by Emily Selby
As she walked into the welcoming warmth of the main room, Katie spotted Sunita by the corner table, serving a pair of elderly customers. Katie crossed to the counter and waited for her to finish.
'Hi Katie, sorry you've had to wait. What can I get you?' Sunita asked, putting the tray away.
Katie reached into her handbag and pulled out the keys. 'Miriam asked me to pass them on to you last night.'
A grimace crossed Sunita's dark face. 'I know. She called me last night. What a thing to happen! And at such a bad time.' Sunita shook her head multiple times. 'On top of all that's been going on here.' She sighed. 'Anyway, how is she doing? How is Julian?'
'I'm sorry, I've no idea,' Katie replied, the events of the night before replaying in in her mind. She pushed back the tears that had started gathering in her eyes. 'I haven't had any news since last night.'
Sunita nodded. 'At least he's getting help now. It's been hard for Miriam. This and that brother-in-law...'
'The victim, you mean?' Katie asked carefully.
'Yes. They really didn't need that...'
Katie waited, watching Sunita patiently. What did she mean by her last comment?
'Poor man,' Katie said eventually.
'He was seriously ill, I've heard,' Sunita said. 'He didn't have much more life left to live.'
'He didn't look very old,' Katie said clutching at a straw.
'No, I think he was in his mid-forties or something. But he had terminal cancer. At least that's what Miriam told me.' Sunita shrugged. 'I wish I'd supported her better through those last few days. With two sick men in the house and their... But we've been quite busy with the kitchen extension. We've decided to provide a wider range of foods and needed to have another oven fitted.'
'So that's what the skip bin is for?' Katie said, remembering the big red bin on the side of the building.
'That's right. We've also employed a new chef, but there have been some problems with him.' Sunita rubbed her forehead. 'Frankly, the whole thing’s been incredibly stressful. On one hand, I'm glad Miriam has taken time off to deal with this... incident. But on the other, I'm struggling here by myself. I'd love to have some time off after all the hassle with the tradesmen and the sick chef.'
Katie nodded empathetically. 'Why are you by yourself? I thought you've employed a new waitress? Where is she?'
'She has the morning off. She'll be here this afternoon.'
'Are you and the waitress sharing the load?'
Sunita looked away. The sunlight emphasised the deep lines on her face and the shadows under her eyes.
It must have been stressful indeed.
'A little. To be honest, I cracked. Yesterday I had such a massive migraine, I left at midday. It's been hard managing this business on my own. With Miriam being away so often, I'm doing all the baking and cooking.'
'A lot of work for one person.'
'We've been cheating a little and subcontracting some of the lunch foods, but it's still a lot of work.'
'Did you have to close the place last night?'
'No, I left Angie in charge. With the chef off sick, we've not been serving dinner anyway.'
'Angie, the new waitress? Is she any good?
'Yes, she is. But she will have to work more hours. That, or I'd need to find someone else to manage the front of the house. Even temporarily. I can't see myself continuing the way I have been since before Christmas. And it looks as though Miriam will be off for a while. I think she needs to let go of a few things.'
'She is. Or has. Or is going to. With the Crafts Club.'
'That's a good start,' Sunita said. 'Are you stepping up, Katie?'
'It's not been decided yet. But Ally and I are the main candidates.'
'And two excellent ones, if I may say so. Ally is a solid girl with some time on her hands. But I can't see you being any more involved with the club. You're practically living at the station these days. Have they promoted you to detective yet?'
Katie laughed. 'That would be great. I could stop worrying about money. But no, it won’t happen. And you’re right, it's been quite busy since before Christmas.'
'Between the last murder and now this. But you'll be busy snooping, again, I guess.' Something glinted in Sunita's eyes. She crossed her arms.
Katie made a step backwards as if pushed away.
'Are you snooping now?' Sunita asked sharply.
'I'm just trying to help.'
'That's kind of you, Katie. Is there anything else I can do for you?'
'No, but if you... you know ... if you were looking for someone to help manage the counter, let me know. If you, of course, think I am capable of doing a good job. I'm always happy to help. And I could do with earning a little extra.'
Sunita's expression shifted from stern and suspicious to cautious but caring. 'I do think you're capable of doing a good job. You learn quickly and you're trustworthy, Katie. No doubt about it. But we can't afford to hire another staff member at this moment. The move towards serving dinner has been hard on the financial side. The investment hasn’t paid off yet,' she added bitterly. 'We're now stuck with a chef off sick and still no food service. So, unless you can cook for us-'
'Sorry, I'm not at that level,' Katie replied and added an apologetic smile. Smiles always helped. 'But with everything else, I'd be happy to help for free.'
'No, Katie, you need money for yourself and Julia, but if you're serious about getting an extra job, I've heard that the new hotel, The Sunny Corner, is looking for someone to cover shifts over the next couple of months. They're busy, too.'
'Thanks for the tip, Sunita. I'll give them a ring.'
The door opened, and a couple of customers entered, heading for one of the tables. Sunita straightened her pink apron and grabbed the notebook from the counter. 'Sorry Katie, I've got to go. I've got customers to serve. Thank you for dropping the keys off. I'll give Miriam a call later to check how she's doing.'
On that signal, Katie zipped up her handbag and headed for the door. That hadn’t been a very effective intelligence gathering session. She needed to find another source.
6
Katie drove back to work thinking about what Sunita had told her.
Actually, not much, which, in itself was interesting. Why was the co-owner of the most gossipy café in town being so tight-lipped regarding her business partner's family? Okay, so the victim was sick, with advanced cancer. Apparently, his presence had caused Miriam more problems.
"With two sick men in the house and their..." What did Sunita mean by that? Just the usual extra hassle and care to be taken when you had a guest with a serious, chronic illness?
Hm... Katie chewed on her lip. Not enough information to go by. Did Sunita have no more to share, or was she was trying to hide something?
The worst aspect of her failed attempt to collect "local intelligence" was the fact that if Sunita really didn't know much more than she'd revealed, there was probably no one else in Sunnyvale who could fill in the gaps for Katie. Sunita and Miriam were not only business partners, but also best friends.
And maybe that was why Sunita wouldn't reveal any more?
Katie drove into the staff car park and almost bounced in her seat. Jack's silver Vauxhall was parked by Chris' car!
Katie jumped out of her Micra and crossed the car park to the rear entrance, her heart fluttering in anticipation of seeing Jack again. Gee, she should have gotten used to seeing him by now.
He was waiting at the door to her office.
'I've got the autopsy result,' he said waving a piece of paper.
'How did Benjamin die?' Katie asked, catching her breath after running across the car park, and the other, emotional reason. She stretched her hand to touch his arm. A smile flickered on his lips.
A screech of a chair pushed back reminded her they were not alone. Katie jerked her hand back. Jack flinched, and the smile disappeared.
'You won't believe it, lass,' Chris said, standing and striding across the room. 'Go on, boss, read it
to her,' Chris said, standing next to Jack.
Katie looked blankly at Jack, fighting back the blush that was creeping onto her face.
'It looks as though his heart stopped. He had a heart attack of sorts,' Jack said.
Katie nodded. 'And the stabbing?'
'The wound was inflicted after he died.'
'Just as you suspected?' Katie asked.
'Yes. To make things more complicated, the heart attack was not of natural causes. It appears his medication killed him,' Jack explained.
'A suicide?' Katie blinked.
'Possibly,' Jack said, looking at Chris.
'We've searched his room at the Fishers' house,' Chris said slowly. 'He had brought a lot of medication, but one of the drugs found in his system was not prescribed to him.'
'What do you mean?' Katie asked a little louder. What was Chris trying to imply? 'Did he take somebody else's drugs?'
'We don’t know,' Chris answered. 'I've checked with his doctor and this medicine, although prescribed at some point, had not been prescribed to him recently. The doctor was very concerned, because that particular drug had serious interactions with Mr Fischer’s other medication.'
'Why would he take the wrong medicine?'
'Good question,' Jack said and read from the sheet of paper. 'According to the autopsy and the information we have from his family doctor, Benjamin Fischer was a very ill man. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with a lung cancer, treated quite effectively, but ended up with heart problems as a side effect. That's why he was on a heart medication called digoxin. Earlier this year, the doctors discovered his cancer had returned. Unfortunately, this time, the treatment did not help, and it was clear that he didn't have much life left.'
Ah, this was what Sunita was referring to!
'What was the stuff that killed him?' Katie asked.
'Not so much killed him,' Jack replied, raising his finger as if bringing her attention to what he was going to say, 'but caused his death.'
Katie glanced at Chris and then back at Jack again.
'Hang on, isn't that the same thing?' she asked, confusion drifting in her head like fog on an autumn morning.
'Not necessarily,' Jack explained patiently. 'The thing that killed him was the deadly combination of drugs he had taken. The one, which had not been prescribed to him for a few years,' Jack paused to glance at the report. 'Propranolol, a beta blocker, another heart and blood pressure medication, interacted with digoxin in quite a complex way. As a result, his heart slowed down to a dangerous level, with additional, irregular rhythm, which effectively led to his death.'
'Would Benjamin Fischer know that these two drugs could cause serious problems to his heart?' Katie asked.
'Another good question,' Jack gave her a light nod, which she’d learnt to interpret as praise. She smiled in return.
'And the answer is yes. The doctor and Benjamin discussed the potential risks of using digoxin with his new meds.'
'How long ago was that?'
'About four years ago,' Chris jumped in.
'He could still have some supply left, I guess?' Katie said.
'That’s possible,' Jack replied.
'Or,' Chris said cautiously, glancing at Jack. 'He could have taken it from his brother's medicine cupboard.'
A bolt of energy shot through Katie's spine. She straightened her back, shifting her gaze between the two men. During the last investigation, Chris and Katie believed the victim was murdered from the beginning, while Jack insisted on accidental death. Was Chris following a different trail than Jack, this time round as well?
'No, I'm not trying to dampen Chris' enthusiasm to chase real criminals again,' Jack said, as if reading Katie's mind. 'I simply need more information to understand the situation. And before you ask, I've not excluded murder.'
'So, we might be talking murder?' Katie said, feeling giddy. Murder meant another interesting investigation, but it might also mean some emotional pain, if she discovered people's secrets — people she knew and liked.
'It might have been, but at the moment, we don't have any evidence to support it,' Jack added.
'He didn’t leave a note?' Katie asked.
'No. Given the state of his health, this wouldn't be a surprise, but Chris has a different hypothesis,' Jack said, glancing at Chris.
Chris shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. 'According to his GP, Mr Fischer didn't like to make decisions without fully considering all possible options. He was also apparently obsessed with planning in case of his death.'
'Not a suicidal type then,' Katie said, more to herself, trying to keep track of all the new information. 'Unless, something happened to make him change his mind.'
'That's right,' Jack agreed.
Katie twirled the loose strand of hair before tucking it behind her ear.
'Did Julian or Miriam say anything about Benjamin's state of mind yesterday? How did he end up near the community centre?'
Jack sighed. 'Julian is saying very little. He's confused. And given his mental state, even if he said anything, I don't think we could use it in court. He's not fit to be interviewed.'
Katie blinked. 'I don't understand,' she admitted.
'In simple terms, although he’s a key witness if not the actual killer, we can’t interview Julian,' Jack explained. 'Even when he feels better, given the state of his memory it may be difficult to use his statement in court. It would be invalid.'
Katie drew her brows together. This was a new thing to her, and what a drawback for the case!
'That's a bummer! You have a key witness and you can't use him.'
'That's right. It happens.' Jack shrugged. 'We just need to find other evidence.
'What about Miriam? What’s she saying?'
'She's quite distressed. She keeps talking about the surprise of Benjamin arriving last week. Apparently, he rang them Monday, last week, to tell them he was coming on Friday. He had some important matters to discuss with Julian. Miriam tried to explain it wasn't a good idea, but Benjamin wouldn't listen. According to her, Benjamin was a stubborn man, set in his ways. If he had a plan in mind, he would do anything to press forward with it, bending and stretching the rules along the way if necessary.'
'It doesn't sound as though she was very happy to have him around.' Katie said, thinking back to her conversation with Sunita.
'Strangely enough, Mrs Fischer keeps emphasising that she and Julian were more than happy to have Benjamin staying with them. She does admit to being worried how Julian would cope with the visit and whatever Benjamin had to discuss, given his ill health.'
'I see,' Katie said, twirling the strand of hair again. 'Miriam has been worrying about Julian for months. From what I can understand, his condition has been getting out of hand and she’s exhausted.'
'That's my understanding, too. But beyond that, I'm struggling to follow her way of thinking. She seems to be relieved that her husband is now in the hospital undergoing mental health assessment, despite the circumstances.'
'I bet she is,' Katie said, recalling a conversation with Sunita from just before Christmas. She gave Jack a brief overview of Julian's declining memory, his wanderings, his impulsive outbursts and his refusal to seek help.
'That's what she told me. So, this incident has been a blessing in disguise for her, if not for Benjamin.'
'Do you think she might have ... I really can't even think...'
'You have a suspicious mind, Katie. I wouldn't expect it from you.' Jack said, arching his eyebrow.
'I'm learning from the best.' She smiled at him and he smiled back.
Katie buckled her knees, but this was not the time for wobbly body parts or butterflies hatching in stomachs.
'Have you found out how Benjamin managed to reach the Community Centre?' she asked, discreetly, shoving her right elbow into her side. It helped keep her focused.
'Miriam says he was supposed to be at home. Given his illness, he wasn’t allowed to drive. To reach the Community Centre he’d have needed h
elp.'
'And it wasn't Miriam or Julian, I presume?'
'No,' Chris cut in. 'I've checked all the local taxi companies. He was picked up by a driver about 6.10 pm and dropped off by Une Tasse de Bonheur at 6.15 pm.'
Katie pricked her ears.
'I thought they close as six o’clock,' she said, feeling a light tugging in her stomach.
Doubt?
'That's what the owner told me. She insisted they didn't have any customers last night. They closed at six.'
'You spoke to Sunita?'
'Chris did,' Jack replied.
An impulse to check what Angie, the waitress, had to say about last night popped in Katie's mind.
'Did you check with the waitress? She was the one left in charge last night.'
Jack's eyebrows shot up. 'I wasn't privy to this information,' he said stiffly.
Chris cleared his throat. 'I'll check it with her, sir,' he replied eagerly.
'And I'll use my channels to check it, too,' Katie said, relieved she’d found a trail to follow. 'So, what's next? What else can I do to help?'
'We're investigating how Benjamin ended up by the community centre. It's a long walk from the cafe. One thing is sure, he didn't get a taxi. Someone must have given him a lift. I don't suppose he would take a bus.'
'I doubt it,' Katie said. 'What else is Miriam saying about Benjamin?'
'Not much,' Jack said. 'When he recovered from his first bout of cancer, the victim threw himself back into work and was desperate to "catch up". The brothers haven't had much contact until last week.'
'For how long?'
'Mrs Fischer was quite vague about it, but I understand it's been around three years. They had some sporadic phone calls in the first year of Benjamin's illness, but it petered out later. So, for the past two or three years, they’ve done little more than send each other Christmas cards.'
'Not a very close family for sure,' Katie muttered.
'Your friend told me the brothers didn't have much in common,' Jack added. 'Benjamin was obsessed with financial and other security and couldn't tolerate being idle.'