Who Killed the Neanderthal

by Cheryl Zelenka

  “Maybe we should hold another contest before you head back to Portland. We could make it a HOG WILD contest.”

  Dora grinned. “May the best Piggy win!”

  Sadie grinned right back. “Of course you and Mary will be joining us.”

  Dora glanced at Mary with a questioning look.

  “I’m in. I love this Wild River pizza pie! In fact, I could stand to gain a few pounds. I’ve lost weight working on your Koi pond, Dora. My husband is always complaining that I’m too thin. He’s tries to fatten me up with cookies and cake.” Mary made a move to tighten her belt.

  “Fine. I’m in too.” Dora grabbed a slice of the pineapple Canadian bacon pizza and shoved it in her mouth.

  Sadie smiled at all her friends and reached for her own slice.

  Timothy updated Dora on her landscape project before she had a chance to discuss the interviews with Sadie’s dad and the Moores. Apparently, the liner and pump were in and ready for water. Dora again thanked Mary and Timothy for their assistance.

  Sadie jumped in and told the Portland detectives that her Pop was officially off the suspect list. “And, the interview with Scott and Laurie Moore turned out to be exceedingly interesting.” She relayed the details of that interview while Dora devoured two more pizza slices. Sadie practiced portion control and settled for just one slice. Unlike Mary, she’d been loosening her belt buckle as of late, not tightening it.

  Oh brother! I wonder how many calories are in a Hog Wild. Maybe this eating contest should involve a small pizza, not an extra-large. I could say we’re having a speed-eating contest, not a consumption of large quantities competition. Sadie recalled how Timothy checked out her derriere the other day and questioned her wisdom in suggesting another eating challenge.

  Dora got up from her desk to throw the empty pizza box in the recycle bin. “Teddy Golden will be here at 1.”

  Sadie didn’t want to face the Goldens. However, she knew it was best to get the interview out of the way so they could focus on more likely murder suspects. Dora was, if nothing else, thorough. By interviewing Teddy she could check him off the suspect list and tell the Mayor she hasn’t left a single stone unturned.

  A few minutes before 1 p.m., Mandy walked through the station doors with a baby stroller in front and Teddy close behind. She managed to throw Sadie a smile but the temperature of the room dropped twenty degrees when the Goldens walked in. Beaker-Polly was asleep and Sadie was sorry she wouldn’t get a chance to pick her up.

  Sadie walked over and gave Mandy a hug. Unfortunately, it felt like she had hugged a Popsicle. Her friend was obviously upset about Teddy being a murder suspect. Dressed in an Oregon Ducks T-shirt dress and yellow crocks, she followed Sadie into the interview room. Teddy was already seated and Mandy stood in the back of the room while introductions were made.

  Dora started by thanking Teddy for being so prompt. She assured him that the interview was more of a formality, but she still needed to cover her bases since it was the mayor’s brother who was murdered. “He’s already told me to leave no stone unturned.”

  “Dora, I mean Detective Flores, I know you’re just doing your job. Please continue. I fully intend to cooperate.” Mandy harrumphed in the back of the room. Sadie knew it would take an extra-large vanilla-latte from Dutch Brothers to get back in her good graces.

  Dora didn’t waste any more time with uncomfortable chit-chat and asked Teddy to share his thoughts on Larry. Teddy expressed a respect for his business skills and community involvement.

  “Mandy and I have only had one opportunity to eat at Bite Me! The food and service were outstanding.”

  “I was told that you and Larry worked together on a Barnstormers’ production. How did it go? Did you get along? “

  “To be honest, it didn’t go very well, from a director’s point of view. Larry didn’t welcome constructive criticism nor did he listen to direction. My suggestions on how to improve his performance fell on deaf ears.”

  Sadie decided to let Dora do all the talking. The Goldens could be hypersensitive and she didn’t want to risk losing their friendship over such a sensitive matter. Timothy and Mary felt the tension in the air and also kept silent. Dora remained as cool as a cucumber and probed a bit deeper into Teddy’s relationship with Larry.

  “So Teddy, I heard from someone very close to Larry that you threatened him.”

  “At the school board meeting? That was over two years ago!”

  Dora looked at Sadie but she was busy looking at a fly on the wall.

  Realizing her best friend wouldn’t be helping with the interview, Dora let Teddy think she was wise to the School Board incident. “Well, yes. Could you elaborate and share a bit more? Why did you threaten Larry?”

  “I didn’t just threaten Larry. I threatened the entire School Board.” Teddy bit his lip and crossed his legs. “I’m ashamed of my outburst now, but at the time I was overwhelmed with the budget cuts they were making to my kindergarten class. I shouldn’t have caused such a ruckus. It was very unprofessional and I’m lucky I didn’t lose my job. I can’t believe I stormed out of that meeting saying I’d make them all feel some pain. Geesh, what was I thinking?” After a moment of reflection, he answered his own question. “I wasn’t thinking, Dora. I was overly emotional and acted like an idiot.

  I never should have said the School Board was throwing each one of my students in a pool without swimming lessons.”

  Dora allowed Teddy a few seconds to compose himself before returning to the question of Teddy directly threatening Larry, per Mayor Phibbs recollection.

  “Teddy, I also heard you threatened Larry directly, during a Barnstormers’ rehearsal of ‘My Fair Lady.’”

  With a confused look on his face he remarked, “Strange. I didn’t get along with Larry, but I never threatened him directly. However, Mandy knows I’ll never direct him in another play.” From the back of the room Mandy muttered, “Uh huh.”

  “So you never told Larry you’d cut him up if he ever got another part in a Barnstormers’ production?”

  Teddy let out a nervous laugh. “No! Indeed, not. I may have said I would cut him out of scenes, should he somehow win another acting role. My, how gossip can twist words!”

  Well, that put Mayor Phibbs’ accusation by the wayside. Sadie turned to look at Mandy and was welcomed with a wink. Sadie gave Mandy a thumbs up.

  Dora thanked Teddy for coming down to the station and told him to keep within the city limits. As he stood to go she asked, “You wear a medical alert charm for asthma, right Teddy?”

  “Yep. In fact, my dear wife just bought a new charm for my medical alert bracelet this morning. I lost the other one while mowing the lawn yesterday.”

  “Was it stainless steel?”

  “No, sterling silver, just like this one.”

  Sadie’s phone rang while Dora walked the Goldens out of the interview room. She gave them a wave good-bye as she answered her phone.

  Mark Sportly was her caller. Tall and slim with rugged dark looks, she affectionately called him her Mr. Knightly. They shared a love for gourmet food, dogs, the coast, and gardening. Now retired, Mark worked as a freelance writer for Focus on the Family. A few years back, he inherited a beachfront home in Gold Beach. Twice now, she had enjoyed lovely walks along Oregon’s rocky shoreline followed by one of his delicious gourmet meals. Willow-Cake and Bosco had also been invited, which earned him many brownie points. Her fur-kids were very fond of Mark and it was obvious he enjoyed their company as well. Best of all, he never teased her about her fish phobia and ironic love for the sea.

  “Hey neighbor. What’s up?”

  “Just checking in to see if we’re still marching in the parade tomorrow.”

  “Of course we are! I already have my clown costume and outfits for Bosco and Willow. You aren’t backing out on me, are you?”

  “Never! In fact, I can’t wait to put whip cream on the first horse droppings I see.”

  “That won’t take long, with the 4-H k
ids riding their horses and the equestrian club strutting their stuff. I bet you’ll be too busy to give me any attention.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Ms. Sunshine. You are always on my mind.”

  Sadie felt a twinge of guilt for neglecting Mark while Timothy was in town. She liked him immensely. Questioning her decision to date two men at the same time, she told herself to stay in the present and not overthink things. They both know about each other, so I’m not keeping anything from them. Still, I don’t want to hurt either man.

  “Mark, I’m at the police station right now. Did you hear about Larry Phibbs? He was murdered. Timothy and I were the ones who discovered his body.”

  A moment of awkward silence was followed by, “I’m really sorry, Sadie. How awful!” Another quick pause then, “I can’t say I’m glad Timothy was with you at the time, but I am glad somebody was there for you. My shoulder is still available if you need one to cry on.”

  “Aww, Mark. You’re sweet, but I’m fine. Yesterday was awful, so that’s why I’m thrilled we get to be silly tomorrow. We’re going to have such fun! We need to be lined up for the parade by 9. I’ll have my dogs dressed and ready to go by 8. Can you come over around 8:15 and drive us to the line-up spot?”

  “Absolutely. I’ve been looking forward to our parade date. I bought a silly red nose and clown shoes. I can’t wait for you to see my outfit.”

  “I can’t wait to see your outfit! Gotta go, but I’ll see you soon, Mr. Knightly.”

  CHAPTER NINE: Otterhounds and Otter Suspects

  Sadie walked out of the interview room and found the detectives conversing around Dora’s desk.

  “Timothy and Mary got called back to Portland,” Dora mumbled. “One of their snitches was shot. He’s at Providence Hospital saying something big is going down tonight.” Moving over to Sadie, Timothy continued.

  “Mary and I’ve been working with this dude for over five months. He’s a vet who got hooked on fentanyl. He warned us that a new designer street drug, a derivative of fentanyl, is gonna hit the streets of Portland. If we want to intercept the delivery, we’ve got to be on the waterfront around midnight. We’ve been on this case far too long to let another team get credit for the take down.” Sadie and Dora both nodded their support and understanding.

  “I’ll do my best to drive back early in the morning. Mary’s gonna stay up in Portland cuz her hubby misses her,” Mary blushed, “but I want to see that parade and enjoy some fireworks.” Timothy tugged at an imaginary loose thread. “Are you still planning to dress up as a clown and hang out with Mark tomorrow morning?” Timothy tried to hide his jealousy but wasn’t sure if he was successful.

  “Yeah. I’ve also entered Bosco and Willow in the fun, so you’ll finally meet my fur-kids.”

  Timothy smiled but Sadie noticed a change in his demeanor.

  “We’ll be sure to give you guys a shout out when you pass by,” Dora smiled.

  Together, the group made their way outside to the parking lot. Sadie and Dora hugged Mary good-bye then waved them off.

  O’Cleary wasn’t happy about leaving, especially since he and Mary had pulled a ton of overtime to make the trip to Rogue Valley, with the condition they weren’t on call. Mary did the best she could to lighten her partner’s mood, sharing one long corny joke after another. By the time they reached the outskirts of Portland, Timothy was groaning and rolling his eyes. Laughter filled his truck and together they eventually got the information they needed from the snitch.

  ***

  Back in Rogue Valley, Sadie was itching to do some investigating on her own. Dora had plans to interview Mayor Phibbs and update him on the case. Thinking she could get somewhere with Bert Welton, without Dora’s intimidating presence, she excused herself to make the visit.

  “OK, but keep your guard up. We have no idea who the killer is, or killers if your theory is correct, so we need to be extra careful. Be sure you have your pepper spray handy.” Dora watched Sadie drive off then walked back into the police station to write some interview questions before the Mayor arrived.

  When Sadie arrived at the Welton property, she took in the beautiful riverfront view as she drove up to the residence. She parked her Kia Sorento on the circular driveway, in front of Burt’s two-story log home. The house was enormous, with an impressive river rock chimney and a large front porch overlooking the Rogue River. A hydroplane was tethered to a large covered dock. What a place!

  Sadie heard a jet boat on the river. Within seconds it came into view, skimming the water at lightning speed. A tall man and a large golden dog, sitting on the passenger side, zoomed past the house. Not too far down river, it did a sudden 360 and turned back, moving upriver against the current. The huge dog jumped out of the boat before the man could tie it off. Running toward Sadie, she prepared to greet the golden beauty she had so wanted to pet the night before.

  “Maxie! Maxine, come here!” The dog obediently returned to her master’s side. Well mannered, the beauty heeled the entire length of the path leading up to the house. “Sit, Maxie!” The dog complied and was praised. With a curious look, the man approached Sadie.

  “Mr. Welton? Mr. Burt Welton?” Sadie tilted her head

  “The one and only!” Burt reached out to shake her hand. “And who do I have the pleasure of greeting on this magnificent day? I can’t get enough of this sunshine, can you?”

  “Indeed, the sun is a welcome sight after a winter of rain and overcast skies,” returned Sadie. She introduced herself as the daughter of Jerry Sunshine, one of Scott Moore’s friends. He smiled and asked her inside for a glass of lemonade.

  “Sure, but not before I pet your sweet dog. I tried to give her a pat last night at Riverside Park, but your wife was just too fast for me. She’s an Otterhound, correct?”

  “Yes.” Burt couldn’t hide his surprise. “I’m impressed you recognized her breed. They aren’t very common. In fact, if I remember correctly, there are less than 1,000 Otterhounds throughout the world. Approximately 350 live in the U.S. and Canada.”

  Maxine drew near to Sadie and the amiable hound let her scratch her back and chest. She was gentle and friendly. “I admit, before last night, I’d never seen an Otterhound. I had no idea they were so rare. Where on Earth did you get Maxie?”

  “There’s actually a breeder here in the Rogue Valley, Mary Hunt. We dated a few years back and I got attached to the breed. You can imagine the price of a pup! Fortunately, Mary gave me Maxine as a birthday gift.”

  Sadie followed Burt inside, patting the pepper spray in her back pocket as she passed through the entrance. He guided her through a gourmet kitchen and onto an inviting outdoor deck. She settled into a cozy wicker rocker while Burt returned to fetch their lemonade. Maxine curled up on an outdoor rug near Sadie’s feet and went to sleep.

  As he was about to pass through the sliding door, Burt called over his shoulder, “By the way, I’m not married. Maxine and I were here last night, so it wasn’t Maxie you saw at the park.” Before Sadie could respond, he had already moved into the kitchen.

  “Hmm, if he’s not married, who was the lady walking the Otterhound at Riverside park last night?” Sadie often had dialogues with herself, some out loud and some inside her head. “Could I have mistaken the breed? I certainly don’t think so. Maxie looks exactly like the dog I saw when Timothy and I were in the food court. Maybe it was the breeder Burt mentioned.” Sadie saw a Frisbee and stood to pick it up. Maxie stirred. Tossing it onto the beautifully manicured lawn, Maxine dashed after it, quickly returning to lay it at her feet.

  “She just loves her Frisbee. She’d chase it 24 hours a day, if I had the arm to toss it for more than an hour.” Burt handed his guest a blue goblet filled with iced lemonade then sat down beside in a matching rocker. “Funny thing about Maxie, she won’t play with any other toys, not even a ball. I tried tossing a few tennis balls onto the lawn but she completely ignored them.”

  “It’s really interesting how dogs find a favorite toy and st
ick by it. My yellow lab, Willow, has a bear that squeaks. She carries it from room to room and sleeps with it every night.”

  Larry placed his drink on a wicker coffee table. “So your dad is Scott’s friend.

  I heard he became a daddy last night. We were business partners a few years back and became good friends, even though our business venture ended up in bankruptcy. He gave me a quick call last night to share the good news.”

  “Indeed, it is good news, especially since they miscarried their first baby.”

  Burt pursed his lip. “So, you know about that sad news.”

  “Yes, Laurie and Scott are my dad’s neighbors. They have him over for dinner at least once a week. Pop told me they took it really hard.” Burt nodded then retrieved his lemonade.

  “Geesh, I should tell you the reason for my visit. We’ve been too busy talking about Otterhounds, I guess.” Burt waited for Sadie to continue. “Well Mr. Welton.”

  “Please, call me Burt.” Sadie smiled and thought, Mr. Welton is just about as charming as my Mr. Knightly.

  “Burt. I’m sure you’ve heard by now, since it’s been all over the radio and TV, that Larry Phibbs was murdered.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Terrible business, just awful news.”

  “I agree.” Taking a breath she continued. “Well, since my dad is Scott’s friend, he was more than willing to cover his snow cone enterprise last night. I’m afraid both men were placed on Detective Flores’ suspect list. Fortunately, my dad is 80 years old with no motive to harm Larry, so he’s been cleared.” A mosquito buzzed by Sadie’s ear and she took a swat. “However, I can’t say the same for Scott. He had a contentious relationship with Larry, largely due to his abusive treatment of Laurie while she was employed at Bite Me! Furthermore, Larry’s body was discovered inside the giant cooler you lent him. It was just 8-feet from the trailer and is the reason I’m speaking with you now. To complicate matters even further, the murder weapon was discovered inside the snow cone trailer. I’m sure you can see why Larry is a suspect.”