The Death Card: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery

by Dianne Harman

  She turned to Roger. “Delores said a guest in one of the cottages has come down with a cold, and she didn’t want to expose the massage therapist, so she cancelled her appointment a few minutes ago. Actually, your appointment is with Lisette, the therapist who told me about Donna Moore and how Anton was showering her with gifts. They’re expecting you, so you need to get over there right away. Enjoy! You deserve it. See you later.”

  “What about you? I thought we were both going to have a massage.”

  “Wasn’t meant to be. There was only one reservation open, and I want you to have it. There’s still a lot I probably need to do in the kitchen for dinner tonight and for breakfast tomorrow. I don’t want Emily to feel burdened. I’ve already had to bow out of part of the meals twice this week and saddled her with them.” She walked over to him and kissed him. “Go, they’re waiting for you.”

  A few minutes later she walked upstairs. “Hi, Emily. I’m all yours until dinner. What do you need me to do?”

  “Not much. I’ve pretty much taken care of everything. I just love doing this. It doesn’t even feel like a job, it’s more like I’m playing.”

  “I’m so glad you feel that way. It’s been so busy lately we haven’t had much of a chance to talk. Are you still seeing Zachary?” she asked.

  “Yes. He’s very nice. I don’t know if there’s any future with him, but he certainly has helped me get over Mark. When Mark was murdered, I didn’t think I could go on with my life. Zachary has shown me I can, and for that I’ll always be grateful to him.”

  “I’m glad for you, but if the best you can say about him is that you’re grateful he helped you through a rough time, he may not be the one you want to settle down with for life.”

  “Yeah, I’ve kind of been thinking that. Liz, do you think I could get into the Cordon Bleu in San Francisco? I’ve been looking into their Associate Degree Program, and I’m really interested in it, although I love my job here, and I’d hate to leave it.”

  “I think you could easily get in. You’ve met my friend Roger who’s visiting here for the next couple of days. I remember him telling me something about one of his clients being with the Cordon Bleu. Why don’t you talk to him? He’ll be here for dinner tonight. Maybe he could help, and although I’d hate to lose you, I’d give you an excellent recommendation. It’s probably time for you to see where you can go with your cooking gift, you know, kind of flap your wings and see where they take you.”

  “I love San Francisco, and I’d love to go to school there and eventually work there. I think they even have an apprentice program with some of the top restaurants.”

  “Talk to Roger and let me know what I can do to help you. I’m going downstairs and get dressed. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Roger was just stepping out of the shower when she walked into the suite. “Well, how was your massage?” she asked.

  “Terrific. Lisette is very good. I tipped her, so you don’t have to. I figured that was the least I could do. I didn’t bring up the Donna Moore subject. I didn’t think it would be appropriate, and it might really put her on the spot wondering if it was okay with you if she told me anything.”

  “Thanks. I think that was the right thing to do, and I also think she told me everything about Donna she thought was relevant.”

  “So what’s next?”

  “When you finish dressing, we’ll go upstairs. The guests will be here soon. Oh, by the way, the young woman who works for me in the lodge, Emily, told me she’s interested in a program the Cordon Bleu is offering in San Francisco. I told her I thought you knew someone who worked there.”

  “I do. Her son was a client of mine, and she’s very indebted to me for helping her son get acquitted in a drug trial. Do you want me to talk to her about Emily?”

  “Possibly. I told Emily she should talk to you, so I’ll leave it up to you.”

  “Sweetheart, you must be mellowing. Usually you want to be right in the middle of the action. Are you feeling all right?” he asked playfully.

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “I feel fine, and I only get involved when I can’t stay out of something. I’ve decided you can handle this.”

  “Extremely generous of you, I must say. Okay, I’m ready for the evening. After you,” he said opening the door and motioning for Winston to follow them. Winston looked resigned to the fact that Roger was going to be around for awhile.

  CHAPTER 22

  The next morning as they were getting dressed, Roger said “Liz, after our meeting with Jim, I’d like to talk to you. I need to run a few things by you.”

  “That sounds interesting. Want to give me a hint what it’s all about?”

  “No. You’ll have to wait, and I know how hard that is for you,” he said teasingly. “Just trust me on this one. I think you’ll like it, at least I hope so.”

  “Now my curiosity is really aroused. C’mon, can’t you give me just a little clue?”

  “Nope, not a one. Be patient. Isn’t there some saying about good things come to those who wait?”

  “Yes, but I never liked the saying. I don’t really think patience is a virtue. It’s been my experience you lose out if you don’t act. Guess that’s where we’re different.”

  “Well we probably wouldn’t be interested in each other if we were exactly alike, would we?”

  “Probably not. You finish dressing. I’m taking Winston upstairs, and I need to feed Brandy Boy. He doesn’t move around much unless someone rings their cottage bell, and he has to deliver a wee bit of brandy, but if he’s not fed on time, he moves and definitely lets me know. A howling St. Bernard is not something you want to experience very often.”

  Roger laughed. “I can well imagine one would not.”

  “What time did you say Jim was coming?” Liz asked a few minutes later.

  “He told me he’d be here about ten.” He looked at his watch. “We’ve got time for breakfast. Tell you what. I’ll treat you and make it.”

  “I’ll go you one better. You forget the lodge serves breakfast continental style to the cottage guests in the mornings. I’ll bet there’s something leftover from their breakfast.” She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a ham and cheese puff casserole, fresh fruit, and whipped cream cheese. “We always have bagels on hand, so I can nuke the casserole and pop the bagels in the toaster while you start on the cantaloupe and raspberries.

  “That was perfect,” Roger said as he finished the casserole. “Let me help you with the dishes, and by the time we’re finished it should be about time for our meeting with Jim.”

  A few minutes later Liz heard a car pull to a stop outside the lodge. She looked out the window and saw a police car with a burly mustached grey-haired man getting out of it wearing a San Francisco Police Department uniform. “Roger, I’ll bet the guests are curious about this, not to mention the employees. He stands out like a sore thumb.”

  “Liz, try and make nice, at least for me.”

  “Just saying, Roger, just saying.”

  Roger opened the door and walked out on the porch. “Have any trouble finding it, Jim?”

  “Not a bit. Your directions were perfect,” he said as he walked up the steps to the front porch and shook Roger’s offered hand. “Let me introduce you to the owner of the spa and the lodge, Liz Lucas.”

  “Liz, this is my long-time friend, Captain Jim Woods, who, as you know, is with the San Francisco Police Department.”

  “Roger speaks very highly of you Captain. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Well, he speaks just as highly of you, so this is a pleasure indeed.”

  “I think it would be best if we met in my quarters. Follow me down the stairs, and oh, this is my guard dog, Winston. He goes everywhere I go.”

  “From what Roger’s been telling me about what’s been going on here, I think that’s a very good idea.”

  “May I get you some coffee or a glass of water, Jim?” Liz asked a few minutes later when they were all sitting around the kitchen
table.

  “No, I stopped at Starbucks and got a venti. I think I’ve overdosed on coffee as it is, but thanks.”

  “Jim, we all know why you’re here this morning,” Roger said. “Where would you like to start?”

  He turned to Liz, “I’m sorry to ask this of you, and I know Roger has told me most of it, but if you could tell me everything that has happened, who’s told you what, and anything else you can think of that’s relevant to the last few days, I’d appreciate it.”

  “All right. The whole thing started Sunday evening when I received a call from the Red Cedar Police Chief, Seth Williams…”

  For the next hour and a half Liz told him everything that had happened. Occasionally he interrupted her with a question. She handed him a pair of gloves and showed him the notebook and the tarot Death card. Roger had already emailed photos to Jim of the serial numbers off the gun Liz found in the nightstand drawer in Anton’s bedroom and the scanner. He was quiet for a long time while he looked at the notebook and the card.

  “Liz, would you be willing to sign an affidavit that you saw this gun that seems to be Seth Williams’ gun in Anton’s drawer?”

  “I would, but could I be arrested for I don’t know, opening something I have no right to open, snooping as it were?”

  “No. All the affidavit has to say is where you saw it. My men are doing some research at this very moment to see if they can get any matches on the credit card numbers. In other words, they’re checking to see if there has been unusual activity on those cards. What I’d like to do is get a judge to issue a search warrant for the house. If I can tie Anton to the credit card theft ring we know is operating in San Francisco, that would be a huge start, and I could arrest him. Here’s the problem I’m having. If it’s Seth’s gun, and we’re all pretty sure it is, that doesn’t mean that Seth is no longer a suspect. It just means Anton has his gun, and don’t forget there were no witnesses, and Seth never filed a report, so how Anton got the gun would probably become a liar’s contest.”

  “What you’re really trying to do is link Anton to the credit card ring you’re pretty sure is operating in San Francisco. Is that right?” Liz asked

  “Yes. I feel certain he’s tied to it. Roger, I had men tail Anton after work last night, and he went to an apartment and spent the night there. My officers saw several men who appeared to be Southeastern Europeans enter the building within an hour of when Anton did. That would have been about three in the morning. Their thinking is that these men work at restaurants, in fact, a couple of them were wearing white shirts and black pants, which is a common uniform in the better restaurants.”

  “Even if you link Anton to this credit card theft ring and he’s arrested, that doesn’t get us any closer to finding out who killed Leroy, does it?” Liz asked.

  “I don’t think this is a case where 1 + 1 = 2. I have a feeling it’s all tied together like a big ball of string, and if we begin to pull on one string, the whole thing might just unravel. It’s sort of a gut feeling I have, and I’ve learned over the years to trust my gut feelings.”

  “I know what you mean,” Liz said. “I get what I call a niggle. It’s probably the same thing, and like you, I feel this whole thing is somehow all tied together.”

  “Liz, I’d like to take this notebook and check it for fingerprints and also put it through DNA testing. Likewise, I want to run a fingerprint and DNA test on the Death card. I don’t know exactly what I expect to find, but I have a hunch there may be a tie-in.”

  “Captain, whatever you think you need to do, please do it. You know far more about things like this than I do.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. I think I could use your services down at the station. What you’ve been able to find out in a very short time is amazing. Seasoned investigators don’t usually find out this much this quickly. Like you, I wish we could tie it all together, but let’s see what happens in the next few days. Is that all right with you?”

  “Yes. Even though the Red Cedar Police Chief isn’t my favorite person, I don’t want him to be considered a suspect for a crime I’m convinced he didn’t commit. I wish he wouldn’t be re-elected, but I don’t want to see him lose the election based on unfounded and untrue rumors.”

  “You’re a charitable person. Roger, I assume you’ll be here the rest of the weekend. I’ll call you when I find out anything. I’ve told the people who do the DNA testing that I have a couple of things that are top priority, and I’m meeting with them as soon as I return to the city. Since I’m the captain, they’re going to conduct the tests as soon as I return. Anything else either of you can think of?”

  “I’m wondering if your involvement in this is going to upset the local sheriff who’s handling the case,” Liz said.

  “Sheriff Keith Brown is the sheriff in this county. Is that who you’re talking about?”

  “Yes,” Liz answered. “Seth called him the morning after the murder, but he was told that the sheriff wouldn’t be in the office this week due to a family emergency.”

  “I’m sure that’s true. His wife is in hospice care, dying of cancer. They’re very close, and I’m sure finding out who killed Leroy Moore is pretty far down the list of what’s important to him at the moment. Keith and I have worked together for years, and that won’t be a problem. Who knows? If we solve the murder, it will be one less thing for him to worry about when he does return to work.” He stood up. “Thank you, Liz, for all your help. I want to get started on this as soon as possible. The moment I know anything, I’ll give you a call.”

  “Jim, thanks for driving up. Talk to you soon,” Roger said.

  Roger and Liz stood on the porch watching the police cruiser as it went down the lane to the highway that led to San Francisco.

  Liz turned to Roger. “I want to remind you that you wanted to talk to me after Jim left. Guess what. Jim’s gone. Can we have the talk now?”

  “Yes. Think it’s about time.”

  I sure hope the tarot cards were right. When a man says he wants to talk to a woman he’s been seeing, it usually means he’s going to leave her. Well, if that’s what’s going to happen, might as well get it over with.

  Little did Liz know that if she had been getting a tarot card reading at this moment and The Lovers card had been turned, it would have come up smiling.

  CHAPTER 23

  Roger turned to Liz as Jim drove down the lane. “Let’s go downstairs. I do want to talk to you, and this is probably as good a time as any.”

  Liz was sure Roger could hear her heart, it was beating so fast. Her mouth was dry, and her stomach lurched as they walked downstairs.

  If he’s going to tell me this is the last time we’ll be together, I hope I don’t throw up. That would be a real class act.

  He opened the door and said, “Let’s sit over by the windows. I love your view of the ocean.” Moments later he cleared his throat and said, “Liz, I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my life, not even in my first trial.”

  Swell, just swell. Just what I want to hear. You think you’re nervous, Roger, believe me, you don’t know what nervous is. Maybe we’ll have an earthquake and a deep hole will open up and swallow me, and I won’t have to go through this.

  “Liz, when I talked to you a couple of days ago after you had your first reading from Madame Dika, and she told you we would be together, I mentioned I might have something to tell you. Do you remember?”

  “Of course. I wanted you to tell me at the time, but you said you’d wait until you came to the lodge. What is it?”

  “It’s going to involve some changes for both of us. Are you ready?”

  What does he mean by changes? He must mean Madame Dika was wrong when the Lover’s Card showed that Roger and I would find a way to be together permanently. He’s just leading up to breaking up with me and of course, that would be a change for both of us. Roger, let’s get this agony over with. Please, I don’t know how much longer I can stand this.

  “I was talking to my la
w partners the other day, and one of them asked how I liked living and working in San Francisco and then making the drive up here every weekend to see the woman I loved.”

  The woman I loved. He used the past tense, but why would he even use the word if this is it for us?

  “Liz, why are you looking down at your hands when I’m talking to you about something that’s very important to me?”

  “Roger, I can’t stand this anymore. If you’re going to tell me the relationship isn’t working out, just do it. I really don’t think I can take much more of this.”

  He roared with laughter. “Sweetheart, is that what you think? That this conversation is about breaking up with you?”

  “Well, why else would you be so nervous? I’ve always read that when a man is going to tell a woman the relationship isn’t going to work out this is how they do it.”

  “I don’t know what you’ve been reading, but in this case, you’re dead wrong,” he said. “Please, let me continue.”

  “So you’re not going to break up with me?” she asked.

  “No, I am emphatically not going to break up with you. What I want to tell you is that my partners want me to open a satellite law office here in Red Cedar that would provide legal services in the county. Evidently we have quite a few clients who live in this area and have to go in to the city for their meetings. If trials are needed, I’d still have to go into San Francisco occasionally, but I would conduct almost all of my meetings with clients here.”

  “Oh, Roger, that’s wonderful news! We can be together.”

  Roger reached into his pocket and held something in his hand. “Liz, if I were twenty years younger I’d get down on my knees and ask you this, but at my age, if I got down on my knees I might not be able to get up.” He opened a velvet covered jewelry box and handed it to her. “Liz, will you marry me?”