Outrageous Vegas Vacation (An Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery Book 8)

by Madison Johns

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said, introducing myself. “This is my friend Eleanor, we’ve been investigating your son’s death.”

  She straightened in her chair. “I see, but the police told me the bodyguard was responsible.”

  “I understand that, but I have information that means he might not be guilty at all. I’d hate for the real killer to get away with what he did.”

  “I agree. I want the right person in jail for killing our son.”

  “What was he like growing up?” I asked.

  “Oh, you know, rambunctious like most, but by the time he was thirteen, he had stars in his eyes. He wanted to be a singer, but unfortunately he couldn’t sing.” She laughed.

  “Did he have many friends?”

  “Sure, but most of them went off to college and he lost track of them.”

  “How did he get into entertainment management?”

  “He went off to Los Angeles and worked for a few agents. He worked as a road crew member and eventually he worked himself up to tour manager, until he was given the chance to have his own clients at the Foxworth Agency.”

  “That sounds like quite the promotion,” Eleanor said. “Why did he leave?”

  “He didn’t that I know of, he just took on a few clients that were based in Las Vegas. It was just easier for him to handle them if he was also based here.”

  “Do you happen to know who his boss was in the agency, or the president of the company?”

  “No, sorry, but I don’t.”

  “Did Malcolm have any enemies?”

  A loud booming voice was heard from the doorway. “Who doesn’t,” a man said.

  I turned and saw a man wearing western style pants and shirt, holding a cowboy hat in his hand.

  “This is Will, my husband,” Malcolm’s mother said.

  “What’s going on here, Rhonda?”

  “Kayla wanted to come over and pay her respects. Remember, she’s the pop star he manages.”

  “Managed, you mean, honey. We need to accept the fact that our son is dead. I wish he had never started managing music artists. It’s been nothing but trouble ever since.”

  “Oh?” I asked.

  “This is Agnes and Eleanor. They’re looking into Malcolm’s death.”

  Will lowered himself into a chair. “I see. Well, seems like they have the man in jail who the police claim killed Malcolm.”

  “He has an alibi, if I can ever convince the woman to come forward,” I said.

  His eyes widened. “So, you think they have the wrong man in jail?”

  “Exactly, but why are you so dead set against what Malcolm was doing?”

  “Just that I suspected he might be dipping into their money. I figured it was only a matter of time before someone made him accountable for it. I just never thought that he’d be murdered for it.”

  “Now, we don’t know that for sure,” Rhonda said. “Malcolm was a good boy.”

  “He wasn’t a boy, Rhonda, and you know as well as me there were rumors that he had stolen from his clients before. I’m surprised that agency he was working for in LA didn’t fire him, and he’s lucky he wasn’t arrested.”

  “So, it was just a rumor, then?” I asked.

  “I believe it. Malcolm’s been known to have sticky fingers.”

  “Will,” Rhonda choked out. “He was just a kid when he did that.”

  “Actually, we do believe that Malcolm had stolen some of Kayla’s money,” I said. “Not that he deserved to be murdered for it, but right now it’s unclear who might have killed him and why.”

  Kayla’s face whitened, now. “I sure hope I can sort out this mess. I don’t even know where he deposited my money at, or if I have any left.”

  Will squeezed Kayla’s hand. “Don’t worry about it, honey. We’ll sort out his finances and if we find out he stole from you, I’ll make sure you’re repaid. I’ll have to do the same for the other artists he might have swindled.”

  “What other artists?” I asked. “You mentioned that there was another one in Vegas.”

  “Actually, I can’t say for sure. He never told us who it was, but he sure was excited about representing two right here in Vegas,” Rhonda said.

  What a disappointment. How was I going to sort out this case if I didn’t know all the players? “I’d love to know who the other artist is. My hope is that I’ll find out eventually. I’d like to investigate all possibilities.”

  “Well, I’d want to know, too,” Kayla said, rising from her chair. “They might be responsible for Malcolm’s death. I can’t believe my bodyguard did this, even if he had spent time in prison.”

  I had to agree with that.

  “You can’t blame the first person with a police record for killing Malcolm. Malcolm left after breakfast to meet someone and we don’t even know who. That person could be the one who killed him, but we’ll never know if we don’t look further into his death,” Kayla went on to say.

  I rather admired Kayla’s spunk, although I did wonder where it was coming from. What was she worried about? It sure seemed that Malcolm spent most of his time on Kayla’s career.

  “Settle down, young lady. There’s no reason to get yourself that involved. It would be best to let the police handle the investigation,” Rhonda said.

  “My wife’s right,” Will added.. “Go on back and get ready for your show tonight. That’s what Malcolm would want you to do.”

  “So, you won’t tell us who the other artist is?”

  Rhonda looked over at her husband and said, “Perhaps we should tell them, Will.”

  “No, we promised that we’d never tell anyone about Malcolm’s business dealings.”

  “Except that he’s dead now,” Eleanor said. “What possible harm could it do now?”

  “Plenty, if it got out. Now, go along back to the casino. We don’t have anything more to say. We’d like it if you could send Malcolm’s personal effects,” Will said.

  I could tell that Rhonda really wanted to tell us, but her overbearing husband just wouldn’t allow her to. I can’t imagine how it would be to Kayla’s best interest. Who was this person and why was it being kept so quiet? In any case, I was sure we’d learn the particulars of his business associates soon. At least now we had the name of the management company that he worked for.

  Chapter Nine

  We waited inside the entranceway for the taxi to return. “Help, Maria,” I greeted the maid. “I don’t suppose you know the other musical artist that Malcolm was representing here in Vegas?”

  She quickly averted her eyes. “No, ma’am.”

  Before she had the chance to shuffle away, I said, “I only want to find out who did this to Malcolm and I won’t stop until I find out the truth.”

  “That’s good to hear. Malcolm has always been my favorite. Even though he’s had a few bumps in the road. I can’t say the same for his sister Lily.”

  Before I could ask what she meant, Kayla dragged me out the door and into the taxi. “Take us to the Crazy Horse,” she said.

  “Isn’t it a little strange to take two old ladies to a gentleman’s club?” the cab driver asked.

  Eleanor stuck her face nearly through the hole that led to the front of the taxi. “Old … old? I don’t see any old ladies here.”

  “Sorry.” He laughed. “To the Crazy Horse it is.”

  I glanced over at Kayla, who merely shrugged. “What? I thought you wanted to question Malcolm’s sister, Lily?”

  “And she works for the Crazy Horse?”

  “You’ll see when we get there.”

  The last thing I wanted was to go into a gentleman’s club and see naked women—or even nearly naked ones—dancing on poles that would most likely send them heading to the emergency room for a shot of penicillin. Or did that strip bar at least practice better hygiene? With a known name like Crazy Horse, I’d think so.

  The driver dropped us off, promising to wait, something to do with not wanting to leave two not-old-ladies there without a g
etaway car. It made me smile for a moment, but that was before my heart pounded when we followed Kayla inside. “They’re with me,” she told the doorman, who laughed uncontrollably for a few moments before asking, “It’s not female impersonator night.”

  Eleanor came to a screeching halt and it took some doing to pull her off the man, her finger pointing in his face the entire time. “Do I look like a man?”

  “Oh, I-I mean, n-no,” he said, between laughing even more.

  She yanked on her hair. “See, no wig.” Pulling her shirt down a tad. “Real cleavage.” He stopped her as she pulled on the waistband of her pants.

  “Stop, I believe you. Can’t you take a joke?”

  “Can’t you?” She laughed, turning and with head held high, she waltzed into the place, toppling a table full of drinks. She then stared at the thin man at the table and hissed, “Mr. Wilson, that had better not be you.”

  I then stared into Andrew’s eyes. “I told you I’d try to keep him out of trouble. It’s not like he’s hurting anything. We’ve even refused all the lap dance offers.”

  I pulled Eleanor out of the way before she took ahold of that man of hers and gave him a real shaking. Kayla led us into the back, pounding on an office door. When a bald man answered the door, she said, “We’re here to see Lily Banktop.”

  He opened the door and Kayla trounced in with us following. Once we were all standing in the room, the door was slammed closed. On the opposite side of the room, a woman was hunkered over a pile of paperwork.

  “Lily,” Kayla said. “I was hoping we could have a word.”

  Lily lifted her head, adjusting her thick-rimmed glasses onto the bridge of her nose. “Oh, it’s you, Kayla. Who is that with you?”

  “Agnes and Eleanor. They’re trying to figure out who really killed your brother. My bodyguard Mark didn’t kill him like the police said.”

  Lily glanced over to a bookcase and eased herself off the chair with a sigh. She sashayed her way over to the bookcase and pulled down a book, triggering a panel to slide back to reveal a bar. She poured four shot glasses with whiskey and offered us each one.

  “It’s too early for me,” I said quickly.

  The glass was handed to me anyway and I reluctantly took it, downing it in a hurry to get it over with. I nearly choked as the liquid burned a hole into my stomach. Eleanor, on the other hand, gingerly nursed hers and so did Kayla. I glared at them for a moment, laughing to myself now.

  “So, what does your investigation have to do with me? The day he was murdered, I worked the entire day.”

  “Oh, but I never really thought you were guilty,” I said. “I was wondering what you knew about his management business in Los Angeles for one?”

  “That’s a laugh. You better look deeper into that before you go any further. I can’t believe my brother is such a big con. He’s sucked the dreams of most of the musical artists he has represented.”

  Kayla’s face just dropped.

  “And who else in Vegas did he represent?” I asked.

  “I can’t give you specifics. It’s not like I was ever that close to him.”

  “What was your relationship like, then?”

  “He stole from me, too. It’s no secret that he can’t be trusted. I’m just shocked that it took this long for him to be found out.”

  “Actually, he never was,” I pointed out. “He was murdered, remember?”

  “Oh, I know that. If you want to find out who did it, you might want to find out who he had stolen money from.”

  Kayla paled. “I’m not sure, but I do suspect he might have been stealing from me, but I can’t be certain yet.”

  “Believe it, sister. He’s stolen from you for sure. You were his shining star, though, and I had hoped he would change his ways, but a leopard can’t change his spots.”

  “Is there anything else you care to share that might help us find out who killed your brother, like any enemies, perhaps?”

  “Have you questioned that showgirl that I heard he was seeing, Bambi something?”

  “She’s on my list, but today we’ve been following the clues we’ve found along the way. Do you have anything to say about why your father might not want to share with us who else Malcolm was managing in Vegas?”

  “Dad’s always bailed Malcolm out. I doubt he wants anyone to know who else might have been a victim of his.”

  “For theft, you mean, right?”

  “Yes. My brother draws the line there, but I’d really look into what happened when he worked for the Foxworth Agency in Los Angeles. I’m sure they can shed some light into his activities there.”

  “Thanks again,” Kayla said, walking from the room after setting her shot glass down.

  When we walked back through the bar, Mr. Wilson and Andrew were nowhere to be seen and I only hoped that they weren’t in the private room that most strip bars had. Before I had the chance to stop Eleanor, she raced into the back. By the time I made it into the room, she had knocked a woman off a man by the hair only to see that it wasn’t Mr. Wilson at all. In fact, neither Wilson nor my Andrew was in the room.

  “Sorry,” I said, dragging Eleanor to the door.

  A muscular man escorted us not only out of the room, but out of the bar as well. Andrew and Wilson were waiting outside, laughing at a joke only the two of them could hear. I was fuming that I had found the men here. Not that I didn’t trust my husband. It’s just now he was where I never expected him to be.

  “We had better get going,” I said to Kayla. “Before they call the cops.”

  Andrew raised a brow as we moved to pass him on our way to the taxi, but he grabbed ahold of my arm. “Oh, come now, Aggie. You can’t be mad we came here?”

  “I’m not. I’m just on the trail of who really killed Malcolm. I thought you were going over Malcolm’s paperwork.”

  “I did and we can discuss that when we get back, and privately.”

  Kayla went ahead and paid for the taxi and sent it away and left with Eleanor, Andrew, Wilson and me in the casino shuttle bus. It was a silent trip since we weren’t alone. Several men asked Kayla if she was the pop star that was performing at Caesars, but she only giggled, saying that she heard that all the time. Thankfully they seemed satisfied with her answer.

  When the bus pulled up to the casino, we all climbed out, and were in our hotel room not long after we came out of the elevator. Kayla eased herself into a chair and said, “Give it to me straight.”

  “The skinny is that Malcolm certainly had been pilfering money from you, but not to the extent that it would leave you busted. He carefully made it look like your production costs were higher than they were.”

  “Really?” Kayla sighed. “I guess I’m just a naive fool.”

  “Don’t think that,” I said. “You’re young, and how were you to know that Malcolm was a shark? I’m sure many new artists find themselves as prey, too. The business end is more complicated than you thought, that’s all.”

  “It just rattles my chain that Malcolm took advantage of Kayla, stealing from her. It’s anyone’s guess as to who else he might have done the same thing to. Aren’t we going to check out the Foxworth Agency in Los Angeles?” Eleanor asked.

  “I don’t see how, unless you want to go all the way to Los Angeles.”

  “I could make a few calls,” Kayla said. “There’s a poker tournament that the manager, Max Trogan, goes to it every year. I’m positive he’ll be right here in Vegas at the Mirage, but not until after dinner. You’ll have to go without me, though. I have a show tonight.”

  “What is the deal with your mother? I have the feeling that you’re at odds with one another.”

  “Well, you saw her. She likes to draw attention to herself.”

  “I have a daughter like that, but I’ve learned not to let it bother me. She’s just different than me is all. If you think your mother dresses outlandish, you should see my daughter. She wears leopard print cat suits.”

  “Wow, that’s sure worse than my mot
her. It’s been hard between us since I was discovered. One day I was singing in the choir and the next, I was in a recording studio making my first album. I never expected it to hit number one. Before long, I was here in Vegas, doing a show six days a week. I’m thankful, but exhausted.”

  “I can’t even imagine, but it’s important to reconnect with your mother and accept who she is as a person. If it wasn’t for her, you’d never even be here. As you already know now, there’s no guarantee how long we’re on this planet. It would be a shame to have regrets later.”

  “You’re right, Agnes,” Kayla said as she opened the door to leave. “I’ll see if she’s back in my room right now. Besides, I need a little downtime.”

  I went in the direction of my room and flopped down on the bed. I so needed a nap, but once Andrew came into the room and closed the door, I knew sleep would have to wait.

  Chapter Ten

  When Andrew and I finally woke up, I had quite the headache. I found Tylenol in my purse and downed it with a glass of water. I wished we could enjoy ourselves more, but with an investigation ongoing, I knew that just wouldn’t happen any time soon.

  “What are your plans now?” Andrew asked.

  “I really want to bail Mark out if I could. He’s a trusted bodyguard and I’d feel better knowing he was here to look after Kayla. She’s been getting threats.”

  “And when does she want to call the police?” he asked with concern.

  “Never, if you listen to her. She’s more worried about what people might say if they find out than her own safety.”

  “But with her manager’s murder, you’d think she’d come to her senses.”

  “I know, but perhaps if you tell her, then she might listen,” I said.

  “I can’t imagine why.”

  “She has a mother in her life, but I’ve heard no talk about her father or if she even has one.”

  “Which might be why she was so close to Malcolm. He’s taken the place of her father.”

  I wasn’t about to think about that. I still did wonder if Malcolm had been involved with Kayla intimately, but if he was, why wouldn’t they be sharing the same room. I also wondered why Malcolm wanted Kayla to continue to be bothered by the pay-to-party scheme if she was so upset about it. And where did that money go, exactly? My thought was that it went straight into his pocket. I wanted to think good things about Malcolm, but it was just hopeless. Although I’d never go far enough to say that he deserved to be murdered. Nobody deserved that—not even if he was a no-good thief.