(A Tootsie Chase Mystery)

The Crime

Saturday Morning

Excitement is high at the Kendall Estate.
The guests began arriving at eight.
Jackson Kendall, ever the gracious host,
Is throwing a party at which he can boast.

You see, Mr. Kendall, a wine connoisseur,
Has gathered his friends and used as a lure
An expensive bottle of wine he’s acquired,
Through a famous wine broker he recently hired.

He’ll put all his friends in an awkward position.
They’ll have to laud his new acquisition.
Tonight will be grand; his performance stellar,
As he puts the new purchase in his wine cellar.

What they don’t know is his motives are two.
He wants to show off his wine, this is true.
However, the announcement hid by this disguise
Will take his guests totally by surprise.

Saturday Evening

The day passed by quickly with tennis and riding.
No one guessed the secret that Jackson was hiding.
At dinner the food and the wine was sublime.
Then Jackson stood up and said, “It’s now time.”

He picked up his glass and said, “Come, let’s go.
Bring your wine glasses that I just filled with merlot.
The wine cellar awaits—my new wine is down there.
And I have a surprise that I’d like to share.”

In the cellar he put the new wine in its place,
Turned to his friends with a smile on his face.
He lifted his glass and silence descended.
His playboy days were soon to be ended.

“As you see, the love of my life stands right there.
We never married but she didn’t care.
I’ve been dragging my feet, but life is too short.
I’m going to marry Ms. Tawny Port!”

There were looks of shock and looks of surprise,
Some people even had tears in their eyes.
But, glasses were raised; they all made a toast
To Tawny Port and their handsome host.

Sunday 2:00 AM

The guests had retired after partying late.
There’d been talk of the marriage and little debate
That the Kendall-Port union was set in stone.
Now, Tawny and Jackson were finally alone.

In the bedroom the lovers were changing for bed.
“Did you bring my merlot?” is what Jackson said.
“On the bedside table,” Tawny called from the shower.
“How can you drink wine at this very last hour?”

“There are two glasses here; I just thought that you
Would share the wine, as we usually do.”
No answer was heard, just the shower water running.
Jackson smiled at the thought...Tawny Port would be stunning!

Since Jackson had wine like this every night,
Not having some now didn’t seem quiet right.
He sipped his merlot and then fell on the bed.
Jackson Kendall, it seems, was dead, dead, dead!

Tawny came in the bedroom after her shower,
And 2:15 was the very late hour
That a scream could be heard throughout the estate.
It woke everyone up, though the hour was late.

Sunday Morning 10:00 AM

I go by the name of Tootsie Chase,
A Private Detective brought in on the case
Of Jackson Kendall who was found quite dead
After drinking merlot just before bed.

The guests who stayed overnight are five.
They all knew Jackson when he was alive.
I must eliminate all but one
To find who killed Jackson and why it was done.

The Suspects

Tawny Port

At a piano bar, Jackson met Ms. Port.
She played for him; he was a good sport.
The C-note he gave her that night was good money.
Did she want more from that millionaire honey?

Glen Forest

A financial planner; knew Jackson for years.
Been with him through good times, troubles and fears.
Glen manages money for the Kendall Estate
And everyone knows he stays up quite late.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay’s married to Glenn, but it seems
She has plenty of plans and plenty of dreams.
Jackson’s sister, his only relation and so...
We know where the Kendall money will go.

Lemonee Twist

She is Jackson’s “Girl Friday,” she never says no.
There’s nothing about the man she doesn’t know.
She’s blonde and she’s cute and her chocolate craving
Has led to some mischief and misbehaving.

Sam Adams

Jackson’s attorney, he knows lots of stuff.
He’s a beer drinking guy who can sometimes play rough.
There’s something else that can’t be missed,
He has the “hots” for Lemonee Twist.

Jackson Kendall

A millionaire playboy and wine connoisseur,
He loved Tawny Port, of that we are sure.
The nightly merlot he had before bed
Is the reason that Jackson Kendall is dead!

Sunday 10:30

The suspects looked tired; there’d been no sleep last night.
There was grumbling from some and even a fight.
Chardonnay said, “Arrangements are in my control,
Not in yours, Tawny Port, you little mole.

“You’ve burrowed into my brother’s life.
Why was he going to make you his wife?
You didn’t love him, you loved his money.
That’s why you took him as your honey.

“If he changed his will, I’ll find out quick.
I can undo your little trick.
You killed my brother; I know that I’m right.
You poisoned the wine in his glass last night.”

I looked at Tawny who tossed her head.
“I came out of the shower and found him dead.
Why would I kill the man of my dreams?”
She was right, I thought. Or so it seems!

I took Tawny aside; I had questions for her.
“Chardonnay’s upset, on that we concur,”
I said to Tawny. “But can you tell me why
She thinks you didn’t love your guy?”

Tawny sat down, put her hands on her head.
“I just don’t know,” is what Tawny said.
“Chardonnay never liked me, but that’s nothing new.
She hated Jackson’s other girls too.

“She didn’t want Jackson to live his own life,
To fall in love or take a wife.
The Kendall money was her concern,
His announcement last night set her temper on burn.

“So what if Jackson put me in his will?
Of Chardonnay’s hate, I’ve had my fill.
I deserve compensation for services rendered,
The love and devotion I so freely tendered.

“Everyone knew Jackson loved his merlot.
Every night he put on quite a show.
He’d go to his wine cellar, uncork his selection,
Leave it to breathe, handle it with affection.

“Then just before bed I’d go get him a glass.
Sometimes I felt like a maid...with some class.
I didn’t complain or get in his way,
Like his greedy sister, Chardonnay.”

Tawny got up and left in a huff.
I’d gotten some answers but not enough.
Mr. Forest was watching TV in the den,
I sat down and said, “Would you pardon me, Glen?”

He looked over at me with a smile on his face,
Said, “Honey, is this your first time in this place?
When I saw that hat, as you came through the door;
I knew that I hadn’t seen you here before.”

“My, you’re in good spirits, I really must say;
Considering Jackson was killed yesterday.
The look on your face is one of relief.
I have some questions but I’ll make them brief.”

“Well, darlin’,” he said, “let those questions roll.
Pleasin’ a lady is always my goal.
I don’t have secrets; my life is a book.
Just open it up and take a good look.”

I rolled my eyes—he was Texas bred.
“I don’t need your life story,” is what I said.
“Just tell me why you’re feeling so good.”
With those mischievous eyes, I did not think he would.

“Hey, life is a crap shoot,” he said to me.
“Jackson died and now his spirit is free.
He doesn’t care how his investments are doing.
If one of them fails he can’t do any stewing.”

“So, tell me, did one of your recommendations
Fail to come up to its expectations?
Did Jackson not know his investment was lost?
One more thing,” I asked, “Just what was the cost?”

“Well, aren’t you a nosey little lady?
Old Glen would do nothing the least bit shady.
The vineyard I bought for the Kendall estate
Just wasn’t first class; it turned out second rate.”

He reached for his coffee and took a sip,
Licked a drop of joe from his lower lip.
“I’m tired now, I think I’ll nap a mite.
You see, I was up really late last night.

“The wine that I drank must have gone to my head.
For I don’t recall Chardonnay there in my bed.”
He reached for a pillow and stretched himself out.
He’d be sleeping in minutes I had no doubt.

“Before you doze off, one more thing if I may;
Tell me, why is your wife called Chardonnay?”
He looked up and grinned, “Tootsie, what do you think?
Chardonnay is the only wine she’ll drink.”

I walked away and shook my head,
Trying to process what Glen Forest said.
Was Jackson not told of the vineyard blunder?
The black cloud Glen had been standing under?

And where was Chardonnay last night?
Not in her bed, if Glen was right.
Two other suspects were on my list.
Maybe more clues that I could have missed.

Sunday Noon

The coffee and bagel I’d had about six
Were gone, and I needed a caffeine fix.
I went in search of the kitchen where...
I found a very chummy pair.

They were in an embrace I couldn’t have missed;
Attorney Sam Adams and Lemonee Twist.
It didn’t look like something new to me.
I’d reserve judgment; I’d wait and see.

My ahem made their moment of rapture go poof.
When Sam saw me there, he hit the roof.
“What gives you the right to sneak in here, Ms. Chase?”
Lemonee Twist got red in the face.

“I just came for some coffee,” I said with a grin.
“I didn’t think I’d be stepping in
On a personal moment between you two lovers.”
My bet was he’d had this girl under the covers!

“Now that I’ve found you I do have some questions,
Sam Adams,” I said.  “Do you have some suggestions
On where we can talk?  Alone, I might add.”
He said, “Come with me,” and he sounded quite mad.

We went to the den and he said, “Take a chair.
That looks like a good one, right over there.”
I knew this attorney was going to be tough.
Sam’s interrogation was going to be rough.

I said to the man, “I really don’t care
If you and Ms. Twist are in an affair.
I need to know what happened last night.
Tell me your story and please get it right.”

Sam leaned on the desk, his arms braced for attack,
Looked me square in the eyes and I looked right back.
“This is what happened; I’ll tell you no lie.
I’m really a straight shooting kind of a guy.

“Jackson’s announcement last night was quite shocking,
But, later the party really got rocking.
The wine flowed like water and mouths started running,
Some of the comments I heard were quite stunning.

“I can’t say that Jack and I always agreed.
I told him a pre-nup was what he would need.
Tawny might be a looker and call him her honey.
What girl wouldn’t like all of J. Kendall’s money?”

“Did anyone hear you make that suggestion?”
I thought what I asked was a logical question.
Sam laughed as he said, “The whole group was there.”
I said, “Sam, is there more that you’re willing to share?”

He folded his arms across his chest,
“As Jackson’s attorney, I do my best
To make things run smoothly. But then alas;
Sometimes Jackson Kendall could be a real...

“You know what I mean; he liked to have power.
He’d call Lemonee in at any hour.
Demand that she order a bottle of wine.
He’d say, ‘Do it right now, or your job’s on the line.’

“I decided that Lemonee needed protection.
With that job came my affection.
I’m not so sure her boss will be missed.
I’d do anything for Miss Lemonee Twist!”

I filled in the blanks as Sam walked away,
Tried to picture events of yesterday.
The last statement of Sam’s put him in a new light.
I needed Lemonee; see if I’m right.

I went back to the kitchen, saw Lemonee there,
Piling chocolates on a kitchen chair.
She whirled around as I came in the room.
The look on her face was one of doom.

Then she closed the cupboard from which they came,
Turning away as I spoke her name.
“Lemonee, what do you have up there?
Why are these chocolates piled up on a chair?”

“Inventory,” she said to me.
“I’m counting my chocolates, as you can see.
I do this every week, so I
Will know how much more I need to buy.”

I shook my head; we sat down at the table.
“Lemonee,” I said, “do you think you’re able
To answer some questions. I just have a few.”
She said, “I need chocolate, then I’ll talk to you.”

She offered me chocolate. I didn’t refuse.
A little caffeine was what I could use.
My next question for her I said with conviction,
“Do you really have a chocolate addiction?”

She let out a sigh and I knew it was true.
Then I said, “Just how much does this chocolate cost you?”
She glanced at the cupboard and shed a tear.
“The chocolate has cost me too much, I fear.”

She reached up on a shelf and pulled down a frame.
“Since childhood, I’ve played this chocolate game.
For a joke, you smear chocolate on your front tooth
As you see in this picture from my youth.

“That’s when it started; the chocolate craving.
I really wasn’t misbehaving.
I just love the smell and the taste and the feel.
Yes, my addiction is very real.”

She reached for more chocolate, took a bite and then
A look of contentment filled her face again.
I had one more question and needed a reply,
Before Lemonee got on a chocolate high.

I said, “You stay right here, on the Kendall Estate,
And you and your boss tend to talk quite late.
That means you would know of his late night wine habit.”
She jumped up and ran off like a scared little rabbit.

Sunday 1:15 PM

I’d talked to my suspects; one even ran.
Next I thought I’d go down where this all began.
The wine cellar was where I might find more clues,
Or a piece of evidence I could use.

As I made my way through the Kendall Estate,
It gave me time to contemplate.
Not one of the suspects was motive free,
I wondered who the killer could be.

In the wine cellar I took a good look around,
To see if a clue to this case could be found.
The first place I looked was on the top row
At the space where a new acquisition would go.

I pulled out the bottle, and of this I was sure…
Even though I was not a wine connoisseur,
Expensive wine from a very good crop
Doesn’t usually come with a twist off top.

The new bottle of wine, worth thousands they say,
Had been replaced and taken away.
As I looked at all the wine racks down there,
I’d say more Kendall wine was gone, I fear.

Someone’d been pilfering Jackson’s wine.
The spaces I saw were more than nine.
I’d say the loss wasn’t something new.
I guess I’d found another clue.

I looked some more, and not far away
On a shelf sat a bottle of Chardonnay.
Now that seems strange, said my little voice,
Merlot was Jackson’s wine of choice.

I picked up the opened bottle and there
Was a white moisture ring. I tried not to stare.
I’m sure Jackson knew when you chill your wine,
It should stay chilled to keep it fine.

My trip to the wine cellar turned up some clues.
Interesting things that I could use
To solve this case.  But I needed to go back
To the kitchen for a chocolate snack.

Lemonee’d gone, but I knew where
The chocolate was stashed. It was over there.
I guessed that when I opened the door,
There’d be chocolate there; and something more.

Now you have clues; you’ve pictured the faces.
Heard about things in different places.
Do you know who killed Jackson Kendall last night?
We’ll soon find out if you are right.

Was it Tawny Port who poisoned her honey?
Was Chardonnay after her brother’s money?
Did the vineyard deal that went sour on Glen
Put him last night where he shouldn’t have been?

What about sweet little Lemonee Twist?
Did she steal the wine, think it wouldn’t be missed?
Was Sam Adam’s judgment impaired because he
Was so much in love with Lemonee T.?

Can you solve the mystery? Just give it a try.
If you follow the clues, you’ll know who and why.
You can solve the mystery at your own pace,
Then check the solution of Tootsie Chase.

Who killed Jackson Kendall?

 Tawny Port

 Glen Forest

 Chardonnay

 Lemonee Twist

 Sam Adams

 I don’t know