The Death Card: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery

by Dianne Harman

  “First we didn’t have any suspects, and now they’re coming out of the woodwork. I suppose you’re going to tell me Anton is a suspect as well,” Liz said.

  “I don’t know. He is Madame Dika’s brother. Quite coincidental that he’d be involved with Donna Morris. I find that a little too convenient. I wonder if he and Leroy knew each other. I have pictures of both Anton and Ratface, and I just sent them to you as an email attachment. Why don’t you take a look at them and see if they look familiar to you? I’ll hold while you get them.”

  Liz walked across her office, printed the attachment, and gasped. She hurried back to the phone. “Roger, the European man is definitely the one that Gertie told me was Madame Dika’s brother. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the other one, Ratface, but I can sure see why he’s called that. What else did Sean find out?”

  “No one is exactly sure where Anton lives, but he has a lot of contacts in San Francisco, and there are rumors he’s involved with a Southeastern European group of men who are engaged in credit card fraud and things of that nature. It’s very shadowy and not much is known about it. He’s a waiter at Le Petite Orangerie, a very upscale restaurant in San Francisco. Waiters are not known for being wealthy, but he drives a brand new car and seems to have a lot of money.”

  “I honestly don’t know what to make of any of it. I’m not even sure what my next step should be. Everything seems to swirl around Madame Dika. I think I need to have another reading. I’ll tell her I was so impressed with what she told me I wanted to have a full spread done. Maybe I can find out something from her. Is there any chance Sean could talk to Tom Rice and see if he knows anything?”

  “Well, since he works for me, I can certainly suggest he contact Rice and find out what he knows. By the way, I’m very leery about you going back to Madame Dika’s. If she is the nexus, you could be in danger. I know you promised you’d take Winston with you, but I also want you to promise me you’ll have your gun with you as well.”

  “I promise. Roger, I need to go. It’s almost time for the guests to come, and I’ve left Emily alone long enough. Poor thing had to cover for me during the cocktail hour last night. I hate to ask her to do it two nights in a row. Loves and sleep well.”

  “Call me tomorrow and let me know what’s happening. I’ll put Sean on the Rice thing and hopefully, I’ll have something for you soon. Enjoy your guests.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Liz walked into her office after saying good night to the last guest and making sure that Brandy Boy had a fresh supply of brandy in case any of the guests wanted to ring the bell on the side of their cottage and have him deliver a wee nip of brandy before they went to sleep. Ever since the article about him had appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Liz had noticed that she was spending a lot more money on brandy, but then again the cottages were booked for months ahead. She’d decided it was a pretty good trade-off. She picked up her phone and noticed she had a message from Gertie.

  That’s a first. I don’t think she’s ever called me before. Wonder what she wants. She looked at her watch and decided it was too late to call her back. She knew Gertie’s Diner opened at six in the morning, and she was sure Gerties would have to be there at least an hour beforehand.

  I’ll call her first thing in the morning. I also want to call Seth and find out if the city or the police force carried an insurance policy on Leroy. It’s beginning to look like another busy day.

  She had difficulty sleeping because questions kept jumping to the forefront of her mind about Leroy’s murder, and she didn’t have the answers. Finally she fell asleep and woke to see the sun shining through the bedroom window. Well, I don’t feel refreshed, but at least I got a little sleep. That’s a start. She got out of bed and made a pot of coffee in the kitchenette of her living quarters which were located below the main floor of the lodge.

  The lodge had been built on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In front of it was a large parking lot. Her living quarters below the main floor had floor to ceiling windows with a view of the ocean. When the lodge had been built, the architect had thought to make it a two story building, carving the lower section out of the granite it had been built on. Liz’s side door opened to the outside and steps led up to the parking lot. She loved the cozy feeling she always got when she returned to her suite which was not visible to anyone other than boaters and few of them ventured near enough the rocky coast to see in her windows.

  She glanced at the clock and decided to wait until 8:00 a.m. to call Gertie, hoping that the breakfast crowd would have thinned a little by then and Gertie could talk. When it was eight, she picked up her phone and pressed in the diner’s number. The phone was answered by a young woman who said, “Gertie’s Diner, how may I help you?”

  “I’d like to speak with Gertie when she has a minute. Please tell her Liz Lucas is returning her call.”

  A few moments later she heard Gertie’s voice. “Good mornin’, Liz. Let me call you back from the phone in my office. It’ll be just a minute.” True to her word, she called back immediately. “Sorry, Liz, but didn’t think this conversation needed to be aired all over town, and you know what a rumor mill this place is.”

  “I do, indeed. I must say you certainly have my curiosity aroused. What’s it all about?”

  “Have you heard of an employee of mine by the name of Jessica Brown?”

  “The name sounds vaguely familiar,” Liz answered, absently petting Winston who was looking up at her with big brown soulful eyes and telling her it was time for his breakfast. “Why?”

  “Well, she generally works the dinner shift, and you’re always at the lodge then, so you may not have met her. Anyway, when she came to work yesterday evenin’ she was pretty shook up. I asked her what was wrong and brought her into my office. She cleans houses for people during the day. That’s why she has the evenin’ shift here at the diner. She’s working two jobs tryin’ to support herself and her two kids. Her husband left her about a year ago.”

  “That’s where I’ve heard the name. She’s a friend of Bertha’s, and I remember Bertha was very upset about it. Bertha was really concerned she wouldn’t be able to make it financially.”

  “She had good reason to be concerned, but Jessica’s a wonderful person, and the customers love her. I don’t know exactly how much she makes in tips, but I’d bet it’s quite a lot of money. Anyway, she told me she cleans Madame Dika’s house every week. Evidently her brother lives there most of the time.”

  “You mean the one we saw at the diner yesterday? If you remember, you told me you didn’t have a good feeling about him.”

  “That’s the one. Well, when she was at Madame Dika’s yesterday she heard an argument between Madame Dika and her brother. She was yellin’ at him and tellin’ him to stop seein’ those gangsters, so Jessica told me. Madame was cryin’ and kept sayin’, ‘You’ll go to prison just like me, and it will break our mother’s heart. It was bad enough I had to go. You’ve got to stop seeing them.’ He told her not to worry. He said that he was just goin’ to work with them for awhile and then he’d have enough money they could both leave this lousy little town.”

  “Wow! I wonder what he meant by that.”

  “I don’t know. He slammed the door and left, but here’s what really caused Jessica to be concerned. She was cleanin’ his room. She says sometimes it’s real neat like he hasn’t even been in it, and other times it’s a real mess. This was one of those times. She was changin’ the sheet, waving it over the bed to make sure it was on straight, and somehow it got hung up in the nightstand drawer. Jessica told me she tried to unhook it and couldn’t, so she opened the nightstand drawer.”

  “Why do I have the feeling there was something in the drawer that scared her?”

  “Because there was. It was a gun. Jessica said she couldn’t believe it. Her father had been a gun collector, and she said she thought it was a .45 pistol. She knew that guns like that could kill about anything. That was just after she’d heard the arg
ument. She closed the drawer, pretended like nothin’ had happened, and finished cleanin’ the room. Jessica didn’t know that Madame Dika had been to prison. Matter of fact, neither did I. She said that plus the gun and overhearin’ the argument really scared her. Jessica asked me if she should stop workin’ for Madame Dika. I told her she’d have to make that decision, and I couldn’t help her with it. I suppose it will come down to whether or not she can afford to give up the money she makes while workin’ there. I’d be willing to bet she doesn’t quit. She needs every penny she can get. It’s not easy being a single mother.”

  “Thanks for telling me, Gertie. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with this information, but I have a gut feeling it’s important.”

  “Well, since you’re investigatin’ Leroy’s death and you’d been to Madame Dika’s, thought it might be of interest to you. I can hear a lot of voices coming from the diner, so I better get back in there. If I hear anything more, I’ll let you know.”

  “I really appreciate your help, Gertie. See you soon.”

  Seems to me Seth said that Leroy was shot with a .45. Seth also lost his .45. I wonder if there’s any tie-in. Better give Seth a call and see if he’s found his gun.

  “Red Cedar Police Station,” the receptionist at the police station said. “How may I direct your call?”

  “I’d like to speak with Chief Williams. Please tell him Liz Lucas is calling.”

  A few moments later she heard Seth’s oily voice. “Mornin’, Liz. Find out anything for me?”

  “I’m working on it. Seth, what’s the police department’s policy on insurance policies on its employees?”

  “Police department don’t have nothin’ to do with it. The city buys policies on the policemen. Why?”

  “I heard that Leroy’s ex-wife planned on getting the back alimony Leroy owed her from the insurance policy the police department had on him.”

  “Nope. It’s a city thing.”

  “Okay, let me ask you another question. Where exactly were you when you lost your .45 pistol?”

  “Well, it was like I tol’ yer’ boyfriend. I was out at Madame Dika’s.”

  “Where did you park your car, and did you lock it?”

  “Nah. Never thought I’d need to lock it clear out there. I was parked in the driveway in front of her house. When I came out, it was gone.”

  “Seth, specifically where did you have it in your car, and were there any identifying marks on it? If a .45 gun is found, how will you know whether or not it’s yours?”

  “I left it in the front seat. Think I tol’ Mr. Big Shot Lawyer that Madame Dika don’t allow no firearms in her house, so I took it out of my holster and just laid it on the front seat. It’d be real easy fer me to identify it. Every gun has a serial number on it, and when the police department gives a policeman a gun, they keep a record of the serial number. All I’d have to do is look at a slip of paper I got in my desk, and I’d know if it was mine.”

  “Seth, would you take the slip of paper out of your desk with the serial number on it and give it to me?”

  “Sure. Jes’ a sec. Okay, here it is.” He read her the number.

  “Where specifically would someone look on a gun to find the number?”

  “Everybody knows where a serial number is. It’s jes’ in back of the trigger above the handle. Ya’ can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks. You’ve been a big help.”

  “Mind tellin’ me why you need this info?”

  “No. I don’t know if it’s important, but I thought I better have it in case I run across your gun.”

  “Fat chance of that happenin’. Probably in Mexico by now. Wonder what someone paid fer it?”

  “We’ll probably never know. One last question. Did you know that Madame Dika has a brother? Did you ever meet him?”

  “Nah. Saw a guy leave a couple of times when I got there. Maybe it was her brother. I thought he’d probably jes’ finished having his cards read, like me.”

  “Seth, I have to go now. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Sure hope ya’ find out somethin’. It’s makin’ me real nervous. Barely can ticket speeders, and ya’ know what that would mean to the town if I couldn’t do it no more.”

  “I can well imagine that the town would probably have to file for bankruptcy immediately if you couldn’t ticket the tourists,” she said, instantly regretting the sarcastic tone of her voice.

  “Liz, don’t think ya’ unnderstan’ jes’ how important it is to this town. I can tell it to ya’, but I can’t understand it to ya’.”

  “You’re probably right. I’m sorry. I’m sure it’s critical to the city. So long.” She ended the call and decided to follow up on the idea that had been playing across her mind. It was time to make another appointment with Madame Dika.

  CHAPTER 14

  Liz had taken one of Madame Dika’s business cards from the little cardholder she had on the table that she used for her readings. She called the number and heard a recording say, “This is Madame Dika. I am presently in a tarot card reading. Please leave your name and telephone number, and I will return your call as soon as possible.” Liz left the information and called the spa.

  “Delores, it’s Mrs. Lucas. Would you have Lisette call me when she’s free?”

  “Of course. It shouldn’t be very long. The massage she’s giving will be over in a few minutes.”

  “Thanks,” Liz said and hung up the lodge phone. It rang a few minutes later. “This is Liz Lucas.” She paused while Lisette identified herself. “Lisette, I’m really curious about Donna Morris. You said she liked her massage and told you she’d like to book another one very soon. I’d like you to call her and tell her we hold a weekly drawing, and her name was drawn and she’s this week’s winner. I’d like you to see her tomorrow. Any chance you can do that?”

  “Yes. Delores just told me about a cancellation for tomorrow morning. Would you like me to call her now?”

  “Please. See if she can take that appointment. Here’s what I’d like you to find out if you can. I’d like to know how serious her relationship with Anton is, how much time he spends in San Francisco, and if she knows what he does for a living. Try to make it conversational, because I don’t want her to think I or anyone else asked her back here just to get information. You’re diplomatic, and I’m sure you’ll find a way to do it. I’d appreciate you letting me know if she can come tomorrow. Thanks, and Lisette, I’d rather you didn’t say anything about this to anyone. As far as payment, tell Delores to put the massage on my account, and of course you’ll be paid for your time.”

  “I’ll call you later,” Lisette said, ending the conversation.

  Liz took some ahi tuna steaks out of the freezer and decided to make an Oriental meal for dinner with sesame coated seared ahi, warm Asian noodles, a sliced orange and avocado salad with a vinaigrette dressing that used rice vinegar, and finish up with green tea ice cream with fortune cookies for dessert. She was expecting Emily around one, and depending on whether or not she could get an appointment with Madame Dika, Emily could easily do the prep work for the meal along with setting the table and getting the cheese trays ready.

  The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts about tonight’s dinner. “This is Liz Lucas.”

  “Liz, it’s Madame Dika. You left a message for me to call you. What can I do for you?”

  “I really enjoyed the question tarot card reading you did for me yesterday, and I was hoping you’d have time to see me this afternoon for a full tarot card spread.”

  Madame Dika was quiet for a moment, and then said, “Yes, I could fit you in at 6:00 this evening. I usually don’t take clients that late, but I’ll make an exception today. If that’s all right with you, I’ll see you then.”

  “Yes, that’s fine. I’ll be there. Thank you.”

  Swell, another night when I’m going to have to ask Emily to take care of dinner. I won’t get back until about the time dessert is served. Oh well, this takes p
recedence.

  She heard a knock on the door and walked over and opened it. “Hi, Lisette. I thought you were busy with appointments all afternoon. Please, come in.”

  “Mrs. Lucas, I’m between appointments, but I wanted to let you know that Donna Morris is scheduled for an appointment tomorrow morning at ten. I thought I’d tell you in person, so no one would overhear. I told Delores that the Morris massage would be on your account, and since you’ve done that before with friends of yours, she didn’t question it. Do you want me to do anything else?”

  “No, Lisette, you’ve done well. Please call me after her massage and let me know what you find out. Again, thanks.”

  She looked at her watch and saw she still had an hour before Emily would arrive. There was plenty of time to call Roger and tell him what she’d found out. She knew he was usually free around noon, even when he was involved in a trial.

  *****

  “Liz, I love it when I look at the screen on my phone and your name and picture are on it. Makes my day!”

  “Thanks a lot, Roger. And please feel free to continue with the sweet talk. It’s music to my ears!”

  “Wish I could, sweetheart, but I only have so much time to eat lunch, prepare for the afternoon session of the trial I’m in, and walk over to the courthouse. Pretend I’m sweet talking and tell me what’s happening at the Red Cedar Spa.”

  “Roger, Gertie called me last night. When I saw the message, it was too late to return the call. I talked to her this morning, and I’d like your input on what she had to say. I found it troubling.” She told him what Gertie had told her earlier about what Jessica had overheard and also about the gun she’d discovered at Madame Dika’s.

  “Wow! I certainly find it interesting that Anton keeps a .45 in his nightstand. And you know how I feel about coincidences. Awfully coincidental that Leroy was killed with a .45 or so Seth thinks. It’s also quite a coincidence that Seth’s .45 was stolen out of his patrol car. Have you heard from the coroner? Has it been confirmed that the murder weapon was a .45 pistol?”