by Ruby Loren
Still… part of me believed it could work with a few adjustments for the animals’ sake, and if Auryn really meant what he said about expanding the zoo…
“Bernard needs an enclosure,” Auryn wheedled, trying to sway me.
Bernard was a turkey who had been rescued - presumably from ending up on someone’s Christmas dinner plate - and abandoned outside Avery Zoo. He’d recently spent some quality time with the emus, but it had always been our intention that a special enclosure would be built to house him and similar fowl. Currently, the turkey was still roaming loose around the zoo. Bernard’s freedom was supposed to have been a temporary arrangement for the few days the zoo had shut over Christmas, but no one had volunteered to return him to the emus. As far as I knew, he was still strutting around, fighting with the peacocks and joining them in their favourite sport of chasing the visitors. It was things like that which made me wary of the words ‘petting zoo’. Animals and humans were not always meant to mix.
“There could be a peacock enclosure, too,” Auryn added.
“Okay, I’m sold,” I confessed.
“I thought you might be.”
The roaming peacocks had been another mistake. Auryn had been persuaded to buy them from Lawrence O’Reilly, the now deceased head of the board of directors, and had only recently discovered that the peacocks had been specially trained to attack strangers. No wonder the zoo was having problems with them!
“If I talk about the feasibility of all this with the accountant and Claudia, would you be interested in designing the new petting zoo?” Auryn tilted his head. “If you’re not too busy helping out our competition?”
“Avery always comes first,” I told him firmly. “This place is my home.” Auryn opened his mouth to say something, but I got there first. “In answer to your unspoken question, no - I am not going to deliberately sabotage their zoo.”
“What about accidental sabotage?”
I thought about that for a second. “I.. uh…”
“No need to say anymore,” Auryn said, dropping me a wink before sliding off the bench.
I thought I could hear the faint strains of the James Bond theme tune, hummed under his breath, as he walked away.
2
The Pop-up Zoo
It was with a feeling of trepidation that I turned down the track that led to the Abraham family’s farm and the site of the brand new Mellon Zoo. The track itself had clearly seen some recent attempts to improve it. Large rubber meshes had been thrown across the boggiest areas, presumably to allow site traffic to pass. It was probably sensible to leave the updating of the entrance to the new zoo until last to save it from being ruined by the heavy machinery that was no doubt due to be trundling along the track.
It was the second day of the New Year and I was meeting with Amanda Helicon, the woman who had emailed me. After responding to her email, it had become clear that she was directing the building and running of the new zoo. To say I was intrigued to meet her was an understatement.
I parked up by the edge of where the metal mesh began, screening what largely looked to me like a building site. When I got out of the car, I took a moment to look around at the place I’d only heard stories about. The January day was crisp, but the weather was bright, although windy. In front of me was a hill that I suspected screened my view of whatever work had already been done to transform the once-farm into a zoo. On the crest of the hill was a small, rundown looking building. The roof tiling was wavy and I suspected that the ivy which had crept up the exterior of the building meant there were some major damp problems on the inside. Was this the place the Abraham family had disappeared from? Something inside my head whispered that it hadn’t been a house, it had been a barn, but I didn’t get a chance to think much on that before a strong voice called out a greeting.
I turned my face into the wind and saw a woman step out of a small, grey mobile building - probably set up for the builders. She had a pageboy cut of brown hair that exhibited a few fashionable streaks of grey through it. Her clothes were expensive, probably tailored, but at the same time, they looked like they were more for work and less for meetings. A strong set mouth and eyes that sparkled with intelligence further helped form my initial opinion that this woman was a force to be reckoned with.
She would need to be if she was going to make this zoo a success.
“I assume you’re Madigan?” she began and I immediately corrected that to ‘Madi’. “I’m afraid I’m still Amanda,” she told me with a thin smile.
I nodded, having figured that much. Some people suited their names but I doubted I’d ever grow into mine.
“Let me show you around. I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions.” Amanda gave me a knowing look. She easily unhitched the metal mesh from the concrete block it was set in and held it open for me. I walked through and found I was itching to know what was on the other side of that hill.
“I’ll begin by telling you how this project came about. It’s bound to answer some of those questions. I suppose it’s best to get the elephant in the room out of the way first. The work being done here on the zoo does have a connection with the disappearance of the Abraham family.”
I looked at her in surprise. “It does?”
She nodded. “I’m sure, being local, you must know the story - probably better than I do.”
“It’s been a long time. I wasn’t actually here when it happened,” I said, perhaps a little testily. These days, anything related to age seemed to bother me a lot more than it once had.
Amanda inclined her head, gracefully acknowledging my words without needing to reply. “It may surprise you to know that Mellon Zoo is, to some extent, the product of a crowdfunding campaign. We have some larger investors, but it was decided that it would be favourable and even interesting to allow people who might not otherwise have the chance to be involved in a business like a zoo to be able to contribute both their ideas and their support.”
“It’ll make them more likely to come for a visit when it’s finished, too,” I observed.
Amanda smiled properly for the first time. “You know your marketing. It did cross our minds. In terms of the more interesting side of things… we thought that by bringing together a diverse pool of people we might come up with a business concept that was far more unusual than any high level business advisor could. And we did,” she finished.
I tilted my head as we continued our climb up, hoping she’d take that as a cue to continue. I was pretty in-shape from my job, but Amanda had longer legs than I did and was climbing the side of the hill at quite a pace.
“It was one of our investors who discovered that this place was going to come onto the market. Once the idea was up in the forum, people researched the land and we first heard the story of the ill-fated Abraham family and their zoo.” Amanda rubbed a button on her coat for a moment. “It intrigued us. Both the history and also the idea that there was a near-finished zoo about to come on the market - just waiting for a lick of paint and a few animals before opening.”
I shot her a sharp look.
She smiled to let me know she was joking. “A little more than that, of course.”
We crested the top of the hill and I looked down at… not what I expected.
Amanda noticed my confusion. “Yes, it surprised me, too. It’s rather beautiful, isn’t it?”
I looked some more before giving her an answer.
I’d been expecting something similar to Avery Zoo. I’d thought there’d be a clear path and perhaps some half-finished enclosures waiting for animals that had never arrived. I’d expected a zoo, but what was in front of me was more like…
“It’s like art,” I said, finally finding a way to describe the zoo in words. Every element of the zoo had been carefully designed. It looked like an exceedingly modern landscaped garden with elements of design blending with the empty shells of half-built enclosures. The years had caused the place to become overgrown, but the design shone through, and I was startled by its green and nat
ural appearance.
“We managed to get our hands on the plans submitted for planning permission. The building of the zoo was granted largely because the Abrahams, even all those years ago, were thinking about the environment. This was supposed to be the most eco-friendly zoo the country had ever seen. When we finish it… I think it will be.”
“So, that’s it’s selling point,” I breathed before remembering who I was talking to.
“One of them,” Amanda said, sparking my curiosity even further. “Another theoretical selling point is a little less savoury, in my humble opinion.” She raised a hand and pointed towards an oak framed barn to the right of the zoo on the edge of all of the beautiful design. “That’s where they lived and where they disappeared from.”
I looked at the barn, unable to hide my fascination. I noticed Amanda had something resembling a smile on her face again.
“It is interesting, isn’t it? Our backers thought so, too. It’s a big part of what attracted us to the location. Everyone loves an unsolved mystery. However, as I’ve already said, I do think this part of the plan is a little insensitive. The backers want the old house to be preserved exactly as it was when it happened and for ghost tours to be run there.” She raised an eyebrow.
I couldn’t help but pull a pained face. I knew full well that the public would love it, but it felt disrespectful to the memory of a family who might feasibly even come back one day.
“It’s just one of the conditions that was voted in, but I’m sure it won’t actually happen. We do a lot of things democratically. Even the zoo’s name was suggested by a member of our crowdfunding investment team. Mellon… I believe it’s Elvish for ‘friend’,” Amanda said, her voice unreadable.
“It’s a nice name,” I offered, privately thinking I had a pretty good idea of the kind of backers the zoo had, sitting behind their computers and making these decisions. Horror tours and Elvish names? I knew the demographic and couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same demographic that a zoo would usually be targeting. Again, I was no business expert, but I didn’t think so.
“What are you going to do with the house?” I said, looking across the hill at the ivy covered building.
“I’m not sure. That was the place where Molly Abraham’s mother lived. She was the one who reported the family missing. But, it’s not really a big part of the story. I suppose it will be knocked down.”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, isn’t it a listed building?”
“Oh. I suppose we can’t knock it down,” Amanda said in such a way that made me suspect it might end up being knocked down anyway… ‘accidentally’.
We walked through the half-finished zoo and Amanda filled me in on the initial animal placement plans. It was immediately obvious to me that for all of their eco-friendly ideas, the Abrahams had not given the animals they were proposing to have at the zoo enough space. The zoo had been intended to house animals that were mostly far larger than those at Avery Zoo. The enclosures needed to reflect that. I explained all of this to Amanda and was pleased when she made notes and asked if she could send some plans over so I could modify them to the preferred sizes.
It was interesting to discover the kind of animals that were being brought in. According to Amanda, they pretty well reflected what the Abrahams had wanted - just as Auryn had expected -and I found it curious that there was very little crossover with the types of animal Avery Zoo had. When the place was originally designed, there may have been no crossover at all, but nine years in the making was a long time.
Perhaps the Abrahams hadn’t been out to compete with Avery after all, and maybe Mellon Zoo would be the same.
“So, do you think you’re interested in working with us here?” Amanda asked when we’d completed our tour.
I blinked. “Of course. This sounds like a really fascinating project. I would love to help you to create the best possible environment for the animals you’ll be helping to conserve.”
“Even though this zoo is just a couple of miles away from where you work?”
I opened my mouth and then shut it again.
Amanda got there before me. “It’s my job to do research. I know about Avery Zoo and I know the potential problems that might arise from having two zoos in such close proximity.”
“Auryn Avery is hoping that my helping you will ensure the start of cooperation between our zoos. We may be competitors, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help each other out,” I finished and then realised I’d said ‘we’. Well, if there had been any doubt over my allegiance it was out in the open now.
“That sounds fair and a wise decision to make. I’ve already visited Avery, of course. Hopefully, now you’ve been here you can see how different a project this zoo is. I don’t even think it should be called a zoo. It’s more of a… well… I don’t know,” Amanda concluded, but I knew what she meant. “Perhaps our zoos won’t be the rivals they appear to be at first glance.”
“I hope not,” I said, honestly. “But, either way, the animals always come first. I’m a consultant in order to help as many animals as possible - not just one zoo.”
“Then it sounds like we can work together,” Amanda concluded.
“I’ll send the plans back to you in the next couple of days, if that’s okay?”
“Could it be tomorrow?” Amanda said, surprising me.
“That’s fine,” I allowed, mentally shifting a few things around. Something about the urgency in her voice made me ask: “When do you think the zoo will be open to the public?”
“We’re hoping to have the grand opening sometime in March. It’s frustrating, actually. We’re expecting the build to be finished by mid-February. All we need are the plans to be finalised. We could have opened sooner, but the larger investors want the zoo to be marketed using the traditional channels, which takes time.” She shook her head. “This zoo is such an interesting modern project, but there are still dinosaurs stuck in their old ways. As far as I’m concerned, you may as well dig a pit and throw money into it if you use things like newspapers and billboards.” She threw her hands up in the air, making it clear that she’d said enough on the topic already. “It is what it is. The zoo has to be finished long enough for publicity shots to be taken and printed. It won’t be the first business I’ve opened knowing it will run at a loss for a while, but as for its future…” She trailed off, probably realising who she was talking to. “That’s the nature of the zoo industry though. From my research, I’ve found that zoos are mostly considered successful if they can pay their staff, look after the animals, and break even.” She shot me a sideways look, but I didn’t bite. I may be happy to work on the zoo with her but I was not going to go so far as to share any confidential information about Avery. It was a cold reminder that the zoos were indeed rivals, and that was unlikely to change.
“How are you going to have the zoo ready for animals so quickly?” I asked, baffled by the short timescale. We were already at the beginning of January. What was laid out before us was little more than a shell and she was expecting to have the animals in by February. Surely the place would still be a building site by then?
“It’s new technology. This is oversimplifying it, but it’s a flatpack zoo. Once the designs are finalised, we send them off. The whole thing is built elsewhere and then driven here on lorries. The structure comes together incredibly quickly, and even better, it’s far more eco-friendly than traditional building materials.”
I inwardly raised an eyebrow. Eco-friendly was one thing, but animal proof was quite another. I was yet to be convinced that this ‘flat pack’ zoo would stand up to the wear and tear of the animals who lived within its confines. I also needed a lot of convincing that whatever pop-up zoo they had planned would be the best habitat for the animals.
The doubt must have shown on my face.
“The plans are in your hands,” Amanda reminded me.
“I’d better get started on them right away,” I said, remembering the tight deadline I’d been given. For now, I d
ecided to suspend judgement. Mellon Zoo had originally been designed to change the way people thought about animal care and the environment. I was willing to have my mind changed, too.
3
The Elephant in the Room
The next time I visited Mellon Zoo was in early February. The first thing I noticed when I approached the turnoff was the large wooden sign which read ‘Mellon Ecological Zoo’. Beneath it was a hastily slapped on poster (that didn’t look very recyclable) which read ‘Coming Soon!’. I had a feeling today was going to be a long day of inwardly raised eyebrows.
The track had been upgraded from the rubber mesh. Instead, there was smooth new tarmac. Whether it was eco-friendly or not, I couldn’t say, but it definitely surprised me a bit. When I’d first seen the rubber mesh, I’d assumed a decision had been made to only finish the entrance to the zoo after all of the heavy plant vehicles had been in and out. Perhaps the mud had got too much, in spite of the mats, and something more had been needed.
I pulled into what now looked far more like a carpark and far less like a building site. The metal grills were gone, as was the mobile building where I’d first seen Amanda. In fact, the hill itself was looking pretty bare. The only visible change was the old farm cottage. The ivy was gone and I noticed that there was smoke coming from the chimney. Was someone living there?
I started the climb up the hill, keeping my gaze on the cottage with its thin stream of smoke. The dark brown front door swung open and a familiar figure stepped out.
“Hang on a moment, Madi! I’m coming over,” Amanda called.
I waited just beneath the brow of the hill as she walked along the new grey-gravelled path.
“You were right about the building being listed, but it wasn’t actually in a terrible state. Seeing as the barn conversion is being used, the decision was made for the house to be the staffroom. It’s a bit unorthodox, but people seem to like it. It’s okay now the builders are gone, anyway,” she said with a slight raise of her eyebrows.