The Only Clue

by Pamela Beason

  Four more strangers had joined the party. Three of them held out cell phones and snapped her photo as she walked toward them. The fourth had a video camera focused on her. Their eyes were too bright; their voices shrill and eager.

  “Dr. McKenna!” one shouted. “Why was your gorilla found in a bear trap?”

  The USDA inspector, a woman in a tan shirt and blue jeans with a clipboard in her hands, swung around to face the reporter. “What? When? What’s going on here? Dr. McKenna?”

  Damn those wildlife officers. Damn cell phones. Grace took a deep breath.

  “How long has a gorilla been missing?” the videocam operator wanted to know.

  Grace evaded the question. “Neema is back with her baby now.”

  The USDA inspector crossed her arms. “I need to see all three of your gorillas on this visit, Dr. McKenna.”

  “Come into my office.” As she waved the woman toward the study trailer, Grace tried to marshal her thoughts.

  The reporters surged forward in the inspector’s wake. Grace thrust out a hand like a traffic cop. “Stop! Leave us alone.”

  She was amazed when they actually halted. “This is private property,” she snapped. “You do not have my permission to be here.”

  “I’ll make sure they leave,” Jon told her. He turned to shepherd the foursome back to their cars.

  Probably grateful to be left out of this conversation, Grace thought, following the inspector into the study trailer.

  The story took a half hour to tell. In the cage, Neema signed out out out. When the gorilla began to hoot and rattle the cage bars, Grace escorted the inspector to her personal trailer to finish the conversation. She tried to defend herself as best she could, stressing the break-in and her shock at discovering her gorillas were missing.

  The inspector was stony-faced. “How do you explain the pool of blood?”

  Grace shook her head. “I can’t, not yet. It must be Gumu’s. I’m afraid someone killed him.” She reminded the inspector of her history with Frank Keyes.

  Finally, after taking copious notes, the USDA inspector left. As Grace walked her to her van, she felt the gaze of someone watching her. On the front steps of the staff trailer sat Sierra Sakson and Caryn Brown, both wearing baggy camo pants, tank tops, and lace-up boots. Beside them, Brittany Morgan leaned against the railing, wearing white Capri pants and a ruffled rose-colored crop top. None of the three looked happy with her.

  As soon as the dust swirled behind the inspector’s departing van, the three young women surrounded her. Sierra and Caryn both stood with legs spread and arms crossed in a defensive stance. Brittany looked uncertain.

  “You could have trusted us, you know.” Caryn said in a low voice. Since Grace had last seen her, she’d colored her short blond hair a soft lavender shade. One of her eyebrow rings sported a small lavender stone as well.

  Sierra added, “I knew it wasn’t about a damn dog.”

  “Yeah,” Brittany chimed in. “We were real worried.”

  “You’re right. I should have trusted you from the beginning.” Grace did her best to look properly chagrinned. “I’m glad you’re here now. I could really use your help with Neema and Kanoni.”

  “You got it.” Sierra uncrossed her arms. Purple must be the color of the day, Grace speculated, because the streaks in Sierra’s long dark tresses were bright purple now, too, and so was her nose stud.

  “Where’s Jon?”

  “Out front, guarding the gate,” said Caryn. “The vultures are circling.”

  “Shit,” Grace said under her breath.

  “Yeah,” Caryn said in sympathy. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you, Grace, how does Finn know Heather Clayton?”

  “Who?”

  “She’s a counselor at the college. Real pretty, long dark hair? She lives across the street from us. I saw Finn going into her apartment the other day.”

  Finn had never mentioned a Heather that she could recall. But then, she’d never mentioned Richard to him, either. “She’s probably part of a case he’s working on,” she guessed.

  Caryn gave her a look that implied Grace was clueless, but she said, “That’s probably it.”

  Brittany brought the conversation back to the present problem. “What happens next?”

  Grace had no idea what would happen next. Did the inspector have the authority to shut down her project? Would the woman sound the alarm about her missing male gorilla?

  She got her answer after Finn drove in. He slid out of his car without saying a word, walked over and wrapped his arms around her. She pressed her ear to his chest, relishing his solid warmth, inhaling his scent, listening to the rhythm of his slow steady heartbeat.

  He was a rock, and she was always causing him trouble. She rarely spent time alone with him; she rarely left the gorillas. How could she blame him if he was seeing this Heather woman? They hadn’t made any promises to each other.

  “We’re going on patrol,” Sierra announced quietly as she and Caryn passed.

  In the trailer behind her, Neema’s cries were growing more and more frantic. Two loud thumps issued from the thin walls.

  “I’ll go talk to Neema,” Brittany murmured.

  Finally, Grace leaned back to check Finn’s expression. “Does everyone know?”

  “Male gorilla reported missing in Evansburg area,” he quoted. “Unpredictable wild animal. Approach with caution. Hit the airwaves just as I pulled through your gate.”

  “Is Jon still there?”

  Finn nodded. “He let me in.”

  They walked to the study trailer. Neema was begging Brittany to release her from the cage.

  Out out out, Neema signed. Neema out.

  Out where? Grace signed back. No trees. She wasn’t about to lose her gorilla in the forest again.

  Out barn sleep barn, Neema signed.

  Grace interpreted for Finn.

  “What has Neema told you so far?” he asked.

  “She’s only signed out and barn to me,” Brittany told them.

  “Thanks, Brittany. Could you wait for me in the staff trailer? I might need your help with Kanoni.”

  “Sure.” The girl turned to go. “But I’ve only got an hour.”

  As soon as Brittany left, Finn asked again, “What did Neema tell you?”

  “Variations on thirsty thirsty hungry. I can’t believe Fish and Wildlife would leave any animal in a trap for days with no water.”

  “They caught their problem bear,” Finn reminded her.

  “Still, they should have checked all the traps. There are more than two bears in the woods.”

  “Did you specifically ask Neema about Gumu?”

  She sighed. “Several times. She hasn’t given me a definite answer.” Turning to the huddled gorillas, she signed as she spoke aloud. “Neema, where’s Gumu?”

  Neema signed out barn out out.

  Kanoni, sitting in her mother’s lap, reached up and patted Neema’s face with a small black hand.

  Out out out, Neema insisted.

  Grace wasn’t sure that going to the barn was a good idea. “I’m worried that she’s expecting Gumu to be there,” she whispered.

  “Maybe she’ll re-enact what happened.” Finn sounded hopeful.

  Out. Neema grabbed the cage bars and screeched loudly, then thumped a fist against the wall. Alarmed, Kanoni stared wide-eyed at her mother.

  Neema was going to continue pleading until she got her way. Grace opened a nearby cupboard and removed a collar and leash before turning back to the gorillas. It was impossible for a woman who weighed one hundred and thirty pounds to control an adult gorilla weighing in at two hundred and ten. The restraints were more of a reminder to behave than anything else.

  “To the barn,” Grace stressed aloud. She snapped the collar and leash onto Neema’s neck, careful to avoid her chafed and bloody face. “Neema, be good.”

  Out out. Neema pushed Kanoni onto her back and stood eagerly behind the trailer’s front door, rocking on all fours.


  Once outside, Neema raced across the courtyard to the barn, dragging Grace. Finn jogged a few steps behind them.

  Jon and Brittany caught up with them at the enclosure gate. “We’ll make sure the back door is secure.” They both disappeared around the back side of the barn.

  Neema scraped Kanoni from her back and dropped her to the ground. Then she climbed into the netting and scaled the ropes to the top. After picking up the blankets that Gumu had left behind, she sniffed them and hooted mournfully.

  Then Neema pulled the blankets over her shoulder and dragged them down the rope net, dropping onto the ground with a thud. Kanoni waddled to her mother, but Neema pushed her away and vanished into the barn.

  Grace followed and switched on the lights, dispelling the evening gloom settling inside. She and Finn watched as Neema circled the interior, inspecting every inch.

  Jon and Brittany joined them again.

  Watching Neema’s behavior, Jon groaned. “Oh God. She’s looking for him, isn’t she?”

  Grace felt her throat grow tight. “Neema lost Kanoni, and then she found her. Now maybe she thinks she might find Gumu.”

  “Could that mean she knows he’s alive?” Finn said. “Can you ask her what happened?”

  “I’ll try.”

  Neema dropped the blankets in the sawdust and proceeded to climb methodically from one sleeping shelf to another, higher up the barn wall. Grace peered up at her and signed. “Neema, where’s Gumu?”

  Sitting on the highest shelf, Neema swiveled her head, looking all around. Then she sat back on her rump and emitted a long, mournful howl. On the ground eight feet below, Kanoni clutched the edge of the lowest sleep shelf with both hands and whimpered in response.

  “Kanoni wants you, Neema.” Brittany looked up at the mother gorilla. “Come get Kanoni.”

  Neema did not even glance down.

  Grace asked, “Was Gumu with you, Neema? Gumu and Neema in the trees?” Neema wasn’t watching her, but the gorilla understood far more words than she knew signs for.

  Neema thumped down the sleeping shelves. Landing heavily on the ground with a grunt, she knuckle-walked to the blood stain. The humans followed.

  “Oh my God!” Brittany pointed at the dark area, a look of horror on her face. “Is that...blood?”

  Jon nodded briefly in her direction, then heaved a long slow sigh.

  “Oh my God.” Brittany put a hand over her mouth. Turning to Jon again, she whispered, “Gumu?”

  Jon dipped his chin again. Affirmative.

  Neema studied the stained sawdust with sad eyes, leaned over and sniffed, then finally pinched up a small amount and put it into her mouth. At her side, Kanoni watched and then copied her mother, tasting the bloody sawdust with a quizzical expression on her baby face.

  Jon groaned. “This is killing me.”

  Brittany slid her hand into his.

  “Neema,” Grace kneeled beside the gorilla. She murmured softly, “Where’s Gumu?”

  Meat, Neema signed. She waddled back to the discarded blankets, carried them into the darkest corner, and pulled them over her head. Kanoni scuttled to her. Neema kicked the baby away. The little gorilla screeched.

  Brittany scooped her up, and Kanoni buried her head against the girl’s breasts.

  Grace caught her lower lip between her teeth. Tears pricked at her eyes. She tried to will them away.

  Frowning, Finn put his hands on his hips. “What does that mean?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s not good.”

  Jon scuffed the toe of his shoe in the dirt. “Maybe she doesn’t want to talk about what happened.”

  “Can’t you give her candy or some other treat to make her talk?” Finn asked.

  Grace walked to the corner, pulled the blankets away from Neema’s head and took the gorilla’s chin in her hands. The gorilla’s red-brown eyes were haunted.

  “Neema,” Grace whispered. “Where’s Gumu?”

  The gorilla slowly unfolded her arms and briefly gestured. Then she abruptly shoved Grace away, pulled a blanket over her head, and curled up in the corner.

  Squealing, Kanoni leapt from Brittany’s arms, ran to her mother, and pulled at the blankets. Grace picked up the baby gorilla, walked to the lowest sleep shelf, and sat down heavily. A tear ran down her cheek as she patted Kanoni on the back. “Neema says Gumu’s gone.”

  “She also signed meat.” Brittany’s brow wrinkled. “What does that mean?”

  “That’s what she called Spencer’s dead body.” Grace rubbed her fingers across her eyes, smearing tears into her lashes and blurring her vision. “It’s the smell of blood, I guess. I think it means that Neema thinks Gumu is dead.”

  “Oh my God,” Brittany said again.

  “Grace, I have something I need to tell you,” Finn murmured. His tone did not imply a happy story would be forthcoming.

  Oh sweet Jesus, what now? She couldn’t handle any more bad news. She rested her chin on the top of Kanoni’s head.

  From the gate outside, her father sang out, “Grace, we’re back. Are you in there?”

  She groaned, shaking her head. “I just can’t...”

  Finn put a hand on her arm. “I’ll take them home with me.”

  Thank God. She crooked an arm around the back of his neck and pulled his face down for a kiss. He tasted like coffee. “Thank you.”

  She hefted the baby gorilla in her arms and stood up. “Let’s all be happy that we have Neema and Kanoni back.”

  Turning to Jon and Brittany, she said, “I’ll be staying out here tonight. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.”

  She crawled into the corner next to Neema in the blanket nest. The gorilla leaned toward her and laid her enormous head against Grace’s bosom, whimpering. She gently stroked the fur on Neema’s head. “I know, Neema. I know. But you’re home now. Safe. Kanoni’s here. I’m here. And we hope Gumu will come back, too.”

  How could she explain the concept of hope to a gorilla? Or did Neema already know there was no hope of ever seeing her mate again?

  Chapter 16

  The next morning, Finn asked his ex-in-laws, Dorothy and Scott Mankin, to come over for coffee. He needed backup. Somehow he’d managed to get through last evening with the professors, answering their questions about his favorite authors and television programs. He painted more than he read, and he didn’t really have favorite books; he just picked up whatever appealed to him at the time. The McKennas suggested several titles, which he dutifully wrote down. For TV shows, he mentioned the Discovery Channel and Masterpiece Theatre, which seemed to score him a couple of points. But he was pretty sure he lost those when he couldn’t remember the names of any NPR programs. It was pretty clear that the McKennas thought their daughter had not only chosen a career that was beneath her talents, but she’d also hooked up with a dolt.

  He’d gotten up early to make coffee and thaw out some blueberry muffins he had stashed in the freezer. Now he gestured from the Mankins to the McKennas. “I thought you’d like to meet Grace’s parents, Charles and Maureen McKenna.”

  “Well, this is just wonderful.” Maureen McKenna stepped forward to take Dorothy’s hand. “We’re so pleased to meet Matt’s parents.”

  “They’re not my parents...” Finn started, then stopped. How to explain that these were his ex-wife’s parents, but they were the closest thing to family he had in this town? He took the easy way out and finished with, “They’re my friends.”

  Dorothy noticed the birth announcement on the table. “Oh, I see she sent you one, too.”

  “Sorry,” Scott said.

  “I’m happy for Wendy,” Finn told them.

  Dorothy tilted her head. “Really?”

  “I’m trying to be,” he admitted.

  The McKennas politely waited for an explanation. Finn glanced at his watch. “Oh, no—look at that. I’m due in court this morning. I’ll leave you all to get to know each other. Scotty, Dorothy, I thought you might like to show the McKennas around town.”
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  Scott shot him a startled look. Turning his back to Grace’s parents, Finn pressed his hands together in a begging motion and mouthed please to his ex-parents-in-law.

  Dorothy recovered first, saying, “We’d love to. We can even take a drive up into the mountains.”

  Finn escaped. Except for the court appearance, it was technically his second day off. Maybe it was cowardly, but the police station seemed like a calmer place to hang out today than Grace’s compound. As soon as he stepped out of his car, though, he had second thoughts. He was bushwhacked by the same two student reporters—one male, one female—who had been lying in wait last night when he exited Grace’s gate. This time they had a camera jockey in tow. The trio barred his path to the station door.

  He almost bonked his nose on the microphone the boy stuck in front of his nose. “Are you looking for the missing gorilla, Detective Finn?”

  He shoved the microphone aside and shouldered the boy out of his way. The two took turns yelling as they trotted behind him.

  “What about the blood in the barn?”

  “Is there a killer gorilla on the loose?”

  He pushed his way through the station doors and was thankful when his pursuers stopped outside. He passed through the lobby and into the detectives’ area, sliding into his chair and tapping his computer’s power button. The desk across from his was occupied by Perry Dawes, the other male detective. He took one look at Finn, sighed heavily, and said, “Oh, boy.”

  “I figured I was in for it,” Finn told him.

  Scoletti was pulling a report from the printer in the corner, and Finn waved him over. “Scoletti, you remember the guys carrying those protest signs at the open house?”

  “Yeah?”

  “The guy carrying the sign that said I am NOT a monkey’s uncle—did you know him?”

  “I can’t remember who was carrying what. Let’s see...there was Carl Lannereid and Eddie Melendez.”

  “Melendez? Any relation to Detective Sarah Melendez?”

  “Uncle, I think.”

  Sergeant Carlisle rounded the corner, a sheaf of papers crumpled in his hand. “Finn! We’ve been trying to call you.”