Murder at the Polo Club

by Dianne Harman

  Jeff was busy telling several police officers that had arrived at the scene what he wanted done. Every person in attendance at the party was to be interrogated to see if they had seen or heard anything. With nearly one hundred guests at the party, it was going to be a long night for him and the other police officers.

  “Jeff, I’m taking Jack to his house,” Marty said. “He needs to grieve in private. I know you’re going to probably be here most of the night. When you get through talking to John and Max, why don’t you ask them to come to the house, and I can get a ride back to the compound with them.”

  “It’s almost time for the party to end,” Jeff said, “so I’ll have someone interrogate them first. I’ll see you at home later on. I also want you to remember to tell me what it was you were going to tell me. Right now, everything has relevance. Give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll be up at the house to talk to Jack. You and Jack can leave now.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Marty and Jack walked over to his house. She asked him for his key and opened the door for them. Lupe was standing on the other side. “Mr. Rutledge, I heard police sirens. Is anything wrong?” she asked.

  Jack walked past Lupe as if he never heard her and headed towards the library where he sat down heavily on a chair, his elbows on his knees, his hands holding his head. Lupe and Marty heard dry anguished sobs coming from him. Marty motioned for Lupe to follow her, and when they were out of Jack’s earshot, she told Lupe what had happened.

  “Oh no! I don’t believe it. He’s been so happy since he first met Miss Pia. Who would do something like that?” Lupe asked.

  “I have no idea. My husband’s a homicide police detective, and he’s leading the investigation.” Just then there was a knock on the door.

  Lupe walked over to it and asked, “Who is it?”

  “It’s Detective Combs. I’m here with Jack’s son.”

  “Lupe, where’s Dad?” Jensen asked when she opened the door.

  “He’s in the library.”

  Jeff followed Jensen into the library, and Jensen walked over to where his father was sitting, staring off into space. “Dad, we’ll find out who did this. I promise you,” he said.

  “Mr. Rutledge, I’m sorry to have to do this, but I need to ask you a few questions,” Jeff said.

  Jack turned towards Jeff, anguish written all over his face. “Yes, I’m sure you do have to ask me some questions. Let’s get it over with. What do you want to know?”

  “Did you or Pia have any enemies?”

  Jack looked into space for a moment and then said, “Yes, I have a major enemy, someone who truly hates me. His name is Kevin Sanders, but he had nothing to do with Pia.”

  “Mr. Rutledge, motives can be very complicated. Perhaps he wanted to get back at you by killing Pia. Tell me everything you can about him.”

  Jack spent the next few minutes recounting his past with Kevin as well as his meeting with him earlier in the day. He went on to tell him about the call he’d gotten from the security guard at the gate.

  “Do you know if he knew Pia?”

  “No, but it wouldn’t be too hard to find out what she looked like. Since I’m the owner of the polo club, there was a recent article in the Desert News about our upcoming marriage. Below it and off to the right was a picture of Pia and the comment that she was my beautiful Italian wife-to-be. She’s pretty easy to spot with that jet black hair.” He gulped and said in a ragged voice, “Was.”

  “Dad, I told the police who are working the crime scene at the barn that I’d be back in a few minutes. They want to interview me. I just wanted to check on you. I won’t be long. I’ll spend the night here.” He turned to Lupe and said, “Would you call my house and have Jorge bring some clothes and toiletries over for me?”

  “Of course, Mr. Rutledge.”

  “Marty, could you stay with Dad until I get back?”

  “Certainly,” she said as he walked out the door.

  “Mr. Rutledge,” Jeff continued, “I’ll just be a few more minutes. Do you know if Pia had any enemies? Had she previously been married? What about children? Is there anything you can tell me about her that might be relevant?”

  “We really didn’t know each other all that well,” Jack said. “We met at an antique show two months ago, and while I know that’s not a very long time to know someone before you’re going to get married, we didn’t want to wait. I’ll be sixty-two in a few weeks and at my age, who knows how much time you have left? All I know about Pia is that she was divorced and according to her, she’d made a big mistake when she married her husband. I know nothing more than that about him.

  “We talked and decided we were going to spend the future together and we weren’t going to dwell on the past. She did say she’d never had children, and that her parents were deceased. I know she has a sister. As a matter of fact, she was going to attend the cocktail party tonight, but I never had a chance to meet her.”

  “Mr. Rutledge, I understand Pia lived in Los Angeles prior to moving in here a few days ago. Was she employed while she lived in Los Angeles?”

  “Yeah, seems kind of funny in a way. Rich old man falls for a shoe saleswoman. She was selling shoes when I met her. She worked until a few days ago, although I told her I’d like her to quit, and I’d support her until we got married, but she was kind of old-fashioned and didn’t want to do that.”

  “Where did she work?”

  “She sold shoes at Nordstrom’s at their Westside Pavilion store. She told me she couldn’t afford to live near there, because the rents were so high, so she had quite a commute. Pia had a very small apartment. Working as a shoe saleswoman did not make her wealthy. I was really looking forward to sharing my wealth with her and treating her to things I know she’d never experienced, but now I never will,” he said with a catch in his voice.

  “I know how painful this must be, Mr. Rutledge, and truly I’m sorry to have to ask you these questions, but I’m almost through. Two things. First, I’d like a copy of the guest list, and I’d like to go over the names with you. Is there any way to check to see who actually came to the cocktail party that was on the guest list?”

  “Yes,” Jack said. “The security guards were to check off each person who was on the list when they arrived. They’d have a copy of it.”

  “All right. I’d like to see that checked list. Secondly, I understand you’re divorced. How would you describe your relationship with your ex-wife?”

  “We share a son, and I pay her alimony. That’s about all I can say about Debbie. She had an affair, and when I found out about it I divorced her. I found out later that wasn’t her first affair or probably her last. I pay her a lot of alimony every month, so she does her best not to make waves.”

  “Do you think she could have been jealous of Pia? Perhaps she didn’t want to see you remarry. Is that a possibility?”

  Jack was quiet for several long moments and then he said, “I really don’t think so. She’s a very gentle person. Debbie likes the good life, and my alimony allows her to lead that type of life. I honestly don’t think she’d do anything to jeopardize it. No, I think pursuing her about Pia’s death would be a dead end. She might not have been too thrilled that I was remarrying, but I really think that would be the extent of it.”

  There was a knock on the door, and Jensen walked in followed by John and Max.

  “Dad, I called Jorge and when he brings my things over, he’s also going to bring some sleeping pills. I know you don’t believe in them, but tonight’s an exception. Please, you really should take one.”

  “Okay, you’re probably right. I can’t imagine going to sleep tonight.”

  “Jeff,” John said, “You told me earlier you’d like us to take Marty home when we leave. The police have finished their interviews with Max and me, and we’re getting ready to go home. Marty, can you come with us?”

  Jeff spoke up. “Please take her home. Marty, I’m going to be here several more hours, and then I have to go to the station and w
rite up a report. I don’t think I’ll be home until tomorrow morning. Get some sleep.” He walked over to her and lightly kissed her.

  Marty turned to where Jack was sitting and said, “Again, Jack, I am so sorry. Call me when you want me to appraise your art pottery collection. I’ll write up the report of the art glass collection and get it to Dick within the week.”

  “Marty, actually I’d like you to appraise my art pottery collection tomorrow. It will take my mind off of this, or at least give me something else to think about. Can you come at ten tomorrow morning?”

  “If you think you’ll be up to it, I’ll be happy to do it. You can tell me about some of the pieces, since I assume you researched them, and it will probably save me some time.”

  “Dad, don’t you think that can wait a couple of weeks? You don’t need anything else on your plate right now.”

  “No, Jensen. Since Pia and I were doing this together, I’d like to finish it as soon as possible. Otherwise, I’ll keep thinking about her and her collection, although I guess it’s mine now.” He turned to Marty and said, “I’ll see you at ten tomorrow morning.”

  Jeff, John, Max, and Marty walked out of the house, three of them on their way home, while Jeff went back to where the other policemen were conducting interviews.

  On the ride home they were very quiet. Murder has a way of stopping idle conversation.

  CHAPTER 13

  When Marty, John, and Max got back to the compound, it was very dark, and it was clear Laura and Les had retired for the night. The only thing moving was Duke’s tail at the gate, where he was patiently waiting for Marty, like he always did.

  “See you in the morning, and thanks for the ride,” Marty said.

  “I need to get some sleep, Boss,” Max said. “I’ll be here tomorrow at the usual time.” He walked over to where his car was parked, and John and Marty walked through the gate.

  “Duke, might as well bootie you up. I need some sleep, and you need to take a walk. Let’s go, big guy,” she said as she pulled on his booties.

  Sleep was slow in coming to Marty and finally at midnight she took two aspirin, wishing she had one of the sleeping pills Jensen had provided for Jack. Tonight was one of the few nights she felt she could justify one.

  *****

  The next morning Marty showered, dressed, walked Duke, and met the other residents of the compound in the courtyard for some coffee and sweet rolls John had laid out for them. A few minutes after she sat down Max came through the gate and walked into John’s kitchen to start the prep work for the two food trucks, Max’s and John’s.

  “Hear from John there was a little excitement at the polo club last night, and I see Jeff’s car isn’t here.” Laura said. “Feel like talking about it?”

  Marty spent the next half hour telling Laura and Les what had taken place the evening before. When she was finishing up, a very tired and haggard looking Jeff walked through the gate and sat down next to Marty.

  “How about some coffee, Jeff? There’s also some sweet rolls. I imagine you’re ready to go to bed. Find out anything?” Marty asked.

  “In answer to everything, no. I had so much coffee and so many sweet rolls last night, I’ll probably never get some much needed sleep between my sugar and caffeine highs. As far as finding out anything, no, not a thing. It’s a complete mystery, literally. By the way, I never had a chance to follow up with you last night when you said you’d tell me something later,” he said looking at her. “Does it have anything to do with the murder?”

  “I don’t know, but I happened to be with Pia when she had a conversation with Jensen and then another one with her sister. Both conversations really upset Pia. I could see it on her face. The first was with her sister, Gerta.” She told Jeff and the others about how angry Gerta had been regarding the art glass collection.

  “Marty, would she have any way of knowing what it was worth?”

  “I don’t know. Pia mentioned that Gerta had taken care of her parents. Towards the end of their lives she’d moved in with them and been their caregiver. I would think she probably had some idea of the value of their collection, but I can’t say for sure.”

  “What happened in the conversation with Jensen?” Jeff asked.

  She told him Jensen had said he didn’t know Pia and Jack had already signed a trust agreement so that their collections would go to each other, even though they weren’t married.

  “Wait a minute, Marty. Are you telling me Jensen thought he was going to inherit the collection and then he finds out his father has willed it to his bride-to-be?”

  “Yes. That’s what Pia told him, and he was clearly shocked by this revelation. He made the statement that Jack had told him as his only child he was going to inherit the collection.”

  Jeff was quiet for a few moments and then said, “Do you have any idea what Jack’s collection is worth?”

  “No. He had an appraisal done on it several years ago, and although I glanced at it yesterday, I never looked at the total amount. I will tell you he has a Rookwood lamp that’s one of a kind and pretty priceless. If the rest of the collection is anywhere near that good, his collection will probably match or exceed hers in value.”

  “Think I need to take a closer look at Jensen. With Pia no longer in the picture, sonny boy will probably inherit everything when his father dies, and that’s a powerful motive for murder.”

  Laura had been listening to the conversation and began to speak. “Jeff, I don’t think it was Jensen. My intuition, or whatever you want to call it, doesn’t see him as the murderer. Don’t waste your time with him. Keep looking. I don’t think Pia’s murder had anything to do with Jack and his money, but I feel pretty certain it was someone Pia knew.”

  They all looked at Laura with respect. When Laura had been in college, she’d been part of a study testing people’s abilities that went beyond the five senses. No one could explain what Laura sensed, but she’d been invaluable to Jeff in helping to solve the Meissen Monkey Band murder and another murder that had occurred at a local country music festival. She’d also helped with the murder that centered around an illegal collection of Native American artifacts. At first Jeff hadn’t believed in her psychic abilities, but now when she spoke he listened.

  “Are you getting anything else, Laura? Believe me, I can use all the help you can give me on this one.”

  “Wish I could, Jeff. I’m not getting anything about who did it, only who didn’t do it, and that would be Jensen.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s better than nothing. If you do pick up on something, don’t be shy,” he said grinning. “Is John in his kitchen? He left the rest of the food from the party, and the other policemen and I devoured everything. I want to thank him and particularly tell him what a hit those little brisket sandwiches were. On top of the sweet rolls, I don’t know how many of those I had. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He stood up and walked over to John’s kitchen.

  Laura set her coffee cup down and in a serious tone of voice said, “Marty, you’re going to hear something about the case today that’s going to be very important. I don’t know what it is, but keep your ears open. I believe you said you were going back to Mr. Rutledge’s house today. Was that his decision or yours?”

  “It was his. I specifically suggested he put off the appraisal for awhile, but he wanted to get it over with. I think, although he’ll never forget that he met Pia at an antique show, he really doesn’t want to stretch out the appraisal because it’s how thy met, and anything connected with antiques will remind him of her. He may hope that aspect will fade with time. I could be wrong, but I know I’d feel that way. Speaking of which, I better get going.”

  Jeff walked out of John’s house and said, “John promised me he’d make those little sandwiches for us. Trust me, they’re killer.” He turned to Marty. “Are you off to the appraisal?”

  “Yes, I told Jack I’d be there this morning at ten. On the way there I’m going to stop by the Hi-Lo Drugstore and leave some photos
for Lucy to develop since time is critical. I usually send them to her using my computer, but I’m going to pass right by the drugstore, so I’ll just stop in and give them to her instead. I’m hoping I can do the art pottery appraisal in one day, since it looks like the dimensions, physical conditions, and descriptions of all of the pieces were noted in the earlier appraisal. That would save a lot of time. I’d think Jack would want to be alone, given all that’s happened.”

  “You do that. I’m going to see if I can sleep for a little while,” Jeff said. “I have a meeting with Jack’s security guard and his administrative assistant, Nicky, this afternoon. I want to go over the guest list with them, and I also want to discuss it with Jack. There may be a name on the list that rings a bell, or maybe a name he’s never heard of. See you later.”

  “I’m taking Duke out for a walk. Maybe you could do the same when you wake up.” She looked at Les and Laura. “I really hate to ask, but if Jeff and I get tied up and it looks like Duke needs to go outside, would one of you help?”

  “Laura, my love,” Les said, “Marty’s your sister. What if someone were to come here to look at one of my paintings I’m selling for $125,000 and they find the artist walking a dog in pink booties in the desert? They’d probably have me committed, and I sure wouldn’t make a sale,” he said as he walked into his house.

  “Duke, don’t worry. I’ll take care of you,” Laura said patting the big dog on the head.

  CHAPTER 14

  “Well, lookie, lookie. If it ain’t the appraisal lady that brings me them purty pictures,” Lucy said as she looked up from her computer. “Ain’t seen you fer awhile. That was one good eatfest at yer’ reception. Them boys from The Red Pony food truck did a mighty fine job of fixin’ good eats for all of us celebratin’ ya’ getting’ hitched. The ol’ man and I couldn’t even eat no dinner that night we was so dang stuffed.”

  Marty had been having her appraisal photos developed at the Hi-Lo Drugstore ever since she’d moved to the high desert. Although Lucy was a bona fide character, she’d become one of Marty’s favorite people in the high desert community. She’d even taken care of Duke when everyone from the compound had stayed in motor homes at the country music festival to help John out with his food truck.