Mini Mystery
The man laughed again. “Actually, supplementing incomes is my business, Ms. Potts. My name is Elroy Sanford. A dozen of your neighbors have already invested in my enterprise. May I offer you ladies the same opportunity?” Angela narrowed her eyes. “What o
Former teacher Angela Potts studied the chessboard, then moved her queen. “Check,” she said. “That means you’re in trouble.”
Q. Why shouldn’t you play poker in the jungle? A. Too many cheetahs!
Her friend Marlene Puckett looked at her. They were at a picnic table in City Park. “I know what it means, Angela.”
Before Angela could reply, a short man in a suit and tie appeared. “Afternoon, ladies. A beautiful Monday, is it not? May I join you?”
“I think only two people can play at a time,” Angela said.
The stranger chuckled. “You must be Ms. Potts. I’ve been told you’re—how should I put it?—an unofficial deputy sheriff.”
“Unofficial and unpaid,” Angela said. “I supplement my income betting on chess games.” I’ve researched this nation and its consumers from one end to the other. I started out in the Northeast, lived awhile in the South, moved west to Reno, then farther west to L.A. I worked for Jacuzzi, a successful company partly because it makes only one thing. I, too, specialize in but one area: Internet marketing.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Internet sales, Ms. Potts. My crew works from home and chooses their own hours. They contact friends, family, even strangers, and sell our beauty products to them online. They even encourage these customers to become salespersons themselves, to expand the network. When the New York Stock Exchange closed yesterday, our stock was up ten percent. And it’ll continue to go up because of our products, our people and our professionalism.” “P and P and P,” Angela said. “Exactly.”
She studied him a moment. “Well,” she said. “I think I know a businesswoman who’d be thrilled to hear your presentation. As luck would have it, she’ll be here shortly.”
“Is that so? Where does she work?”
“The Federal Trade Commission.”
Sanford’s smile disappeared. “Excuse me?”
“What a coincidence, right? She’s here visiting from D.C.”
In less than 10 seconds, Elroy Sanford had gathered his materials and slammed his briefcase. “I’m afraid I must be going, ladies.”
“But don’t you want to meet—”
“I need to go.” He sprinted to his car, climbed in and roared away.
“What in the world was all that?” Marlene asked, staring after him.
“An exercise in selfpreservation,” Angela said. She’d already punched a number into her cellphone. “Sally?” she said into the phone. “Give me the sheriff.”
Angela dictated a description of Sanford, his vehicle and his phony claims. Then she disconnected. “He won’t get far.”
“I assume there’s no government friend on her way here,” Marlene said. “How’d you know Sanford was a swindler?”
“For one,” Angela said, “Jacuzzi makes more than one product. They also make shower systems, swimming pools, agricultural pumps, etc. If he had worked for ’ em he’d have known that. And though Reno is in Nevada, it’s actually farther west than Los Angeles.”
“Salesmen always exaggerate. Surely that wasn’t enough to make you suspect him or to prove he doesn’t know finance.”
“I agree. But something else he said did prove it.”
“What?” Marlene asked.