Take Stock in Murder (10 page)

Marilyn was off the line for just a few seconds. Then she came back.

“I’m sorry, dear. It’s Frank’s mother on the line. Got to go! I forgot we have an appointment this morning to get our hair
done, and she’s on her way. Look, our group is playing golf this afternoon. Why don’t you join us at two?”

“Well, OK, if you’re sure.” Carrie hesitated.

“I’m sure. See you there.”

Carrie wasn’t sure. However, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to be part of the group. If the ladies accepted her, she could find out firsthand what Todd Barrington had been doing with the investments. Carrie went back to finish her article so she would be free by 2:00 p.m.

Several hours after Carrie’s phone call to Marilyn, another phone call was taking place.

“That’s easy for you to say. I just received a call. Carrie Faraday will be joining the ladies of the Investment Club for a golf outing today.

“What do you mean? It sounds like a good idea.

“I get it. There isn’t anything for the nosy Mrs. Faraday to see except a legitimate Investment Club designed for the entertainment and education of the ladies.

“Yes, I feel better. I just wish I was sure I got everything when I searched Todd’s condo.

“I’ve checked the laptop. I even checked all the software manuals, and there’s nothing.

“But that’s the point. I should have found something about the investments.

“There may be more in the folders of material or the disks I took. I haven’t finished looking at everything.

“You’re probably right. If I can’t find the information, no one else will find it either. Or even if they did, knowing Todd, it’s probably in some childish code they won’t be able to crack.”

arrie wasn’t sure what the ladies of golf were wearing these days, but she changed into dark blue pants with a white polo shirt and a matching jacket of blue and red. She pulled her hair back with a blue band. She hoped her outfit would be acceptable to the ladies. She made a sandwich, which she ate while driving to the Club, and arrived in plenty of time to tee off.

Carrie found the five women in the Clubhouse and was pleased to see they wore outfits that were similar to hers. They were all wearing slacks in various autumn shades with matching golf jackets. Unlike her jacket, theirs displayed the Club emblem stitched across the breast pocket, indicating they’d been purchased at the Clubhouse store. There was no question about the ladies being glad to welcome her to their golf game.

Only five members of the group had made it for today’s game. Six were too many for one team, but just right for two groups of three. Marilyn insisted that Carrie join the team of
Delores Chaney and Pat Sloane for the game, while Marilyn, Judy Marshall, and Terry Conan would form the second team. Carrie would have preferred to have golfed with Marilyn to find out more information. However, after the first several holes, she understood why she was playing in the second group. Clearly Marilyn’s goal was to assign the players to a team based on skill.

By the ninth hole, Carrie felt very comfortable with her team and her golf game. On most holes she either tied or was within a stroke of her teammates. By the fifteenth hole, they were golf chums, and the casual conversation allowed Carrie to ask some important questions.

“Delores, how’s everyone taking the recent murder of Todd Barrington?” Carrie asked casually.

“Oh, I hate to even hear that word ‘murder.’ Who would have thought that at a Club like ours, there could be a murder?” Delores wiped off her ball with the yellow TC3-emblem towel attached to her golf bag.

“Not only a murder, but the murder of the son of one of our most distinguished Club families,” Pat chimed in as she removed a number-two wood from her bag for the next shot. Carrie wondered for a moment whether Pat’s clubs had been custom made because of her height.

“Yes, it does seem unbelievable. Todd was so likeable and seemed to have so much going for him. Don’t you think?” Carrie deliberately ended with a question, hoping the ladies would continue the conversation.

“Well, far be it from me to say anything ill of the dead, but of all the Club members, Todd’s death surprised me the least. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“Delores, that’s an awful thing to say!” Pat replied.

“Perhaps, but I just can’t get all emotional over his death. Maybe it’s because I’m a good ten years older than you two and have seen a lot more in my time, or maybe it’s because I’m the mother of a daughter. But I can say that I was never pleased with Todd’s behavior. Just because his family has money is no reason to allow his flirtatious behavior with his various women. It was rumored that Todd was having affairs with several different women at the same time.”

“He had affairs with women here at the Club?” Carrie tried to sound surprised.

“Well, that was the rumor.”

“Rumors are no good without names, Delores,” Pat said.

“Pat, now you’re being awful,” replied Delores.

“No, I’m not. There’s no sense implying a rumor if you don’t give the proper details. That’s how untrue rumors get spread. If people have all the details, they can make up their own minds about a rumor.”

“Well, OK, but you two have to swear that this won’t go any further. Because like you said, Pat, these are just rumors, and we don’t want innocent people to be hurt.”

Both Pat and Carrie stood side by side, raised their right hands, and swore they wouldn’t repeat anything Delores told them.

“I don’t know whether I should.” Delores still had doubts.

“Come on!” Carrie and Pat shouted at the same time.

“Oh, all right. The rumors are about members of the other team. That’s why I was hesitant to say anything.”

“The other team!” Pat said, looking at Delores and then at Carrie. “You mean Marilyn, Judy, and Terry?”

“Yes.”

“All three?” asked a surprised Carrie.

“Two of them.”

“Which two?” asked Pat as their golf game came to a standstill on top of the hill approaching the sixteenth hole.

Delores checked that no one else was around to hear and then answered “Marilyn and Terry?”

“I knew it couldn’t be Judy,” Pat said. “Well, I mean, being married to the president of the Club, well…She would have to be more careful. Plus she seems totally devoted to James.”

“Delores, why do you think Todd may have been involved with Marilyn and Terry? Did someone tell you about them?” Carrie asked gently.

“No, I saw them. I mean, I saw one of them with Todd, and then later I overheard a fight about Todd.”

“OK, Delores, enough is enough. Stop giving us bits and pieces and give us the scoop, the whole scoop,” Pat demanded as Carrie nodded in agreement.

“It was about two months ago. Just before the start of our Investment Club meeting. I was early, and I didn’t want a drink, and it was too cold to sit on the terrace. So I decided to go into the boardroom where we hold our meetings, to wait. I opened the door just a crack and peeked in, afraid I might be disturbing another meeting. Over in the corner, Todd and Marilyn were kissing.”

“How do you know it wasn’t just a hello kiss?” Pat asked.

“Because it wasn’t just one kiss. I’d describe what they were doing as…Well, in high school we called it ‘making out.’ You know, like two dogs in heat. They were all over each other.”

Both women giggled at Delores’s description.

“What happened when they saw you?” asked Carrie.

“Actually, nothing. They never saw me. They were too involved with each other, so I quietly shut the door and retreated. I waited outside in the hallway until several of the other gals arrived. When we entered the boardroom, Todd and Marilyn were seated at opposite ends of the table as though nothing had happened.”

Interesting
, Carrie thought. “What about Terry?” she asked.

“I never actually saw Todd and Terry together, but I overheard a fight between Terry and Marilyn, discussing Todd. Marilyn found out that Todd broke a meeting with her to keep one with Terry.” She lowered her voice, as if someone might hear. “You know, Marilyn does have a bit of a temper when things don’t go her way.”

“They seem to be best friends now,” Carrie said as she saw the women from team one laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

“Yes, they do. But revenge can appear in other ways, you know.”

“How so, Delores?” Pat asked.

“My husband and Terry’s husband, Bill, were bidding on a very lucrative job from Marilyn’s husband. Both men submitted designs for Frank’s new office building for his law practice. Both men are excellent architects, but everyone thought Bill would get the job because of his personal friendship with Frank. I can tell you both John and I were surprised when he was awarded the contract.”

“You think Marilyn influenced who got the job?”

“Perhaps I’m supposing too much. But I know wives have tremendous influence on these types of decisions, especially when both firms are equal in design ability. After that incident, Terry decided for the sake of her marriage and her husband’s career to be nice to Marilyn. Or perhaps hers was an afternoon fling with Todd and not worth losing Marilyn’s friendship. Or perhaps it was nothing at all, and Frank liked my John’s design better.”

“Fore!”

All three turned to see the approach of a golf ball from the group behind them.

“We better get going,” said Delores.

id anyone attend Todd’s funeral?” Pat Sloane asked the group when both teams were enjoying snacks and drinks back at the Clubhouse.