Murder at the Big T Lodge: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery (2 page)

When Liz returned to the
lodge, she unloaded the groceries and then she and her assistant chef, Gina,
prepped as much food as they could for the evening meal Liz served to the
guests staying in the cottages at the lodge. She loved to cook for the people
who seemed to thoroughly enjoy her food. She’d just told Gina to take a short
break before they started the final preparation for the meal when her cell
phone rang.

She
looked down at the monitor and saw it was Roger. “Hello, sweetheart, how did
your meetings go?”

“Well,
very well, as a matter of fact one of them went so well we’re going to be
taking a little trip.”

“What
are you talking about?” Liz asked.

“Remember
how I told you this morning that I was going to meet Milt for lunch and give
him a political contribution from our law firm? Well, I did, and he was very
grateful. We talked for a while catching up on classmates of ours from law
school. Neither one of us is very active as alumnae, but it’s always
interesting to hear about what some of the others are doing these days. Anyway,
his cell phone rang while we were at lunch, and it turned out it was the owner
of the Big T Lodge in Texas.”

“I’ve
never heard of it. Should I be familiar with it?”

“No,
I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of it, but anyone who’s a duck or quail
hunter certainly knows about it. It’s probably the most exclusive hunting lodge
in the United States. Milt’s been going there for years, and he’s leaving this
weekend for his annual trip to the Big T Lodge. The owner of the lodge had
called to tell him that he’d just received a call from a couple who had to
cancel their reservation because it turns out their daughter gave birth
prematurely, and her husband’s in Afghanistan. Naturally, they dropped
everything to be with her.”

“Okay,
but I still don’t see what any of that has to do with us.”

“Here’s
the thing, Liz. The owner asked Milt if he knew any hunters who might be
interested in taking their places. Milt put his hand over the phone and asked
me if I’d like to go. I didn’t even have to think about it. I said yes. I’ve
wanted to go there forever, but everyone knows it’s almost impossible to make a
reservation because it’s so exclusive, plus it’s terribly expensive. I mean
really, really expensive, but here’s more good news. The managing partner of
the law firm distributed the annual bonus checks today and mine is twice what I
thought it would be. It will more than pay for the trip. I know you’re not a
hunter, but I thought you could relax and might even pick up some recipes from
the chef at the lodge. I hear the food is fabulous. What do you think?”

“I
think if you’re that excited about it, I should get excited too, although this
is a world I know nothing about. How many guests will be at the lodge?”

“From
what I understand the lodge is quite large and luxurious. I think Milt said
last time he went there were twenty guests. Milt told me it’s considered to be
the best hunting lodge of its kind in the United States.”

“Where
specifically are we going and when?” she asked.

“We’re
going to west Texas, and we leave this Sunday. I’ll hunt on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday, and then we’ll return home on Thursday. When I said we’d go,
Milt handed his phone to me, and the lodge owner gave me the airline flight
times. He’s also sending me a packet of information. All that’s left for us to
do is make our airline reservations and let him know what time we’ll be
arriving at the airport, so one of the SUVs from the lodge can pick us up. I’ll
do that tonight when I get home.”

“Roger,
today is Wednesday. That sure doesn’t give me much time to make sure everything
is ship-shape here at the lodge.”

“Liz,
as well-run as the Red Cedar Lodge and Spa is, I hate to tell you this, but it
will run without you just fine. You know Gina can handle the meals on her own,
since she’s had to do it a couple of times before when you were involved in a
murder investigation. Bertha, your lodge manager, can handle everything else,
and we’ll only be gone for a few days. It’s not like we’ll be out of touch for
a month or more.”

“You’re
right. This will certainly be an adventure, and one I never thought I’d be
involved in. What does a well-dressed woman wear to a hunting lodge?” she
asked.

“Jeans
and boots. We’ll know more after I get the packet from the owner. I asked him
to FedEx it to me, so we’d have a little heads-up before we leave for the
lodge. Anyway, we’ll talk more about it tonight. I’m just getting ready to
leave the office, so I should be home in about an hour depending on traffic.
Liz, I’ve got to tell you I have never been so excited about anything.”

“I’d
prefer to hear you say you’ve never been so excited about a trip. I think
getting married should be right up there in your excited ratings,” she said
drily.

“Well,
that goes without saying,” Roger said. “You know that.”

“Right,
Roger, right. See you soon, and yes, I’m excited too.”

Liz
ended the call and turned to Gina. “Any chance you can come in a little early
tomorrow? Looks like I’m leaving Sunday for a hunting lodge in Texas. Never saw
that one coming. Anyway, we need to figure out what meals you can serve while
I’m gone. I know you can do it, it’s just a matter of planning. I’ll talk to
Bertha in the morning about getting someone to help you, but for right now,
let’s finish up with this one.”

On Thursday morning FedEx
delivered a packet from the Big T Lodge to Roger at his law office in Red
Cedar. He called Liz and told her he was coming home for lunch, so they could
look at it together. They sat down at the kitchen counter, and he pulled out
the contents of the packet. “Liz, I can’t believe we’re going to this place.
Here, why don’t you look at their brochure, and I’ll read the list of
recommended things we should bring.”

They
were both quiet for a few minutes and then Liz said, “Roger, this is
incredible. First of all, look at this photo of the lodge. Even though it’ made
of logs, the great room is faced in stone and is two stories tall. The picture
shows it has a huge fireplace overlooking a lake in the distance. Evidently they
have ten duck blinds located near the lake, and the club is situated on 8,000
acres. That’s huge. It looks like you’ll be hunting ducks very early in the
morning, come back for a gourmet breakfast which looks wonderful, change
clothes, and go out to the fields for the rest of the day quail hunting.”

“Yeah,
I agree, it looks fabulous. Looking at this list, I sure don’t have the type of
hunting gear they recommend I should bring. From what this says I’m going to
need specific clothing like neoprene waders for the early morning duck hunting
and then a complete change of clothing and regular hunting boots for the rest
of the day. One of our clients owns the largest hunting equipment store in San
Francisco. I’ll call him this afternoon and order what I need to get. I’ll ask
him to overnight to me, so I’ll have what I need before we leave in a couple of
days.”

“You
might be looking forward to the hunting,” Liz said, “but I’m looking at all the
dogs and food shown in the photos of the brochure. That’s a combination I find
hard to resist. I guess you’ll be using Labrador retrievers to hunt ducks in
the morning and then German short-haired pointers when you hunt quail later in
the day.”

“There’s
got to be a huge kennel just to keep all the dogs they must have, plus it says
they take you to the duck blinds and the fields in ATVs,” Roger said. “That’s a
lot of dogs and ATVs. No wonder this place is expensive. I’m glad they’ll be
providing the guns and ammunition. I went hunting with some friends years ago,
and registering my shotgun at the airport was a nightmare.”

“Roger,
won’t you need a Texas hunting license?”

“Yeah.
I read where licenses can be purchased online when you get there. Think that’s
what I’ll do. They’ve probably done it a million times, and they’ll be able to
do it a lot easier than I can. I see that serious look on your face. What’s so
important?”

“The
food, Roger, the food. It says they have a five-star chef. Each guest places
their special order for breakfast, so it’s not like a buffet. At lunch the hunters
eat at dining tables set out in the fields and prior to dinner there’s a
cocktail hour with appetizers followed by a gourmet dinner. I’m looking at a
menu, and I already know one thing I’m going to have.”

“What’s
that?”

“Texas
pecan pie. Look at the picture of it. This is going to be some vacation. To
change the subject. Will we be traveling with Milt and his wife? I’ve never met
either of them.”

“No.
His wife isn’t going. Her family’s visiting from Italy, so she’s staying home
to be with them. Milt told me it’s the first time they’ve been apart since they
were married several months ago. He’s flying into Dallas a day early, so he can
meet with potential donors.”

“That
seems bizarre. Why would someone in Texas give money to a man who’s running for
governor in California?” Liz asked.

“Actually,
it’s quite common. Often people who live out of state will have business in
that state, so they want to grease the palm of the person they think will be in
a position to help them. Other donors sometimes think that if a candidate has
the potential for a national office, if they make a contribution when he’s
still holding a state office, that person will be indebted to them in the
future. It’s a long-term gamble, but it often pays off.”

“The
political world seems to be a whole different world than the one I’m used to,
and one I’m not so sure I’d want to be a part of.”

“That
it is, Liz, that it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to work.”

“Wait,
one more thing before you leave. Since I won’t be hunting, and I won’t need any
heavy outdoor type of clothing, I wonder if I need to take something besides
jeans and boots?”

“I
think you’ll be fine with those. I noticed they have a pool, so even though
it’s winter, you might want to take a bathing suit. And since afternoon rains
are pretty common in that area of Texas, you also might want to pack a
raincoat.”

“I’m
about twenty years past sitting by the side of a pool all day even if it is
nice, and if it’s raining hard enough that I’d have to wear a raincoat, I think
I’ll stick to the great room with the big fireplace. I’ll curl up with a book
and be perfectly fine. Actually, I think that’s about all I’m going to do while
we’re there. That and I’ll probably spend a little time with the chef, if I
can. I’m sure I can pick up some recipes we can use here at our lodge.”

“Okay,
love, I’m out of here. The bonus I got paid was great, but since most of it
will be spent on this once-in-a-lifetime trip, I better get back to the salt
mines and earn some money. See you tonight.”

The
rest of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday went by in a haze for Liz and Roger. He
was busy rescheduling clients who had problems that could wait a week and
seeing the ones whose issues needed immediate attention. Liz spent a great deal
of time with Bertha and Gina making sure that the lodge and spa would run
seamlessly during her absence. Saturday night they skipped the regular lodge
dinner and packed, wanting to be ready to go the next morning when Hank,
Bertha’s husband, was scheduled to drive them to the airport in San Francisco.

“Thanks, Hank. We really appreciate
you taking us to the airport. I still feel guilty about leaving Bertha to
manage the lodge and spa on such short notice, but as you know, this came up
suddenly,” Liz said as they neared the San Francisco airport.

“No problem. I’ll help out
where I can, but you don’t need to worry. Between Bertha and Gina, it will run
just as smoothly as if you were there.”

“I hope you’re not
insinuating that I don’t do anything at the lodge and spa, and my presence
isn’t really needed,” she said laughing.

“Not at all. By the way,
Roger, I’ve done a lot of hunting over the years, but I’ve never known you to
be a hunter. You got the right boots and everything you need for this trip?”

“One of the firm’s clients
is Ned Jensen. He’s the owner of Jensen Outfitters in San Francisco. I called
him, and he put together a bunch of hunting clothes and boots for me. I tried
them on, and they seem to be fine.”

“Roger, trying them on and
wearing them are two different things. I’m going to pull off the freeway at the
next rest stop. You need to at least get the boots you’ll be wearing all day
hunting quail out of your suitcase and wear them today on the plane. Believe
me, comfortable boots are the most important thing when you’re hunting, but
they have to be properly broken in.”

“That’s a good idea, Hank.
I never thought of it. Thanks.”

“I wouldn’t have either,
but a friend of mine had a really rough time once when we were hunting. His
boots were brand new, and he put them on when we got to where we were going to
be hunting. Six hours later when we got back to the truck he took his boots
off, and he’d worn a blister on his foot so bad his heel was bleeding. Matter
of fact, after that experience, I always keep some moleskin in the console of
my truck in case I go hunting with someone who develops a problem. When we stop
I’ll get it for you. Keep it on you when you’re out hunting. Let’s hope you
don’t have a problem, but it sure is nice to have some with you just in case.”

“I probably should have
talked to you before I ordered anything. I really appreciate it,” Roger said as
Hank turned into the rest area and opened the trunk.

A few minutes later when
they were back on the freeway Roger said, “These boots actually feel pretty
good, but you’re absolutely right about breaking them in.”

“I may be a country boy,
but sometimes us country boys know more than some owner of a hunting shop in a
big city. Glad to be of help.” A few minutes later Hank said, “Here’s the
airport. Which terminal do you want?”

“Terminal three. We have a
one-and-a-half-hour layover in Denver and then on into El Paso. I understand
the lodge is about a two-hour drive from there. Today is one of those grin and
bear it travel days. Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait.”

Hank pulled up to the
curb, and they got out of his van. He opened the trunk and the two men took the
luggage out of it while Liz stood on the curb with their carry-ons. “Thanks
again,” Roger said as he and Hank shook hands.

“Happy hunting. I’ll pick
you up Thursday. Call me if there are any changes, and don’t worry about a
thing. We’ll take good care of Winston and Brandy Boy for you, course, you
might have to wrestle Bertha for Winston when you get back. You know how much
she likes that dog.”

“That I do,” Liz said.
“Thanks again, Hank. See you in a couple of days.”

*****

Several hours later they made their
way down the escalator to the baggage claim area in El Paso. At the bottom of
it they saw a man wearing cowboy boots and a cowboy hat with a sign that said
“Roger Langley.” They walked over to him and introduced themselves. Slim, as he
asked them to call him, helped them retrieve their luggage, and then he and
Roger carried it out to the parking lot.

On the drive to the lodge
Liz said, “Slim, I’ve never been to a hunting lodge before. Can you tell me a
little about the Big T Lodge?”

“It’s not too far from the
Guadalupe Mountain National Park, so even though this part of the country is
pretty flat, McKittrick Canyon makes it quite beautiful. Matter of fact, some
people stay an extra day just to go sightseein’ in the park. Jack Mercer
inherited the property from his father, and he’s the one who built the lodge
and made it into what’s considered to be the best huntin’ lodge in the United
States. He didn’t spare money on anything, I’ll tell you that.”

“How long have you been
with the lodge, Slim?” Liz asked.

“Jack finished buildin’ it
‘bout the time I graduated from high school, so that would be about twenty
years ago. He was hirin’ people, and I know the land around the lodge like the
back of my hand. I’ve been huntin’ since I was big enough to hold a shotgun. He
needed guides, and I’ve been at the lodge ever since. Pays fair, and I like my
job. Matter of fact, I’ll be guidin’ Roger tomorrow.”

About two hours later they
passed through a huge wrought iron gate with the words “Big T Lodge” spelled
out at the top of the gate. “That there’s the lodge,” Slim said. “It’s the
buildin’ you can see off in the distance. There’s a bunch of the other
buildins’ as well. We got one for the dogs, one for the ATVs, one for the
huntin’ gear, our bunkhouse, and some small homes for the staff. Take just a
couple more minutes to get there.”

Liz put her hand on
Roger’s and said, “This is going to be so much fun. I’m so glad we could do
this.”

As things turned out, fun,
it wasn’t. Murder is never fun and having a friend murdered is definitely not
fun.