Murder at the Alamo

by Dianne Harman

  Brigid wanted to ask her a few questions, but she knew Linc would be waiting for her. “Are you going to be here for a while? I need to get a few things, but I’ll be back in a little while,” she said.

  The girl nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here. I work in the gift shop, but I don’t think any of us will be going anywhere for a while.”

  “Good. Please don’t leave until I get back. I want to help find whoever did this and make sure they pay for it,” Brigid said.

  The girl looked slightly taken aback but nodded. “Okay, I’ll be here. Just don’t take all day. As soon as they say I can leave, I will. Right now, I don’t know if I can ever come back to this place again.”

  “I won’t,” Brigid promised as she stood up. Looking around, she noticed more tour guides and what she assumed were gift shop workers collecting in the courtyard.

  Any one of them could have done it, Brigid thought. It could be any one of them, or none of them at all. It could have been a crime of passion or just a random attack.

  She looked down at Zoey’s stony expression. She knew that even though the girl looked very upset, it could all be an act. She didn’t know these people like she’d known the people back home. Any one of them could be capable of murder. She’d learned the hard way that people were capable of just about anything. Brigid only hoped she wasn’t in over her head as she headed for the parking lot.

  CHAPTER 13

  Brigid and Linc arrived at the Silver Star B & B just as John was finishing up with the lawnmower. Charlie was looking rather bored while lying on the porch, but he perked up when he saw Brigid and Linc walk up to the house.

  “What have you two been up to this morning?” John asked merrily as he climbed off the riding mower. His shirt had a ring of sweat, and he looked a little flushed.

  “We found ourselves in a bit of a situation, I’m afraid,” Brigid admitted. “We were on our tour of the Alamo, and someone was found murdered.”

  “Are you serious?” he asked as he brushed beads of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “That’s a new one. Who’s investigating?”

  “Detective Brewer,” Brigid said. “I managed to convince him to let me help. I just couldn’t stay out of it. I’ve done so much of this type of thing back home I couldn’t let it go.”

  “I understand. Once you get bitten by the bug, there’s no going back,” he said with a sly smile. “What are you going to do to help?”

  “I’ll go get your notebook,” Linc interjected before kissing the side of her head and slipping inside.

  “I’m going to gather a list of suspects and question them. Usually something shakes loose with that,” she explained. She’d begun wondering on the drive to the B & B if she’d bitten off more than she could chew. After all, she was used to investigating a crime when there were people she knew. Here everyone was a stranger. She wasn’t sure if that would be a help or a hindrance.

  Granted, she knew nothing about these people, so she could be completely objective about people’s involvement. But at the same time, she was afraid she might miss something for the same reason.

  “Sounds like you could use Charlie here,” John began. “That’s his field of expertise.”

  “Oh?” Brigid asked as the dog trotted over, having heard his name. He looked more than happy to be included in the conversation.

  “Yes, ma’am. He had the regular training police dogs get for sniffing out things, but he always had this uncanny ability to know when someone was lying. He’d whine a little and lick my hand if he knew the person in question was telling a fib.” He looked down at the dog and gave him a scratch.

  “He’s actually still able to do police work. They know him down at the station, and they trust him. Why don’t you take him with you when you question your suspects? Not only can he help you tell if a person is lying to you, but it would be much safer. You never know what a person is capable of, especially in this day and age. If someone kills once, they may be willing to do it again. He’ll protect you with his life.” John looked down fondly at the dog with a wistful smile. “I trust him completely.”

  “Are you sure?” Brigid asked just as Linc returned with her notebook. “You don’t need him around here?”

  “Nah,” John said. “He could use a day out anyway. Please, I insist. Anyway, I suspect he gets a little bored sitting around here with me all the time. Let me go get his official leash. He always knew he was on duty when he wore it.” The older man walked into the B & B while Brigid waited. She gave Linc a quick rundown of what John had just told her about Charlie.

  “It’ll almost be like having Jett with us,” Linc said with a grin. “Only in a lie detector version.”

  “Kind of,” Brigid chuckled. “But in a smaller version. Hopefully this guy won’t drool nearly as much. I swear, Jett drools more than I ever thought possible.”

  John returned with a leash that had “S.A.P.D.” written across it in bright white lettering. As soon as Charlie saw it, he began to yip.

  “I told you he loved it,” John chuckled as he clipped the leash onto the dog’s collar. “Now you help Brigid here find the bad guy. Okay, Charlie?” He handed the leash over to Brigid. “Go with her and help her sniff out the suspects.”

  Charlie moved over by Brigid and sat down beside her. He looked up at John attentively and then at Brigid as if he were saying, “I understand.”

  “You want to help me figure out who the bad guy is, Charlie?” Brigid asked him. He looked up at her and licked his lips. He wiggled a bit in place, as if he was too antsy to sit still.

  John laughed. “I think that’s a yes,” he said. “Now like I said, he’s been trained in the usual fashion. He will attack if instructed, and he can find scents if you give him a sample. But when you’re questioning suspects, you make sure he’s right beside you. He listens. If he just sits there like he is now, the person is telling the truth. If he starts bumping your hand with his nose, whining or trying to get your attention, they’re lying.

  “I don’t know how he does it, and he wasn’t trained that way. It’s just something I figured out he could do. It sure helped on more than one case, which is why he’s known to the older guys at the station. Brewer will recognize him, I’m sure. If anyone needs someone to vouch for you, send them my way. I’ll set them straight. I still have a little pull down at the station.”

  “Thank you,” Brigid said. “Truly. I really appreciate this. I feel a bit better knowing I have Charlie here. My dog at home is well trained, too. He’s helped me out more times than I can count, so I know I can put my faith in Charlie here.”

  She reached down and gave the dog a gentle pat. It was reassuring to have a loyal dog at her feet once more. He may not be as big as her Newfoundland back home, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a heart just as large. She’d seen that much in the short time she’d been at the B & B.

  “Take care of him, and if he does a good job and helps you find the killer, you owe him a vanilla shake.” John looked a little sheepish. “It’s kind of a tradition. I always rewarded him for a job well done.”

  “That’s not a problem,” Linc said. “Sounds like a good idea, anyway. Ice cream after a long day is a reward I could get behind, too.”

  They waved to John and thanked him again before loading Charlie up in the car and heading back toward the Alamo.

  “Do you think they’ll give you a hard time since we’re bringing him?” Linc asked as they drew closer.

  “I don’t think so,” Brigid said after a moment. “After all, he is a police dog. John said Detective Brewer would know him when he saw him. I’m sure it’ll be alright. Besides, he probably won’t be the only police dog that will be called in.”

  “I hope so,” Linc said. “I feel much better about this whole thing with our furry friend here tagging along. Whoever did this has a gun, Brigid. They killed a man with it, and we don’t even know why. Maybe it was just a random incident.”

  Brigid gave Linc a pointed look. “Do you really
think that after seeing that young woman this morning? She seemed convinced that other woman had done it.”

  “That could also just have been grief talking,” he said. “As soon as something terrible happens people are always looking somewhere to place the blame. Sometimes humans can be senselessly violent for no real reason. Just because someone is murdered doesn’t mean there has to be any real motive. The guy could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time or saw something he shouldn’t have.”

  Brigid nodded. “That’s true, but I don’t think that’s the case here. I bet we’ll stir up all sorts of interesting information once we start asking a few questions. You know how it works. Besides, when people work together, they tend to get to know more about each other than they realize.”

  Linc sighed. “You’re right. I hope for our sake and the sake of our honeymoon this ends up being an open and shut case. I’d like to have your focus be on you and me and not on this murder.”

  “I bet Charlie here will be a huge help,” she said. “We’ll find the murderer, won’t we boy?”

  Charlie gave a small yip and both Brigid and Linc laughed.

  “I guess that’s a yes from him, too,” Linc said. “Honestly, he looks as if he’s enjoying himself.”

  “Maybe he is. John said he knew what the leash meant. Maybe he misses doing doggie detective work. It’s not like police dogs get to choose when they retire,” Brigid pointed out.

  “You’ve got a point there. Maybe he feels like he’s still in his prime and he’s ready to go?” Linc suggested. “I mean, who knows how old he is. Some people aren’t made for retirement, maybe dogs are the same way.”

  “I guess we’ll find out,” Brigid sighed. “I just hope he still knows his old tricks.”

  CHAPTER 14

  As Brigid walked up the sidewalk to the Alamo with Linc on one side and Charlie on the other, she felt as if everyone was staring at them. Was it the fact they had Charlie with them or was it something else? Most of the people gave them a cursory glance before turning away, but Brigid could feel the weight of their gazes as they approached the entrance.

  Perhaps it was the fact they were heading towards a murder scene, rather than trying to get away from it, like most people would want to do. Brigid tried not to let it rattle her as they drew closer. It didn’t take long before Detective Brewer emerged from the crowd.

  “Can I assume this is Charlie?” he asked as he joined them. He offered his hand to the dog who eagerly licked it.

  “The one and only. John offered him to me. He thought he could help with the case,” Brigid explained.

  “Then you definitely have my blessing,” he said sounding impressed. “We’ve kept all the workers here on site for now. It’s my understanding that our team hasn’t done much in the way of questioning yet, so please keep me informed on what you get. Send me a text or call as often as you need to. Everyone is supposed to be in their typical work location, but we’ve tried to keep them somewhat separated.

  “We’re still searching the grounds for a murder weapon. It appears he was shot sometime early this morning, around 6:30 or 7:00. We need to know where everyone was at that time, and if they have someone who can corroborate their story. We’re almost finished in the main area, and then we’re going to be moving to the parking lot to check their vehicles.” He turned and looked around the area. “Did John tell you about Charlie’s special skill?” he asked.

  “Yes, he did,” Brigid said nodding. “I’ll let you know if he comes up with anything.”

  “Good. He’s a great asset. I’m glad to have him on the case. Let me know if you need anything or something shakes loose.” Detective Brewer turned on his heel and then disappeared back into the sea of uniforms.

  “That guy’s not the warmest human being I’ve ever met,” Linc muttered.

  “I’m sure he’s just focused on his job. Come on, let’s go meet Zoey first. She was the one I spoke to before we left. I want to see what she has to say.” They turned and headed for the gift shop where an officer pushed the door open for them as they entered. Inside, behind the cash register, were Zoey and another young girl.

  “Brigid, right?” Zoey said as she stood up. “You can’t have dogs in here. Unless he’s a service animal or whatever. Then he’s fine.”

  Brigid shook her head. “He’s a police dog. He’s going to help me out today.” She looked around the small room filled with shirts, coffee mugs, keychains, and magnets. “Is there anywhere we can talk privately?”

  “I’ll step outside,” the other girl said quickly. She squeezed Zoey’s shoulder as she walked by and stepped out the door.

  “Let me get some chairs,” Zoey offered as she disappeared into the back. Soon she reappeared with three folding chairs. They set them up in an open space near the register.

  “My husband, Linc, and I are assisting the police department with investigating the murder that happened here,” Brigid began. “How did you know the victim?”

  “Mark and I had been dating for a little while now,” Zoey said. “We met here at work.”

  Brigid began to take notes. It was a little different dealing with people she didn’t know. “We saw you accuse a woman of murdering him. Can you explain why you think she did it?”

  “Well, I mean, it’s like this. I found out recently that Mark and Celine had been having an affair at the same time he was seeing me,” Zoey began. “Isn’t it usually the jealous lover who murders the guy? I figured she found out about us and was driven crazy with the thought of him being with another woman.”

  “By that description you’re setting yourself up as a suspect, as well,” Linc pointed out.

  Brigid watched Charlie out of the corner of her eye. He was sitting up and attentive, apparently listening to every word Zoey said. So far, not even a flinch had come from him.

  “Well, I guess that’s true,” she admitted. “But I didn’t do it.” She said it so simply it was as if she was stating the obvious. “I was mad when I first found out Mark was seeing that old bag, but I got to thinking about it, and we’d never really made it official. You know, like we were exclusive to each other. I planned on talking to him about it when I saw him today.” Her lip began to tremble. “I couldn’t ever hurt him.”

  “I understand, but we need proof of that. Can you tell me where you were between 6:30 and 7:00 this morning?” Brigid asked.

  “Sure, that’s easy. I was still at home. My roommate can vouch for me. We were cooking breakfast around that time,” she shrugged.

  “Okay, great. I’ll pass that information on. Do you know of anyone else besides Celine who might have a motive for killing Mark?” Brigid asked. Charlie had remained motionless the entire time she’d been talking to Zoey. She silently hoped he was still as good at this as he used to be.

  Zoey shook her head. “Not that I can think of, right off. I mean, he and I had only gone out a couple of times, so I don’t know his friends or anything. Nobody around here ever said anything bad about him that I can remember.”

  “That’s okay. One last thing. Do you happen to own a gun?” she asked.

  “No!” Zoey said quickly. “I hate the things. Never could stand them.”

  “I’m going to give you my cell phone number in case you remember something else. We’re going to be around here for a while so give me a call if you think of anything else that might be helpful,” Brigid said. “In the meantime, try to relax.”

  Zoey nodded and sniffled as a tear ran down her cheek. “I just can’t believe he’s gone, you know? Like, I keep expecting him to walk in at any moment and tell me it was all some kind of a twisted joke.”

  “I wish it was,” Linc offered. “But I’m afraid it’s not. Try to take care of yourself. Grieving is a rough process to go through. Take your time with it.”

  Brigid and Linc stood up. “Do you have any idea where Celine may be?” Brigid asked.

  “Well, they told all of us to go to our regular work areas, so she’s probably in her office,
” Zoey said. She began to gather up their chairs as Brigid and Linc stepped back outside. They told the other girl she could go back in, and she quietly slipped through the door.

  “It looked like Charlie thought she was telling the truth,” Linc said as they followed the sidewalk over to the building where the offices were located.

  “It would appear so,” Brigid agreed. “Hopefully he hasn’t lost his touch, but he seemed to be listening.”

  Linc nodded. “I thought so, too. Let’s go talk to this Celine woman and see what she has to say. Maybe Charlie will pick something up with her.” He looked toward the officers who were all huddled together. “Looks like they must be done with the grounds. I bet they’re moving to the parking lot now. My bet is they don’t find anything there, either. After all, who’d keep a murder weapon in their car?”

  Brigid shrugged. “I have no clue, but it’s probably better to be safe than sorry. In my opinion, if someone did, they aren’t a very good criminal, not that there’s ever a good criminal.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Brigid raised her hand and knocked on the office door with the name “Celine Aguirre” on the nameplate. She looked over at Linc who gave her a reassuring smile. She felt odd about walking around behind the scenes at an historic monument like the Alamo. It was almost as if they were trespassing, even if they were on official business.

  “Come in,” a woman’s voice called out. Turning the doorknob, Brigid stepped inside with Charlie in tow. Linc followed behind them and closed the door.

  The older woman sitting behind a desk in the room looked tired and her eyes were red, as if she’d been crying. Brigid’s heart went out to her. She obviously cared about the man who had been murdered. Of course, how could she not?

  She seemed to be one of the higher-ups at the Alamo, and more than likely she had some familiarity with the victim, even if they weren’t having an illicit affair. Brigid could remember the times she’d lost people she knew. It seemed like it was even more of a shock to the system when it had been sudden, like this one had.