“OK, let’s see what the Detroit cops are making of all this. I hope they are not fixating on that tape. Senhor L. Condor, can you download a copy?”
“I already have. The original and the file they sent to the Police. Right now, we’re checking to see what additions, deletions or modifications have been made to the copy. There are changes, particularly to the Professor’s activities. We might ask Special Agent Badger to demand both files for forensic analysis. I can point her in the right direction to find the alterations. Will she look the other way on how I got them if I can provide her with the evidence?”
Bruce cut in, “I’m pretty sure she will. That firm has been on her and my radar for quite a while. If you want, I can send the files to her and keep you out of it. She and I share law enforcement confidences.”
The group broke up and the Detroit-bound team headed out to the helicopter. Chita was very impressed with the Ursa Minor. Madame Catt’s Motto: Luxury at all costs.
Next on the agenda. The ‘Animal of Interest’ is to be interviewed.
Frau Schuylkill popped her head in the door. “Herr Bear, there is a plainclothes officer from the Cincinnati Police here to interview you. Detective Inspector Carlo Coyote.”
“Thank you, Frau Ilse.” Octavius half rose from his desk chair in greeting. “Hello again, Carlo. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has been, Doctor Bear. I’m somewhat embarrassed that we’re meeting this way, but the Detroit PD insisted we have someone here representing local law enforcement during the interview. You are officially an ‘Animal of Interest’ in the death of Professor Hercules Ovibos. Never quite sure what that phrase means. I don’t think DPD knows either. There is, at the moment, insufficient evidence to name you as a suspect and certainly you have more than enough reputation and law enforcement history to make a case for your probable innocence. However, it’s not my or Cincinnati’s call. I’m just here as a witness.”
He turned to Wolford and me who had remained silent during this conversation. “Hello, Maury! Hello Mr. Wolverine. I assume you are representing Doctor Bear.”
Wolford stretched out a paw and said, “Yes, I am and the sooner we get through this process, the quicker we can set about finding the real culprit. Unfortunately, I have had no experience with this Captain Ford in Detroit.”
“I’ve worked with him several times. A solid, skilled and objective cop. No pushover. I’m afraid Doctor Bear’s reputation will not cut much ice with him. On the other hand, this Phox Law Firm that supplied the recording of the meeting has absolutely zero credibility in Detroit or all of Michigan, for that matter. There isn’t an officer up there who hasn’t had some kind of dustup with them and that goes for the DA’s office as well. The fact that they represent the Professor is just another strike against them. I wouldn’t want to be in Ford’s position right now. The media is beginning to apply pressure although what they can see in that dead Muskox that’s worth reporting is beyond me. But, it’s another chance to build headlines. Now, we didn’t have this conversation, right?”
“Of course not, but even if we did, you have no more standing in this case than the Average Beast on the Street.”
“Too right!”
Frau Ilse came back. “The Detroit police are on the line. They want to set up a Skype connection with Herr Bear, Wolford and Inspector Coyote.”
Since I had not been included in the list of participants, I decided to play technician and set up and monitor the call. We had already punched up a separate internet connection to Ursula and the Bear’s personal computer and got a large video screen and audio system active. We, too, would be recording the interview. I brought up Skype. Sound and picture resolved itself.
“Hello, this is Captain Ford of the Detroit Police Department. Am I connected to Doctor Octavius Bear?”
Octavius responded, “Yes Captain. I’m here. But just a moment we seem to be having a problem with the video. I’m appearing on my screen instead of you.”
Laughter on the other end. “You’re not having a problem. I’m a grizzly bear and I look a lot like you. You’re a bit bigger. Wait, I’ll put on my cap.”
Sure enough, Captain Ford was a grizzly with facial characteristics much like Octavius. This was going to be interesting.
“OK, Captain, we’ve got you. I have my attorney, Mr. Wolford Wolverine, Esq. with me and at your request, Detective Inspector Carlo Coyote of the Cincinnati Police Department is here as well. We are also recording this interview. My associate, Mr. Maury Meerkat is managing the connection.”
I zoomed out to take in the three of them. Greetings all around.
“Is there anyone else there with you, Captain?”
“I have Detective Sergeant Rachel Racoon here with me. She is handling our end of the hookup.” (and no doubt acting as a witness) Let’s get started! We are currently treating you as an ‘Animal of Interest’ in the death of Professor Hercules Ovibos.”
Wolford interjected, ‘What exactly does that mean, Captain?”
“It means that in our judgment and the judgment of the DA, we have insufficient direct evidence to hold Dr. Bear as a suspect and put him under arrest. However, there is enough substantial information of the circumstantial variety for us to pursue building a further inquiry around him.”
“Are there others who are under the same scrutiny.”
“Yes, there are, but I am not going to identify them just as we are not publicly identifying Doctor Bear.”
“Does that mean the press has not been let in on your treatment of my client?”
“You know as well as I do, Counsellor, that the press has their own methods of prying out information. Prepare yourself for public accusations, although to the best of my knowledge, it hasn’t come from us.”
Octavius, who had been silent up to this point, rumbled, “Could it possibly have come from a certain Detroit-based law firm?”
“No comment!”
“The same law firm that has supplied you with a tape of our meeting with them and their client?”
“Again, no comment.”
“Well, may I strongly suggest that you submit that tape to your forensics experts to check for tampering. We have strong reasons to believe the Phox firm has made significant alterations to the original and if you ask me how I know, I’ll fall back on your statement, ‘No comment!’”
“All right, Doctor. I’ll follow through. Now let’s check your activities the evening of the Muskox’ murder.”
“Wolford again, “You’re convinced it was murder?”
“Oh yes, no question about it. He was attacked with an as yet unidentified blunt instrument, crushing the back of his skull and then dragged to the river and dumped in. He was found floating face down by a passing pedestrian at one in the morning.”
“Could he have been killed at the river?”
“Very possibly! The river or somewhere else. We have no evidence of any violence committed in his office. Now, this inquiry is not for me to pass on information. I need to know your relationship with the Professor, any motivation you may have had to do him harm and your whereabouts from five PM until one AM.”
“You are probably aware that the Professor, aided and abetted by the Phox law firm had set about a campaign of threats and accusations not only aimed at my company but a wide spectrum of institutions, corporations and individuals in countries around the world. Their outrageous demands for admission of guilt of theft of intellectual property coupled with payment of damages to the tune of one hundred million dollars has caused the FBI, Australian Police and others to claim extortion. As far as I know, they have not yet instituted lawsuits.”
“I insisted in meeting the culprits face-to-face to disabuse them of any hope of succeeding in their crazy plan. In retrospect, that may not have been a wise move. Our meeting only lasted a few minutes when the Profess
or, after hurling abuse at me, butted me with his formidable horns and sent me flying to the floor. I grabbed his horns but was parted from him by several members of both teams. Mr. Wolford and Mr. Meerkat were both there. After we were separated, we elected to call the meeting to a close with the Muskox shouting threats as we departed. That was the last time any of us saw him.”
“On our way down to the RenCen garage, we received word that there was a heavy snowfall in Cincinnati with advice that we should hold off our return trip to the next morning. Inspector Coyote can testify to the Cincinnati weather that evening.”
The coyote agreed.
“So, we got rooms at the Marriott and had dinner and drinks from six until eight. I returned to my room and slept until early the next morning when we got clearance for the helicopter to head back home. It was only after we returned to Cincinnati that I heard of the Professor’s demise.”
“Who was with you during the evening?”
“Let’s see. Mr. Wolverine; my two security chiefs and helicopter pilots, Frau Ilse Schuylkill and Colonel Wyatt Where; Mr. Meerkat; Chief Inspector Bruce Wallaroo of the Australian National Police; and Otto Otter, my Operations Manager. During the meeting, Special Agent Honey Badger had joined us via Skype.”
“Have you ever been in the offices of Muskoxen Atomic Propulsion Systems Ltd.?”
“No, I have not. Wolford, have any of our staff been there?”
“No!”
“Was this your first direct encounter with the Professor?”
“He threatened litigation over a variety of trumped up complaints in the past, but I have never met him in person. Same for the Phox firm.”
“I assume you didn’t like him.”
“Me and the rest of the world. I think you will be hard-pressed to find a friend of his, except perhaps at the law firm. I’m not even sure of them.”
“So, from the time you left the meeting until you went to bed, you were in the company of some or all of your companions.”
“Not entirely. After we first checked in at the hotel, I went up to my suite. I stayed there until it was time to go to dinner. A little more than an hour.”
“Did you kill the Professor?”
“Absolutely not.”
“How about a member of your staff?”
“Not at all likely but you’ll have to ask them. Wolford? Maury?”
Two negative shakes of the head.
“Did you get that, Sergeant Racoon?”
“No sir. Will you both please state your name and answer the question.”
“Wolford Wolverine. I did not kill Professor Ovibos.”
“Maury Meerkat. I deny killing Professor Ovibos.”
“Inspector Coyote. Can you get a statement from the rest of the party while you are there and forward it to us?”
The Cincinnati Policeman agreed.
“OK, as far as I’m concerned that wraps up this session, but your status hasn’t changed, Doctor Bear. We are still very interested in you. Please turn your passport over to Inspector Coyote and keep us informed of any travel plans.”
Wolford protested the taking of the passport. “You are not on very solid ground taking Doctor Bear’s documents. He is hardly a flight risk and you know it. He has a high-ranking member of the Australian police with him and the FBI are also in contact with him.”
“All right, Counsellor. He can keep his passport, but I want to know where he is at all times.” He signed off.
I turned to Inspector Coyote and said, “A couple of members of our Detroit meeting team are not here right now. Colonel Where, Inspector Wallaroo and Otto Otter are out in the field at the moment. When they return, I’ll have them pay Cincinnati PD a visit and you can get their formal denials. If you want, I can bring in Frau Ilse Schuylkill to give you a statement right now.
“Fine! Let’s get this over with as soon as we can. I’m only doing this to maintain good relations with Detroit.”
I called in the Frau, explained what Captain Ford wanted and asked her to answer the question “Did you kill him?” so Inspector Coyote can pass it on up to him.”
The Frau marched in, bowed to the policeman and said, “Did I kill him? No! Although I suspect there are a number of animals who would have liked to. Is that all?”
Thus ended, for the moment, the interrogation of the Great Bear and Company.
Chapter Seven
The grey Wolf is from Europe, they say
And the red ones are from USA.
But no matter which kind,
You should keep this in mind.
Stay away when you hear a wolf bay!
Aboard the Ursa Minor. The Colonel was at the controls. The helicopter only requires one pilot and Bruce Wallaroo offered to fly it. Everyone was familiar with his aerobatics and he wasn’t going to get the chance to try it in this ship. The Colonel gently but firmly told him he needed to be checked out and now wasn’t the time. Ever seen a marsupial pout? He sat in the co-pilot seat fidgeting.
Back in the passenger compartment, Otto and Chita were getting reacquainted. At one time or another, each had saved the other’s life. They both recalled their wild and near fatal adventures involving the late and unlamented criminal genius Imperius Drake. Imperius was trying to create an army of super beings in an effort to conquer the world (or the cosmos.) Otto was to become his experimental animal. Fortunately, the plan failed but not before seriously altering the Otter’s physical and psychological makeup.
Otto was telling Chita that he seemed to be retaining his ability to zap unseen from location to location without any of the nasty side effects Imperius’ genetic experiments had originally created. He had been treated and given a clean bill of health by the UUI physicians and scientists. He was also given a starring role in the Bearoness’ Aquacade Revue -Some Like It Cold- billed as Otto the Magnificent using his “Now you see me, now you don’t” talents to amuse and amaze the audience. Teleporting past locked doors; up and down elevator shafts; and through blocked passageways; he used those same gifts in helping to solve previous cases for Octavius. A surge of adrenalin seemed to trigger his abilities. Let’s hope he can do it again.
Chita (aka Madame Catherine Catt), against her better judgment, became Imperius Drake’s executive officer in a variety of schemes to separate the rich and famous from their wealth. When Imperius plotted to kill off most of the world’s geneticists, as well as Octavius and the Bearoness, Chita quit. Financial chicanery? OK! Mass murder? No way! She and Imperius became mortal enemies with both trying to kill the other off. She finally succeeded, in an act of self-defense in the tunnels of an Egyptian tomb. (See Book Five -The Curse of the Mummy’s Case.) Since that time, she has gone on to become editor-chief and publisher of several media outlets for females. She also owns a North Sea oil well and has taken on minor partnership positions with Bearoness Belinda in several of her business ventures. In spite of her spotted past, she is well liked by the Great Bear’s team with one major exception - The Great Bear, himself. (At least, that’s what he says.)
But now, both of these worthies are engaging themselves in trying to track down the Professor’s killer(s) while putting the Phox Law Firm out of business permanently.
Finally convinced he was not going to fly the Ursa Minor, Chief Inspector Wallaroo bounced into the cabin and in his almost unintelligible Strine accent queried, “So what’s our plan?”
Chita, flashing her diamond collar, said, “I’m going to try and involve the law firm in a case of fraud and hopefully get one or more of them disbarred. With the death of the Professor, their attempts at extortion died too. How they could have come up with that unbelievable scenario is beyond me. I wonder if the Muskox had something on the partners reaching back to one of their earlier capers and forced them into cooking up that crazy scheme.”
“It wasn’t that
crazy,” said Bruce. “One of our techie firms in Australia was considering meeting part of their demands.”
Otto sat up, pop-eyed. “You’ve got to be kidding. With his death, does MAPS Ltd. still exist? Did he have partners? How about next of kin? Can somebody still profit from this?”
“Not sure! I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the law firm partners had a piece of the action. Something we need to find out.”
“Anyway,” said the Cat, “I have a five o’clock appointment with Phileas Phox, the firm’s managing partner. What are you going to do, Brucie?”
“I’m getting together with FBI Special Agent Honey Badger to compare notes and see if we can take the Detroit PD’s pressure off Octavius.”
Otto said he was going to start searching the MAPS Ltd. offices assuming no one was there and then go on to the Phox firm. Entering without breaking! “I hope they don’t work late. The Colonel will be working with me.”
Speaking of whom, a low-pitched growl announced an upcoming arrival at DTW.
On the ground and on the way. First stop 477 Michigan Avenue and the FBI. Chief Inspector Wallaroo is meeting Special Agent Honey Badger.
“G’day, Agent Badger. Good to see you again.”
“Hello, Inspector. This is a sorry mess.”
“That’s a fair dinkum call. Ocko has only himself to blame for this fiasco, although I’m not about to tell him that. He really wanted to face down that Muskox. They both have tempers. In the case of the Professor, “had” is the correct word. Oh, I have something for you. Do you know Senhor L. Condor?”
“Isn’t he the bird who put Pontius Puma’s network in the tank?”
“Right in one! Well, don’t ask me how he did it, but he got a copy of the original tape of that crazy meeting and the version the Phoxes sent to the Detroit police. They don’t match. Most of the Professor’s rants have been erased including his attack on Ocko. The Bear comes out being the aggressor in spades. Here’s the before and after versions.”
The Suit Case Page 5