For Sale in Palm Springs: The Henry Wright Mystery Series

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

While Wayne walked up to the register to pay for breakfast, Henry dug into his pocket for a couple of bills to leave as a tip. His daughter, Claire, worked as a restaurant hostess and waitress while she was in college and ever since then Henry always left a larger gratuity for the people who waited on him. He knew that Millie didn't really need the money, but it was the principle that was important. He caught up with Wayne at the cash register as he was helping himself to several of the free toothpicks from the dispenser on the counter.

"I take it you'll want to see the crime scene first?" Wayne asked as he jammed one of the toothpicks in his mouth while carefully putting the remainder in his shirt pocket.

"Yep, if you have the time, I'd like to go now." Henry said, pulling the Mercury's key fob out of his pocket.

"I figured as much and didn't schedule anything else this morning." Wayne replied pushing open the door to the restaurant.

As Wayne and Henry walked out the door of the restaurant to their cars, the temperature was already well into 90's even though it was not even nine-thirty.

"Looks like it's going to be another hot one," Wayne said as he reached for his car keys.

"Aren't they all?" Henry replied, "That's why I'm here and not in Wisconsin!" he grinned pushing the unlock button on the little key fob. "It's a lot easier to cool off then to get warm." Henry continued, getting into his car.

"Can I follow you to the house?" He asked Wayne before starting the car and its air conditioner.

"Yeah, just follow me over; I won't drive too fast this time."

The tan city owned Ford Crown Victoria that Wayne was driving headed back down Tahquitz Canyon Way for the house on Granvia Valmonte, as Henry swung in behind. He rolled up the window as the air conditioner kicked in, he had the car's climate control system set for 82 degrees. Long ago he discovered that this setting was comfortable for him. Henry was enjoying the heat of Palms Springs in late April as opposed to the cold of Eagle River, Wisconsin where this time of year it would barely be thawing.

Wayne came to a stop at the curb of the house on Granvia Valmonte and Henry pulled in right behind. The lawn needed mowing, and there were several throwaway newspapers on the driveway. Ironically, Rex Thornbird's face was still smiling at Henry from the prominent for sale sign that had been planted in the lawn.

"Good looking guy!" Henry said, as he and Wayne walked up to the front door that was sealed off with crime tape. "Oh, you mean the sign?" Wayne replied, removing the tape and pushing the door open while tearing the crime scene crew's "Do Not Enter" sticker. "Yeah, he didn't look like that when I saw him." Wayne replied as he stepped into the house. "He was a little more bloated and a lot paler when he was in a drawer at the Riverside County morgue over in Perris."

They stepped inside the house and Henry got his first look around.

"Pretty bare, nothing in here but dust." He said as he walked over to the patio doors. "It looks like your crime scene fingerprint crew has been here." He said, noting the smudges of powder left on the glass doors. "Find anything significant?"

"No, it looks as though Thornbird walked through the house opening doors and turning on lights." Wayne replied as he stepped into the kitchen where a giant blood stain on the floor showed where Rex Thornbird had spent his last few minutes. "Here's where the murder weapon hung on the wall." Wayne pointed to the blank telephone outlet on the wall with his ballpoint pen. Even though the crew had already dusted for prints, Wayne and Henry from force of habit made sure that they didn't touch anything.