The Case of the Scarlet Brooch
Chapter 7"Roscoe, I need you to go with me to Del Mar," Stu told Roscoe, as they were standing in Stu's office the next morning.
"To the racetrack, Stu?" Roscoe asked with glee in his voice.
"Possibly." Stu was vague.
"Aw, that means probably not," came Roscoe's comment. Every time somebody mentioned one of the tracks in the Southern California area, it meant work, not races.
"It's a good bet, Roscoe," Jeff told him. "I'd take it."
"Alright, Stu, I'll go." Roscoe just knew he'd probably regret it.
"Good man, Roscoe. Let's get an early start," Stu was pleased with Roscoe's answer.
"How early?" asked the racetrack tout.
"Five minutes from now."
"You don't give a fella a lot of time, do you?" Roscoe grumbled.
"I can always take Kookie."
"No, no, no, no, no, I'm ready."
Stuart smiled. "Meet you at the car."
"Good luck today," Jeff told his partner. He really hoped one of them found something. They were running out of houses to visit and people to question.
"You, too," was Stu's reply. He'd laughed when Jeff first took the case, but it had turned into a real mystery. Somebody had the brooch; why couldn't they find it?
Stu and Jeff left at the same time; Jeff had further to drive but Stu suspected his day was going to be longer. It was a pleasant enough drive for both men: Jeff had more traffic to contend with. Stu got to listen to Roscoe pick horses at Del Mar.
When Stu got to Del Mar Oaks, it wasn't anywhere near as large as he expected it to be. A 'baby mansion' he thought as he rang the bell. Reginald answered the door and ushered the two men in and in just a few minutes both Jamison Huntington and his son James joined them in the living room. Neither of them knew anything about Iris's missing brooch. She visited the two men several times a year, but when she did she stayed in the guest room. And there was no jewelry box in there, which meant that she didn't wear or bring the brooch with her on her visits.
When it was obvious there was nothing to be gained by continuing the questioning, Roscoe couldn't help himself. He inquired whether the two men visited the racetrack often since they were so close. "Why, yes, we do. That's one of the reasons we live here," Jamison replied. "As a matter of fact, we have a horse running in the fifth race today. We were going over early to see what's going on. We have a box on the upper level. Why don't you gentlemen join us?"
Given his choice, Stu would have declined and headed for home, but he couldn't deny Roscoe the chance to sit in an upper-level box with actual thoroughbred owners. Besides, it would give Stu a chance to learn more about Iris Huntington. So the invitation was accepted.
Roscoe was so excited he had trouble stringing enough words together to make a complete sentence. Stu talked to Jamison Huntington and found out that while Iris loved her family, she couldn't stand to be around any of them too long. That was one reason she owned so many houses and kept moving from place to place. "Has she always been that way?" the P.I. questioned. "I mean, was she like that when your father was alive?"
"Oh, no," Jamison replied. "They lived quite happily in the house in Santa Barbara. Father owned the other properties, you understand, including the one here, and they traveled occasionally, but not like Mother does now. She says that since she lost Father she just can't stay in one spot too long. Besides, some of the relatives make her want to sell the whole lot of them down the river."
"What about you and James?"
"We're in the process of buying the house. She decided she wanted to divest herself of some of the properties and we jumped in with an offer for ours. Which Mother graciously accepted."
Stu pondered that for a moment before asking his next question. "Has the disappearance of the brooch put a halt to any of the pending sales?"
"Funny you should mention that. It has, actually. Arden and Tabitha were trying to negotiate a price for the Nob Hill house, and Jillian was in escrow for the townhouse. And, of course, our purchase here. Mother has halted the negotiations and sales for those properties. Oh, she's not suspicious of Arden or Jillian. She just wants to make sure the brooch is found before anything is sold and lost forever."
"Do you mean she thinks that Arden or Jillian would keep the brooch if it was found after the properties were sold?" Stu asked incredulously.
Jamison shook his head. "Not Jillian, certainly. She would return it immediately. But Arden . . . that's another story."
"Because of Tabitha?"
Jamison laughed. "I see you've met Tabitha."
"I haven't," Stu replied, "but my partner has."
"Oh. Please give him my felicitations."
"Dad," James interrupted. "The fifth race has just been announced."
All attention was immediately focused on the Huntington horse, Mama's Boy. James and Roscoe hurried to place bets, while Jamison ordered cocktails for him and Stu. They were almost at the starting gate by the time the two bettors returned.
It was a short race; 5 furlongs, and Mama's Boy won it going away. "Nice looking horse, Jamison. What's his record?"
Jamison lit up like a proud papa. "Started four races, won four races." Turning to his son, the proud owner said, "Go on down to the winner's circle, Jamie, and come back up here when you're through."
Stu stood up and extended his hand to Jamison. "Thank you for the information, Jamison, and for letting us sit in the box with you and James. I truly appreciate it."
The men shook hands as Huntington asked, "Do you really have to go? We have so few adult visitors down here, and it's been a pleasant afternoon."
"I'm afraid so. I've got a long drive. Or rather, Roscoe has a long drive. It was a pleasure to meet you and James."
The look on Roscoe's face was one of longing, on Stu's face a look of insistence. On the way out they stopped at a window so Roscoe could collect his winnings, then headed for the car. "How'd you do?" Stu asked.
"Twenty dollars on a two-dollar bet. That was all I had on me."
Stu laughed. "Why didn't you ask me for money?"
"Would you have given it to me?"
The boss laughed again. "Probably not."
"That's what I thought," Roscoe replied resignedly.