by Leah Burke
“You mean like a date?” Brand sounded interested.
“Well, more like an ‘I’m sorry’ dinner, but you can call it what you want,” Marissa replied coyly.
“We’ll see. Come back first and then we’ll talk.”
“Sounds like a plan. But don’t spy on me again, Brand, I mean it. Otherwise I’ll have to reconsider letting you buy me dinner at Nino’s.” She wondered how he would react to her suggestion.
“Nino’s? I think you overestimate what a copy editor makes, Marissa.”
“A girl can dream, can’t she?” Marissa quipped.
“Okay, princess. I gotta get going. Please tell me that you’re not going to stir up trouble down there, okay?”
“I can’t make any promises, you know that, Brand. I just go where the story takes me.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s why you’re the best. Good night, Marissa.”
“Good night, Brand.” She hung up the phone. A wave of excitement washed over her. Was he serious? Would he take her on a date? Her mind started to wander. She glanced back over at her laptop. Brand would have to wait. She had work to do.
Marissa suddenly realized it was 7:00 o’clock, which meant that the local news would be on. She turned on the TV just in time to catch a breaking announcement.
“Breaking news today in the case of Robert Burton. The police have issued formal charges against Nestor Chambon for first-degree murder. They released a statement saying that there was physical evidence that Chambon was with Burton the night he was killed.”
Marissa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Physical evidence? Have they even determined where he was killed?
“Current CEO of Burton Development Strategies Teddy Brown told reporters that he was relieved that justice had been carried out so swiftly.” The news cut to footage of Teddy talking to the press. “Now is the time for mourning. We are still in shock over this turn of events, but knowing that the killer has been apprehended means that we can move forward from this tragedy.”
This is BS, Marissa thought. Everything was wrapping up too neatly for it to be real. Still, Occam’s Razor and all that. She turned the volume down and went back to her computer. Despite the suggestion that the case was now closed, Marissa still had a hunch that the ranger’s office was still involved. If that were true, then either Chambon had help, or the police had the wrong guy.
She continued to scroll through more articles. It seemed that Burton was well liked in the community, although he had made some interesting enemies along the way. She read an article about Burton cancelling a development deal because of “environmental concerns,” which led investors to call for his resignation. Apparently, they were going to build a resort by a lake, but it would have disrupted the nesting grounds of an endangered owl, so he backed out before they broke ground. Who would have guessed he was an environmentalist?
She continued to search through information, but still wasn’t able to find the story she was looking for. If Chambon was really the killer, what was his motive? As far as she could tell, the deal that he and Burton worked on fell through years ago. So why would he act now? Furthermore, why would he go to the wildlife park? And where did the rangers fit in?
Finally, she found a blurb in a financial page about the deal. According to the report, Burton’s company was going to build a condominium in the Grant Park area of Atlanta, and Chambon was going to manage the building. So what happened to the project?
None of this was adding up. If a condo building didn’t get built, then why would Chambon be so angry about it, let alone harbor a grudge that lasted four years? Plus, it still didn’t answer the question of why he would dump Burton’s body at the park.
Her head started to hurt. Trying to piece together all of this information without knowing everything was only creating more questions than answers. So far, the only thing she knew was that Burton seemed to be a relatively stand-up guy, all things considered. She had known developers before, and usually they are more concerned with profits than petty things like “the environment,” and yet Burton had canceled several high profile deals because it would have created problems for the locals. But was that worth killing him over?
Perhaps her meeting with Ranger Nash could help her figure out how this all fit together.
Chapter 9
Marissa shifted in her seat. The thin cushion didn’t do much for comfort. Across from her, Ranger Nash was filling out paperwork at his desk. He didn’t seem very thrilled to have her there. As soon as she had told him who she was, Nash went quiet. Even though she was there to ask about the birds, she was still trying to figure out how to work in her other line of questioning. Somehow, she thought, Nash knew her real purpose for being there.
“Um, my apologies for dropping in, unannounced. I know that you must have a lot of work to do.” Marissa tried to break the ice.
“Yes, and yet, here you are,” Nash replied without looking up at her.
The two of them sat in silence. Marissa was unsure what she should do.
“Are you going to ask me any questions, or are you just going to sit there?”
Marissa was taken off guard. “Um, of course. I wanted to talk to you about the waterthrush that nest in the park.”
“Yes, you mentioned that already. What about them?”
“Well, my piece is about how their migratory patterns are affected by climate change. So have you noticed any changes to how soon they arrive, where they nest, and so forth?” Marissa pulled out her notepad and pen.
“Yes, we’ve been noticing them sooner in the year. Normally they wouldn’t come here until March or April. The last two years, they have been arriving as early as February. As for their nesting grounds, we don’t keep track of them too much.” Nash continued to fill out his paperwork, barely looking up at Marissa.
“Well then, may I ask what wildlife you do manage here, then?”
Nash stopped. He looked her dead in the eye. “Excuse me?”
“This is a wildlife management park, right? Aren’t you supposed to keep track of the animals that live here?” Marissa could tell that she struck a nerve.
“We do. But we pay more attention to local animals, not ones that migrate here. I’m not sure that you’re in any position to question what we do here, Miss Larkin.” Nash went back to his work.
“You’re right, I apologize. May I ask what your exact position is here?” Marissa had her pen ready. Nash glared at her. “For the article, so I can list you by name.”
“I am the managing director of the park. I’m in charge of making sure that we keep the grounds well tended and ensure that the wildlife is not affected by outsiders.” Nash placed his paperwork on a stack, then moved to his computer.
“Excellent. And how long have you worked here?”
“Ten years in October. Is there anything else?” It was obvious that he wanted Marissa to leave.
“Yes, would you mind giving me your insight into the waterthrush? How do you think climate change is affecting them, and do you think that they will suffer or benefit as a result?”
Nash stopped typing on his computer. He looked at Marissa. “I think that, as our world gets warmer, the waterthrush’s migration will fluctuate even further. Given that they are birds that avoid cold weather, they could benefit from Georgia having more mild winters. I don’t think that they will die off or anything, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Marissa scribbled down in her notes. “That’s perfect. And what about the local wildlife? How are they faring with the change in temperature?”
“I thought you were only interested in the waterthrush.”
“They are the focus, but I think that, to fill out the rest of the article, I’ll need to give some insight into how these changes affect other species as well. What other animals do you have on the premises?”
“Do you want me to list them all out? We have hundreds of different species here at the park.”
“No, just a few key ones. Whichever ones are m
ost affected by climate change.”
“The animals that are most under threat are our fish species and amphibians. But they aren’t being wiped out by rising temperatures. They’re being eradicated by invasive species. You should put that in your article.”
Marissa continued to take notes. “Of course, that is certainly a major issue. But do you think that rising temperatures are giving these invasive species more leverage over native ones?”
“Perhaps. It’s too soon to tell, really. Most of our conservation efforts are about removing as many invaders as we can. But it’s a losing fight thus far.”
“Are the waterthrush considered an invasive species?” Marissa asked. The more she questioned him about the animals, the more receptive he was to her.
“No, we don’t classify them as such. They’ve been migrating here for decades. Just because they spend the summer here doesn’t mean they’re invaders. I’m talking about species from South America, Africa, and other parts of the world.” Nash became more animated as he spoke. He started to pay attention to Marissa.
“Are they affected by invasive species, then?”
“Not really. As I said, fish and amphibians are under threat. Our bird populations are relatively stable.”
“When I first came here, I noticed that there were areas used for dumping. How does that affect the wildlife?” Marissa tried to keep everything as innocuous as possible, but she could tell that Nash knew what she was after. His mood instantly changed.
“We do everything we can to keep the park clean. But we can’t be everywhere all the time.” Nash turned back to his computer.
“Do you guys normally patrol for garbage? Or how do you take care of it?” Marissa started to press the issue.
“I don’t see how that relates to your article, Miss Larkin.”
“It’s all relative. The dumping ground was only a few dozen yards from the nest.”
Nash turned to face her. He stared her down, trying to figure out what she was after. “Are you going to ask me about the dead body or what? I know that’s why you’re really here.”
“Yes, it was unfortunate news, but I have to think that whoever dumped the body out here knew about the garbage in the area. I can’t imagine they just happened to find an old mattress out of blind luck. That means that it was probably here for a long time.” Marissa stared at Nash, trying to read him.
Nash stared right back. “Just what are you asking, then? Or should I say, what are you accusing us of?”
“I’m not accusing anyone of anything. Was it a ranger who found the body?” Marissa kept pushing it.
“That’s a question for the police. And you’re not the police. I think we’re done here.” Nash stood up.
“My apologies, sir. I didn’t mean any offense by it.”
“None taken. But I still would like you to leave. I have a lot of work to do and I think you have everything you came for.” Nash came around his desk to see Marissa out.
She knew it wouldn’t be wise to press her luck. Nash wasn’t going to open up to her, so she couldn’t get anything else anyway. She got up and headed for the door. Nash held it open for her.
“Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Wilkinson.” Marissa stretched out her hand. Nash obliged. As they shook, Marissa looked down at his tie. “You’re not wearing a tie clip.”
Nash looked down. “What?”
“Your friend Mark told me that it was part of your uniform. I’m something of a collector. Did you lose it?”
Nash looked at her in confusion. Where was she going with this? “Yeah, I lost it a long time ago. What difference does it make?”
“No reason. Just curious. Thank you again.” Marissa saw herself out.
Nash walked back to his desk. He was thrown off by the tie clip question. What was that all about?
In the lobby, Marissa met up with Thomas. He was such a good sport, bringing her to the station and waiting for her. She felt bad for him. “Okay, I’m ready.”
The two of them headed outside to the van. Through Nash’s window, he watched them get into the car. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed. Outside, the van took off. Moments later, the other line picked up.
“I think we may have a problem with a reporter. I don’t know what she knows, but I can tell that she’s digging around for something. Please tell me we wrapped this up tightly.”
Chapter 10
Marissa paced around the room. Should I call him? She didn’t have anything concrete, but if there was anyone that she could trust, it would be him. I should call him. But what if he didn’t understand? What if he told her to drop it? She was torn.
What did it all mean? Who was involved at this point, and why? It was clear that Chambon was a red herring, but then who could the killer actually be? How far did this conspiracy go? She was sure that she was on the verge of uncovering something, but there were still too many variables. She needed something more concrete.
Screw it, I’m going to call him. Marissa dialed his number. The uncertainty was killing her. At least this way, she could get a second opinion before she figured out her next step. The line rang. For some reason, she was nervous. He would understand, wouldn’t he?
“Hello, Marissa, how are you? What an unexpected surprise. What are you up to?” his voice sounded deep and soothing. Just like it always did.
“Hi, Dad. Sorry I’m calling out of the blue, but I’m in kind of a bind. Are you busy?” She hoped that he wasn’t.
“I’m never too busy for my little girl. What’s on your mind? You get wrapped up in something again?” Even though she usually only called when she was in trouble, Howard still appreciated the fact that his daughter sought his advice.
“Thanks, Dad. So, there’s this murder case.” Marissa wasn’t sure how to start.
“Murder case? Since when do you investigate homicides?” Howard was confused.
“I don’t. I’m not even supposed to cover this one. Well, not technically, at least. It’s kind of a long story. Do you have time?” Marissa started to run on. She did that whenever she was nervous. Why was she nervous? It’s not like her dad was never on her side. Perhaps it was because she wasn’t 100% confident in her evidence.
“Well, I don’t have all day, if that’s what you’re implying. Why don’t you start at the beginning.” Howard’s voice started to calm Marissa down.
“Okay, so I was sent to Georgia to cover some birds. It’s a puff piece about climate change.”
“Since when do they have my little girl covering puff pieces? You should be on the ground in Syria or something.” Howard was almost offended.
“Yeah, I guess it was just my turn this time. Either that or Harlan is mad at me for something. Anyway, so I’m out taking pictures of these birds, and apparently I wound up being right next to a dead body.”
“Did you see it?”
“No, that’s the thing. I was right on top of it, but I had no idea. That is, until the next day, when the police talked to me. By the way, they did swear me to secrecy.” Although Marissa trusted her father, she still felt compelled to say that.
“Well, if they decide to talk to me, then that means your phones are tapped and it won’t matter what I say.” Howard had a point.
“Okay, well, anyway, since I was close to the body, I unintentionally wound up taking pictures of the crime scene. Being as nosy as I am, I decided to check them out to see if there was any evidence in them.”
“You mean that they didn’t confiscate your pictures? That’s some sloppy police work.” Howard’s years of being on the force kicked in automatically.
“No, they did. But I back up my files automatically to the cloud, and they didn’t think to check there.”
“Amateurs. I’m almost seventy and I wouldn’t have missed that.”
“Well, good thing you weren’t the lead detective,” Marissa joked.
“Anyway, moving on.”
“So yeah, I checked out the pictures, and I noticed that there was evidence
of a truck at the scene. There were thick tire tracks, and a bush had scraped against the car. Furthermore, I discovered something that appears to be a tie clip. I think it was either from the killer or someone who helped move the body.”
“That’s all circumstantial evidence at best. I mean, that could belong to anyone,” Howard replied. He sounded dismissive.
“That’s what I thought. At least, until I discovered that the ranger station at the park has pickup trucks in their parking lot. One of those trucks had a scrape on it that matched the size and location of the bush,” Marissa continued.
“Okay, but that could have happened at any time. The ranger trucks are probably covered in scratches.”
“Possibly, but when I checked out the trucks the next day, the scratch had been painted over.” Marissa thought back to her meeting with Nash. Before she went in, she was sure to check out the parking lot. Thomas thought it was weird, until she made up a story about losing a lens cap in the parking lot.
“Hmm, that does sound suspicious. But what about the tie clip?”
“You won’t believe this. The rangers all wear a tie clip that look exactly like the one I found. And one of them is missing his.” Marissa started to gush, going from nervous to excited. He was believing her now, which means that she was onto something.
“Is he the only one without the clip?” Howard started to piece everything together.
“No, I noticed at least one other guy without it. But I’m onto something, right?” Marissa asked.
“Perhaps. This is all still circumstantial, though. Do the police have someone in custody yet?”
“That’s where things get muddled. They picked up a suspect two days ago and charged him with the murder.”
“Was he a ranger?” Howard asked.
“No, he was a former business partner of the victim. But I checked into it, and they had a beef like four years ago. I don’t buy that he’s the perp. Everything is wrapped up too nicely.”