glasses and ate. For the rest of the meal, we made small talk. We were just about to order coffee when my cell phone rang. Uncle Bill called. Someone found a dead body on the golf course at the Waalbroek Country Club.
Chapter Ten – A Gentleman’s Game
In winter, when the trees lost their leaves, you could see the Waalbroek County Club through the woods from the Inn. We could have walked but wanted to get there fast so we took Eddie’s car to the Pro shop and rented a cart. When we saw the small crowd, Eddie parked and we ducked under a barrier of crime scene tape. I started taking photos and Eddie pointed to a golf bag. “Airplane baggage tags… look fresh. He must’ve just got back.”
I displayed my Press credentials to one of the patrolwomen, and asked her, “Who’s in charge?”
“Detective Cavanaugh, Ma’am, he’s not here now. You can talk to Detective Carlyle.” She pointed to Robby. “Over there, interviewing a witness.”
Head bent in concentration, Robby wrote on his pad while he listened to what another man told him. I watched them interact. Even though he was in charge, you could still see Robby’s boyish demeanor.
A golfer standing by the police barricade called out. “Hey!”
When nobody responded, he said, “Hey, Officer.”
The patrolwoman turned to the golfer and put her hands on her hips. “What?”
“How soon can we play through? I got a chance at an eagle here.”
“You can’t finish this hole. Move on.”
The golfer turned to his friend, “Now what?”
The friend said, “Rule 25 Abnormal Ground Condition. Drop the ball somewhere you can play it.”
“But, I can’t get closer to the hole and if I sank this shot, I’d a been two under par. Besides, rule 25 doesn’t apply. The problem’s not the ground. It’s what’s on it”
“Then rule 23, Loose Impediments. You’re going to have to wait till they move the body.”
The first golfer looked down at his feet and shook his head. “Nah, no good.”
The patrolwoman said, “Boys. Enough. Rule 28. Ball Unplayable. Add a stroke to your score and move on to the next hole.”
The first golfer asked the second one, “Work for you?”
“Sure, I’m still ahead. Let’s get outta here and play while we still have time.”
As I watched them wander off, Eddie nudged me. “Robby’s finished talking.” Eddie and I walked over to speak with him.
“Hi, Raquel,” Robby said, pointed his pencil at Eddie and asked, “Who are you?”
“Detective Edward Franklin, Achalaca County, Florida.” Eddie showed Robby his shield.
Robby raised an eyebrow at me, but I didn’t respond. He knew I had a thing for a guy from out of town who stopped calling me but I never told him more than that. He asked Eddie. “You here on this case?”
“Yes and no. here on personal business now, but was here last month after that Kewpie Doll killing. We’ve got similar cases back home.”
“How did you know this was a Kewpie killing? I just found the doll a minute ago.”
“Don’t know, didn’t know. I was with Ms. Flanagan when she got the call so I came with her.”
Robby stared at Eddie. I didn’t think he believed him. “Robby, it’s true. Eddie and I were eating at the Inn when I got the call. He just came along.”
Robby said, “Lunch? So, he’s a friend of yours, Raquel?”
“Yes, we met when Eddie came to follow a lead on a Florida murder.”
Robby nodded as if satisfied he solved at least one mystery and said, “Stick around you two. I’m going to want to talk when I’m done here.” He walked away towards a group of patrol officers.
Eddie and I stood around until we got tired of it and went to sit in our cart. About twenty minutes passed when we noticed a commotion where the woods bordered the golf course. Someone must have found something. A patrol officer summoned the others. Eddie and I joined the group headed to the woods. We got there right behind Robby.
“Detective,” the officer said, “see that
Chapter Ten – A Gentleman’s Game
In winter, when the trees lost their leaves, you could see the Waalbroek County Club through the woods from the Inn. We could have walked but wanted to get there fast so we took Eddie’s car to the Pro shop and rented a cart. When we saw the small crowd, Eddie parked and we ducked under a barrier of crime scene tape. I started taking photos and Eddie pointed to a golf bag. “Airplane baggage tags… look fresh. He must’ve just got back.”
I displayed my Press credentials to one of the patrolwomen, and asked her, “Who’s in charge?”
“Detective Cavanaugh, Ma’am, he’s not here now. You can talk to Detective Carlyle.” She pointed to Robby. “Over there, interviewing a witness.”
Head bent in concentration, Robby wrote on his pad while he listened to what another man told him. I watched them interact. Even though he was in charge, you could still see Robby’s boyish demeanor.
A golfer standing by the police barricade called out. “Hey!”
When nobody responded, he said, “Hey, Officer.”
The patrolwoman turned to the golfer and put her hands on her hips. “What?”
“How soon can we play through? I got a chance at an eagle here.”
“You can’t finish this hole. Move on.”
The golfer turned to his friend, “Now what?”
The friend said, “Rule 25 Abnormal Ground Condition. Drop the ball somewhere you can play it.”
“But, I can’t get closer to the hole and if I sank this shot, I’d a been two under par. Besides, rule 25 doesn’t apply. The problem’s not the ground. It’s what’s on it”
“Then rule 23, Loose Impediments. You’re going to have to wait till they move the body.”
The first golfer looked down at his feet and shook his head. “Nah, no good.”
The patrolwoman said, “Boys. Enough. Rule 28. Ball Unplayable. Add a stroke to your score and move on to the next hole.”
The first golfer asked the second one, “Work for you?”
“Sure, I’m still ahead. Let’s get outta here and play while we still have time.”
As I watched them wander off, Eddie nudged me. “Robby’s finished talking.” Eddie and I walked over to speak with him.
“Hi, Raquel,” Robby said, pointed his pencil at Eddie and asked, “Who are you?”
“Detective Edward Franklin, Achalaca County, Florida.” Eddie showed Robby his shield.
Robby raised an eyebrow at me, but I didn’t respond. He knew I had a thing for a guy from out of town who stopped calling me but I never told him more than that. He asked Eddie. “You here on this case?”
“Yes and no. here on personal business now, but was here last month after that Kewpie Doll killing. We’ve got similar cases back home.”
“How did you know this was a Kewpie killing? I just found the doll a minute ago.”
“Don’t know, didn’t know. I was with Ms. Flanagan when she got the call so I came with her.”
Robby stared at Eddie. I didn’t think he believed him. “Robby, it’s true. Eddie and I were eating at the Inn when I got the call. He just came along.”
Robby said, “Lunch? So, he’s a friend of yours, Raquel?”
“Yes, we met when Eddie came to follow a lead on a Florida murder.”
Robby nodded as if satisfied he solved at least one mystery and said, “Stick around you two. I’m going to want to talk when I’m done here.” He walked away towards a group of patrol officers.
Eddie and I stood around until we got tired of it and went to sit in our cart. About twenty minutes passed when we noticed a commotion where the woods bordered the golf course. Someone must have found something. A patrol officer summoned the others. Eddie and I joined the group headed to the woods. We got there right behind Robby.
“Detective,” the officer said, “see that
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