Who Killed the Neanderthal

by Cheryl Zelenka

  “Indeed, it does! And even though Larry’s my brother, I always picked up the bill. I don’t want anyone accusing me of taking bribes.”

  “Do you recall what the argument was about?”

  “Officer Flores, it was the strangest thing. Mr. Moore came into the restaurant and yelled at the top of his lungs, ‘Larry Phibbs is a baby killer.’ Larry was a Catholic and very pro-life. Honestly, it just doesn’t add up. My brother had to escort Mr. Moore out of the restaurant himself.” The mayor rubbed his nose then remarked, “You told me his wife is having their baby tonight. Right? Do they have any other children?”

  “No sir. Pop said Scott is a first time daddy.” Sadie made a mental note to ask her dad a few questions about the miscarriage.

  “This is certainly something we’ll check into, mayor.” Dora scribbled a few more lines on her notepad then looked up. “Sir, you said there were two people we could add to our suspect list. Who’s the other person?”

  “Teddy Golden.”

  Sadie’s heart skipped a beat. “Teddy Golden, the teacher from Fort Follyfield?” Sadie could barely state the question due to her sudden dry mouth.

  “Yes, Ms. Sunshine. Larry told me Mr. Golden threatened to ‘Cut him apart,’ if he ever accepted another part in a Barnstormers’ production.”

  Sadie felt her knees buckle. Teddy and Mandy were very close friends. She was Beaker Polly’s Aunt Sadie. For the most part, Teddy Golden was very mild mannered. However, she did witness one emotional outburst a few years back that was quite shocking. They were at a School Board meeting and Teddy told the members they’d be killing his students if an all-day kindergarten program wasn’t approved. “It’d be like you tossed my entire class in the deep end of a pool without any swimming lessons. They’d all sink. If you don’t help the kids of our community, I’ll make sure you’ll all feel some pain.” With that said, Teddy had stormed out of the boardroom, slamming the door.

  “Sir, I am aware that Mr. Golden and your brother didn’t see eye-to-eye on one of the recent theatre productions. However, this threat seems pretty outrageous. Teddy Golden is a kindergarten teacher after all.” Dora gave Sadie a questioning look. Sadie shrugged.

  The Mayor shrugged his shoulders and left the accusation hanging in the air, then left to go home. The group took a few minutes to assess what they already knew and to come up with a plan of action.

  “Well, so far we have Scott Moore and Teddy Golden on our suspect list,” Mary began. “And, I hate to say this Sadie,” Mary gave her a sympathetic look, “but your dad has to be included too. I’m not saying he had anything to do with this murder, but he was working where the body was discovered and he’s the one who found that bloody knife.”

  Timothy eyed Sadie. “It’s just a formality.”

  “I know. I get it. I just don’t like to upset Pop. He has hypertension and I want to avoid a heart attack or stroke.”

  “Look, I’ll do the interview at his house,” Dora offered. “It will be very informal and friendly. I promise not to upset him, chica.”

  Sadie smiled at her best friend then said, “I think we should add Mayor Phibbs to the suspect list too. We have to be sensitive about his loss, but it would be irresponsible to ignore his disdain for Larry. There have been rumors floating around for several years suggesting Larry inherited most of their parents’ estate. Robert’s the older brother, so maybe the younger son was a favored child.”

  Dora scribbled something on her notepad then addressed the group.

  “Okay, motive is also something we need to consider. It will help to expand our suspect list. Larry was active in Rogue Valley. We’ll have to explore his participation in the school board, Barnstormers, Grower’s Market, and the Caveman Booster Club for businessmen.”

  “We should also interview employees at his restaurant,” Sadie suggested.

  “Time is flying by. Let’s go over to Larry’s house and take a look around.”

  Dora glanced at Timothy and Mary. “I’m sorry to ask this in light of this recent murder, but could you two lay down the liner in my Koi pond tomorrow morning? I’ll have to be at the station early to look over the autopsy report and review the test results on the knife. After lunch, we can spend the rest of the day interviewing suspects and work the case.”

  “Sure thing.” Timothy eyed Sadie. “Your best friend will probably want to help too.”

  Sadie shook her head. “Nope, I’ll be with Dora when she interviews my Pop and Teddy Golden.

  “Understandable,” Mary replied as she elbowed O’Cleary.

  The four agreed to meet at Larry’s house. Sadie didn’t want to leave her car at the police station. As Dora drove off with Mary she yelled out the window, “Larry owns the big blue house on the corner of Washington Boulevard and Fifth.”

  Sadie waved and the police vehicle was soon out of sight. Timothy took advantage of their time alone to ask Sadie a question.

  “Sadie, I didn’t expect to work a murder investigation this weekend. I was hoping to spend some alone time with you. When we’ve solved this murder, would you be up for a drive along the coast?”

  “Timothy, a good seafood dinner and a romantic walk on the beach sounds perfect. I’d love to hang out. The ocean is one of my favorite places to visit. We could check out some tide pools.”

  “Sounds like fun.” The Irish cop grabbed her hand as they walked to her parked car. Sadie handed him her keys. “You drive. I’ll tell you how to find Larry’s place.”

  Timothy opened the passenger door before running around to the driver side. Getting behind the wheel he started the car. Sadie thought, it’s kind of nice having someone else drive for a change.

  Within eight minutes, they pulled up to a very handsome Victorian with rose bushes lining the walkway all the way to the front porch. Dora and Mary were busy searching a potted plant for the house key. By the time Sadie and Timothy had joined them, Dora was placing the found house key in the keyhole. The door opened easily without a single squeak.

  CHAPTER FIVE: A Bloody Mess and some Warm Milk

  Opening the front door, Dora led the group past the foyer and into a beautiful living room. It could have donned the pages of Architectural Digest. Everything was tidy and in its place, until they stepped into the kitchen. Sadie saw the blood splatter on the wall before she noticed the trail of blood leading from the kitchen to a hallway. Larry’s house was, without a doubt, a crime scene—if not the very location of his murder. A broken plate seemed to cry out from the floor, along with an injured chair that had been upturned.

  Dora and Timothy moved directly to the wall, but Sadie noticed smudges on the sliding door. Mary busied herself with taking crime scene photos, so Sadie moved past the blood trail and examined the glass slider.

  These aren’t fingerprints, Sadie said to herself. This slider looks like my sliding door back home. Willow and Bosco are always sticking their noses on it and smearing up the glass. I think a dog left nose prints on this door!

  “Do we know if Larry owned a dog?” Sadie was speaking to the back of Dora’s head, but she got a response.

  “No, we’ll have to ask Mayor Phibbs.”

  Sadie looked around the house for a dog food dish but couldn’t locate one. Dora had handed out gloves before leaving the police station, so Sadie put hers on and opened what she predicted to be the garage door. She located the light switch and turned it on. Again, she came face-to-face with another ghastly scene. A large pool of blood sat in the middle of the garage. I’ve had to face three horrible scenes in one day. I don’t know if I will be able to sleep tonight, Sadie moaned. Then she yelled down the hallway, “I think you guys need to see this.”

  The three detectives were by her side within seconds. Sadie was standing next to the pool of blood. Mary didn’t hesitate to whip out her camera.

  “There is no doubt in my mind that a body bled out in this exact spot. I also suspect there are two killers working as a team. How else could they have loaded Larry in the cooler and t
ransferred it into a car and then move it to the snow cone trailer?”

  “I agree, Sadie. This is an incredible amount of blood. A team makes sense as well.” Dora walked around the gruesome puddle while Timothy scanned the floor for evidence and clues. Sadie followed his example and soon discovered a cigarette butt.

  “I didn’t think Larry smoked, but there’s a chance he was a closet smoker.” Sadie placed the cigarette in an evidence bag. Turning, she observed Timothy on his hands and knees.

  “What did you find?” She stood behind him and saw the medical alert charm.

  “The jump ring is broken.”

  “Jump ring?”

  “The silver ring that attaches the charm to the bracelet.”

  “Oh. Well, I’m impressed. If we ever play Trivia Pursuit, I want to be on your team Detective O’Cleary.”

  Timothy gave her a wink then bagged the charm and its jump ring.

  Dora put her hands behind her back and stretched. “I’m pretty sure this is where Larry was killed. I’ll put in a call to the forensic team and have them collect evidence tonight and take more pictures. We have a lot to do tomorrow, so we should head home. I’ll have to be at the station by 5 tomorrow morning. Sadie, I’ll drive Mary and Timothy home. You okay with driving alone?

  “Of course. I’m a big girl.” She caught Timothy checking out her backside and smiled. “I’ll stop by dad’s house in the morning. What time do you want to interview him? I’ll meet you there.”

  “I know he’s an early riser, so would 7 work?”

  “Sure. I’ll make breakfast for all of us. We’ll have to ask Pop about the Moores before we interview them. He may have an inside scoop that will help.” Dora smiled and Sadie continued. “Lilly is manning our booth at the park until 4 tomorrow afternoon. I have to drop off some Lemon-Thyme cakes so she has samples to hand out. She’ll be there by 8. Let’s plan on making a quick stop there before tracking down Scott Moore.”

  “You have to man the booth from 4 till 10?”

  “Yes, but I might get Pop to cover for me, so long as you don’t arrest him.”

  “I’m sure it won’t come to that, Sadie. Remember, it’s a formality.”

  “Ok. But then there’s the issue of interviewing Teddy. Mandy is going to freak out! How are we going handle that one?”

  “Professionally. Mandy and Teddy are our friends, but we still have to ask him some tough questions. By doing so, we’ll be able to clear him of all guilt. That way gossip won’t ruin his teaching career.”

  “Agreed. I see the wisdom in doing so but I’m not looking forward to telling him he’s a suspect. But then, you’re the detective with the big paycheck. I’ll let you make that phone call. I’m just a consultant.”

  “I will. And I’ll do it as gently as possible.”

  ***

  Sadie drove home wondering if her dad had remembered to feed her dogs. He has a great memory but he was pretty stressed when he left the park tonight.

  When she put her right foot through the door, Bosco greeted her with an angry, “Rur-rhoo-whoo.” He didn’t bark when he was ticked off. Nope, he howled when he was upset. His complaining was always very loud. It continued until she offered a peace offering. Producing one of his best stink eyes, the white Maltipoo took the cookie and trit-trotted into the living room. Willow, ever mellow, came up for love pets after her treat and gave Sadie a kiss.

  Walking into the living room, with Willow beside her, Sadie found Bosco on the pale yellow sofa licking his chops.

  “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my plan to be out so late. You wouldn’t believe the night I had.” Sadie sat on the sofa next to Bosco while Willow curled up on the floor next to her feet. She told her fur-kids about Larry and the horrible scene in his Victorian home.

  “Aww, mama needs some warm milk, Bosco. She’ll never sleep with those horrible thoughts in her head.”

  Bosco considered his temper tantrum a success and didn’t see any reason to remain aloof. Sadie was watching Fox News, so he sat up and placed his two feet on her shoulder in an attempt to make up. She swooped him into her arms and gave him a kiss, snuggling until he was quite embarrassed.

  Willow grinned at her brother. It was such fun to see him squirm. She then sat up and whined. Sadie followed her lab into the kitchen and watched as she scratched at the fridge.

  “I agree, girl. Great idea! I think tonight calls for some warm milk.”

  CHAPTER SIX: Breakfast Interview

  When Sadie pulled up to her dad’s single story craftsman home the next morning, she found him outside in his bathrobe. He was in the driveway picking up his newspaper. It was 6:30.

  “Hey there, butterfly! What are you doing here so early?”

  “Cookin’ you breakfast! How does Orange-Thyme waffles sound, with fresh fruit and mascarpone topping?”

  “Yummy, but I want maple syrup on it too…and lots of butter.”

  Sadie pulled the groceries from the car and followed her dad into the home she knew so well. She lived just a few blocks away in a neighborhood of newer homes, but always admired the older homes in her parents’ more established neighborhood.

  A few years before she passed, her mom surprised Pop with a leather sofa. He had put up with their frilly Ethan Allen settee for nearly twenty years, so when it was time to redecorate she went for a more casual look. There was a wool rug of deep greens and burgundy reds on the oak floor. It was the perfect complement to the sage walls and leather sofa.

  “Dora’s gonna join us around 7. She wants to ask you a few questions.”

  “Ok. I don’t mind a few pokes and prods, so long as you serve up some bacon with those waffles.” Sadie pulled the thick cut bacon from the grocery bag and said, “I know you so well.”

  Jerry Sunshine patted his daughter on the back then went to his bedroom to change before Dora arrived.

  By 7:05, Sadie had mixed the yeast batter of the orange-thyme waffles and was waiting on the maple-baked bacon to finish. Dora knocked on the door around 7:15. The last waffle was in the waffle iron, so Sadie pulled the crispy pork deliciousness out of the oven and plated the food while her dad greeted her best friend.

  After giving Mr. Sunshine a big hug, Dora yelled in the direction of the kitchen,

  “I smell BACON! Que huele bien.”

  “Si,” agreed Mr. Sunshine, “it smells really good!”

  Together they walked into the kitchen just as Sadie placed the last glass of fresh squeezed orange juice on the table. “Perfect timing, Amiga. Siéntate.” Dora obliged her friend and sat in the chair opposite Mr. Sunshine.

  The three ate in silence for over a minute, savoring the flavors enhanced by the fresh mascarpone cream and fruit.

  “I’d love more bacon,” Jerry wiped his mouth on his napkin and gave his daughter a wistful look.

  “Pop, I gave you three slices! I’ll let you have two more pieces but your cardiologist will not be happy with me…or with you!”

  While Sadie left the table to retrieve the bacon, Dora began her interview.

  “Mr. Sunshine, did you notice that gigantic cooler when you arrived last night to sell snow cones?”

  “Yes, I did. I made note of it since I’ve never seen one so large. Scott told me he was borrowing one from Burt Welton. They were business partners a few years back.”

  “That’s right. I know who he is. I forgot about the Pike Lake development. Scott’s a contractor and builder, right?”

  “He was. Unfortunately, the experience left him discouraged and he’s not sure he wants to jump back into residential development. That’s why he bought the snow cone trailer. He needed a change of pace. He wants to travel with it and see some sights before getting serious about his career options.”

  Sadie returned to the table and placed two slices of thick bacon on her dad’s plate. He didn’t hesitate to pop half of one in his mouth. Munching away, he continued.

  “Scott told me that Burt’s always looking for a new business venture or investment opportuni
ty. Those hydroplanes he races are expensive to maintain, so he needs a good deal of money to support his career. He’s won some elite races with large purses, but nothing substantial in the past few years. Unfortunately, their real estate venture hit all kinds of snags and Scott had to file for bankruptcy. Both men lost a bundle of loot. Anyway, I assumed Burt dropped it off for Scott before I arrived.”

  Dora made a note to call Burt Welton.

  Sadie nibbled on her own slice of bacon and took a few more bites of the delicious waffle before asking her dad a few questions. She wanted more details about the Moore’s miscarriage and Mayor Phibbs’ comment about Scott being a baby killer.

  “Pop, last night Mayor Phibbs told us Scott made a scene at Bite Me! Do you know anything about it?”

  “Maybe a little. I know that Laurie used to work at Bite Me! She was the sous chef. She was impressed with Chef La Compost and was thrilled to be working with such a talent.”

  “So why isn’t she working there anymore? Did she quit?”

  “Yes. She was four months pregnant at the time and I figured she wanted to take time off due to her pregnancy.”

  “Pop, did she ever mention Larry? Did she get along with him?”

  Jerry Sunshine paused; finishing his last bite of bacon, he licked his fingers then looked across the table at Dora. “Detective, I don’t know what you’ll make of this, but Scott mentioned that Laurie was having an issue with him. Said he was always putting her down, even yelling at her in front of Chef La Compost. He was continually on her back and she was coming home stressed and exhausted. Then she lost the baby. She became very depressed after that and quit her job.”

  Dora looked at Sadie and together they made a mental note to question both Scott and Laurie Moore about Larry Phibbs and his behavior toward all his employees.

  “I wonder if Chef La Compost can verify Larry was harassing Laurie.” Sadie looked over at her dad and he pulled a face.