Armoires and Arsenic: A Darling Valley Cozy Mystery with Women Sleuths Olivia M. Granville and Tuesday (A Darling Valley Mystery)

by Cassie Page

  Olivia liked his warmth and sense of humor, but they had never acted on their promise to have lunch. They were both too busy getting their businesses off the ground. She teased him about being the baby brother she always wanted and he said, “I’ll take that.” Hence, she explained the signoff, yr bb brudda.

  “I wish we would have lunch,” she added. “I’d love to pick that Harvard marketing brain of his.”

  Tuesday licked her lips. “That’s not all I’d like to do with him.”

  Olivia laughed. “Can we talk about one man, just one, without you being all over him?”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Tuesday had her head in the refrigerator looking for jam for her toast.

  “Seriously, why is Jesse worried about me? That must be why Detective Richards was snooping around here this morning. Jessica Blackman has something to do with her father’s murder. Maybe Mrs. Harmon is her accomplice. Maybe it is my association with Mrs. Harmon that got me pulled into this. I need to know what Jesse knows.”

  Before she had a chance to reply to Jesse’s message, her phone rang. She saw Elgin Fastner’s name on her screen. She held it up for Tuesday to see and mouthed, “Should I answer,” and immediately hit the button. “Hello, Elgin. What a surprise.”

  The banker’s voice turned syrupy and soft, more intimate than his business voice. “Olivia, my dear. I’ve been thinking about our conversation yesterday and I believe I overreacted to your request.”

  Olivia was cautious. “Oh? In what way?”

  “Well, I believe I know of some documents that you might be interested in seeing, though I would have to have your word that you would not make the information public or in way implicate me in revealing them to you.”

  “Confidentiality. Of course, Elgin. It goes without saying.”

  She mouthed, He wants to blackmail Sabrina.

  Tuesday mouthed, Yes! and gave her a fist bump.

  “But let me ask you, what changed your mind?” She gave Tuesday a big wink.

  “Well, I certainly can’t reveal her financial information. But there is a document you might find interesting. Given that you are implicated in her affairs by way of your relationship with, oh, how do I put this? Her late partner. It is my judgment that you are entitled to see an agreement they made.”

  “An agreement? What kind of agreement?”

  “Well, I’d rather not say over the phone. Can we meet for lunch and we can talk about this further?”

  After she mouth, “He wants to do lunch,” Tuesday made an obscene gesture and Olivia nodded yes.

  “Why that would be fine, Elgin. Shall we say noon at Hugo’s?”

  “Oh, no. Not Hugo’s. Let’s go somewhere quiet. How about the Buckeye Roadhouse? I just love their Asian tuna salad and Key Lime Pie, don’t you?”

  “I love the Buckeye, Elgin, but that’s half an hour away, almost to the Golden Gate Bridge.” She covered her mouth so her laugh wouldn’t seep into the phone. “Are you sure we couldn’t find a place in town that’s quiet?”

  “No, no. It has to be the Buckeye. I, I . . .” She could hear him thinking on his feet. “I have to go to San Francisco and it is so convenient to the bridge.

  “Well, if you say so, Elgin. I’ll see you there at noon.”

  She could hear his sigh of relief. She gave him a seductive, “Bye, Elgin,” and hung up before she burst out laughing.

  Tuesday plopped onto a stool. “Tell me, tell me.”

  “He wants to double cross Sabrina by showing me some document that must be incriminating in some way. I knew that one was up to something. He doesn’t want to be seen with me in town, but, of course, he’s hoping I’ll, ahem, return the favor.”

  Tuesday said, “Then he doesn’t know my Olivia.”

  The two women burst out laughing.

  Tuesday said, “Seriously, Olivia. This murder thing is getting deep and dirty.”

  “I’ll say. We have Sabrina, the Ice Queen partner up to something. Then Mrs. Harmon playing some kind of grandma footsie with young Jessica and that guy in the truck with Cody last night? The Gotshalk thug shouting he knew something about the other night? And people think I had something to do with the murder? We have enough suspects to start a TV crime show.”

  “Speaking of Cody, shouldn’t he be here?”

  Olivia dialed Cody’s number. “Change of plans.” She told him he would have make it coffee and soon. And Tuesday would come with her. “But I’ll make it easy on you. Mohammad will come to the mountain. Name a place and we’ll meet you there.”

  The threesome wedged into a red Naugahyde booth on Cody’s side of town, the area skirting the meth park.

  Cody started out by complaining about how long it was taking Detective Richards to return his truck.

  “And my armoire, I might add.” Olivia kicked herself for not asking Richards this morning when she’d get her belongings back.

  “So Cody,” she said. “What was that all about last night. Whose truck were you in and why was that guy beating up young Gotshalk.”

  He still hadn’t shaven. Did he go on a bender last night? Or was the news about Jessica keeping him awake all night? He shook his head as if this was all too much for him. “Olivia, can we order some breakfast first? I’m starved.”

  Olivia said, “sure,” knowing she would be picking up the tab. “Tues and I have eaten, so I’ll just have some decaf.” She rubbed her stomach. “To tell you the truth, I think I’ve had too much food. Not feeling that great. But you go on and order. How about you, Tues?”

  “What kind of herb tea do they have?”

  Cody and Olivia looked at one another, incredulous.

  “Tuesday, look around. It’s not an herbal tea kind of place.”

  Tuesday saw the bikers with tats wrapped around their necks, shaven heads and long scruffy beards. “Yeah, I see what you mean. How about a chocolate shake. I don’t trust the coffee here. It’s probably not organic.”

  Olivia said, “Tues, what was all that this morning about a cleanse and ditching sugar?”

  “Clearly, I have to be in the right environment.”

  Cody looked confused. Olivia turned her attention to him. “Okay, let’s get to it. Cody, what went down last night.”

  “Olivia, I’m not supposed to talk about it. Some people could get in serious trouble.”

  “Okay, just the broad outline.”

  “Well, it was a drug deal gone bad. Gotrocks owes Roger some money.”

  “Roger as in Blackman’s Roger?”

  “The same. He has a little side business, if you get my drift.”

  “I think I do. And he shorted Gotrocks?”

  “No, Gotrocks shorted him. Roger figured he would get him to pay up at the country club so he wouldn’t cause a scene. But Roger figured wrong and Gotrocks started punching him out.”

  “Well, what was that he shouted to Roger that he knew what he was doing the other night? I assumed it had something to do with Blackman’s murder.”

  “I don’t think I should talk about that.”

  “Why, because you don’t know anything?” Olivia paused. “Or you do know something?” He looked so disheartened, Olivia reached over and stroked his hand.

  “Well what were you doing with Roger last night? Tell me that. Are you involved with drugs? You can tell me, Cody. I don’t judge. You know that.”

  “No, it wasn’t about drugs. That’s not my thing. But I don’t have wheels. I told you the other day. Roger wants to do some business with me. Legit business. Helping him with my truck and stuff and he’d make sure I got some delivery work from Blackman’s. After hours, you know. After I’m done with you for the day. So last night I told him I needed a ride. I had a date. He said he’d give me a lift into Darling Boulevard but that he had a quick stop to make. I didn’t know he was going to shake down Gotrocks.”

  “A date?”

  “Yeah. Well, not a real date. But I texted Jessica that I wanted to get together and talk and she said yes. I wanted
to let her tell me about her marriage, see if she needed anything. You know, friend stuff.”

  “Jessica!” blurted Tuesday. “I hear she’s bad news.”

  “Sweet Jessica! Who’s telling tales about her?” Cody came alive, looking like he would take someone out.

  Olivia told him. “Jesse, if you must know. And as far as I’m concerned, his word is good. And he’s not the only one. Monica, Mrs. Blackman’s assistant said some things. Hints. Intimations. And she should know.”

  “I don’t believe it. What are they saying?”

  “Cody, I don’t know how to say this, but there is a rumor around that she had something to do with her father’s death.”

  “I don’t believe it.” Cody looked crushed.

  “Richards is investigating it. Well, he hinted that he was. I can’t say any more for sure.”

  “It’s not Jessica. It can’t be.”

  “Cody, are you sure of Jessica? You know for sure that she’s being straight with you?”

  “Of course she is. Why would you say a thing like that?”

  Before she could answer, her phone rang. Elgin needed to move lunch up another half an hour because of an emergency bank meeting. Olivia told him it was fine, then told Tuesday they needed to leave so she could drop her off at the house.

  “You okay being at the shop by yourself again? This won’t take long. And Cody, listen, when I get back why don’t I pick you up from wherever you are and you can take me home and keep the truck. As long as Tuesday is here with the rented Mercedes, I have wheels. Bring it back when the PD releases yours.”

  “Gosh, thanks, Olivia. Just give me a call. I’ll probably be home.”

  “Not a problem, Cody. Are you sure there isn’t anything else I should know.”

  He hemmed and hawed. “Well, my allegiance is more to you than Roger. Nobody else knows this and he doesn’t want it to get out to the police. Roger had a dustup with Mr. Blackman. He caught him stealing money from the shop. I don’t know why Blackman didn’t fire him on the spot, but Roger let it slip to Gotrocks that there’d been trouble. Blackman wanted to meet with him the night before we found him in the armoire. Last night Roger told me he was terrified that Blackman called the meeting because he was going to turn him into the police. But then they just talked about business, but now Gotrocks is putting it around town that Roger killed him. But I can’t believe Roger would do something like that. Off Blackman?”

  “But if he’s dealing drugs, that can lead to really bad stuff.”

  “I told you Roger isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He tried one deal with Gotrocks that went sour. It scared him plenty. He wants out of the whole drug scene. You can’t let the police know about this.”

  “But Cody, this gives Roger a motive and opportunity. It could clear me. Where’s your loyalty?”

  Cody finished up his omelet and hash browns and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “Roger says he has an alibi. Somebody came into the shop before he left and Blackman was definitely alive when he took off. He doesn’t know who the guy was because Roger swept up like he always does and left by the back door because the two men were having a drink and he figured Blackman had forgotten about him. He reported that part to the police and they are checking it out to see if Roger’s story is for real. He’s just afraid if they find out about the theft part they will pin the murder on him. He’s smart enough to figure that out.

  Olivia scratched her head and pulled her hair back. “I don’t know. This isn’t working for me. If he told Richards that someone was in the shop when he left, the police would tear Darling Valley apart finding that guy. They probably found out it was a customer and that backed up Roger’s alibi. Otherwise, why isn’t he in jail? Thanks, Cody but false alarm. Ready Tues?”

  Tuesday slurped down the last of her milkshake and the two women headed out of the diner, eyes straight ahead to avoid the stares of the biker dudes giving them the once over. Tuesday said, “I’m surprised the Sons of Anarchy weren’t on Sabrina’s guest list last night.”

  Chapter Twenty-One: A Change of Heart

  The valet parking attendant at the Buckeye helped Olivia out of the Mercedes and handed her a ticket. Smiling and winking, which Olivia knew was code for how about a big tip later on. The famous San Francisco fog bank that confounded travelers as far back as Sir Francis Drake wrapped itself around the Golden Gate Bridge standing just above the landmark restaurant and Olivia shivered up the hill and into the wood paneled waiting room. The hostess came around from the bar and when she gave her name told Olivia her party was waiting.

  “This way please,” and she led Olivia into the back room by the huge stone fireplace to the table in the far, far corner where Elgin sat nursing a drink. He apologized for hurrying their lunch, and, though Olivia knew the reason, she put on an innocent face and asked why he didn’t want to have lunch in Darling Valley.

  Elgin pointed to the windows and view of the north deck of the Bridge, the city beyond peeking through the fog in places. “I love Darling Valley and all that, but once in a while it’s nice to see the outside world. Don’t you think?”

  “Whatever you say, Elgin. This is your lunch.”

  Elgin started to make chit chat, but Olivia wasn’t having it.

  “Since you are in a hurry and I have a client waiting for me, why don’t we get to the point. What is it about Sabrina that you would like me to know?”

  “How well do you, I should say, did you know Mr. Blackman?”

  “I keep telling everybody. I didn’t know him at all. I dealt with Sabrina.”

  “Oh, yes. Sabrina. They were partners, you know.”

  “Yes, I knew that. I just was never in the shop when Mr. Blackman was there.”

  “Well they had been business partners for several years. Before Mr. Blackman’s marriage to Greta.”

  “I didn’t know that. The timeline, that is.”

  Elgin explained that, therefore, Mr. Blackman’s part of the business was not community property. And apparently to assure that would not change, they wrote up an agreement specifying who would get control of the business if something untoward happened to either of them. In the event of a death, the surviving partner would get the partnership. None of it would go to Greta, or to Sabrina’s husband.”

  “I didn’t know Sabrina had a husband.”

  “Soon to be ex. At any rate, Sabrina obviously had a lot to gain from Blackman’s death. There isn’t a whisper of suspicion about Greta’s involvement, of course. She had nothing to gain. Sabrina has not been married for very long, either and doesn’t stand to receive much of a settlement in her divorce. As you may know, California’s community property laws are no longer as favorable to women as they once were.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I read the newspapers.”

  “About Sabrina and Blackman’s partnership?”

  “No. About the divorce laws. Bankers can get involved in those property settlement disputes. About Sabrina, she confided in me. Plus, they asked me to witness their partnership arrangement.”

  “Not their lawyers?”

  “They chose not to involve lawyers.”

  “Of course they didn’t. Greta and Sabrina’s husband would have known and thrown a fit.”

  “Perhaps. But other than Sabrina and Blackman, no one knew about the arrangement other than myself. If news of this should get out, it would put her in an unfavorable light. She doesn’t have many assets of her own.”

  “Why do I need to know this? Greta now has access to all of her husband’s papers. She will find this out. What do I get out of seeing this agreement when Greta surely has a copy now? Mr. Blackman would have kept it his in his office, which Greta has access to.”

  “Precisely. But I am sure the widow is too distraught to go through her husband’s papers just yet. While you need, shall we say, closure. Now. And I know where Sabrina keeps her copy. If it got into the hands of the police, it would show that Sabrina had a motive.”

/>   “And what good does this information do me? Do you think I’m going to raid her office some night and steal it? Evidently, you don’t know me very well. And how would I explain to the police how I got it?”

  “Olivia. You asked me if there was anything I knew about Sabrina that might take suspicion off you.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But in so many words. Let’s not quibble. If you were to find yourself in her office and looked behind the ancient map of London mounted over her desk, you’d see a small safe. If you were to look under the center drawer in her desk, you’d find a key taped there.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  “As her financial advisor, she confided in me about certain matters.”

  Olivia remembered Sabrina’s rebuff of Elgin the night before. Hell hath no fury and all that. But watch out for a man’s wounded ego.

  “Really, Elgin. You’re practically asking me to steal her property. That is way beyond anything I suggested to you. I think I’ll leave now. Especially since you have to get back for a meeting.”

  “But Olivia, we haven’t had our Sesame Crusted Tuna. It’s the best dish west of the Mississippi. Maybe even east of it.”

  “Why don’t you take mine home in a doggy bag. I have to head back to Darling Valley. It’s a long drive.”

  He tried to grab her hand to induce her to stay but Olivia eluded his grasp. She plunked a dollar into the hand of the valet guy and avoided his angry gaze as she headed back north.

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Another Theft