but it never could be proven.
Nevertheless, the brokerage company he was with let him go and he left under a
cloud of suspicion. That was almost a year ago, about the time he came to live
with Scott at the Center. They must have had some type of reconciliation,
although I couldn’t verify what happened between the two of them.”
“Well, I’m glad. I always
liked Scott so much and I like his brother, too. I remember Scott was so happy
when Luke agreed to come to Oregon and run the business side of the Center so
Scott would be free to pursue the spiritual aspect of his life. He told me he
didn’t enjoy the business part of the Center which had become, in many ways, a
large money-making machine,” Kelly said.
“One of the other things I
found out was that the Center was the recipient of a large number of donations.
One man who attended one of Scott’s retreats and studied with him for a long
time afterwards was so taken with Scott that he donated two million dollars to
the Center. That was just a few months ago. I haven’t been able to look into the
records of the Center, but given the nature of Luke’s suspicious past and two
million dollars of new cash flowing into the Center, it’s on my list of things
to do. If someone had a problem handling money in the past, and had previously
been accused of embezzlement, they might have a real problem with that kind of
a temptation.”
“Mike, you can’t be
serious. Luke? I don’t think so. When I saw him yesterday, he was devastated.”
“He was the same way when
I talked to him right after Scott’s death, but keep in mind the old crime
solving adage. That’s the one that says the majority of people who commit a
murder are often very close to the victim, frequently a spouse or a relative.
In this case, Scott didn’t have a spouse, but he had a brother.”
“I refuse to believe it
could be Luke. From what I saw, they seemed to be very close.”
“Appearances are often
deceiving, Kelly. I’d like to think Luke didn’t do it, but at this point I
can’t rule anyone out. I wish I had some solid motives and solid suspects. So
far Luke seems to be the only one who could be a suspect.”
“Sorry, can’t agree with
you on that.” She stood up and took his plate and coffee cup off of the table.
“To change the subject. With all the talk of the Center and their wine and a
rainy night coming, I’m going to stop by The Crush on the way home and pick up
a bottle of White Cloud Pinot Noir. We can drink it when the storm hits
tonight. What do you think?”
“Sounds great. I need to
go to the office for a couple of hours and then I’ll be home. Rebel, come.” Kelly
was busy writing out the menu on the chalkboard for the next day and pretended
she didn’t see Mike slip Rebel a treat from his pocket. Mike stood up and took
his signature white Stetson hat from the coat rack and gave her a mock salute
as he opened the door with Rebel expectantly following him.
She shook her head. I
can’t believe he’d think for a minute that Luke did it. Doesn’t make any sense
at all. Maybe I can find out something from Jesse down at The Crush that will
make Mike look in some other direction.
*****
He took out the ledger that he kept
hidden behind the files in the bottom drawer of his desk . Probably ought to put
this in a safer place. That sheriff was asking a lot of questions when he
called today. If he decides to get a search warrant, I could be in trouble. The
good thing is that Scott’s dead. I think he was becoming suspicious. Glad I was
able to take that call from the bank manager about him having the checks that
Scott had requested. If Scott had taken the call, who knows what might have
happened. Yeah, sometimes you just have to take fate in your own hands. Once I
get rid of that pesky sheriff and his hash-slinging girlfriend, I’ll be just
fine. A few more weeks here and off to Mexico I go. Little tequila, warm little
Mexican girl, and no rain. I’m just about
Nevertheless, the brokerage company he was with let him go and he left under a
cloud of suspicion. That was almost a year ago, about the time he came to live
with Scott at the Center. They must have had some type of reconciliation,
although I couldn’t verify what happened between the two of them.”
“Well, I’m glad. I always
liked Scott so much and I like his brother, too. I remember Scott was so happy
when Luke agreed to come to Oregon and run the business side of the Center so
Scott would be free to pursue the spiritual aspect of his life. He told me he
didn’t enjoy the business part of the Center which had become, in many ways, a
large money-making machine,” Kelly said.
“One of the other things I
found out was that the Center was the recipient of a large number of donations.
One man who attended one of Scott’s retreats and studied with him for a long
time afterwards was so taken with Scott that he donated two million dollars to
the Center. That was just a few months ago. I haven’t been able to look into the
records of the Center, but given the nature of Luke’s suspicious past and two
million dollars of new cash flowing into the Center, it’s on my list of things
to do. If someone had a problem handling money in the past, and had previously
been accused of embezzlement, they might have a real problem with that kind of
a temptation.”
“Mike, you can’t be
serious. Luke? I don’t think so. When I saw him yesterday, he was devastated.”
“He was the same way when
I talked to him right after Scott’s death, but keep in mind the old crime
solving adage. That’s the one that says the majority of people who commit a
murder are often very close to the victim, frequently a spouse or a relative.
In this case, Scott didn’t have a spouse, but he had a brother.”
“I refuse to believe it
could be Luke. From what I saw, they seemed to be very close.”
“Appearances are often
deceiving, Kelly. I’d like to think Luke didn’t do it, but at this point I
can’t rule anyone out. I wish I had some solid motives and solid suspects. So
far Luke seems to be the only one who could be a suspect.”
“Sorry, can’t agree with
you on that.” She stood up and took his plate and coffee cup off of the table.
“To change the subject. With all the talk of the Center and their wine and a
rainy night coming, I’m going to stop by The Crush on the way home and pick up
a bottle of White Cloud Pinot Noir. We can drink it when the storm hits
tonight. What do you think?”
“Sounds great. I need to
go to the office for a couple of hours and then I’ll be home. Rebel, come.” Kelly
was busy writing out the menu on the chalkboard for the next day and pretended
she didn’t see Mike slip Rebel a treat from his pocket. Mike stood up and took
his signature white Stetson hat from the coat rack and gave her a mock salute
as he opened the door with Rebel expectantly following him.
She shook her head. I
can’t believe he’d think for a minute that Luke did it. Doesn’t make any sense
at all. Maybe I can find out something from Jesse down at The Crush that will
make Mike look in some other direction.
*****
He took out the ledger that he kept
hidden behind the files in the bottom drawer of his desk . Probably ought to put
this in a safer place. That sheriff was asking a lot of questions when he
called today. If he decides to get a search warrant, I could be in trouble. The
good thing is that Scott’s dead. I think he was becoming suspicious. Glad I was
able to take that call from the bank manager about him having the checks that
Scott had requested. If Scott had taken the call, who knows what might have
happened. Yeah, sometimes you just have to take fate in your own hands. Once I
get rid of that pesky sheriff and his hash-slinging girlfriend, I’ll be just
fine. A few more weeks here and off to Mexico I go. Little tequila, warm little
Mexican girl, and no rain. I’m just about
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