Belly Up in the Koi Pond

by Cheryl Zelenka

  Checking out the crowd, Sadie noticed Mrs. Wiley speaking with a security guard. The guard looked upset. Whinny held out her hand as if she was searching for another missing acrylic nail. Then, rubbing her hands together she gestured, “I don’t know,” and shrugged. Sadie was a bit surprised when Whinny hugged the guard before heading over to the microphone. Pointing out the retreating guard, she whispered to Lilly, “I wonder how they’re connected.”

  There was a tap, tap, tap on the microphone as Mrs. Wiley tested the sound system. A nice collection of curious bystanders were gathered, busy taking their seats. Sadie could see Zachary chatting with a fellow scholarship winner. Looking around, she noticed Zachary’s mom to the far right searching for a seat. “Look,” she whispered to Lilly, “she made it after all.” Lilly smiled and gave Sadie a thumb’s up.

  Zachary was the last to receive his award. When Whinny announced his name, he seemed to waver as if he were off balance. Taking a few steps forward, he tried to make his way to Mrs. Wiley but one side of his body wasn’t cooperating. There was a jerking movement in his walk and his abnormal gait ended in a fall, which had Lilly and Sadie flying from their seats.

  Mrs. Wiley hurried from the platform and made her way over to Zachary, arriving mere seconds before Sadie got to him. Whinny asked, “Son, are you okay?” Sadie was alarmed when his negative response was barley interpretable. Lilly called for an ambulance then asked bystanders if a doctor was in the house. Fortunately, two were present. Within a minute they both concurred Zachary was having a simple partial motor seizure. Zachary’s mom made it over to the group and was holding her son’s hand when the paramedics arrived. Sadie made sure she had Mrs. Fry’s phone number before the woman stepped inside Zachary’s ambulance and rode with him to the nearest hospital.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Soup and Arson

  Dora returned to the hotel room just in time to hear Lilly choke out, “I don’t feel like eating! I’m too worried about Zachary.”

  Frowning, Sadie glanced over at Dora with a concerned look, then returned her attention back to Lilly. “I know today was terribly upsetting, Lilly. In fact, we’ve had two very challenging days, but that’s why we need to get out and eat something. Zachary’s mom is with him and we’ll go to the hospital tomorrow morning. We need to give his doctors time to run the necessary tests. When I called his mom, she said they were keeping him overnight for observation.”

  Sniffing, Lilly blew her nose and wiped her eyes.

  Unable to remain silent a minute longer, Dora squeaked out, “Tests? What tests? What happened to Zachary?”

  Sadie took a few minutes to catch Dora up. She disclosed Timothy and Mary’s discovery regarding the surveillance cameras, then shared the details of Zachary’s mishap at the scholarship ceremony.

  Dora stood by Lilly’s side and patted her back. Lilly consented she’d go to dinner but wasn’t promising to eat much. Thinking her distraught friend needed some homemade soup, her personal remedy for everything troublesome, Sadie cancelled their tapas reservations and had Dora drive them to Supa!

  The small cozy restaurant was welcoming and casual. The simple menu was appealing and all three ladies jumped on the homemade tomato basil soup with the accompanying grilled cheese meltie, lovingly named The Lizzie. When Sadie bit into the Chevre, creamy Havarti and shaved green apple sandwich, drizzled with wild organic honey, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. Lilly’s appetite returned and she had no trouble finishing her soup and sandwich. Dora was so mesmerized by her sandwich; she said leaving even a crumb on her plate was worthy of a misdemeanor.

  While the ladies shared a slice of homemade apple pie a la Mode, Dora revealed the interesting progress the Ashland police had made on the arson case.

  “First of all, there’s a connection between my arson case and the Ashley Sweetwater murder.” Both Sadie and Lilly sat up straighter and put their forks down. Dora was pleased by their reaction. “You see, everyone just refers to the arson case as the McCall (B & B) investigation. The owner was in the hospital when it burnt down. Sadly, she was comatose so we never interviewed her. She died of pneumonia three days after the house fire. Her son was at her bedside when she passed. Two arson investigators stopped by the hospital a day after the fire and spoke with Mary Coupland’s son, William Drainer. So, the Professor’s name is in the report, but he provided so little helpful information I’m afraid he was overlooked.”

  Sadie practically jumped out of her seat. With that very special mind meld that only especially close friends posses, Dora read Sadie’s mind and replied, “Yes, the very same!”

  “But the Professor’s last name is Drainer,” Lilly pointed out, “not Coupland!”

  “I know! That’s why I didn’t make the connection at first,” Dora frowned. “His mother went by her second husband’s surname. Between that and the usual reference to the B & B as the McCall House, I didn’t connect our Professor Drainer to the arson case. It was only after this trip to Ashland that I recognized the connection. William Drainer inherited the B & B, and thanks to a hefty insurance policy, stands to receive one and a half million as compensation.

  A moment of silence fell upon the table as the ladies took in the new information. Then, picking up her fork, Sadie took another bite of the apple pie. “What happens next, Dora? Do you think this information implicates the Professor in Ashley’s murder? How are they connected? He just seems to be a person struggling with two tragedies.”

  “At this point it’s too early to speak of possible connections. They are two separate cases. But since Ashley was the Professor’s housekeeper and lived in his home, I’m going with Timothy and Mary tomorrow morning to search his house. They were granted a warrant and they’ll use it if he objects to a home search. We’re hoping Ashley kept a journal. Why don’t you and Lilly take my car and check on Zachary while I’m at the Drainer house? We can meet up at the Convention Center around noon. “Sounds like a good plan,” Lilly chipped in.

  Sadie smiled at her two dear friends. They were both so very precious. Although this weekend was not turning out the way she had planned, it was still fun and filled with action packed adventure.

  “To another day of suspense and intrigue,” Sadie toasted with her scrumptious bite of apple pie. Picking up their forks, Dora and Lilly secured their own bite of pie and toasted their crazy friend with the yummy deliciousness.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Hunger Strike

  “Gotta run,” Dora called out to Sadie who was busy in the bathroom styling her hair. “Mary and Thomas just called and said they’re waiting for me outside the hotel. I’ll meet you at the food court around noon.”

  “Ok, be careful. I’ll let Lilly know you’ve left when she returns with that newspaper. You might run into her in the Lobby.” Sadie heard the door close so she went back to fixing her hair. She decided to wear tan pants and a red cashmere cardigan over a beige top. She was anxious to see Zachary and hoped Lilly would return soon. With a light application of eye shadow she was set for the day. Having a free moment, she decided to call Mark and check on her dogs.

  “Well, hello stranger,” boomed her neighbor’s friendly voice. “I thought you forgot about me, I mean your fur-kids.”

  “Oh Mark, I’m so sorry I didn’t call last night. Our trip to Portland has been crazy. You won’t believe what’s happened this weekend.”

  “Hmmm, you fell in love with another man?”

  Sadie knew Mark was jesting but smiled since his guess was pretty close to the mark. Thomas O’Cleary had been on her mind a lot, but Mark was still an interesting prospect. Laughing at Mark’s guess, Sadie declared, “The only loves in my life are my dogs and my Pop.”

  Mark guffawed at her reply then asked if she had time to tell him about her trip. Sadie said she’d have to make it quick but went on to share about Ashley’s murder. She also told him about Zachary’s seizure and the arson case Dora was investigating.

  “My, you certainly have a strange notion of what a fun night on the town
should look like. I’ll have a hard time keeping your attention if I just treat you to dinner at Le Pigeon. I’ll have to come up with a master plan that involves some mystery and intrigue. By the way, did you like the restaurant? Did you order the Foie Gras Profiteroles with Caramel Sauce? ”

  Sadie had forgotten how easy it was to converse with Mark. She liked that he remembered her dining plans and was following up on her meal.

  “No, we all ordered the Crème Brulee. I was saving the Profiteroles for you. I’d love to have another meal at Le Pigeon, if you’re asking for a date.”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” snickered the retired oceanographer. “I wasn’t sure you were up for such a long drive, you know, just for a dinner. Portland is four hours from Rogue Valley.”

  “I know, but we could make it a full day of adventure. But first, I think a shorter date would be best. How about you take me to church next Sunday and treat me to a cinnamon roll at the Powderhorn Café? I usually visit my dad on Sunday afternoons, so we’ll have to make it brunch.”

  Sadie could hear Mark’s smile in his reply, “It’s a date! I’ve been searching for a church home and have heard good things about your Pastor. I hear he’s wise beyond his years. Oh, and is the Powderhorn café a local treasure?”

  “Yes, on both accounts, Mr. Sportly. Hey, how are my kids doing? Is Bosco eating?”

  There was some hesitancy on Mark’s part before replying, “Willow’s great. She loves playing Frisbee and has permitted me the honor of bestowing two belly rubs.”

  Sadie noticed Mark wasn’t mentioning Bosco Bill. “And, Bosco?”

  “Well, Sadie, that little man sure is moody. Even though he snuggles up with me on the couch now, he still hands out the occasional stick eye. I think he misses you so his appetite has been noticeably missing.”

  Sadie’s heart took a nosedive. Bosco was 12 years old and she worried about his health. She wondered if Mark should to take him to the vet. In reality, Bosco Bill was on a hunger strike. He was protesting Sadie’s trip and knew she’d worry if he didn’t eat his kibbles. The best part of his plan was that Willow-Cake was slipping him some of her food when Mark wasn’t looking.

  “Can you try feeding him some chicken and rice? Maybe he has an upset stomach.” Mark assured her he would cook some up the minute they ended their call. After a few more moments of chit-chat, the neighbors said a fond farewell. Lilly returned a few minutes after she hung up. The women then slipped out of their hotel and over to the hospital where Zachary was busy giving his nurses a hard time.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Warrant Me

  Dora stood behind Timothy and Mary while they presented the search of property warrant to Professor Drainer. She was surprised he was so resistant, arguing about the lack of notice.

  “Look detectives, you should have given me a heads-up. My house is a mess! You know Ashley was my housekeeper and everything is piling up in the kitchen sink. Could you come back in an hour? I’ll straighten up and make sure my laundry isn’t all over the place.

  “Professor, this isn’t a social call, so don’t worry about the mess in your house. I’m sure we’ve seen worse. Please step aside so we can do our job. We don’t want to call in back up. Cooperate with us!” Mary was doing her best to appeal to his sense of reason. However, he still refused to budge.

  O’Cleary took his turn. “As I said when we first arrived,” Timothy spoke sternly, “Detective Flores is investigating the fire that took down your mother’s Ashland B & B. Arson is now assumed to be the cause of the fire. Since you have the most to benefit from the fire, you’re under suspicion. We also need to search Ashley Sweetwater’s room for evidence and clues connected to the Koi Pond incident.”

  Pressed, the Professor again objected to what he called an invasion of privacy and asked, “Shouldn’t Ashley’s parents go through her personal belongings first?”

  Mary spoke up, “No worries there, Professor Drainer. We’ve already contacted her parents and they gave us permission to take anything we find, especially since they want us to locate her murderer. They’re in Rogue Valley setting up her memorial service but, as busy as they are, they’ve been very helpful. I hope you will be as obliging.”

  Looking like a mouse right before a cat makes a meal of it, Professor Drainer succumbed to the warrant and allowed the three detectives access inside his home. The untidy mess he complained about consisted of two shirts laid across a living room armchair. The kitchen had a dirty frying pan in the sink, otherwise the room was pristine and in perfect order.

  “Where do you want to start,” questioned the nervous Professor. O’Cleary answered, “Detective Flores will start in your room, I’ll be in Ashley’s, and my partner will wander around the house and assist us as needed.”

  “Can I at least go to my office and work on the lecture I’m preparing?”

  “If it’s on your computer, Professor, I’m afraid not. We need to confiscate it and check your hard drive,” declared O’Cleary.

  “But how am I supposed to teach my class on ornamental landscaping if you take my laptop? That’s where I store all of my lesson plans and lectures. This is harassment!

  “I’m being victimized for housing a woman with a questionable past. I can see why Mrs. Wiley no longer wanted to employ her as the nanny of her little girl. I’m not surprised she ended up dead, considering all the nasty things she posted on her FB page.”

  All three detectives paused, realizing the room searches needed to wait. In the heat of the moment, Professor Drainer dropped some interesting information. Follow-up was necessary. Taking the lead, O’Cleary began, “So you were FB friends with your housekeeper?”

  Professor Drainer crossed his arms, “Yes, is that a crime, detective?” Tapping his foot he added, “Mrs. Wiley and I sit on the OAN scholarship committee together. One day she mentioned her nanny needed a new job and asked if I wanted a live-in housekeeper. Since Professors are extremely busy with intellectual endeavors, with little time to keep a house tidy, I decided I did require some help around the house. Mrs. Wiley told me to ‘friend’ Ashley via FB. After she accepted my friend request, we chatted about job requirements, pay, and such. Later on we had a face-to-face interview.”

  “And,” Dora asked, “how did your interview go? Did you find out why she was leaving her nanny post and switching over to housekeeping?”

  “Well detective, it didn’t come up during the face-to-face, but Whinny Wiley confided she thought her husband was having an affair with their nanny. She caught them holding hands and rubbing each other’s back several times. Considering Mr. Wiley is a newlywed, his eyes should only have been on his new wife, not the nanny. I thought I’d help Whinny out and get my residence in order all in one swing.” Professor Drainer got his linen hankie out and mopped his forehead.

  Detective Pointmen then took her turn with the questioning. “Sir, did you get an opportunity to read some of her Facebook posts? I mean, are you on FB regularly?”

  Looking a bit sheepish he quibbled, “I have to admit I’m addicted to the site. I like starting my day off with a strong cup of coffee while reading messages from my FB friends. I’ve found some old childhood buddies through FB. But to answer your question, yes, I did read some of Ashley’s posts. They were mostly about her old boyfriends and her new secret admirer. I guess he’s an older man because she was always bragging about the expensive gifts he bought and the way he wined and dined her at fancy restaurants. I don’t know of any college kids who can afford 5 Star restaurants, do you?” The detectives all shook their heads as he continued.

  “About three months ago, she slammed that young man who was helping me with the Koi exhibit. I didn’t know it until yesterday, but Zachary was one of her old boyfriends, right?”

  O’Cleary bobbed his head.

  “Well detective, I thought he looked familiar but I didn’t put two and two together. Anyway, on his birthday she posted a nasty comment on her FB page. She wrote, ‘Happy Bedwetting Birthday Zachary Fry. You’re s
uch a baby!’ She attached a photoshopped image of the poor guy wearing diapers. You can’t believe how many comments she received from that single post. I think Ashley has friended the entire city of Rogue Valley, if you can call it friendship. Either way, I’m sure the entire town knew Zachary was a bed wetter by the end of the day.”

  “So, if she was that disrespectful and mean, why didn’t you giver her the boot and find a new housekeeper?” O’Cleary asked.

  Professor Drainer looked as if he were stooped. “You know, I never even thought about that. I guess I’m so busy with work the idea never crossed my mind.”

  Dora made a note to herself, Discover the real reason Professor Drainer kept Ashley in his employment.

  O’Cleary continued the inquest, “Professor, what did you mean when you said Ashley had a questionable past? You also said you weren’t surprised she ended up dead. Were you referring to her distasteful FB posts? Also, do you recall any mention of an enemy or if she received a personal threat?”

  The Professor looked like a punching bag that had been punched beyond repair. Taking a big breath he answered, “Well now, you just asked a lot of questions in a single breath, detective. I don’t know why I said, ‘her questionable past.’ I guess I was referring to her sudden departure from the Wiley house. Regarding my comment about her ending up dead, well, maybe I exaggerated and spoke out of my emotional distress. But yes, I’m sure she made some enemies by posting those mean and gossipy comments on her FB page. Everyone loves reading a juicy rant, but when you’re the topic of gossip or some secret disclosure, all you really want to do is retaliate and seek revenge.”