Sleuth on Safari

by A R Kennedy

  After finishing the second dessert, Zaden got up, kissed his mother good night, and headed for the suites. Zonah hesitated and said something to his mother. She waved him off. Zonah got up and joined his brother, and they were escorted to their room.

  Sabrina got up and headed to the bar. She walked past Dr. Higgins’ table and greeted him. Dr. Higgins acknowledged her with a brief smile and she continued to the bar. She sat two bar stools down from Jack.

  Advice came over and they discussed something. I assumed it was her drink order because when he walked away he went right to work. He grabbed a few bottles and poured them into a hurricane glass. I waited for an act like in the movie Cocktail but was disappointed. A few minutes later, he returned with a multicolor drink, topped with a slice of orange and a cherry. She was as pleased as her son had been with his second ice cream.

  She took a sip, smiled, and nodded her approval to Advice. He was equally pleased and smiled broadly.

  Jack finished his drink and pointed to Sabrina’s glass. They all laughed. Except Dr. Higgins, who didn’t appear to notice.

  At no point did Jack look in Dr. Higgins direction. He drank his beer. He talked to Advice. He sat on the stool, his back to Dr. Higgins.

  Dr. Higgins finished his drink and shook his head no when Advice appeared. He left a few moments later and was escorted back to his room. Again the staffer returned within a few minutes.

  Jack and Sabrina spoke a little while they sipped their drinks. Sabrina finished her drink, waiting a moment as if considering another. She decided against it and headed to the walkway and the awaiting escort. As always, the staffer returned promptly.

  Knowing the last bar occupant would stay awhile, based on previous evenings’ experience, I’m sure, the escort departed. He left behind the bar, toward the kitchen area.

  He returned when Advice got him to escort Jack back to his room. And like every other trip, he returned promptly.

  Advice tidied up briefly and left to behind the bar, to the living quarters, when the escort returned.

  For thirty minutes of tape, there was no activity. Then Sonny and the Vankeys appeared. Hazel was supporting Colin. The Vankeys were in the first room and Sonny reappeared within a minute.

  He would have had no time to kill Dr. Higgins. He didn’t even have enough time to get to his room and back.

  I had eliminated all the staff. I’d watched as Coral and Leticia earlier in the day and Sonny and Advice in the evening had departed the lodge via the exit behind the bar, which led to the staff’s quarters. Bayode, the boutique clerk, had left when she closed the shop, before dinner.

  My only suspects were the guests.

  I still didn’t have a specific time of death. It had been narrowed down from when the escort dropped Dr. Higgins off at his room and when I had found him the next morning.

  When I found him, Dr. Higgins had been dressed in the same clothing he had dined in. I couldn’t imagine him sleeping in his clothes or redressing in the same clothes he had worn that evening. He had to have been killed shortly after he returned to his room.

  Had someone been waiting for him in his room?

  Had someone followed him?

  If only the tape had audio, I could have heard the hyenas as they entered the compound. I fast-forwarded the video and leaned back to watch the tape roll through the late evening until our early-morning game drive. No one ever appeared on the video.

  I leaned forward and slowed the video once Hazel and Colin appeared, first in line for our early-morning game drive. Then the Wallaces. Then the trio. Then Charlotte.

  I was last to arrive. I watched Charlotte yell at me about my clothing choice and me run back to change.

  I watched the suspects. They all looked tired. But who could blame them, it was five in the morning. Jack stood against the wall, eyes closed. Geri stood next to him, holding his hand. Zonah was seated on the couch, leaning on the couch’s arm, supporting his head. Sabrina sat on the other end, in a similar posture. Zaden, seated between them, fiddled with his phone. He looked frustrated. Was the internet already down by then?

  Charlotte stood with her arms crossed, tapping her left foot. She kept glancing toward the path, waiting for my reappearance. The longer it took, the more annoyed she looked.

  The Vankeys spoke to each other away from the group. They looked the most suspicious. But, everyone, every action, had started to appear suspicious to me.

  And, finally, as a group, five minutes after I had exited scene right, they reacted to something off scene, my screams. Now I was thankful for the lack of audio. I didn’t want to hear my screams when I found the body.

  Charlotte took off first but the group ran after her just a moment later toward the suites. Sonny and Ray appeared from the front of the lodge within ten seconds and ran toward the walkway.

  I rewound the video and rewatched everyone’s arrival and reaction to my screams again. I watched for any sign of anything suspicious—any hesitation, any knowing look—and there was nothing.

  No one reacted sooner, or later, then expected. No one didn’t react. No one didn’t run toward my screams.

  No other staff appeared until Ray ran to the front office for Leticia. Then they ran back to Dr. Higgins’ suite.

  I fast-forwarded the tape through the remaining days, and nights, looking for anything suspicious. And nothing grabbed my attention. Except me. I was the only one in the group acting oddly. There were hours of footage of me wandering around the lodge.

  Charlotte was right. I did look suspicious when I kept glancing at the camera. I thought I had been being subtle. Seeing it, I knew I hadn’t been.

  Charlotte came back in the room from the patio.

  “You find what you needed?”

  “Nope.”

  “So glad we did it then.” She threw her book on the bed. “And how do you intend to put it back? It didn’t look like Leticia believed whatever story you told her.”

  “No worries. I’m on it. I have to get you that scarf for your birthday in the gift shop.”

  She smiled. “The pink one. I changed my mind. I like the pink one the best.”

  “Great.” I tossed her the memory card. “You can put it back while I buy the scarf and distract the clerk.”

  “Naomi!” she yelled as I ran out the door.

  Breakfast in the Bush

  As we sat watching a herd of kudu, a species of antelope with long spiraled horns, I heard a rustling to my right. I looked around. None of my fellow travelers had seen them.

  “Sonny,” I whispered. “Look.” I pointed to our right.

  Three lion cubs were nestled together in the shade.

  After taking in the sight, he turned around astonished. “You could be a tracker!”

  He waved his hand over his head to signal for the group’s attention. When he had it, he pointed to the small animals. After oohs and ahhs, and many camera clicks, Hazel asked, “Where’s their mother?”

  “She’s off to find food. She left them somewhere secluded, somewhere safe until she returns.”

  “Safe from what?” Sabrina asked.

  “Predators.” You think of a lion as the king of the jungle. You don’t consider the danger the little ones face.

  Sonny glanced at the group to make sure everyone had gotten the photos they wanted. “I don’t want to stay too long. I don’t want to disturb them, plus I don’t want the momma to find me too close to them. If you thought the rhino was bad, a lioness protecting her cubs is far worse.”

  “A mother will do anything to protect her children,” Sabrina said.

  Geri and Hazel nodded in agreement.

  After a glorious game drive, we pulled up to a sandy parking area. Advice was waiting for us for at the end of a wooden walkway. He held out a platter with eight flutes filled with orange juice on it.

  “A special treat for my group today,” Sonny announced. We each took a glass of juice and followed Sonny down the path.

  The wood walkway, with wood posts
on its sides to keep you from walking off the edge, was covered above by trees. When we reached the end of the narrow bridge, the area opened up onto a large patio. It took my breath away. And I wasn’t alone. The group was stunned into silence.

  The patio had been built around a large tree. Its huge trunk split into many branches, and covered most of the patio. A long table, with a tablecloth and eleven settings, was arranged between the large tree trunk and the wood railings that lined the edge of the patio.

  Sonny walked to one of them at the edge of the lookout and raised his arms in the air. “Breakfast in the bush this morning!”

  The group found its voices and cheered. Awakened by the glorious sight, I didn’t immediately seek my cup of coffee. Instead, I walked to the edge to get a closer look. I wasn’t alone. Spaced out, we each stood at the edge of it and took it all in.

  Only one, the youngest of us, seemed unimpressed by the sight. Zaden immediately pulled out his phone and tried to make a call. He walked the perimeter, holding his hand up at varying degrees and angles, searching for the elusive signal.

  I returned my gaze to the scenery. So much beauty. It was a shame so few in the world got to see it. The patio overlooked the river. On the far bank, more lush greenery. I watched the leaves, hoping to see movement and reveal an elephant or giraffe grazing.

  The aroma of coffee disturbed me from my contemplations and I headed to the table.

  With all seats unoccupied, I took a seat facing the view. I wanted to take it all in. My fellow travelers were still enraptured and remained along the edge. They had started taking photos—selfies, group shots. I hadn’t even taken my camera out.

  Advice placed a cup of coffee in front of me. I guessed the breakfast staff had told him about my early-morning drink of choice.

  His cell phone sweep completed, Zaden plopped down next to me. “Cell service sucks here.”

  “Are you surprised? We’re in the middle of nowhere.” I poured myself and Zaden another glass of juice.

  He mumbled, “Thanks.”

  “You trying to reach your girlfriend again? Can’t you just text her?”

  “I did earlier. Mom said I could only speak to her once on the trip. Or else I’d have to pay for it. I talked to her earlier in the week. I was trying to reach my dad.” He finished his glass of juice and looked at his phone again. “I’ve tried a bunch of times but I haven’t been able to reach him.”

  “What about Zonah and your mom? Haven’t they been able to reach him?”

  “No, they haven’t tried.”

  “And he hasn’t called any of you?”

  “Not any calls have made it through. He might be saying the same thing. That we haven’t tried to reach him.”

  “True.” I looked at Sabrina and Zonah, who were talking over at the railing. “They don’t seem to be worried about him. And you said they haven’t tried to call him?”

  “Mom says she hasn’t but I don’t know for sure.” He leaned in, to whisper a secret. “I tried to check her phone but she changed the code. It used to be their wedding anniversary.”

  “Maybe she was forced to change it. My work computer does that to me every so often.”

  “But your iPhone doesn’t,” he reminded me.

  “True.”

  He looked at his phone again. “That’s not a good sign, is it?”

  I didn’t want to upset him but it probably wasn’t. Changing your password takes some effort. I didn’t even know how to do it on my iPhone. “Why are you so worried about your dad?”

  “Mom and Dad had a fight. Before we left. That’s why he’s not here.”

  My mind flooded with questions. Was the fight about coming here? Did he not want to go on vacation? Did he not want to go to Africa? I didn’t want to pepper him with questions and scare him off, so I asked the most pressing of them.

  “Was it a physical altercation?”

  “Like a real fight?” he asked, shocked by the question. “My dad wouldn’t hit my mom.”

  That wasn’t who I was afraid was violent, but I didn’t tell him that. “Oh, that’s good. I was worried for you and your mom.” I looked at the rest of his party. “And Zonah.”

  “No, my dad’s real nice. He wouldn’t raise a hand to us. He barely raises his voice. He’s real good to all of us.”

  He seemed to emphasize all, which I found odd. Sabrina and Zonah joined the group at the table before I could ask what he meant.

  After Lunch

  I was poking into the mini-fridge when Charlotte came back to the room.

  “What are you doing? Are you hungry?” Charlotte checked her watch. “You have lunch in fifteen minutes. Don’t spoil your appetite.”

  “I’m on vacation. I’ll spoil whatever I want.”

  “Like our vacation because you’re obsessed with finding the murderer of a man who everyone else thinks died naturally.”

  “Naturally? By hyenas?” I continued my search. “I don’t think there’s anything natural about that.”

  She sighed. “So, what are you doing then?”

  “I’m looking for a weapon.”

  “I shouldn’t have asked.” She sat on the couch and flipped open her medical book.

  “What fun plans do you have for this afternoon?”

  “Just wondering what could be used as a weapon.” I looked at the door and headed there. “So let’s say they struggle. What do you grab? What’s close? What could have cut his neck?” I looked around the mini-fridge area. “You think a corkscrew could have killed him?”

  “Maybe, but there’s not one here. All the wines in the room are twist-offs.” She said it with disdain, as if she were a connoisseur. “So you’ve left the simple idea that it was a knife behind?”

  “No. I just haven’t found it.”

  “And you sure have worked hard trying to find it.”

  “But where would he—” I continued.

  “Or she,” my sister said.

  “Dispose of it when he, or she, was done? They didn’t drop it in the room. We would have seen it. Maybe they just put it back where they found it.”

  “And left it there covered in blood? I think housekeeping would have noticed that.”

  “They would have.”

  She raised one eyebrow and waited for me to explain.

  “I asked.”

  Eyebrow raised higher.

  “Our housekeeper, Coral, was very helpful. Please add a little to her tip.”

  She shook her head. “You can add a little something. I’m not paying for your crazy.” She returned her attention to her book.

  Medical books on vacation, who does that? I should give her one of my mystery novels, or borrow one of Sabrina’s romances. Maybe then she’d be more helpful.

  “Although mother says we all pay for your crazy,” she quipped, as she turned a page.

  “Ha-ha.” I returned to my reenactment. “Who do you think we get that crazy from?”

  “I’m telling Mom you said that.”

  There was a knock at the door. Charlotte got up and a waiter entered with a tray of food.

  “Isn’t it time for you to go?” she asked.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “Lunch.”

  I inspected her plate as she placed it on the coffee table. “That looks good.” It was a hand-formed burger, topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato, on a brioche bun. Hand-cut fries and a pickle accompanied the meal.

  “I’m sure you can order it.” She placed her napkin on her lap. “When you go to lunch.” She picked up the burger and cheese slid down the sides.

  “Why did you order this?” I reached for a French fry and she slapped my hand. “And what did it cost?”

  “Don’t worry. It’s included.”

  “Included?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t I know about this?”

  “The same way you didn’t know you needed an escort back to your room. Or that we drop the keys in the bowl at reception when we go fo
r game drives. You didn’t pay attention to orientation.” She added a little pepper to her French fries. “Now,” she demanded, pointing to the door.

  I stood over her plate. The utensils. The steak knife.

  “Stop looking at my lunch like that.” She cut her rare burger in half to devour it more easily.

  “I’m not.” Housekeeping wouldn’t notice a bloody knife on a room service tray. You wouldn’t think anything suspicious about that.

  I was looking at a possible murder weapon.

  And an easy way to hide evidence.

  “Where’s Charlotte?” Geri asked when she sat down next to me.

  “Lunch in the room. I guess she’s tired.”

  “Tired of you maybe?” Jack asked.

  He was surprised when I answered honestly. “Oh, definitely.”

  “That’s a nice feature here that they’ll deliver a meal to the room,” Geri said.

  “You knew that?” I asked.

  “Rookie,” Jack answered, shaking his head. I took that as a yes.

  The investigation resumed. “Have you had lunch in your room?” I tried to remember ever missing one of them at a meal. I had skipped a meal to sleep but didn’t have the meal delivered to my room.

  “No, I like to be out here,” Geri answered.

  She was right. Dining alfresco was beautiful. When we returned home, eating outside was not an option. Unless you wanted to freeze.

  “Has anyone else had a meal in their room?”

  They shrugged. “Can’t remember.”

  I glanced at the surveillance camera. I wish I still had that memory card. I could review the tape again. Check to see who had missed a meal, see if a lodge staffer had brought one down toward the suites. There was no way I could get that card again. The probability that I could access it and return it, a second time, without being caught was close to nil. Plus, I knew Charlotte wouldn’t help me a second time.

  I could ask one of the employees about in-room dining. But since there was no fee for the delivered meal, there probably wouldn’t be a record.

  And even if I did find out who had room service, where would that get me?