Pointing Leaf

by Lakes, Lynde

  After the introductions, Toni jumped right in with a general statement she hoped would break the ice and open the dialogue to new information. “I understand Mr. Murdoch’s had some trouble?”

  “Yes,” Kama said. “I was there when they found Rutene. The constable’s men bought the story that he fell off of his horse and hit his head, but we all know it was murder.”

  Murder! Murdoch hadn’t mentioned a killing! She clenched her fists, then forced herself to relax them so she wouldn’t give away how much the news unnerved her. What else had Murdoch failed to tell her? Not having all the facts was dangerous in her line of work.

  “Any witnesses?”

  Kama shook his head. Maka shook his, too.

  “When was Rutene last seen and with whom?”

  Kama and Maka exchanged looks. “Wasn’t he working the fence line with Ghost?” Kama asked his brother.

  Maka nodded.

  Before Toni could question Kama further, a second bell rang. “We have to get back to work,” he said.

  The young men got up and joined the others as they all headed back to the shearing barn, obediently, like the sheep they sheared.

  Toni followed, several steps behind as the men hurried back to their stations. She stepped directly in front of the worker at the first shearing station. She’d watched him work earlier and had good vibes about him. “Excuse me, sir, I know you’re busy now, but could we talk later, maybe at your lunch break? It’s important. It’s about Rutene’s death.”

  “Busy at lunch. If you want, catch me at my dinner break at five.”

  He turned away, and wasting no time, he dragged a sheep into position and began shearing again at the same high speed. There was no point in waiting around. It was seven hours until his dinner break.

  Heading for the door, she passed a man busy separating, trimming, and folding wool and putting it into wooden bins. Nearby a machine compressed wool into a bale. The clang of the presser set her nerves on edge. She stormed out of the building. It made her job more dangerous when a client didn’t give all the facts up front. She widened her stride, almost running. She would set Mr. Murdoch straight in quick order, let him know there could be no more holding out!

  Before she reached the house her steps slowed. Wait a minute. He hadn’t wanted to hire a woman. Maybe she shouldn’t let her impulsive nature get her fired. Of course, she didn’t need to work for Murdoch in order to continue her investigation, but it gave her full access to his station; and that was crucial to speed up her quest. She’d been promised the use of a vehicle while at the ranch. But to get the keys, she would have to speak to Murdoch. In her present mood, she might say something she’d regret.

  Chapter Two

  Changing gears, Toni took a taxi to Rotorua City Hall. Luckily, her timing was good. After she showed her identification, the clerk immediately led her into the constable’s office.

  Constable Reilly stood. Askew stacks of files and crisscrossed sheets of paper cluttered his office. On top of the filing cabinet, a framed photograph of a woman who resembled Toni enough to have been an older sister caught her attention. Whoa! A possible edge. She flashed her investigator’s license.

  Something registered in the constable’s keen, gray eyes. “Ms. Conners, how nice to meet you at last.” He shook Toni’s hand firmly. His New Zealand country-boy grin didn’t hide his sharp city savvy. “I’ve heard some mighty fine things about your agency from the boys in Auckland.”

  “Thank you for the compliment. I’m the new kid on the block, but I’ve surrounded myself with an experienced staff who believe the impossible only takes a little longer.”

  Constable Reilly, sporting a waxed, handlebar mustache, stood well over six feet, and emitted the confidence of a man accustomed to being in charge.

  He chuckled. “Maybe I could bribe your staff to come to work for me. I’m shorthanded. Lost a man to retirement, and another in an accident.”

  “I hope the injured man will recover,” Toni said, feeling a pang of sympathy.

  “He’s a tough one, but he’ll be in a wheel-chair for a while.”

  Wordlessly, the young clerk entered and left a tray, with two mugs of coffee and sugar and cream in decanters shaped like sheep.

  The constable handed Toni a mug and sweetened and lightened his own coffee generously, then asked, “Well, what brings you out of the city to God’s country?”

  “What you can tell me about the trouble at the Murdoch station?”

  Reilly shook his head. “Murdoch threatened to hire a detective.”

  She didn’t disclose clients’ identities, but since the constable had already figured it out, denying it would only decrease her chances of getting cooperation.

  Reilly looked her up and down. “I’m a little surprised considering Murdoch’s archaic Maori beliefs that he hired a pakeha woman.”

  A wamth rose in her cheeks. She had an urge to say it surprised Murdoch, too, but decided to stick to business. “What—”

  “Hey, don’t get me wrong. I’m highly in favor of his choice.” The constable’s gray eyes carried amusement. “Now, exactly what do you need to know?”

  “Whatever you can tell me about Rutene’s murder.”

  “Who said it was murder? It was a ranch accident. Nothing more.”

  “Are you that sure?” She kept her tone void of blame.

  He sighed. “No evidence to prove otherwise.”

  “But it’s possible it was murder?” she said evenly, knowing the question could rile him.

  He stroked his mustache. “You don’t mind stepping on toes, do you, Ms. Conners?”

  “Like you, I do what I have to get the job done. I’d like to work with your office, make your job easier.” She flashed him what she hoped was her most winsome smile. “Maybe even do assignments for you in the future. Especially with you so shorthanded. We could help each other, country-style.”

  He laughed. “Heard you were as smooth as silk. Okay, I’ll be up front with you, Ms. Conners. Yes, I’m shorthanded and frustrated by the scattered outbreak of rustling in the area. And if you dig up tangible leads, we just might work out a deal.”

  It was easy to maintain her smile. She genuinely liked Constable Reilly. “You’ll get the leads. Give me what you have on Rutene’s death and the rustling, and we have a deal.”

  Thoughtfully, he pressed his steepled fingers together. The silent air felt heavy with tension. Had she pressed too hard and alienated him? A drop of perspiration slid down her back.

  Finally he stood. “Wait here. I’ll have the investigating deputy brief you on his files.” Reilly paused in the doorway and shook his head. “Poor Murdoch. I suspect he won’t have an easy time during your stay at the station.”

  A few minutes later, a tall deputy with dark circles under his eyes and a slow gait entered carrying a manila folder. Without a preamble, he briefed her.

  “The day of the accident,” the deputy said, “Rutene rode out to check the fence line in the west sector of the station. When his horse returned to the stable riderless, Tinihanga and a few of the hands formed a search party.”

  Toni poised her pen above the steno pad she’d withdrawn from her bag. She removed a recorder from her purse to take backup notes. “Do you mind?” When he shrugged she continued. “May I have the names of the men in the search party?”

  With an air of agitation the deputy flipped noisily through his notes and came up with the names. “We already talked to them,” he said. “Rutene was already dead when they found him. Ghost, one of Murdoch’s hands, figured like we did, that something had spooked the horse, and when Rutene fell he hit his temple on a rock.”

  Toni picked up on the name Ghost. Kama had told her that he was the last one to see Rutene alive.

  “Tinihanga, Murdoch’s foreman, said the horse had been skittish for several days,” the deputy said, “and Rutene had been ordered not to ride him until a vet checked the animal over.”

  “Who did the forensics?”

 
; “Dr. James. His office is the brownstone in the next block.”

  “He verified the cause of death?”

  “Yep. Didn’t have to work hard on this one. It was all laid out for us.”

  Toni didn’t doubt that one bit. It seemed Murdoch’s men had provided an explanation a little too quickly. “You say this man, Tinihanga, told you about the skittish horse?”

  “Right. Murdoch’s foreman.”

  “What about hoof prints or tire tracks at the death scene?”

  “The only hoof prints were from the horses of the men who found Rutene. Nothing suspicious.”

  She suspected that the overworked deputy gladly accepted the foreman’s explanation for the death. “How long has Tinihanga been with Murdoch?”

  “Since the beginning. He’s more than just a foreman. He and Murdoch are like this.” He crossed his fingers. “The foreman has a reputation for being a hard worker and zealously ambitious.” The deputy laughed for the first time since entering the room. “Of course, he has to be a hard worker to keep that hot number, Maria Te Pano, in that posh suite over at the Antler’s Hotel.”

  Toni had seen more than one man fall into a life of crime over a woman. “What about the rustling?”

  “Random. Mostly hitting Murdoch’s station. The only clues left behind were semi-trucks tracks. Not sufficient for plaster casts, though. It’s like someone followed behind and partially wiped away the evidence.”

  “When was Rutene buried?”

  “Tomorrow. At four.”

  “He’s still here then?” Excitement speeded her words. “May I see the body?”

  The lanky deputy shrugged again. “The constable said to give you what you needed. Odd, he doesn’t usually bend for P.I.‘s.”

  Mumbling something about the constable’s weakness for redheads, the deputy took a large ring of keys from a hook and led her to the freezer. When he rolled out the drawer and uncovered the body, she fought a wave of nausea. The smell of formaldehyde and death choked her. She put a tissue to her nose and mouth and studied the right side of Rutene’s face. His crushed temple looked more like he’d been struck than injured in a fall. She’d seen injuries caused by a horse throwing a rider before. Her sixth sense told her this one screamed murder.

  She left the constable’s building and headed for Dr. James office, more certain than before that Rutene’s death wasn’t an accident.

  “I’m a private investigator following up on Rutene’s death,” she told the doctor as she flipped open the case with her I.D.

  The doctor, an Einstein look-alike, scarcely glanced at it. “I’m afraid I can’t add anything to what the deputies told you. It was a tragic accident. Left the man’s family in a real pickle. But Murdoch is paying for a topnotch funeral, and he’s helping out the family. Without him, they’d lose their home.”

  So Murdoch had a heart. It surprised her how much that knowledge pleased her. “What about foul play?”

  He shrugged. “Rutene died from a blow to the temple. Rock particles embedded in the wound and the blood on a nearby stone told the story. The deputies found no signs of murder.”

  “But it could have been?”

  “Can’t say for sure. The angle of the wound was suspicious. Under different circumstances, I might’ve run more tests.”

  Toni left the doctor and returned to the sheep station with questions swirling in her head. What part did Tinihanga and Ghost play in Rutene’s death? She suspected the doctor didn’t believe Rutene had fallen on the stone any more than she did. She doubted the deputy really believed it, either. However, with no proof, everyone took the easy route. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she’d never been able to do that.

  Why had Murdoch kept the man’s death from her? Couldn’t he see the connection to the rustling?

  Toni entered her room and slammed the door behind her. The bed creaked when she flopped down on it. She pulled off her boots and tossed them across the floor. Damn. What is Murdoch’s motive for holding out on me?

  The late afternoon sun streamed a triangle of light onto the telephone. I should call Mom. Mom’s gentle, calming voice always makes me feel better. While dialing, an image of her petite, redheaded mother darted into her mind.

  After only three rings and without even a hello, her mom said, “I knew it was you calling.” Her voice reverberated with pride.

  Toni smiled. It lightened her heart to hear the spirit in her mom’s voice. “You and your psychic ability.”

  “Admit it. I’m right more times than I’m wrong.”

  Toni didn’t try to hide her skepticism. “You’ve made some lucky guesses over the years.”

  “You and your father never did put much stock in my predictions. The two of you are so alike.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment, Mom.”

  “Speaking of men, is there anyone special in your life yet?” Mom asked.

  Toni twisted the cord tightly around her fingers. She was too busy getting her New Zealand office off the ground to get involved with anyone. It was her mom who needed a man around, someone to take care of her.

  “We weren’t talking about men, Mom.”

  “We are now. How about it?”

  Toni winced at the direction of the conversation, but at least mom was thinking about something besides Larry’s death. She hadn’t known her stepfather well. It was enough that he’d made Mom happy.

  Now Mom was alone again. Even though Toni suspected she’d regret it later, she made a snap decision to give her mom a glimmer of hope. “I’m sort of seeing this new guy.” It wasn’t exactly a lie; I am seeing a new client. So what if it has nothing to do with romance? Mom doesn’t have to know that, unless she really is psychic.

  “How long has this been going on?” Mom asked.

  “You’re the physic, Mom. You tell me.” Toni unconsciously trailed her fingers over the intricate carvings on the headboard of the bed. She had to distract her mom from the prying, and she knew the subject that always worked. “Have you heard from Dad?”

  “He calls now and then. Retirement has mellowed him.”

  “Did he mention going on vacation or anything? I haven’t been able to reach him.”

  “I-I think so. That is…he should be back to his place by tomorrow.”

  Why was Mom stuttering around? Her response wasn’t what Toni had expected. “Listen, Mom, I have something important to tell you. I think I have a lead on the corporation that cheated you and Larry.”

  The line went silent.

  “Mom, I know it’s hard for you to talk about what happened, but I swear I won’t let those thieves get away with it.”

  “Just be careful, honey. I still don’t understand why you couldn’t have become a doctor, librarian, or something safe.”

  Toni inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “I love what I do, Mom.”

  “I know. It’s just that I’ve had this nightmare several nights in a row.”

  Her voice wavered. “You were trapped in a cave, and this awful creature had a knife at your heart.”

  “Did it kill me, Mom?” She hoped kidding would help.

  “I don’t know. Both times the image scared me so much I woke up.”

  “That’s the answer. Always be sure you wake up before someone does me in.” Toni seldom told her mom about her cases for the same reason her dad had long ago quit telling her, to keep her from worrying about the danger inherent in the detective profession.

  “Just promise me you’ll stay out of caves.”

  “That’s easy, Mom. I have no plans to go poking around in damp, dreary places like that.” Unless, of course, the case takes me there.

  Chapter Three

  Tension electrified the air. Rad pushed away his empty plate. At least, they’d gotten through their first meal without drawing blood. To ease his guilt for being so brusque, he’d quit his chores early to eat dinner with Miss Conners. Like it or not, she was his guest. “Look, Ms. Conners, I appologize for my rudeness when we first met. Trouble tends to make
me cranky.”

  She shrugged.

  What the hell did that mean? Residual aromas of mutton, fresh baked bread and mint sauce hung in the air. Had eating in the kitchen been good enough for a city woman? He preferred it himself. Even while they made polite conversation, he felt stalked by a clever and skilled invader.

  He watched the very feminine detective sip her after-dinner coffee. Steam rose from the mug and moistened her slender lips as they caressed the rim. Little sparks of fire in her eyes revealed she had something on her mind. He tensed, waiting.

  “In order for me to continue working for you, Mr. Murdoch, we have some things to clear up.”

  “What?” Unbelievable! “But you insisted upon working for me.”

  “You didn’t tell me one of your range hands was murdered.”

  “We haven’t had time to talk until now.”

  “For something this important, you should have made time when I first arrived.” She met his gaze fiercely as though fighting to control her anger. “I gave you plenty of opportunity during dinner to tell me.”

  “What’s to say? The constable didn’t find evidence of foul play.”

  “What do you think?” Her penetrating eyes revealed a woman who didn’t miss a beat.

  “I believe Rutene saw something someone didn’t want him to see, so they silenced him. But I can’t prove it.” Rad cocked his head to the side. He needed her, yet a paradoxical satisfaction bristled through him in anticipation of his next words. “So you want to back out of the job now that you know the danger?”

  Did he imagine it, or did her intake of breath and dilating pupils just tell him to go to hell? “Mr. Murdoch, let’s get something straight—”

  “Rad. I believe in being on a first name basis with the people who work for me and especially those who sleep under my roof.” For an insane moment his mind jumped a step further. What would be like if she were actually sleeping in my bed? He placed his napkin in his lap to conceal his throbbing salute to lust.

  Her gaze held steady. “We haven’t decided yet where I’ll be sleeping. But I don’t bolt at danger. As I was trying to say before you interrupted me, it’s dangerous to cross the street in downtown Auckland, but when I need to get to the other side I cross, carefully. That’s how I do my job.”