For Sale in Palm Springs: The Henry Wright Mystery Series

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Henry took the four stair steps up to the police station in two long strides. He pushed open the door and signed in at the front desk. The reserve officer behind the bullet proof glass asked him who he was there to see and pushed a visitor badge through the slot under the glass. Henry took the badge, peeled off the backing and stuck it to his shirt. Before September 11, if he wanted to see Wayne, he basically walked in and waved at the officer at the desk. That the world had changed that day was apparent - here was one more sign.

He wondered if after the tragedy they had made any changes at the Eagle River police station. Of course, it wasn't as large as the building here in Palm Springs; Eagle River looked more like the sheriff's office in Mayberry than this large multi-storied building.

Wayne came down the stairs and escorted him up to his office.

"Did you find out something?" He asked as they were walking back up the stairs together.

"No, not really, I came by to see if I could get the keys to Thornbird's house." Henry replied.

"Sure, why not, the lab crew has been there, I don't think they found anything." Wayne replied, "Let's call the property room from my desk, they should have the keys."

"Maybe they didn't know what to look for." Henry sat down at the visitor's chair next to Wayne's desk.

"Perhaps, and you think you do?" Wayne smiled as he dialed the extension for the property room from his desk phone.

"Lunch gave me some interesting ideas." Henry answered.

"This morning you were saying that you were going to lunch with the office manager from Coachella Real Estate, did that turn out to be enlightening?" Wayne hung up the phone. "The property room said they would bring the keys to my desk, they need to run up here for something else anyway."

"Lunch was certainly enlightening." He didn't say it, but Henry thought it had enlightened him in ways that had nothing to do with the Thornbird investigation.

"Apparently Thornbird was selling properties with questionable celebrity connections to unsuspecting buyers who paid a premium for these places. It inflated his commission and he made a tidy profit."

"So you think one of his past clients got mad at him and did it?" Wayne asked.

"Most likely, the question is which one?" Henry picked up a pencil from Wayne desk and started idly doodling on Wayne's memo pad. He found himself drawing little houses with trees and streets connecting them.

"You guys looking for a set of keys?" An overweight sergeant who obviously was no longer on patrol but probably sat in the property room behind a computer screen was standing next to Wayne's desk.

"Yeah, are these Thornbird's?" Wayne took the keys from the sergeant.

"That's what the tag says." The sergeant shook his head as he walked away, how did these guys get to be detectives anyway?

"Ok Hank, here you go, let me know if you find something interesting." Wayne dropped the keys into Henry's hand. "I just need one more thing." Henry put the keys in his pocket.

"Anything you want is yours my friend." Wayne smiled.

"An address, I don't even know where Thornbird's house is." Henry smiled as well.

Henry parked his car at the curb of Thornbird's house on West Chino Canyon Road. The homes in this part of Palm Springs were much different than Henry's house on Mel Avenue, he felt as though his house was a cracker box compared to some of the structures that had been built here. He was on the north side of Palm Canyon Drive, up against the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The view of the Coachella Valley from here was spectacular; it was as though Palm Springs was at his feet.