The Dancing Murders by James Musgrave

Author:James Musgrave [Musgrave, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 2021-04-21T07:00:00+00:00

***

W

e discover from Lucky Baldwin that there’s been a second murder, although it’s complicated. Me, Josie, and Colonel Morta are talking with Clara Foltz and Dr. Charlotte Baker. Attorney Foltz already has her defense prepared for us, so she has the witnesses. Ida Bailey, the Canary Cottage madam, one of her witnesses, has confessed to Dr. Charlotte Baker that her husband, Fred, pursued her romantically after finding out that Rabbi Sonenschein was sleeping with Miss Bailey. Dr. Charlotte is, quite properly, angry at Fred’s betrayal, but she’s a practical woman. She performs the blood analysis on her husband after he passes out inside the courtroom.

As we all discover from this blood analysis, Dr. Fred Baker’s blood contains the hallucinogenic drug given to Heaven Riendeau by Lucky Baldwin. Riendeau is performing the drugging of the men at her whore house. As a result, Dr. Charlotte Baker calls Miss Riendeau at the Golden Faun, located next door to the Bailey’s Canary Cottage. That’s when they find out about the murder of the Indian boy, Anand, which leads them all to our hideout, as Colonel Morta’s ayahuasca was being used as some of the drugs.

The practical answer to this second murder, according to Mrs. Foltz, is that Heaven Riendeau has turned against Josie and Ida Bailey when my wife tells her to “create a distraction” during the trial. However, Riendeau takes it one step farther by uncoverin’ the fact that the waitress, Kai Krissy Wong, has poisoned the young Indian, Anand Prabhakar. Wong kills the young immigrant while she is upstairs with him in his room at the Golden Faun. Before the police can be notified, Krissy confesses to Miss Riendeau that she’s been paid in gold nuggets by a mysterious person at the restaurant.

We now can ask both Miss Riendeau and Miss Wong what’s happened, and so Foltz and Charlotte Baker bring him to our hideout to do just that. I, for one, am anxious to discover who this mysterious person is who wants a boy dead. What did this Indian know? It must be a reason more than just murder for hire. Common sense tells me that much.

Mrs. Foltz tells us she’s here to create a new investigation group. When she tells the old colonel to get his servants to move the big walnut table to the outside patio, I know we’re in for an explanation and orders from Mrs. Foltz about what our duties will be. I hope she doesn’t ask me too many questions. Outside, the Peruvian fellers bring out big bowls of spicy guacamole, fried tortillas, tequila for the men, and wine and soft cider for the ladies.

Our lawyer perches herself at the head of the table, and Charlotte Baker is seated on her right, and Heaven Riendeau is on her left. Josie is next to Riendeau, and I’m next to Josie. On the other side, Colonel Morta is sittin’ next to Charlotte Baker, and then comes Miss Wong. Finally, Lucky’s on the end, in his tuxedo, stickin’ out like a weasel in a hen house.

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