Who murdered Rufus?

Narrator reveals a secret at the end of story

Who killed Rufus?

Rufus is dead. He was shot with a .38 revolver. Who shot him? There’s a long list of suspects. Mary his wife, Donna his daughter, Joe, his son, Ginger, his mistress, George his best friend, Gary, Donna’s husband, Libby, Joes wife, or someone else. 

Me, I’m Dennis, the detective on the case. 

Rufus, a wealthy businessman, 65 years old and very distinguished. He and his wife Mary lived in a mansion in Bel Aire. It is lined by fruit trees that consisted of peach trees and apple trees. 

There was an Olympic size swimming pool, surrounded by a white fence. A patio with four café tables each having umbrella in the center of the table. Two chairs at each table. 

There was there was a tennis court. 

Inside the house there was a living room, family room, kitchen, dining room, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a game room, and a small indoor outdoor pool. 

 There’s a sofa, two over stuffed chairs, one Queen Anne chair, and one rocking chair in the living room. There is a large turtle coffee table in the center of the room. The floor is hard wood with a 5x5 foot rectangular shape oriental rug. In a corner of the room is grand piano with pictures of their son and daughter on it. 

On the walls are paintings by Renoir. 

There is a flat television attached to a wall in the family room. A recliner sofa. There is a place for drinks on the arms at each end. The floor is shag carpeting. More pictures of the family on the walls. There are two comfortable chairs at either end of the sofa. 

The game room has PC, headsets, massive monitor gaming chairs, sound system, web cam gaming system, multiple controls, ping pong table, air hockey, darts, a place to play cards and board games. Also puzzles, arcade games, a pool table, a snack bar, fridge for drinks and a bathroom. The floor is black and white tile. The walls have pictures of different sports adorned on them. 

The bed rooms, all on the second floor, had rich deep carpets. Every room had it’s private bath room. The bathrooms had white tile floors. There were footed tubs with jets. Two sinks and granite counters. A showers with edged glass doors. The towel holders were gold and the toilets had private cubby rooms. 

There were queen sized beds in the bed rooms. Also were end tables, chaise lounges, walk in closets, and bureaus. 

The dining room had a long rectangular shaped table that could seat ten. A credenza lined one wall. It could be used as a buffet. It stored platters, table cloths, napkins, and place mats. 

The walls were adorned with tapestries and carpet on the floor.

A fully functional kitchen had two stoves, and a side by side fridge. The counters were laden with a microwave, can opener, food processor. 

There was a butcher block island in the middle of the room. Hanging from the ceiling was a rack that held the copper pots and pans. 

Today upstairs Rufus lay dead on his bedroom floor. Next to him, blood stained the carpet and also on his suit. 

His wife, children, and their spouses sat in the living room. It was his wife Mary, who had called me to investigate the murder. 

Mary, had dark hair and eyes to match. She was about ten pounds over weight, but still very pretty. 

I walked into the room and took note of who was there. I asked his daughter Donna to come with me into the family room so I could interview her privately. Donna was as pretty as her mother, but perhaps a little too thin

“Did you do it?” I asked directly. 

Her face went ashen and fear crossed her face.

“No, of course not! How can you ask such a question?”

I noticed she was very nervous. Where were you and what were you doing?”

I was home painting. I’m an artist. 

There was paint under her finger nails, so it was possible. “Was anyone there who can verify that?”

Donna shook her head. “No, I was alone.”

“All right you can go for now. Send in your brother.”

Joe looked a lot like a younger version of his father, sat down. He was calmer than Donna. I asked him the same question as his sister. 

I was home watching T.V. And I was alone. 

I questioned the rest the same questions. Joe’s wife was in her bed room reading. Donna’s husband was working late at his office. He too was alone. 

Then there was Mary. She had been shopping. She came home and found husband already dead. 

The staff had the day off. I would have to talk to them another day. 

Mary had told me I should talk to Rufus’ best friend George. “Why,” I asked

She blushed from embarrassment. “I don’t like admitting it, but we had an affair. But we ended it long ago. However George may still harbor feelings for me.”

“Okay, I’ll look into it.”

I went to George’s house and introduced myself. He let me in after I told him Rufus was dead. 

“I was out of town. I’ve got a lot of witnesses who can verify where I was. I was at a party at the hotel where I was staying. A bunch of us were celebrating a big deal. Feel free to check it out.”

I did, but rather or not George was there the whole time was questionable. 

As I walked out of George’s house Donna crossed over with information she had forgotten to tell me.

“Mr. Burns, there is something you should know. “

“What is that, Mrs. Knowles?”

My father. He had an affair with a woman named Ginger.”

I walked her back to her parents house. “How would you know that?”

“He told me.”

“He told you? Why?”

“My father has always been a regular guy. He had regular hours and everything he did he did by schedule. So when he came and left at odd times and days I got suspicious. So I questioned him. I told him if he didn’t come clean I would tell mom.”

“I see, so he divulged everything?”

“Yes, including where she lives.”

I thanked Donna for the information. My next stop was at Ginger’s. 

I met Ginger at her apartment in Santa Barbara. Her hair matched her name. She looked about ten years younger than Rufus. She let me inside. “Yes I knew Rufus. I suppose you could say I was his girlfriend. What is this all about?”

“Rufus was murdered. I’m Investigating the case. Trying to find out who did it.”

Ginger gasped and placed her hand over her mouth. She took her hand off her mouth. “Oh my god. That’s awful. Who would do such a thing?” She hesitated and backed away from me. 

“Certainly you don’t think I did it.”

“Can you prove your whereabouts and what you were doing?”

“Look around this place. I can’t afford living here. He paid for everything. Why would kill him and end the Easter egg?”

I had to admit it was a very nice place. Rather or not she couldn’t afford it was yet to be determined. I let it go for the time being. “I’ll be going now,” I said and left. 

I wondered if Mary knew about the affair. If she did that would put her at the top of the list. I went back to the mansion. 

Mary led me into the living room and sat on the couch. “Yes I knew. She wasn’t the first, but apparently she was the last.”

“Jealousy is a potent reason for murder.”

Mary stared at me indignantly. “I did t do it,” she said in a huff. 

“I think you did. Oh I believed you until now. 

“Ginger, was that her name?”

“Yes,” I simply said. 

“I told you she wasn’t the first. He had been cheating on me since our honeymoon. If I was going to kill him I would have done it long ago.”

She did make a certain amount of sense. She also let me know the help was back and in the kitchen. 

The three staff members sat at the kitchen table. I sat with them and introduced myself. “Do you know why I’m here.”

“Yes we do,”the butler said. Listen, it was our day off. We don’t usually all get the same day off. It was strange, but since we did, we decided to do something together.”

“What did you do?” I asked. 

The maid giggled. “This will sound silly, but we went to Disneyland.”

“Can you prove it?”

The butler stood and walked over to his coat that hung on the wall next to the back door. He came back to the table and handed me something. It was a receipt for three adult tickets. 

“Thank you,” I said and left the kitchen.

I went back to Mary. “Do you mind if I search the house and grounds again.”

“Not at all, but why?”

“I may have missed something the first time.”

Mary sighed but gave me the okay. 

I went through the house and grounds with a fine tooth comb. I finally found what I was looking for. The gun was hidden in the pool skimmer. Now I had to figure out who owned and who used it to kill Rufus. 

I had an idea and decided to run with it. I did some digging and discovered a few interesting facts.  

I went back to Gingers. Once again she let me in. 

“Why are you back?” She asked and sat down. 

“I believe I know who killed Rufus.”

“Really? Why tell me?”

“You did it. “

Ginger, stood. “What”?

“That’s right, you heard me. I did some digging and guess what I found?”

Ginger got red in the face. She walked to the door and opened it. 

“Get out!” She demanded. 

“Don’t you want to know what I found out?”

She stomped her foot. 

“No! Now get out!”

“Okay, but if I inherited everything I’d want to know.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t inherent anything.”

I laughed. She seemed not to know. 

“Oh but you did. You are the sole benefactor. You get it all when Rufus died.”

“That’s a lie. Now I really mean it, get out!

I left knowing I had ruffled some feathers. It was time to ruffle more feathers. I went to Joe’s and Libby’s. 

I was invited in and offered a seat on the couch. 

I cleared my throat. “I’m here because I can’t help but wonder how the two of you could be in the same house, the same time, and not know it.”

“We’ve not paid attention to each other’s coming and going for two years,” Joe explained. 

“Why?” I asked. 

“We don’t love each other, but not ready for divorce.” Libby answered. 

I mulled this over, but it didn’t make sense. Still, I let it go. 

“Okay, but how do you not hear foot steps, doors opening and closing, and the T.V. 

They looked at each other, then shrugged their shoulders. 

“Don’t know,” they said in unison.  

I shook my head and sighed. Either of you could have done it, but neither of you would know it. You both have flimsy alibis. 

“Are you accusing one of us of murder?” Joe asked. 

“Indeed I am. I’ll let you know which one later.”

Once again I was told to leave.

 I stopped at a fast food place and got something to eat. Had not eaten in a while. I left the place and went to Donna’s. I parked in front of the house. 

Donna, Gary, and I sat in the kitchen. 

“I don’t understand why you are here. We told you once we didn’t do it,” Donna said. 

“I’ve learned something the two of you should know.”

“Yeah, what’s that,” Gary asked. 

I smiled. “I know about Donna and her father. What was said and what was done. She told you and you killed Rufus to protect her.”

Gary stood from the table and pointed towards the door. 

“Get out.”

I got up, looked down at Donna and noticed the scared look on her face. 

Gary once again gave me the same order. 

“No problem,” I told him and left the house. George was next. 

He stood in the doorway laughing. 

“What’s so funny?” I asked while I walked up the sidewalk.

“I know why you are here. Donna called and then Joe. They thought you might be coming here.”

I chuckled. “Well, if everyone could meet me at the mansion. I can wrap this up.”

George nodded. “Give me a half hour to get them there”

“Sounds good to me,” I said and got in my car. Before I left I called Ginger and talked her to show up at the mansion. I made one more call then headed out for Bel Aire. 

The maid let me in and escorted me to the living room. Everyone including Ginger was there and seated. I stood in the middle. 

Okay, here it goes. “Mary, you had a pretty good motive. Your husband cheated on you.”

“Donna, you found out about it and demanded your father to stop, but he didn’t.”

“Gary you found about it and to protect Donna you killed Rufus.”

I put up my hand to stop Gary from speaking. “I’m not done yet.”

“Donna told Joe. He too wanted to protect her. If that wasn’t enough, Joe told Libby. She thought Joe would do something stupid and get in trouble. So she decided to beat him to the punch.”

I paused and turned my attention on George. “Then there’s you. You had an affair with Mary. She told you about Rufus’ affairs. She had, had enough. You worried she might kill him so you did it to protect her.”

“Now there’s Ginger,” I said and smiled at her. Ginger told the truth. She really couldn’t afford to live in her apartment without him. She didn’t know about her inheritance.”

Everyone stared at Ginger. 

“I didn’t kill him. I didn’t know I was his beneficiary. I needed him to keep paying for everything.”

“Don’t worry, Ginger, you didn’t do it, but I know who did.”

I no sooner said that when the police were escorted into the living room. 

Everyone looked at the cops. “You already called the police?” Mary asked. 

“Yes I did and they will learn who the murderer was same time all of you are.”

I walked up to Mary and shook my head. I did the same thing with Donna, Joe, George, and Ginger. 

Finally I walked up to Gary and nodded my head. 

Gary stood. “Hey, what are you doing? I didn’t kill that old man.”

I took the .38 out of my pocket. “Is this yours?”

Gary stared at the gun. “Yes, it’s mine, but I didn’t do it.”

The police cuffed Gary gave him his rights and started to take him away. Gary made one last plea. He looked back at Donna. 

“I swear, I didn’t do it.”

The police took him out the door. 

Mary stood. “Well, I’m glad that’s over. I never cared for him

“Mom, I can’t believe you said that,” Donna said and stood. 

Joe snickered. “I knew it had to be him. I never trusted that guy. 

Donna turned on her heels. “Joe! You too? Gary could t have done it.”

Ginger stared at Donna. Why not? Is it possible you murdered your father?”

While everyone accused each other I left. I got in my car and smiled at myself in the rear view mirror. 

I pointed my finger at my reflection. “You have a secret. You killed Rufus because he was cheating with your wife.”

I stuck the key in the ignition and drove home.