"Yes, he did," Amanda asserted, sitting up straight and gesturing with her hands. "Why are you asking me questions, anyway, George? It looks like he choked on his dinner, or maybe a heart attack. It's not exactly like he was in the best shape."
"Maybe. We'll know more after the medical examiner gets done with him."
Amanda caught the tone of concern in the police chief's answer. She’d heard it before. "You think this isn't a natural death?"
"I’m not sure, but something seems off to me." George shrugged. "I've seen enough crime scenes that sometimes I can't explain hunches, but they're real."
Amanda glanced out at the neighbors by the driveway, who were clustered together and watching the comings and goings of everyone with great interest.
“Look, I know the timing is weird, with me coming over here and finding him on the floor, but I give you my word that I had nothing to do with him winding up dead."
George cut his eyes sideways at her. "I believe you. You’ve had enough experience with finding dead people, I'd expect you to know enough to hide the evidence way better than this."
It took a split second for Amanda to figure out the police chief was teasing her, and she burst out in sudden laughter. The unexpected sound caught the attention of several people nearby and she instantly quieted her voice, even as she saw George suppressing a grin.
"So, you think I'd know how to kill someone by now and hide the body successfully? Is that what you're saying?"
"Yep. That's it. You're a bright lady. I'm sure you’d give the cops a run for their money."
"You included?"
"No comment."
Amanda tried not to smile. "Glad you have faith in me, George," she said as she settled back on the bench.
"You know, it's going to be a bit before we can release the scene and move the body. I'm going to have Officer Rollins come over and interview you. That way there's no hint of favoritism. Is that okay with you?"
"Let me guess. You're going to tell him what questions he should ask me, though, aren't you?" she quipped, and he grinned at her.
"I cannot confirm or deny that he's going to be coached. Just be nice to him. It's his first time doing this. He’s the rookie, you’re the expert."
“I’ll be on my best behavior.”
George stood up and pulled his hat down farther on his forehead. “Well, off to earn my paycheck,” he said, and walked back in the house.
***
Rollins was just writing the last of his notes in a notebook when Amanda could see Lisa's car hurriedly being parked up the road and her reporter friend slamming the car door behind her, camera already in her hand.
"Took you long enough," she said dryly, after Lisa had flashed her press pass and crossed the yellow crime scene tape.
"I figured you'd be here," Lisa said. “Is there any time Ravenwood Cove has a disaster that you aren’t somehow involved?” she asked, and Amanda made a face of disgust.
"Not you, too."
"George already got to tease you? Rats. I thought it was my turn," Lisa said, then her voice softened. "You okay?"
"Well, I’m better off than Buster Radcliffe." Amanda jerked her head toward the open doorway. "If you're looking for George he's still inside."
Lisa peered around the edge of the open door, seeing the backs of several people, including the police chief. "I'll wait."
***
It was nearly midnight before the police chief had given Amanda the all-clear to head home. By the time she shut her car door behind her and put the key in the ignition, she was bone-tired. She'd been texting back and forth with James, and he'd called twice when breaks in his schedule allowed. Even with him keeping in touch with her, she couldn't help but feel very alone. When she'd married James, she'd known a life with a detective wasn't always going to be simple, but the travel and off-site meetings and training had been tough to deal with. Especially when she was back at the Inn, dealing with an old building that seemed to need constant maintenance, a dog and cat begging for attention and food the minute she got home, and a dead guy that she'd discovered when she’d gone to confront him.
Jennifer had already called, telling her to go home and rest and that she'd take care of breakfast for the four guests still at the Inn. Amanda gratefully accepted. Just before she'd hung up the phone, she'd given a happy sigh and told Jennifer, "Thank you so much. You’re amazing. I don't know what I’d ever do without you."
There was a pause as silence hung between them, then Jennifer quietly said, "I don't know, either."
Chapter 15
Sometimes it seemed like the best cure for Amanda’s troubles was a healthy dose of retail therapy.
At least it was worth a try.
Walking the tiny downtown of Ravenwood Cove always seemed to cheer her up. When she’d first moved to town, she’d fallen in love with the tree-lined streets, the wide sidewalks, and the little shops where people put out water dishes for passing dogs and swept their front entrance every morning. At first, she’d just noticed the buildings and the stores, but as she got to know the people more and more she began to see downtown as being full of friends.
As always, the front window of Kazoodles toy store was a riot of colors and fun. The owner, Grace TwoHorses, loved kids as much as she loved her little shop, and this week the entire display was all about puppets. It was complete with a small curtained stage that someone could hide behind while they played with the puppets, entertaining anyone walking by with their antics. As soon as Amanda saw the wildly chomping dragon puppet, chasing a seemingly terrified knight around the front of the stage, and a pair of slender arms inside the puppets, she had a pretty good idea who the operator was.
"Danielle?" she said with a laugh as she opened the door, and it turned out her guess was correct. Danielle Ortiz, George's eight-year-old daughter, popped her head out from behind the back set of curtains, a huge grin on her face and a felt puppet on each hand.
"Aren't these the coolest?" she asked. "They've got a stage kinda like this down at our church, but some of the puppets are broken and the princess is missing both eyes." She gave a happy sigh of satisfaction. "These are so much better. Did you know the dragon's tongue rolls way out?" She demonstrated with a gleeful giggle, much to Amanda's delight.
"That is the coolest," she agreed, then made a mental note that perhaps a puppet theater might be a nice addition to the toy corner at the Inn. She did her best to discourage kids from just plugging into electronics when they were at the Ravenwood, and a puppet show might be just the ticket.
"About time you showed up," Grace said cheerfully, popping up from behind the front counter, and Amanda couldn't help but laugh. The friendly store-owner normally had her heavy black hair loose, reaching to her waist, but today had pulled it into a glossy bun and was wearing a long white lab coat. A pair of plastic safety goggles completed the odd outfit, giving her the appearance of a big-eyed bug. "I was worried you were going to forget to pick up those crossword puzzle books I had on hold for you."
Danielle looked at Grace, her eyebrows pulled together in puzzlement. "Miss TwoHorses, what are you wearing? You kinda look like a mad scientist."
"You got it! That's me today," Grace said with a grin. She pulled the goggles off her eyes and slid them to the top of her head. "I thought we'd try out the new line of kid-safe science experiments that just got delivered. Want to help me? I need to see if these kits are gonna blow up my store or not."
Danielle instantly pulled the puppets off her hands and dumped them into the nearby basket. "You bet!"
"Okay, but you have to do what I tell you, right? Safety first, and that means you always work with an adult. Let's ask your Mom to be sure that's all right with her. Can you go to the bookcase in the back and let her know what we're planning on doing?”
Danielle’s wide grin was her answer. As the little girl raced to get her mother's permission, Grace searched under the counter. Finally, she gave a crow of triumph and pulled out the puzzle books she'd ordered for Amanda and
set them on the counter. Amanda pulled out her wallet as Grace rung up her purchase on the old-fashioned cash register. "Four bucks each, and if you don't mind a bit of advice, I recommend you beat feet out of here before Danielle and I get started with our experiments. Some of these chemistry kits can get pretty stinky."
Handing over the cash, Amanda took the bag of books from Grace with a smile. "That sounds like a voice of experience to me, so I'll see you later."
"Sure you don't want to take home a couple of the chemistry kits for the Inn?" Grace teased as she shut the cash register drawer, but Amanda adamantly shook her head.
"No way. Either Jennifer or Oscar would kill me if they stunk as bad as you say, and I'm afraid of both of them. Let's leave the experiments right here in the store, where they belong."
***
Normally, Amanda loved walking into the bakery and candy store. The heavenly scent of hot caramel and pastries just out of the oven were an irresistible combination, especially if someone was tempering chocolate for truffles at the same time. The moment Amanda opened the door to Mrs. Mason's bakery and candy store, she could tell something was up. The normally cheerful lady was huddled by the tall, glass candy jars with several other women. Their heads were clustered together as they talked in hushed tones, and Madeline Wu was waving her hands around in apparent excitement. As soon as the little bell over the door announced Amanda's entrance, several women turned sideways enough to eyeball her, and the conversation abruptly came to a halt.
Retying her apron behind her, Mrs. Mason mustered a sunny smile as she walked toward Amanda. "How are you today? Anything I can get for you?"
Amanda shifted her wicker shopping basket to the crook of her arm. "Looks like this is the place to be today, Mrs. Mason. Everything okay?"
From the way the older lady's eyes were darting to the side, Amanda instantly knew she'd been the topic of at least part of the gossip fest that was occurring. She could feel the women's eyes on her as she pasted on a neutral smile.
"I need two pounds of assorted chocolates, for a wine and dessert tasting I'm having tomorrow night at the Inn. Do you have any of those double chocolate truffles today?"
As Mrs. Mason went to fetch Amanda's order, several of the ladies gave her shy smiles, and a couple seemed suddenly engrossed in whatever tall container of hard candies was displayed in front of them. Catching Madeline’s eye, Amanda smiled back.
"Well, it seems like I’m killing your conversation today, ladies," she said, trying to keep her voice light so they wouldn't hear her irritation. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about me and Radcliffe's death, would you?"
There was a flurry of shaking of heads and hastily murmured denials, and all the time she could tell they weren't telling the truth. Whether it was to save their own feelings or hers didn’t matter. After having done her best to fit in with the people of Ravenwood Cove and worked so hard to bring in tourists and industry, being the topic of gossip still hurt.
She could feel the flushed heat on her face as she took the wax paper bag of chocolates and paid Mrs. Mason, who seemed visibly upset herself. As Amanda turned to go, she stopped in mid-step.
"Let me just say one thing,” she said, loudly enough that all in the shop could hear. "I know there's some speculation about why I keep getting involved with the police and all these investigations, and I'm not surprised people want to know why." She swallowed the hard knot of emotion in her throat, took a deep breath, and went on. "I love my Inn, but I love helping solve puzzles, too, and if solving puzzles in Ravenwood helps the town then it's even better. There. That’s my confession." She straightened up and stuck out her chin, defiant. "I may get my nose in other people's business, but only if it helps the police solve a crime. At least I'm only worried about the dead people and don't talk about the living."
“Um… we weren’t talking about you, actually,” Madeline Wu said timidly. “Well, maybe just a bit. We were talking about your cousin, Mrs. Sandford.” She gulped once, then went on. “We’re just hoping she’s okay, what with all the information coming out about…”
Her voice trailed off into silence, and she wrung her hands in embarrassment.
Amanda pretended to smile, hoping she was a good enough actress to pull it off.
“Why don’t you go speak with her about your concerns? I’m sure she could use a good friend right about now,” she said, trying to keep from yelling at the gaggle of women who were grouped around, openly interested in what she was saying to Madeline. Amanda raised her voice and spoke to them all. “Feel free to talk to directly to Mrs. Sandford about anything you’re discussing. I’m glad to hear you are all so concerned about her, as she has to deal with her personal history getting dug up all over town again. That can’t be easy to deal with.”
And with that, she turned on her heel and left, still fuming.
Chapter 16
Well, so much for the wonders of retail therapy, Amanda thought.
It took a while to quash her frustration after she’d left the candy store, but within a half hour she’d calmed down enough to try to salvage her day. She called Lisa to see if she wanted to go kayaking and her plans were enthusiastically approved. They often met up at Sandford Lake Park, and she was humming happily to herself as she unloaded the lightweight, plastic kayak from the back of her SUV and dragged it down to the edge of Sandford Lake. There were only a few other cars in the parking lot, probably belonging to joggers or the occasional fisherman who liked to pursue the fat trout living in the dark water. She was just pulling on her foam life jacket when she heard the crunch of car tires on gravel behind her, and turned just in time to see her friend Lisa pull next to her car.
"About time you got here!" Amanda said with a laugh. "I thought I was going to have to paddle out all by myself."
Lisa slammed her car door and reached up to untie her blue kayak from her roof rack. "Nice try, 'Manda. From the looks of it you just got here, too. We're both late."
"Not if we show up at the same time. That's not late; that's perfect timing."
It only took a few minutes to get situated in their little boats and push off onto the still surface of the lake. Their paddles dipped in an easy rhythm, leaving swirling coils in the water with every stroke, and they moved along in companionable silence. It had rained overnight and there were still some high clouds blowing across the sky, but Amanda knew better than to wait for perfect weather before going outside to do anything. She'd learned that living at the Oregon coast meant she had to grab every opportunity she could get to enjoy the outdoors. With the wind stilled and a good jacket, she was warm and having a great time. Her friend Lisa was normally fairly serious and quiet, and Amanda had learned that kayaking with her was a great way to enjoy each other's company. They would often pause and balance their double-bladed paddle across the top of the kayaks, silently pointing out a blue heron or jumping fish to the other one. There was a serenity and calmness that appealed to Amanda on many levels, especially since things had been so intense and busy back in Ravenwood Cove. An hour or so on the water was a great way to get some peace and much-needed perspective.
By the time they'd done a lap around the main part of the lake, Amanda could feel the muscles in her arms beginning to protest, and as she stepped onto the riverbank and pulled her boat out of the water she was more than ready to call it a day.
As she got out of her kayak she could see a familiar police car sitting close to her SUV, and someone watching her.
Amanda gestured to Lisa, who was watching the cop car, too, and after they'd dragged their boats far enough onto shore that they wouldn't float away, they walked toward George Ortiz.
"Hello, Chief. What are you doing out in this neck of the woods?" Lisa asked, always the reporter, and George smiled.
"Hey, Lisa. The news isn't good. Sorry, but this is off the record until I can send you the paperwork and have the news release be official, okay?"
Lisa leaned closer, all her reporter instincts kicking in. What wasn't go
od for George was probably good for news. "Fine, but how long will that take?"
"Should be out by late tonight, and I'll make sure you have first crack at it," George said, and that promise seemed to satisfy Lisa.
The police chief opened his car door and leaned against the side of his SUV. "I just wanted to let you know what's going on," he said to Amanda, then turned to Lisa again. "You can listen, but this isn’t about selling newspapers. It's about a possible murder."
Amanda had the sudden realization that she’d bee expecting this sort of news, and she waited for the police chief to explain. His face looked haggard, as if delivering the worst of news. "It's about Buster Radcliffe, but I bet you already knew that."
Amanda crossed her arms. "Medical examiner report's out?" she asked.
"Yes, preliminary. The final tox report won't be back for a while but the ME said he was pretty sure he knew what the cause of death was." He sighed. "Poison."
"Poison?" Lisa asked. "I thought the first theory was that he had a heart attack or a seizure."
"Maybe he did have a seizure,” George answered, "but that's a symptom, not a cause." He glanced at Amanda. "Medical examiner says if he were a betting man he'd put all his money on thallium."
Amanda frowned. "Thallium? What's thallium? I've never heard of it."
Lisa glanced at her. "Well, I have. It's some sort of heavy metal that they used to use in rat poison and insecticides, but it turned out to be so deadly they stopped using it decades ago." She turned to George. "Who'd have access to something that was restricted from use so many years back?"
"Well, I did a bit of research on it myself, and it sounds like there are some industries that still use it in the States."
Amanda was thinking as fast as she could. "Like what?" she asked, and George looked up as he tried to remember the list.
"Medical imaging uses it for a few things, and some electronic manufacturers. Oh, and the semiconductor industry, too. Also, it isn't banned everywhere. Some countries still allow it as a rat poison."
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