Murder Mysteries Series six

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  However, if you continue south bound on 101 you go up a small hill to a flat plateau which contains New Town. New Town has a supermarket, bank, police station, restaurants and various other small businesses. Pam and her husband Alan chose Old Town because of its gentrification and for showing. An insurance office in New Town would not be chic and chic is what Pam wanted all to think she was. Her dark red SUV was always spotless.

  Stacy saw Pam's SUV and pointed her finger at the insurance office. Rory parked in front of what appeared a remodeled small building that might have been an old real estate office or who knows what. It was nice to look at seeing wood siding painted grey to match some of the other buildings in town. The roof was shingled in red cedar. An insurance sign was eye pleasing sitting perpendicular to the office. Stacy led the way inside and the secretary was already thinking a customer was coming. Stacy inwardly smiled knowing the young secretary's smile would quickly disappear when seeing her US Marshall Shield and upon handing her card to the secretary.

  "Good afternoon," Ms Marshall she said to the two fine looking people in front of her only seeing the Marshall and not her name on Stacy's card. Her confusion was justified as she stared up into Rory's eyes marveling at his good looks.

  "We'd like to see Pam Binder please," said Stacy showing her Marshal's Shield.

  Indeed the smile fell off her face as if discovering she'd an urgent need of the bathroom. She said, "Just a moment please. I'll tell her you're here."

  Rory watched her scurry off behind her to a closed door. Looking around he saw all the tacky seaside prints hanging on the walls. One nice painting of the Bandon Lighthouse was prominently displayed on the wall behind Ms. Frasher's desk. Two waiting chairs behind a driftwood coffee table held various magazines while you waited for the insurance agent to come forth to greet you. In this case, Ms.Frasher came back out saying, "Pam will be right with you if you'll come with me please."

  Pam's office was just a larger facsimile of the reception area: pictures of the seaside, the jetty and more oils of the riverfront area including the giant sea stacks. Pam stood up with an expression between a half grin and a sneer. She gestured to two chrome chairs in front of her desk and sat down. Stacy and Rory sat down with Stacy saying, "We are bearers of bad news Ms. Binder. Your father was murdered a few hours ago in his factory. We're very sorry to inform you so bluntly. Your mother is in the clinic under sedation from trauma. We tried to call you and your brother but no answer from either of you."

  Both Stacy and Rory were watching closely Pam Binder's reaction to the news. Both saw a flash of shock and then pretended a false put on of stoic resolve. "I'm in total shock and disbelief. My cell fell into my bath water this morning and it's at the local shop being repaired. How did this happen and when did it happen again," she asked while reaching down for a pencil to do something with her hand. Stacy thought she was either a great actress or truly was shocked.

  "Your mother called just after 11 am to my father Ray Foreham. We left immediately and discovered your father dead on the floor from a blow to head. The pathologist puts the time of death around 11 am to 12 noon. Please give us your movements from 10 am until after 12 pm."

  "Am I a suspect," she yelled out with hand to the throat leaning back in her ergonometric office chair. "First you come in here telling me my father has been murdered and then you ask me for an alibi. I'd say that's rather crass and cold hearted on your part."

  "Murder is not something you beat around the bush about," Stacy retorted with an only slightly raised voice. "Nothing was taken from his work shop or any sign of robbery. Somebody killed your father and it's reasonable to assume it was somebody who knew him very well. We operate under a system of elimination Ms. Binder. It shouldn't offend you to tell us your whereabouts this morning. If for example, you stopped to have your cell phone repaired, the person who would work on it can verify you visiting the store? What we need is the name and phone number of the place who is working on your cell phone. After that where did you go and we proceed up to and after noon time."

  "It was around 9:30 when I dropped my phone off at the new store not far from my home. There's a strip mall there. The name of the store is Mr. Swipes. I know kind of corny but he's a nice guy. Here's his business card. I don't need it. After that I went to Ziggies Fashions. I purchased a few things and used my credit card. I'm sure they'll verify I was there. After that I drove down to Bandon. I'm guessing it was around 11:30 when I arrived at the North Jetty. I wanted some fresh air as my husband and I had a small argument this early morning. I walked around munching on some granola bars. I arrived here at work around 1 pm." Rory saw her clasped hands with white knuckles knowing full well that she was in trouble.

  "Did you see or talk to anyone at the North Jetty who can verify your being there?"

  "I saw nobody I knew. There were a few cars around even though it was raining a little. No, I don't have anyone who can say or anyone who saw me at the beach," she said lowering her eyes, unclasping her hands then picking up a pencil started doodling on a legal pad.

  "Do you have any idea where your brother might be," asked Rory.

  "No, but I did hear he's a new girl friend. He's a flake and he and dad have been arguing for a long time now."

  "What have they been arguing about Ms. Binder?"

  "Brody wants his share of the factory so he can go blow it on women and he loves Las Vegas. Dad told him he'd have to wait until both mother and he were dead and buried. Cody didn't like that one bit. I doubt Brody has the balls to kill his own father, but that's up to you guys to find out who killed him," said a smug Pam Binder with her arms across her rather flat chest.

  "What about your father's relationship with Walt Rawlings," asked Stacy?

  "Now there's a real loser if I've ever seen one. That guy has been fighting with my father for years. I guess after so long he could have blown a gasket and killed my father. His two boys, Andy and Arty have sucked the poor man to death. It's common knowledge they do the midnight logging of myrtlewood here and there. They're very clever and have never been caught yet. I know you'll be looking into their movements very soon."

  "Tell us about your relationship with your parents Ms. Binder. Rumor has it that lately you're seldom a visitor to the shop or factory," asked Stacy.

  "This questioning is bordering or has already crossed the line into personal and private information Marshall Stacy," said an increasingly angry Pam Binder who hadn't even asked how her father had died or wanted to rush to the hospital or clinic to see about her mother.

  "Privacy goes out the window when murder happens Ms. Binder. Our job is to find his killer and to accomplish that we must know all there is to know about friends and relatives regardless of any secrets. Somebody that knew your father and could have been a friend or customer took a four foot wood clamp that has pipe connecting the blocks on the end and smashed it over your fathers head. It didn't take a strong man to provide the effort, but wasn't much different than swinging a baseball bat. He was struck from behind and then to add a touch of irony to the act, laid the pipe clamp across his chest. Now back to the question earlier: your relationship with your parents."

  Rory said later that Ms. Binder looked like a school kid who'd just got in trouble with his or her teacher. He inwardly smiled that finally the smart talking socialite was put in her place. She said: "Before I got married we were a tight family. Then I moved out seeing my mother in tears. My father was happy to see me leave as he wanted the house rid of both of us. Brody hung on way too long and that grated on dad. They fought and Brody spent more and more time away from his work duty at the factory.

  On the other hand, I was hounded for a grand baby, but it just didn't happen no matter how hard we tried. I guess they gave up on both of us after a spell. We spent less and less time visiting and we when we did see each other sore points were brought up, such as, when are you Brody going to settle down and go to work. And for me it was Pam when are you going to spend some time with us like the hol
idays in fall and winter. I guess in a nut shell we're not your all American family."

  "That's all for now Ms. Binder. We'll follow up later, but now if you hear from your brother; tell him to get in contact with me soonest." Pam remained seated while they left. Once in the SUV Rory turned left to proceed to Sam's house on the western hill overlooking the jetty. He glanced out his side window seeing Pam peeking out the office window.

  7

  Officer James had called the Coquille Court House and left a message that he and others were looking for Brody Keystone. The message was urgent regarding a serious family matter. Insiders shuffled the message to Kay Torrent. Kay knew where Brody was and how to get a message to him under the old police station where certain guys played cards in the bowels of the building. Kay sent a text to a friend who relayed a message to the card players that Brody was urgently wanted.

  The runner came down and he rapped on the door relaying the sign he was a friend. The door was opened and the runner came in breathing a little hard. He said to Brody, "Hey Brody, your father was killed this morning and you're wanted in Bandon by the police."

  Brody was holding onto what he thought a winning hand. He nodded to the runner and went back to the game. He tried to concentrate, but after he dropped a 'C' note on the losing hand, left the game. Nobody said their condolences and he looked put out rather that sad due to his father passing on.

  Stacy had a grin on her face as Rory drove to Sam's house that overlooked the jetty. Sam's job, after retiring, was to make sure the Pacific Ocean at Bandon still had fish to catch. The only time he wasn't fishing was when it was raining or he was downtown giving his catch away. It was at that time Sam gleaned the towns' doings.

  With the grin turning into a smile, Stacy recalled the many times she and Sam had worked on a case together. He was an icon of the Bandon area. Physically, he was not much atypical of an old timer. However, his grey eyes depicted both intelligence and sent a message of friendship. He was a guy people trusted and spilled their insides to. Stacy thought that probably the most hilarious time was when Sam was fishing and he caught a human arm instead of a nice rock cod. He loved to tell stories, but that one he let go as best being forgotten. Now Sam was sitting on his porch watching the rain come down as they drove up. As usual a big smile crossed his face lighting up his sparkling eyes. What Stacy liked best about Sam was he'd not tell the same old stories over and over again, but kept the conversation fresh and up to date. For Stacy, he was her "Google" search engine around town.

  He stood up and turned to the door. They'd talk inside rather than out as only one rocking chair adorned the old wood porch. Stacy and Rory followed him inside and they sat down at his kitchen table while he put the water on for her tea and his instant coffee. While waiting for the water to boil, he said, "Nice to see you too," while opening a new box of green tea he'd bought especially for her visits.

  "I'm here as usual Sam with my hand out. Have you heard the news yet," asked Stacy.

  "Yeah, damn shame. Cliff was a nice guy and good friend to boot."

  "Any ideas Sam," asked Stacy again as the tea pot whistled its readiness.

  "It could be a handful of suspects Stacy. But first let's catch up on your doings and of course Rory here seems in fine form," he said after returning with a tray of mugs, spoons, coffee and tea bags. He sat the two mugs down in front of his guest's silently saying help yourself. "I realize Eugene is the place for you at this stage in your career, but darn it all, it's hard to get much information from up that way. Word filters down to Flo from Dan's connections, but other than that, slim pickings."

  Stacy, while dipping her tea bag up and down, gave him the short version and quickly brought him up to date on Eugene and then the afternoon's homicide case. Rory said later Sam took it hard knowing an old friend had been bushwhacked by an iron pipe used for gluing wood together. His heavy eye brows seemed to carry the heavy load all by themselves.

  "The wife, Agnes is in the clinic resting under doctor's care. She went into a world of her own after she'd called my father. We interviewed the daughter, but she didn't show a lot of remorse or even shock her father was murdered. As far as the son goes, we can't or haven't located him yet. Let's start or begin with the family Sam. The more we know the sooner we'll catch the bad guy."

  "Your father knew him well Stacy. Even before your father started wood working they were friends from way back. Throughout the years Cliff made a few myrtlewood shop owners very angry, but most just cleared out or found something else to do. The main competition is with Walt Rawlings and his family. Any one of the family could have killed Cliff. Yes, I'm including the wife, Bonnie and especially those two thieving sons he has. As it is Walt and family barely make enough to live on. If it wasn't for the free myrtlewood the boys steal, they'd be sunk. With Cliff out of the way, and Brody not worth much as regards the business and the daughter in her own world of high fashion, the business is no more. Pick one and charge that one with murder.

  Let's talk about a few weeks ago when I made one of my rare trips south. I'd a request from an old friend to buy a unique small piece myrtlewood for his new crush. It'd been so long since I drove my old pickup truck that I had to charge the battery first before heading down to see Cliff. It was just after lunch when I arrived and Agnes was tending the gift shop with Cliff back in his factory. As always, he was happy to have someone to talk with. After our 'weather' talk, he lamented the Brody case showing his disappointment in his son's gambling and running around creating a bad name for the family. He told me frankly speaking that he was considering cutting both of his siblings out of his will. I don’t know if you know Stacy, but Cliff is very well healed and owns a lot of property around here; including some choice property downtown." He paused and slurped some tea and Stacy did likewise. Rory jumped in saying:

  "That certainly raises the stakes, no pun intended, in Brody's case as a suspect."

  "I'm with you Rory," said Sam. "The other one was the phone calls he was getting suggesting he retire or suffer the consequences of continuing to be in business. He said the voice was not recognizable sounding artificial. I asked if he'd call the police and he just raised his eyes and shook his head. With Walt and sons on the verge and with the decrease in tourists due to the high cost of fuel, anybody on the edge will slip off the cliff shortly. More motive to consider.

  "Anybody else you can think of Sam," asked Stacy drinking the last of her tea.

  "Like I said earlier, Cliff has property in the downtown area. Rumor has it that one of his tenets has threatened Cliff with some violence if he raises his rent. Property taxes have gone up and Cliff is passing on the increase to his renters or leasers. The one he told me about is Fritz Wilson. The guy is a short fuse waiting to blow. His wife can attest to his violence as sometimes she's not seen for a month or so healing her bruises inside the house."

  "You're a fountain of information Sam. You wouldn't have a brother in Eugene who could lend a hand once in awhile," said Stacy laughing.

  8

  Stacy and Rory drove the short distance to the restaurant that her father and Fran operated during the spring and summer. When the kid went back to school in September, they shut the doors until spring. Stacy remembered when they had decided to winter out in the Southwest. A few months into watching the cactus grow; they decided to come home to the rainy land that they both loved. She was happy they came home. It was a surprise when her father announced they would be married come June; which was just a few months away from now. Rory pulled up in front of the restaurant that on a clear day would have a lovely view of the coast. As it was still a few hours away from dinner time they would have an opportunity to talk to Fran about Agnes, Cliff's wife.

  Flo Medders, formally the Bandon Police dispatcher, was now the welcome person at the door. Everybody in town new her and all respected her position at the restaurant. Tourists were heard commenting on what a nice friendly person that had just taken their money. As the restaurant was booked solid every
night, you had best make sure of a reservation. All the motels and resorts had notices to that effect: reservations or no seating.

  Flo gave Stacy a motherly hug and after chatting about the case, all went to the kitchen to see Fran. Fran was busy as all get out as her assistant was home mourning the loss of a friend and supplier of myrtlewood. Fran had altered the menu somewhat and was now having braised pork tips.

  Fran was standing at a work counter putting some final touches on the pork before it went into the oven. To Stacy she looked a little tired as her partner was home playing with his wood. Flo had been helping and now Stacy said, "What can we do to help Fran?"

  "Nothing much Stacy as I've just about got it covered. All I've left to do is the salad. If you want to you can pull about five heads of lettuce out of the walk in and slice and cut into a pan. Also, there're bags of already cut up salad veggies and maybe Rory could open those bags up? And last there are some cukes to slice next to the bags of veggies. I know you're here to talk about Agnes and while we work I'll tell you what I know about her."

  "Thanks Fran and we're glad to help. Father seems to be taking the loss of his friend rather hard. Anything you can tell us about the whole family would be a great help."

  "Our most recent conversation was just a week ago when both came to dinner. After dinner Agnes came back here to the kitchen and we talked while your father chatted with Cliff out front. At first she seemed fine and happy, but the more she talked the further she went down. Mostly it was the kids that she lamented about and then surprisingly, she told me her and Cliff were having some problems."

  "Tell me about the kids first Fran and try to recall all the details if you can," said Stacy with a long kitchen knife slicing up the lettuce that Rory had fetched for her.