For Sale in Palm Springs: The Henry Wright Mystery Series

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Wayne was there within ten minutes and led Rosie away in handcuffs. He gave Henry a sad look as he put Rosie into the back of his Crown Victoria and told him he'd come by on Monday morning. Henry turned to go back inside and put the dinner makings back inside the refrigerator. He wasn't hungry anymore. He collected the glasses and went out to the pool to get the bowl of chips from the table. He looked at the pool where just an hour ago his life had a new beginning or so he thought.

He grabbed the unopened bottle of wine, got into his car and drove over to Mrs. Icklebee's house on Calle Rolph, knocked on the door and went inside for a late afternoon drink. She was doing well and he spent a few hours talking with her about the loss of loved ones and getting on with life.

Sunday was a wasted day. Henry swam laps, though when he first walked out of his room and looked at the pool, he thought he would never go in it again, but he did. He got on his computer to see if he could buy a photograph of Rudy Vallee on eBay. Rosie had touched him in a way that no other woman had since Irma. He had to admit that she changed his life, and while he didn't have any pictures of her, he thought a photo of Rudy Vallee would be a memento he could live with. He didn't bid on the one that was being offered by "Big Red" in Riverside County, California. He'd seen that one for sale yesterday afternoon before he went grocery shopping. He bid on one from a guy out in the U.K. who was selling it for ten British Pounds, he bid twenty five, he was determined not to be outbid like Thornbird.

Wayne called in the afternoon to see if he was doing ok. He told Henry that Rosie had signed a confession and had asked for a psychiatrist and would probably plead insanity. Wayne said he would come by at ten on Monday; he wanted to hear how Henry had figured everything out.

Charles came back late Sunday afternoon and Henry briefly told him that it hadn't worked out between Rosie and him. Henry also said that Wayne and the vice squad were going to investigate the Sons of Dionysus, Charles said he would help them in any way that he could. Henry suggested that Charles sit in when Wayne was there Monday morning, that way he could tell both of them everything that happened. They took Saturday's steaks and vegetables out of the refrigerator and the two friends ate a quiet meal by the side of the pool.

He was about to go to bed, when he emptied out the pockets of his shorts. He found his wedding ring and remembered picking it up from the table by the pool and dropping it into his shorts pocket on Saturday afternoon before Rosie came over. He looked at it, looked at his finger and started putting it back on. As it started to go over his knuckle, he slipped it off again and walked over to his office and put it in the pencil drawer of his desk. He closed the drawer and said "to new beginnings" to himself.

Henry was up before the sun on Monday. He swam laps, showered and went to his office, where there was an email from the Feds asking for help profiling a case in Oregon. A couple of kids were murdered while they slept in their tent. He did some research, but what he was reading wouldn't stick and after a while he gave up and made a fresh pot of coffee.

Wayne showed up at ten o'clock, smelled the fresh pot and poured himself a cup of coffee. Charles had been pacing around since eight, he'd heard a little bit from Henry yesterday but he was dying to hear the entire story. They took their coffees and sat down outside in the shade of the large umbrella by the pool.

"So how did you know?" Wayne started the conversation off asking.

"Well, of course I didn't for a long time, but a bunch of coincidences fell into place all at once." Henry smiled.

"Like what?" Charles leaned forward in his chair not wanting to miss anything.

"From the very beginning, when I heard how hard Rex Thornbird worked and how many hours he put in every day I wondered why his office had not called the police when he didn't show up for three days." Henry began.