Something Fishy

by Lois Schmitt

  “You’re right, which means I have to work extra hard.” He winked. “I need to convince our other wealthy donors to double, maybe triple, their contributions. Many can afford it, but it’s a matter of how they allocate their charity funds.”

  Bradford must have seen the look of skepticism on my face because he leaned forward, elbows on desk, his fingers weaved together forming a steeple. “Under the terms of the will, we still get at least three million. And I’ve another ace in the hole. I’m told Katie left her estate to the aquarium. It includes one million, originally bequeathed to Katie by her grandmother, and the house, which is worth more than eight hundred thousand.”

  He leaned back. “There’s more. I talked to a couple at the cocktail party about sponsoring one of our exhibits. After leaving Katie’s house, we continued our conversation over drinks in town at the Tipsy Toad Tavern. Guess what? They’re donating one hundred thousand dollars. In return, their names will be featured above our turtle exhibit. It will be called the Elizabeth and Jerome Mulgrave Turtle Haven.”

  “That’s terrific. But you still need more money.”

  “This is just the beginning. The Mulgrave donation will start the ball rolling. Once other prospective donors hear about it, they’ll want to sponsor exhibits too. I have several more prospects lined up.”

  “Commander West must be pleased?”

  “He was. After I sealed the deal with the Mulgraves, I called him with the good news. He was ecstatic.” Bradford lowered his voice to a whisper. “I’m normally reluctant to call him after hours, but he had told me he was going home to read his new book on military history, so I knew I wouldn’t be interrupting a social engagement.” Bradford winked. “If you get my drift.”

  “You certainly are good at your job.”

  “I was born to fundraise. It started in high school when I spearheaded a drive to buy new band uniforms. Do you know what my college major was?”

  I shook my head.

  “Mortuary Science.”

  “I would never have guessed.” When I researched Bradford on the Internet, I hadn’t gone back that far.

  “My father owns a chain of funeral homes in New England. He wanted me to go into the business. I worked for him for six months after graduating from college. Worst time in my life. I went back to school and got a professional certificate in development and non-profits. Fundraising has been my career ever since.” He slammed his hand on the desk. “It will be difficult, but I will get the money to buy the twenty acres.”

  It appeared the land acquisition fight was far from over. A long shot, but the aquarium could possibly pull it off.

  *****

  After saying good-bye to Bradford, I scooted down the hall. As soon as I stepped into Oscar’s office he sprung from his chair and greeted me.

  “Did you hear about the security guard?” he said, as he sat back down. “I heard he’s conscious.”

  I nodded. “Hopefully, he can identify his attacker.”

  Oscar shook his head. “I can’t understand who would do this. Everyone I know loved Katie.”

  “But she controlled the charitable donations specified in her grandmother’s will. Money is always a motive for murder.”

  “But we all want the money to go to the aquarium. It means this place will get bigger and better, which means more job security and promotions.

  That should be true in most cases. But a thought flashed through my mind. What if someone from the aquarium was on Lucien Moray’s payroll?

  “Oscar, who has access to the aquarium after hours?”

  “Commander West, Bradford Monroe, and myself. Katie had a key, of course, and Jack had one too. Since I was retiring, he had taken over a lot of my duties, so I had a copy made for him.”

  Oscar furrowed his brows and continued, “Katie lost her key about a month ago. She was given a new one, but the old key was never found.”

  “The locks weren’t changed?”

  “No.” Oscar shook his head. “We never had a security problem before.”

  I sucked in my breath. A misplaced key meant suspects were not limited to aquarium employees.

  Oscar rose from his chair. “Are you ready for the boat tour?”

  Oscar maneuvered around his desk, and I followed him out the door. We trekked down the sandy beach to the wooden pier where the tour boat docked.

  Long and wide with eight rows of benches, the boat, named the Explorer, rocked slightly in the high tide. Oscar hopped in, then helped me as I stepped from the pier onto the front bench and to the boat’s floor.

  “Bill,” he called to a young man in an aquarium uniform picking up litter a few yards away. “Untie us, will you?”

  Oscar situated himself behind the steering wheel, and I slid down on the far end of the same bench. As I settled in my spot, I spotted a familiar figure further up the beach. It was Ruby Diamond’s friend Kyle, the one with the billy goat beard. He quickly turned away and was no longer facing me.

  Oscar started the engine as Bill unhooked the ropes, and the Explorer moved slowly away from the dock. Out on the bay, my hair blew, my blouse flapped in the wind, and I felt the spray of salt water on my face. Despite the midday sun, I shivered slightly from the autumn breeze. Looking out on the water, I spotted more than a half dozen boats anchored mid-bay. I assumed the inhabitants were fishing for fluke or flounder. I wasn’t sure what fish were in season.

  “If you look back on shore, that’s the acreage the aquarium wants to buy,” Oscar said, lowering the throttle as he began trolling. “That part over there” he said, pointing to the land adjacent to the aquarium, “is the piping plover breeding grounds which are off limits to humans. The marine mammal rehabilitation center will next to that but higher up on the beach.”

  Oscar continued describing how the land would be utilized. Soon we came to the end of the vacant beach, and I recognized the house next to the property. Ruby Diamond’s pink shingled cottage. If the aquarium’s plan went through, her home would be adjacent to the research camp for marine scientists.

  “I don’t know why that lady is so upset,” Oscar said. “Scientists are quiet neighbors. It’s not like they’re partying all night.”

  Oscar slowly u-turned, about to head back to land. In the distance, I spotted a cigarette boat, its bow bobbing out of the water, aimed in our direction. From the corner of my eye, I suddenly watched all color drain from Oscar’s face.

  The cigarette boat was picking up speed as it careened directly toward us.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Oscar, waving his arms, yelled something in Spanish I didn’t understand, but I was sure it wasn’t good. Moving the engine into high gear, he attempted to get out of the way, but the cigarette boat veered in our direction.

  “Can you outrun it?” I shouted over the engine noise.

  He shook his head. “Tour boats aren’t built for speed.”

  The cigarette boat appeared to be less than ten yards away from ramming us mid-ship. Suddenly, it swerved to the right and sped off, its wake nearly causing us to capsize. I grabbed the railing to avoid falling overboard.

  The Explorer continued to rise and dip, then swing from side to side. Little by little, the water became calm again.

  I shivered. We were soaked from the boat’s wake.

  “Crazy kids. Probably drunk,” Oscar muttered.

  It wasn’t kids, drunks, or thrill seekers. I’d caught a glimpse of the person at the helm. The boat’s driver was Kyle—Ruby Diamond’s friend with the billy goat beard.

  *****

  Next was an impromptu stop at the local hospital. I approached a woman with thick glasses sitting behind the visitors counter.

  “I’d like to see George Grogin,” I said. Before I had left the aquarium, Oscar told me the name of the security guard.

  She handed me a pass. “He’s in room four
thirty-three. Go down the hall, pass the cafeteria, and take the elevator on the left.”

  I scooted down the corridor. Since I was thinking about what I would ask the injured security guard, I paid no attention to where I was walking. I collided with Detective Steve Wolfe.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  “Visiting a patient.”

  “That wouldn’t be the security guard, would it? I told you not to interfere.”

  “I’m concerned with how he’s doing. I discovered his body on the floor. Besides, you told me not to interfere in the Patterson case. You never said anything about Katie Chandler’s murder.”

  As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I knew I’d gone too far. Wolfe’s face puffed up like a helium balloon.

  “Stay away or I swear I’ll arrest you for obstruction of justice. I’m leaving now. I’ll walk you out.” He went to grab my arm, but I pulled it away.

  “I’m headed into the cafeteria for coffee,” I said, thinking quickly. “That’s not obstruction, is it?”

  He sputtered an obscenity and left.

  I wandered into the cafeteria and spotted Commander West sitting by a table in the corner, eating a sandwich. I navigated toward him through the crowded room.

  “Have you seen the security guard?” I asked upon reaching his table.

  He nodded and finished chewing. “I just came from his room. He’s in pain but he’ll be okay.”

  “Did he see who hit him?”

  “No one hit him. He hit his head when he fell against the stone table next to where he’d been standing.”

  “I can’t believe it was an accident,” I said. “That’s too much of a coincidence. It’s—”

  “It wasn’t an accident. He fell because someone shot him with a tranquilizer dart. His attacker knew what he was doing. The tranquilizer was enough to put George out for a short time—enough time to do away with Katie. If George hadn’t hit his head, he probably would not have needed to stay in the hospital.”

  Commander West shook his head before continuing. “All he remembers is feeling what he thought was a bee sting. Then he blacked out.

  “I wonder where the attacker was hiding?”

  “I told the police he probably was waiting inside the admissions room. That’s right off the main entrance. It’s where we keep our admission tickets, brochures, membership information, and our daily receipts.” He frowned. “Detective Wolfe thinks it may be a robbery gone bad.”

  “That’s ridiculous. If it had been an attempted robbery, the thief would have knocked Katie out too, not killed her. Her murder was a deliberate, calculated action.”

  As I rose to leave, I said, “I have one more question. Was George Grogin retired from law enforcement?”

  “Yes. He had been a police officer. Why do you ask?”

  “Because law enforcement personnel are trained to recall details.”

  *****

  Despite Detective Wolfe’s orders, when I departed the cafeteria, I went to see the security guard. George Grogin was watching a baseball game on television when I entered his room. I judged him to be in his early sixties.

  “I’m Kristy Farrell,” I said. “I was with Commander West when we found you at the aquarium.”

  “What can I do for you?” he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

  “Do you remember what time you were attacked?”

  “A few minutes after six. I had finished my closing rounds. I inspect the entire indoor facility after the aquarium closes to the public at five thirty to make sure all visitors have left,” he explained. “It takes about thirty to thirty-five minutes.”

  “What do you do then?”

  “I usually station myself in the reception area. About two hours later, I walk through the facility again to make sure there are no problems.”

  “So as far as you know, all visitors were gone?”

  He nodded. “Yup.”

  “Commander West thinks your attacker had been hiding in the admissions room.”

  “Most likely. When I check to make sure all visitors are gone, I look in the public areas like the cafeteria and rest rooms. I don’t look in staff facilities and offices.”

  “Could any employees have remained?”

  “No. Sometimes employees work late but not that day. It’s a small staff. I knew everyone working on Saturday, and I said good-bye to each person.” He paused. “I guess someone might have returned through the employee entrance. That’s in the back of the administration wing.”

  I hadn’t known there was another door. If Katie entered through the back, she wouldn’t have seen the injured guard up front. I still wondered what she was doing in the building. Did she need to get supplies or medicines for her sea lions?

  “So, you hadn’t seen Katie Chandler?” I asked.

  “I just said that I didn’t see any employees after closing.” He sounded a bit testy.

  “Can you recall exactly what happened right before you were struck by the dart?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I was standing in the reception area, and the admissions room was directly behind me. I’d only been there a few minutes when I heard the door to the room squeak. Before I could turn, I felt a sharp sting in my shoulder. I blacked out instantly.”

  I couldn’t think of anything else to ask. I gave him my phone number in case he thought of something else.

  “Wait,” he called as I made my way to the door. “One thing I can tell you. Whoever attacked me, knew I’d end up in the reception area. My attacker knew my routine.”

  *****

  No one was home when I arrived. Matt had texted me earlier that he would be late. My mother had left a note on the kitchen table stating she and Marcia would be having dinner tonight with a former co-worker.

  I wondered what was happening between my mother and Paul Andre. Mom didn’t appear to be spending time with him. Had they broken up?

  Realizing there was nothing I could do now about my mother’s situation, I decided to take advantage of the temporary peace and quiet in the house. I slid into the chair in front of my computer, brought up a blank screen, and began listing everyone with a motive to kill Katie.

  Lucien Moray. With Katie gone, he became odds on favorite to acquire the twenty acres of land he needed for his condo development.

  Calvin Chandler. Control of the trust fund meant he could court favor with Moray. A small time scammer like Chandler might figure he was entitled to bribes and kickbacks. Katie’s death was his opportunity.

  Sam Wong. I didn’t want to believe Sam was involved, but wasn’t the lover always a suspect? He and Katie had undergone a rough patch in their relationship. His excuse for disappearing didn’t sit well with me. He should have phoned or texted Katie that he was alive and safe.

  Ruby Diamond. Something strange was happening with Ruby and her group. I thought of how her friend Kyle had nearly rammed into the aquarium’s tour boat. Was he just being a smart aleck or was it a deliberate action to frighten me away?

  I sat back and thought about the three aquarium employees that I’d recently met. I jotted down Commander Conrad West, Bradford Monroe, and Oscar Mejas. There was no obvious motive unless one of them was on Moray’s payroll.

  I wondered about access to the building. Oscar had said that Katie lost her key. Anyone could have found it. Still, it was unlikely that Ruby, Calvin, or Lucien would have access to it. But there was one person who might easily have taken the key from Katie.

  Sam Wong.

  As I pondered the information I had on each suspect, I was so engrossed that I didn’t hear the kitchen door open.

  “Why are you frowning? Matt asked as he entered the room and jolted me out of my thoughts.

  “I’m thinking about the two murders. Both Jack Patterson and Katie Chandler worked for the aquarium. But that’s
as far as the connection goes.”

  Matt pulled out a chair and straddled it. “There must be another common thread. You just haven’t discovered it yet. You need to dig deeper into the personal lives of Jack and Katie.”

  “Our daughter and Katie were best friend. They shared secrets. Abby agrees that the only reason for Katie’s murder must revolve around the land acquisition. But Jack had nothing to do with that.”

  “Are you sure? You and Abby may know a lot about Katie, but you don’t know anything about Jack Patterson.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  The next morning, I pulled into the gravel parking lot of the Patterson Horse Farm. I found Jillian Patterson seated behind her desk in her office, an eight by ten room at the end of the barn.

  “You’re Abby’s Mom, right? I’m so glad she’s leasing Topper. Is she riding today?”

  “No. She’s working. I wanted to talk to you about your brother and Katie.”

  She shook his head, her pony tail flapping from side to side. “I don’t understand what’s going on. The police won’t tell me anything. First Jack, now Katie.”

  “I think the two murders are related.”

  “Because they both worked at the aquarium?”

  I nodded. “Do you know if there was any trouble at work? Did Jack have problems with any co-workers?”

  “He never mentioned any trouble. He loved working with marine life, and he liked the people he worked with.” Jillian smiled. “He did say he found the development officer, Bradford something, a bit annoying, but they got along.”

  I had a feeling most people had the same reaction to Bradford Monroe. “Was Jack involved in the aquarium’s expansion project and land acquisition? Did he ever talk to you about it?”

  Jillian turned her head slightly, no longer facing me. She fiddled with a paperclip, then spoke, “I don’t think so.”

  As a former teacher, I was fairly skilled at reading body language. Jillian wasn’t telling me everything.

  “How long has Jack been employed at the Clam Cove Aquarium?”