by Ruby Loren
“Yeah, she offered to help, which was really sweet of her. Anyway, I found this amongst Leona’s books. I think she must have borrowed it from somewhere around here as it’s got the marine park’s name on it and a label that I think means ‘conservation’. She was such a good researcher,” he said, his dark eyes filling with regret.
“How are things going?” I asked, just to be polite.
“Slowly, as you might expect.” Travis leant against the desk and ran a hand across his shiny dark forehead and then onto his afro. “We’ve got a new presenter flying in today - Petra Nova. I don’t know if you’ve heard of her? She’s been presenting children’s nature shows for a few years. With a bit of luck, this will be a good move for all of us.”
I nodded, feeling a little sorry for Skye. She’d worked so hard for Leona, and now Travis, and he couldn’t even remember her name.
“I still think you’d have done a great job working with Ben. But I know you’ve made your mind up, and I totally understand,” he said, lifting his hands up.
“I’ll make sure this goes in the right place.” I lightly tapped my fingers on the file. I could tell Travis knew I was ending the conversation deliberately, but I was grateful that he didn’t look at all put out. I wasn’t in the mood to chat right now, and it would appear that dealing with divas meant he was more than equipped to not be offended by my slight.
I breathed a sigh of relief when he left the room and it was just me alone in the big office. Everyone else was still on their lunch break, and a skeleton staff was all that worked on a Sunday. Judging by the time they’d spent away from the office, I was willing to bet that the workers in today had all eaten something more substantial than pot noodle.
I glanced at the file Travis had left on the table and then idly flicked over the cover. At a glance, it appeared to be all of the details of the different animal saving charities the park worked with and past case histories. While I was pleased to see Leona had actually bothered to look into the real story of The Big Blue Marine Park, before presumably slating it the way Ben did, I couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t spoken to her co-star about it. Perhaps she’d just been too ill. Unless she was looking for something to use against the park! I thought, and decided to look through the information myself… just to double check. I would have hoped the police would have thought of it, but if she had found something that might damage the park’s reputation, it opened up a whole new list of suspects.
I sighed as I scanned through the first few pages. When Leona Richards had died, I hadn’t been able to think of any reason beyond her acting like a diva that would inspire someone to want her dead. Now that I knew a little more, I felt like the possibilities were spiralling out of control.
Especially when I read about the great white shark.
“Oh, you’re joking…” I hissed when I read the charity’s report from eight years ago detailing the young great white shark they rescued after it had received lacerations from coming into contact with a boat propellor. The lacerations were described as being fairly perfunctory, but the shark hadn’t been released. According to the report, it had been passed to The Big Blue, who had then made the decision to keep the shark in captivity. There was no further information given.
I shut my eyes, knowing what had likely happened to that ill-fated shark. I wondered if Nile knew, but decided it was very possible that he didn’t. There was no way he’d worked here for nine years, and I knew that something like this was the kind of thing a marine park would like to cover up - even from its staff.
Someone here must remember, I thought recalling the irate zoo manager, who had to be in his fifties. And perhaps someone also realised what was in the file that Leona had borrowed… and what that information being brought to light at a time when another great white was in captivity could do to The Big Blue’s reputation.
It was certainly another motive for murder.
I flipped over the page and was startled to find a book that surely didn’t belong in the file. The title of the book was Eco-Terrorists or Eco-Warriors? The outfits and photo colouration made me think that it had probably been written in the seventies. I flipped open the cover and found something else that didn’t belong. It was a contract for a documentary entitled ‘Animal Avengers: The Secret Lives of Activists’. I snorted a little at the title because of my own experience with so-called activists. However, I was glad to see that it appeared Leona had possessed a more open mind and had been researching the topic. Something caught my eye on the page - a handwritten note.
Bacterial illness = avoid
Pain and tiredness
Leg ulcers
Heat is bad
Anaemia
It took me a moment, but I realised Leona had been listing symptoms of sickle cell disease. I wondered if they were symptoms she’d experienced, or if she’d looked them up prior to her disease worsening. I remembered Aimee complaining that Leona had had a go at her for leaving ham out in the sun. Looking back, the presenter was probably simply afraid of getting ill from something like salmonella. I’d looked up sickle cell disease as soon as Katya had told me what Leona had been suffering from. The types of bacterial illnesses that could make a normal person pretty unwell was actually the largest cause of death in those who suffered from sickle cell.
I decided I would pass along the paper to the police in case they’d missed it. After what I’d heard about Aimee, I definitely owed Katya another call. But I didn’t see what help it would be other than to prove Leona had indeed known prior to her death what she had been suffering from - as she had surely been able to piece it together from her notes. But while her disease had become imminently fatal, she had still been murdered.
I flipped through the seventies book, hoping to distract myself with the wacky and weird pictures from the seventies. To my surprise, it worked. The fashions visible in the photos weren’t just ridiculously seventies, they were also ridiculously eco-warrior-esque, if there was such a thing. When Doreen Lopez walked into the office looking her usual harried self, I was actually smiling.
“Hey, Doreen, take a look at this book. You won’t believe what they’re wearing.” I picked it up and showed her the double page spread of a group called The Green-Guerillas.
“Phone call, sorry,” she said, turning away and pulling a mobile out of her pocket. I hadn’t heard it ring. “I’ll be bringing my granddaughter in later today, yes. It’s an appointment to have her wisdom teeth looked at…”
“Do you know where I should put the file on conservation that the documentary people returned?” I asked right before she strode out of the office. Doreen carried on walking, as though I hadn’t even spoken.
I looked after her for a few moments before concluding she wasn’t coming back with an answer. Perhaps I really had offended her the other day when I’d made that joke…
It almost felt like someone upstairs had it in for me when the zoo’s manager walked in a minute after his prized PA had left.
“Where’s Doreen?”
“She was here a moment ago,” I said, hoping that by being brief, I’d avoid having to explain that I’d somehow upset her again. The evil-eyed look he shot me let me know that I was under suspicion anyway.
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No… she had a phone call. It was something about an appointment for her granddaughter to have her wisdom teeth looked at. Perhaps it was an emergency?”
The manager continued to frown. “Are you sure? Doreen doesn’t have a granddaughter, or any children at all.”
“It’s what I heard,” I said, wondering why she would lie. I thought it wasn’t the first time she’d mentioned her granddaughter either.
It was only after Donovan had left the room - grumbling under his breath - that I realised something strange. Doreen’s mysterious phone conversation had been in English.
I gathered the file up and dumped it into an empty box, before shoving it up on top of a bookshelf. I was starting to get the dis
tinct impression that there were a whole lot of skeletons in a whole lot of closets at The Big Blue Marine Park. It was either that, or everyone was just plain nuts around here.
“Don’t drink the water.” I muttered the old saying with a half-smile and then got back to work.
I left the park alone that evening. Auryn had texted me to say he was staying behind with another shareholder to discuss some shark week event ideas he’d had. I’d tried calling Katya after finding the piece of paper, but she hadn’t answered her phone or been visible at the park. As a result, I was feeling pretty nervous walking out of the park on my own. With that in mind, I thought it was entirely excusable when I punched Ben Ravenwood on the nose.
“Ouch!” he said, looking at me more in surprise than agony.
“Sorry, you came up behind me!”
He wobbled his nose a couple of times and deemed it not broken. “It’s okay… you’re right to be cautious.” He looked guilty the second after he said it.
“Oh?”
“I don’t know if you know, but the police made a move on Aimee today. I was subsequently brought in for questioning. Although I couldn’t tell them much other than what I told you, I learnt a few more things about Aimee.” He grimaced. “Her name is actually Jayden Golding. She has a previous conviction for assault and grievous bodily harm in the UK. She, er, attacked the wife of an antiques show presenter.”
My eyebrows shot up. “That’s good though, right?” I coughed. “I don’t mean for the poor wife… I mean, it’s good because it means she has a history of doing exactly this kind of thing. It’s hardly a stretch to imagine that she would go one step further and kill someone, and then attempt to kill someone else. Me,” I added, in case that hadn’t been quite clear.
“Actually, the police agree completely,” Ben said, not meeting my eyes.
“But they let her go.”
He looked up. “Oh, you already knew.”
“Yes, but I suppose I’d hoped it was just to let her get her things together before she was carted off to an institution. I gather they really did just let her go?”
Ben nodded. “While it all sounds compelling, there’s no physical evidence. She must have worn gloves when… if… she used that statue on Leona. I don’t know why she decided to drown her first. Perhaps it was some kind of poetic choice. Symbolic?” He looked hopefully at me but I shrugged. Symbolism in murder was not my forte.
“You think it was all her,” I said, still troubled by the pills. Perhaps that had just been Leona herself, stepping out… The Aimee I’d experienced didn’t seem afraid to risk it all and take on fully conscious women when she went on the attack.
“I think it’s likely. Unfortunately, there’s more bad news…” Now Ben looked more guilty than ever. “The questioning didn’t reveal anything incriminating - I guess she must be an expert at that - and she was released on lack of evidence, but… I found out just now, she’s disappeared. The police went to check up on her, I guess maybe they thought surveillance might help, and apparently she’s just gone. There’s no record of her at the airport, but no one has seen her since she left here around lunchtime. I got the call from the police right when I saw you walking by and I said I’d tell you,” he explained. “They told me that when she was in prison, the only DVDs they had were the first ‘Beneath the Deep’ documentary series I did a few years ago. I suppose that’s when her, uh…”
“Obsession?” I supplied and he nodded.
“Where it all came from. I guess local catering companies don’t vet their applicants as well as they should.”
“She knows where I’m staying,” I said, realising that it might not be in my best interest to go back to the villa.
“The police are watching it already. I, uh… might have been responsible for her knowing where you’re staying.” I suddenly realised that this was what the entire conversation had been building to, and the reason why Ben looked so damn guilty. “She said you were friendly and she liked you and I said I did, too, and then I guess I got chatting about how I’d gone over to see you. I didn’t think anything of it when she asked where on the island you were staying.”
“And none of this counts as evidence?”
Ben raised his hands. “As far as I know, there’s nothing beyond motive and what we’re both saying. I mean… you didn’t even see her push you into the tank, did you?”
I shook my head reluctantly. We had nothing other than the knowledge that it had to all be her. She had the history, she had seemed to be overly interested in Ben, and now she’d vanished after the police had brought her in for questioning. It all made sense… didn’t it?
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Ben said, much to my relief.
No one tried to kill me on the short walk.
“I am sorry,” Ben repeated, even though he’d already said it at least ten times already.
“It’s okay. You’re not the one doing any of this.”
I opened the car door but felt Ben’s eyes still on me.
“Madi…” he began and I sensed something different in his voice. Something that made me look up. “I know I might be overstepping, but I couldn’t help but notice you and your boyfriend don’t seem all that close. I’ve barely seen him with you since you’ve been here. Are you sure he’s the right one for you?”
I gritted my teeth. After the day of doubts I’d had, I really didn’t need this right now. “Of course I’m sure. We wouldn’t be engaged if I wasn’t.” He’d referred to him as my boyfriend.
“Okay, I’m just not sure he understands you. I get that he’s got his zoo and he’s done well with it. I know - I looked it up. But you’re something special.” He zeroed in on me and I felt like he was somehow looking inside. “You just don’t strike me as someone who wants to settle down in a small town and watch the world go by.”
“Then you don’t know me well at all.”
Ben nodded and stepped back from the car, giving me space to get in and then drive away.
As I drove through the mountain pass on my way back to the villa, I reflected that I’d said the words with conviction. Ben had believed me.
But it was going to take a lot more than that to convince myself it was true.
13
The Vanishing Act
It didn’t surprise me when Katya knocked on my car window as soon as I pulled up in the villa’s parking space.
“Did Mr Ravenwood talk to you, Ma’am?” she asked, signalling that we were keeping it formal. Katya must not be alone.
“He did. I think I’m pretty much up to speed on the woman calling herself Aimee.”
“I would like to come inside to discuss the details of our presence outside your property tonight and to also make sure you are fully aware of the situation.”
I nodded my agreement and we went into the villa.
“This has all gone sideways fast, hasn’t it? I hate to say it, Madi, but Luke Alton was right when he said you draw trouble to you, like a moth to a flame.”
I scowled when I heard the name of my ex-boyfriend - who I knew as Lowell.
Katya ignored me and skipped on. “There haven’t been any sightings of this catering assistant woman. She’s got a record and has done time, but honestly, I’d say she’s a rather run-of-the-mill predictable nut-job.” Katya rolled her eyes. “You can handle her.”
“Thanks… I think.” I looked out of the glass sliding doors and wondered if there was anyone looking in. All I could see was my own reflection. I looked pretty annoyed, but annoyed was better than scared.
“There haven’t been any further sightings of the nutter since we had to let her go. Honestly, I’d forgotten what a drudge police work is. It all has to be so official. Not that my other work is any different. We still have to build cases, but you know… there’s more leeway.” She raised her eyebrows.
I guessed it made sense. If British Intelligence had to wait for irrefutable evidence of crimes committed, the country would probably be a smoking crater in the ground.
That was - going by all of the spy movies and thriller novels I’d watched and read.
I was still dwelling on fictitious espionage when something awfully mundane occurred to me. That was probably why I’d overlooked it. “After Dominic had finished with my hair and makeup the first time, I went to talk to Aimee. She mentioned she had to change because she was cooking. Later on, I saw her wearing chef’s whites. I didn’t think of it until now, but what if she killed Leona whilst wearing her normal uniform and was covering herself by mentioning the chef’s whites to me?”
I’d expected Katya to jump around and shout ‘Eureka!’ or something. Instead, she looked unfazed.
“I bet that uniform went in the wash pretty fast,” was her only comment.
“Let me get this straight… you think she killed Leona and now she’s trying to kill me?” I wanted to be certain.
“I think it’s very likely.”
“So… now we’re just waiting for her to turn up and try to kill me in the hopes that she’ll incriminate herself?”
Katya shrugged. “Sorry… there just isn’t any physical evidence. The crime scene had all kinds of people strolling through it. It was a mess. Then you’ve got to add in the fact that no one does anything for themselves if they’re the star. The police dusted for prints and there were all kinds of prints everywhere. Unless we find some other evidence, or a witness, there’s no way we can actually arrest her.”
“The justice system sucks.”
“Yeah, it does,” Katya readily agreed. And apparently that’s all there was to say about it.
It stood to reason that I wasn’t in the best of moods when Auryn walked in through the door just before midnight.
“Did I see a police car outside?” he asked.
“You did. There’s a good chance that the woman obsessed with Ben Ravenwood is on her way here to kill me.”
Auryn stared to see if I was being serious. “And they’re just going to watch and see if it happens?”