. Why don’t you take a nap in your carrier?”

  “Carola, look at him,” Lisa said. “He’s being perfectly calm. That’s weird. Every other time he’s been around me he’s hissed and arched his back, but right now he’s purring. I don’t even feel a sneeze coming on. Do you think it would be okay if I petted him?”

  “Sure,” Carola said, putting him down on the floor. Cayo promptly wound himself around Lisa’s legs, his standard way of greeting people he liked, and purred. She reached down and petted him, and then picked him up.

  “Well, hello, little guy. We haven’t been very good friends in the past, but maybe it’s time now. What do you think?” Cayo’s pink tongue licked his approval on her hand.

  “Gathering from what he’s doing, I’d say he thinks it’s fine, but right now we need to get to town,” Carola said, taking Cayo from Lisa and putting him in his carrier. “You be good, Cayo, and we’ll be back before you know it.”

  The two of them walked downstairs and out the front door to where Rico was waiting for them.

  CHAPTER 19

  “It’s good to see you again, Rico” Carola said. “This is Senora Martin. After you drive us to town, would you please drop us off at Mamusia?” She turned to Lisa and said, “If you know anyone who likes chocolate, they have the best. Argentina is known not only for its leather goods but also its chocolate. I always get some for my mother and my sisters when I come here.”

  “Rico,” Carola said twenty minutes later, “it looks like parking is nonexistent as usual. You can stop the car, and we’ll get out. Why don’t you pick us up here at 1:30? That will give me time to show the town to Senora Martin and have lunch. Thank you.” She hurriedly opened the door and motioned for Lisa to follow her before the car behind them started honking. Although the small town was filled with cars and people at this hour, it would all come to a grinding halt from two until five that afternoon when the shops were closed, and everyone went home for a siesta.

  They walked into the chocolate shop and stood for a moment, looking at the display in front of them. “I’ve never seen so many kinds of chocolate,” Lisa said in amazement. “How do you decide what to buy?”

  “I usually get an assortment and let the clerk decide for me. I ask them for the most popular ones. I’m going to get three boxes. Would you like to get some as well?”

  “Yes. I’d like to get one for my housekeeper, but I don’t have any pesos. The only thing I have is American dollars.”

  “That’s not a problem. I know of a currency exchange place close by that pays better than the banks. We’ll go there after we get our chocolate. You can pay me back then.”

  They left the chocolate shop, each carrying a bag of boxed chocolates. “The currency exchange place is not far from here, but it’s not your normal place to exchange money. See that line over there that goes out the door? That’s the pharmacy where the exchange rate is better than the bank. Why pay more than you have to?” Carola asked, as they crossed the street and got in the back of the line.

  Within minutes Lisa had exchanged five hundred American dollars for pesos. “Where to now, Carola?” she asked.

  “That’s up to you. Is there anything that interests you?”

  “Since everyone says that the Argentinian leather products are so good, do you have a special shop where you take your guests for purses?”

  “Yes, there’s a relatively new one down the street. It’s owned by a Spanish woman who married an Argentinian. Her daughter has a kitchen shop across the street and down a block. Let’s start there.”

  The owner of the shop recognized Carola and walked over to them, kissing Carola on each cheek. Carola introduced Lisa to her and turned to talk to the owner while Lisa looked at the leather belts, handbags, and shoes. She decided on blue and tan leather handbags as well as two belts.

  “Carola, would you ask her how much I owe? I’m having difficulty with the pesos. I can’t seem to convert the dollars into pesos. I don’t want to pay too much, and I rather doubt she’d let me out of the shop if I paid too little.”

  A rapid volley of Spanish was exchanged between the shopkeeper and Carola and then Carola said, “Give me your pesos, and I will pay her for you. You got a very good deal.”

  “I’m curious about the handbags. How much were they?”

  “In American dollars one was $125 and the other one was $140. They are both beautiful, and the insides are as well made as the outsides. I also like the little zipper pouch on the side of each one for a cell phone. That’s the first time I’ve seen that.”

  “Considering how many phones I’ve lost over the years, I sincerely hope it works,” Lisa said smiling.

  When she smiles like that, she really is a beauty, Carola thought. It’s as if she’s shed a coat, and the real Lisa has come out or maybe she’s a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type person. If anyone had told me about this turnaround I would have said they were crazy, but I’m beginning to like her.

  “If you’re ready to leave, there’s one other shop that I love to take people to. It’s called The Black Sheep, because there are so many of them in Argentina. Everything in the shop is made from their black wool. Last time I was here I bought a stuffed animal for my nephew. It was so cute,” Carola said as they walked down the street.

  Lisa bought several black sheep stuffed animals for the children of her gardener, her pool man, and her hairdresser. Just after noon Carola said, “I know you haven’t been very hungry, but let’s go into the restaurant over there. I’ve eaten there several times before, and the food is quite good. Would that be all right with you?”

  “Yes, that’s fine with me,” Lisa said. “I know I need to eat something, and even though I’m pre
tty much a non-meat eater, I think my body needs to have some animal protein about now. The last thing I need to do is get sick. I won’t be able to find out who murdered Ray if I’m sick.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Lisa and Carola ordered lunch and enjoyed the view from their window table. Tourists and residents ebbed and flowed on the sidewalk in front of them. They each ordered sparkling water, and Lisa took a roll from the bread tray the waitress had set on the table.

  “I’m surprisingly hungry,” she said, buttering her roll and taking a bite of it. “This is delicious. When we passed a bakery a few minutes ago, I was amazed at the variety of things they offered. Is Argentina known for its baked goods?”

  “I’ve never seen anything about it in a travel book,” Carola said, “but it’s been my experience all of the countries I’ve been to in South America have far better baked goods than what’s available in the United States. The only thing that disappoints me is I can’t get sourdough bread down here, and that’s something I’ve come to love since Jack and I live in Northern California most of the year.”

  “You know, Carola, even under these sad circumstances, I like this little town. The people seem very nice, but I’ve noticed something strange. I expected to see dark complexions and more Hispanic looking people. The people look almost European, and so does this little town. I’ve even noticed a lot of blonds. I find that interesting. I never would have expected it, and when I looked at the menu, I was surprised to see so many Italian dishes.”

  “The town was founded by Europeans, and you’ll notice a strong Germanic influence in the design of the buildings. I think it’s particularly evident in the homes near Lago Lacar, the lake at the end of town. The blonds you see reflect that Germanic influence. Also, there are a lot of people here who originally came from Italy. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant here in San Martin that hasn’t had some type of an Italian dish on the menu,” Carola said.

  Even though Lisa had brought the subject up, she seemed lost in thought as she stared out the window at the “village” dogs. Carola wasn’t sure Lisa had even heard her.

  “Lisa, are you all right? Are the dogs upsetting you? It’s really a tragedy that the only reason they’re able to stay alive is because of what they can scavenge or what people feed them. A lot of them mark a certain restaurant as their spot and run off other dogs through intimidation. I always give them whatever leftovers I have.”

  “I suppose the dogs are upsetting me. I’ve never seen anything so pathetic. There must be some agency that can care for them.”

  “No, unfortunately there isn’t an SPCA organization or a Humane Society in San Martin. The dogs just have to fare for themselves. It’s really sad,” Carola said.

  “Maybe I’m more sensitive to it since my world has been turned completely upside down. I feel like a boat that’s been cut loose from its mooring. People don’t know this, but even though I seemed like I was totally self-confident, I actually relied on Ray for everything. I was very young when I met him. And now, I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.”

  “How did you meet him?” Carola asked.

  “You’re probably not going to believe this, but I met him at the airport in San Francisco. Ray was standing behind me in the Immigration line. I’d just returned from a skiing trip in the Alps. You know how long those lines are, and we started talking. When we finished with Immigration we went through Customs and then outside. He asked if anyone was meeting me, and I said I was going to call a limousine. He told me his driver was picking him up momentarily, and he’d be happy to take me home.”

  “Sounds like something out of a novel.”

  “It was,” Lisa said. “I was only twenty years old, and he was old enough to be my father, but it didn’t matter. We were together from that day on, simple as that. I did my best to make him proud of me and play the part of what I thought a successful businessman’s wife should be. He took care of me like he would a daughter, even though he was my husband. One time he told me I’d gotten rather demanding, but he thought it was just a stage I was going through. He thought it was because so many of the wives of other successful businessmen were that way. That’s what I mean by a daughter. A regular husband probably wouldn’t say that to his wife.”

  “One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that no one can ever know about the attraction two people have for each other,” Carola said. “Fulfilling a need? Chemistry? Who knows? It’s probably too fresh for you to say, but do you have any idea what you’re going to do now?”

  “When I couldn’t sleep last night I thought long and hard about it. No, I have no idea. In many ways, I was a good wife to Ray. I certainly saw that he was well taken care of. I’ve never really wanted a career. I just don’t have that type of gene in me. I suppose I could go back to college. I quit when we got married, but that doesn’t interest me. I have enough money to do whatever I want, but the problem is, I don’t know what I want. I’m sure as time goes by it will become clear, but for now, no, I feel completely at loose ends.”

  “Well, at the moment the only thing you need to do is start eating that carbonado stew that the waitress just brought. It looks wonderful. All that broth, vegetables, and meat should make you feel better. I’ve never ordered it, but it’s pretty impressive served in that pumpkin shell. Too bad it’s not Halloween,” she said laughing. “Actually, I may have to try that next year.”

  They were quiet as they ate, both of them simply enjoying the quiet restaurant and the wonderful food. When Lisa was finished, she put her spoon down and said, “What I’m going to say will probably surprise you. I’ve always loved dogs, but we never could have one because Ray was allergic to dog hair. Looking out the window and seeing all of the street dogs that seem to be so common here in San Martin makes me want to do something for them. Maybe I’ll become active in some Humane Society back home or perhaps a Dog Rescue organization, or at least give them some money. I guess I could even have a dog now.”

  “Lisa as bad as your loss of Ray is, and I’m not trying to whitewash it, there are always some silver linings. I hope you’ll spend some time looking for those rather than at the dark clouds caused by his unexpected death.”

  “Carola, I’ve been doing most of the talking, but I remember you saying something about Jack not being just a fishing guide, but also a coin collector and an historian. What’s that all about?”

  “I met Jack when he was guiding a group of fishermen in Chile. Several of my friends and I were having a drink after work. Jack was there with his group, and he was having trouble getting the bartender to understand his Spanish. I helped him and one thing led to another, and we got married a few months later. I thought I was marrying a fishing guide. What I didn’t realize was that I was also marrying a very knowledgeable coin collector who actually helped solve a coin theft called the Saddle Ridge Coin Mystery. Look it up on the Internet. There are a lot of news articles about it.”

  “I will. I’ve never heard of it. A coin collector? That’s interesting. Does he still collect?”

  “Yes,” Carola said. “I don’t know much about coins, but the other day he said something about a Carson City gold $5 Liberty. I guess it’s worth a lot of money. He’s got several others that are pretty valuable as well. He spends a lot of time on Facebook with different people he’s met through coin groups there.”

  “I’m having a hard time putting a fishing guide together with a coin collector. Ray mentioned Jack was also an historian, and I can understand that, because I think of nature and history as kind of going together hand in hand, but coins? How did that ever happen?”

  “Jack told me his family owned a dry cleaning store across the street from the San Francisco mint. His grandfather used to wash the clothes of a lot of the employees who worked at the mint. I know he was close to his grandfather, so I guess that’s how he got started collecting coins and becoming so knowledgeable about them.”

  “I’ve never looked below the surface of what p
eople tell me. All I ever cared about was what kind of a car someone drove, what neighborhood they lived in, and how much money they made. Can’t say I’m very proud of it, but that’s the truth.”

  “I’ve always heard it’s never too late to start over,” Carola said. “Just think about all you’re going to able to find out about people beyond what you used to know.” She looked at her watch and motioned the waitress over. “We need to get back to Mamusia to meet Rico. It isn’t siesta time yet, so I’m sure parking will be as bad as it was when we got here.”

  They paid the waitress and quickly walked the two blocks back to Mamusia to meet Rico.

  CHAPTER 21

  When they got back to the lodge, Carola said, “We both have phone calls to make, and I want to do a little research on the Internet. It’s 2:00 now. Why don’t you come to my room in a couple of hours, and we can share what we’ve found out?”

  “That’s fine with me. I’ll start with our lawyer and go from there. I think the business needs to be attended to before anything else, and I need to find out if Ray made some specific plans for it. See you later,” Lisa said, as she walked toward the end of the hall to the room where she was now staying.

  After she closed the door, Carola walked over to Cayo’s carrier and zipped the door open. He walked out of it, lapped at the water in his dish, and jumped on the bed, purring, obviously happy she was back.

  “Okay, little guy. I’ve got some work to do. Why don’t you rest on the bed for now?” She picked up her laptop computer, put it on the table, and booted it up. She typed in the name “WrapAround Graphics,” and spent the next half hour reading about the company. She discovered nothing that indicated there was turmoil in the company or that anyone from the company would have any reason to be involved in Ray’s murder. She decided the only thing to do was call the president of the company and see if he could tell her something other than what she’d seen on the Internet. She picked up her phone and called the company.