Man's Best Alibi

by Tara Meyers

  Shrugging, Colton took it down. “This is the same brand he got but not the same model,” he explained. “He was looking for something waterproof and with a range of over five miles. That’s not too difficult when you have a direct line of sight, but once you get up in these mountains, it pushes the limits of what’s available.”

  Staring at the radio in her hand, Ember finally remembered where she’d seen the unique logo. The garbage in the tent. Turning it over, she slipped the back cover off. Sure enough, inside was a nine-volt battery with the same symbol on it.

  “It’s chargeable, of course,” Colton said, always the salesman. “But the nice feature with this particular line is that it will also run off regular batteries for an impressive amount of time.”

  Ember set the unit back on the counter. She didn’t feel any better than she had before coming into the store. Instead of getting answers, she only had more questions.

  Kurt Donaldson had swapped out at least one battery during his last visit to the camp before being killed. That meant he’d been talking to someone. Someone close by. Someone that Ember suspected also shot Kurt before taking the other radio and doing his best to make it look like it wasn’t murder.

  But he made a mistake.

  FOURTEEN

  “You’re telling me that because there was a battery in the garbage up there that matches the walkie-talkie brand, it means this guy was murdered and then the killer took the walkies to help make it look less suspicious?”

  Ember tossed a treat to Daenerys from the clinic’s stash and then helped herself to the already-brewed coffee. She carefully considered her reply to Mel. Her friend had a way of making something that made so much sense only a few minutes before sound rather silly. “It’s a brand of battery specific to that radio, Mel. And we know that Kurt bought it. We know he had it up there with him! So where did it go?”

  “We assume he had it up there,” Mel corrected. “How do we know that battery wasn’t thrown out the last time? Or the time before that?”

  “Because he would have packed out his garbage,” Ember countered, her voice losing its strength. “And it looked…newish.”

  Mel raised her eyebrows. Playing devil’s advocate was a specialty of hers. “You know I’m only asking the same questions Nathan and Walker will.”

  Leaning back against the front counter in defeat, Ember took a long drink of coffee. She knew Mel was right.

  Ember looked out the large storefront windows and studied the gray skies set against the majestic backdrop of the rugged Cascade Mountains. They were shrouded in mist, and a fine rain was starting to fall. The forecast had been accurate, and the temperature was a good twenty degrees cooler than just the day before. Ember pulled her cardigan around herself a little tighter, even though it was plenty warm inside. She loved the clear seasons they had in Sanctuary, and while it always felt good to have the sun on your skin during the summer, there was something comforting about wearing layers.

  “Maybe I can find out something more compelling from old Ernest Tucker.”

  “You aren’t going there alone, are you?” Mel asked, stepping into Ember’s line of sight. “Is the store even open on Mondays? I can go with you when we close for lunch. Hershey will be okay alone for an hour.”

  The lab was doing much better than the night before, and they were hopeful he could go home the next day. Once again, Ember experienced a wave of guilt over the workload Mel had taken on. She’d already handled the one appointment they had that morning, a simple wound check and suture removal. While it was convenient for Mel since she lived across the street, it was still more than Ember had originally hired her for.

  “Mel, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your six-month evaluation.” Ember avoided the other woman’s gaze by busying herself with pouring more coffee.

  “It hasn’t been six months.” Mel’s voice was slow and suspicious.

  “Close enough. Anyway, I’m the boss, so I get to make this stuff up. You and I both know you do way more work than a normal tech does. Plus, you’re essentially available twenty-four-seven. In light of all of that, I’m giving you a two-dollar-an-hour raise, effective immediately.”

  Mel hesitated, staring at Ember with an uncharacteristically serious expression. “I almost killed a dog last night because I waited too long before admitting I couldn’t handle it.”

  “No.” Ember firmly refuted. “Hershey almost died because when you recognized how emergent the situation was and tried to contact me, my phone was off. It was an unfair situation to put you in, and I take full responsibility for it. But that isn’t the first time you’ve had to take the lead, and I feel very strongly about recognizing how important you are to this practice, Mel. So, shut up and take the money.”

  To Ember’s surprise, Mel stepped in close and wrapped her in a big hug. The seriousness lasted for about five seconds, until she leaned back, lifting Ember up and off the floor. Squealing, the smaller woman spun around until they both fell to the floor laughing loudly.

  Barking excitedly, Daenerys danced around them, taking every opportunity to dash in and lick their faces.

  “Am I interrupting something?”

  Scrambling to get out from under Mel and pushing Daenerys away at the same time, Ember looked up to find Deputy Ken Trenton standing just inside the clinic entrance. Thoroughly embarrassed, she jumped to her feet and tried to regain her composure. At least it hadn’t been a client.

  “No, Deputy Trenton. We were…um…just messing around. What’s up? The sheriff need something?”

  Ken stood with his thumbs hooked through his gun belt, his tall lanky form a cliché of the old west cowboy. He even wore a cowboy hat, the one exception to an otherwise textbook police uniform. “I’m not here on department business,” he drawled. Taking one tentative step inside, he looked back and forth between the two women, clearly uncomfortable.

  “Spit it out, Tom,” Mel barked, not bothering with formalities. Although she knew Tom on a more casual level, he still frowned at her tone.

  Turning to Ember, the deputy ignored Mel’s comment. “I found something peculiar back of my property yesterday while huntin’ deer. Thought you might be interested.”

  Curious, Ember momentarily forgot about her embarrassment. “What is it?”

  “Dead raccoon.”

  Disappointed, Ember shared a glance with Mel. The other woman grinned and then busied herself with restocking their small pet store at the far end of the room. Left alone in the awkward conversation, Ember tried to determine why the man thought a dead raccoon was worth mentioning. “Was there something strange about how it died?”

  “Nope.”

  When it was obvious there was no further explanation coming, Ember tried again. “Then how was it peculiar?”

  Pushing his hat back, Deputy Trenton scratched at his forehead. “Well, that’s the fourth one I’ve found this past week, Dr. Burns. I don’t typically see dead raccoons in those parts just lyin’ on the ground like that with no signs of a coyote having eaten it. And it’s not the only type of animal behaving strangely.”

  Mel looked up at that, and Ember felt a small surge of anxiety. “How were they behaving?”

  “Couple weeks ago, I saw a coyote that looked a bit mangy, and he was running across the field in a weird way, like he’d gotten into some liquor. Then yesterday, only thing I shot was a squirrel.” Digging his fingers back into the safety of his belt, Ken rocked back on his heels and shook his head. “Freaky little thing was running in circles before crashing into a tree. It attacked another squirrel before jumping back down not five feet from me. Thought it might be rabid, so I took care of it before it got an opportunity to bite me.”

  “Where do you live, Deputy Trenton?”

  “Just call me Ken,” he said, before pointing toward the north. “I’ve got myself about forty acres a few miles north of town.”

  North. Ember was willing to bet he wasn’t far from where Hershey and Garfield lived. It wasn’t a coincidence.
“Did you bring the animals with you?”

  The radio clipped to his shoulder squawked, and Ken put a hand up to silence Ember before he tilted his face toward it and squeezed the handset. “Haven, Henry3. I’ll be en route.” Looking back apologetically at Ember, he shrugged. “I didn’t even think to mention it to you, but the sheriff suggested it. Might be best to show you, in case there’s some environmental factor. Don’t you think? I gotta go now, but I’m sure I could swing by my place later.”

  Drumming her fingers on the counter, Ember tried to figure out how she could make it work.

  “We’ve got back-to-back appointments starting in a few minutes and continuing until lunch,” Mel interjected. “But then we don’t have anything between one and three. I could handle things. So long as you keep your phone on,” she added, giving an exaggerated wink.

  “Here.” Ken pulled a business card from his back pocket. “My cell is on there. Give me a call when you’re available.” Waving a farewell, he left without waiting for an answer.

  “The plot thickens,” Mel said in a deep theatrical voice.

  ***

  Ember wished she’d listened to Ken and changed into her cowboy boots.

  They were working their way back toward his farmhouse after spending over half an hour traipsing around in the cold, damp woods behind his property. The rain stopped, but it left the ground a spongy mess.

  She was impressed with his property. It wasn’t what she expected. Aside from a weird assortment of wooden barrels and other scrap wood materials in the backyard, it appeared to be a well-organized, working farm.

  “Watch your step here, Ember,” Ken cautioned. They were approaching a makeshift bridge made of old wooden planks. He’d said the same thing when they crossed over it the first time.

  Ember shifted the black garbage bag from her left hand to over her right shoulder while watching Ken jump across the stream. Her legs weren’t long enough to make the span. He was carrying a similar bag, but it was holding something a lot bigger. The raccoon was close to twenty pounds.

  She’d decided to take both the raccoon and squirrel back with her. While the squirrel had been dead for less than twenty-four hours, the other animal wasn’t in too great of shape. But Ember wasn’t sure if the whole animal was needed for the necropsy, and she hadn’t thought to contact the state health department before going out there.

  I wish I had a freezer at the clinic!

  Pausing with one foot poised over the half-rotten plank, Ember stared down at the water running under her. The stream was much wider farther up, which was why the crossing was made at this location. It was a sizeable waterway.

  “Ken, does this creek have a name?”

  Ken looked back at her in surprise. “I thought you would have known this was Parker Creek.”

  Frowning, Ember continued over the “bridge” and then stared out across the field at the water slowly meandered through before disappearing on the far side of Ken’s house. Turning to look back at the mountains that towered behind them, she tried to orient herself.

  His farm was a couple of miles beyond the family who owned Hershey. She wasn’t sure about Garfield, other than that they were in the same general vicinity.

  “Where does this lead to?”

  “Lead to?” Ken repeated, scratching his chin. “Well, it continues down for a spell before ending in the lake.”

  “The lake. You mean Parker Reservoir?” Ember had a bad feeling. A really bad feeling.

  Ken nodded and then stopped, setting the bag on the ground with a wet thump. “You don’t think it’s rabies?”

  “No. Not rabies.” Eager now to get going, she walked past him and led the way. “But I don’t like coincidences, and I’m willing to bet that this creek is also on or near the property of a couple of animals I’ve taken care of lately with some odd symptoms.”

  “You mean the dog that almost died last night?”

  Hesitating, Ember shook her head and then kept going. Small-town networking always amazed her. “Yeah. Exactly. I was so focused on infection that I hadn’t considered a water-borne illness.”

  “Like Beaver Fever?”

  “I don’t think it’s Giardiasis,” Ember replied. “That’s mainly a gastrointestinal illness, and these animals definitely have something neurological going on.”

  “Then what, Ember?”

  The concern in the man’s voice stopped her, and Ember turned to face him. He was looking over her shoulder, and she turned to see four beautiful horses prancing around a well-groomed field. “Do they drink from the stream?”

  “Rarely,” Ken answered. “I fill their trough from the well. You think they’re okay?”

  Ember paused before answering, remembering that Ken was part the same network she’d just been thinking about. “I’m sure they’re fine. It might all be totally unrelated, but I appreciate your taking me out here, Ken. I’ll have these animals tested, and we’ll make sure there isn’t anything to worry about.”

  Seemingly satisfied with the answer, the deputy pushed his hat further down on his head in response and gave a curt nod. Grabbing the bag, he continued toward Ember’s waiting truck.

  Before following, she looked once more at the stream in the distance. If it was something in the water, sick animals might be the least of the town’s worries.

  FIFTEEN

  “Do I want to know what’s in the bags?” Nathan leaned in closer, peered over the side of Ember’s truck, and wrinkled his nose. “Never mind. Think I can figure it out on my own. Collecting roadkill?”

  Laughing, Ember slid out of the old Ford’s cab and slammed the door. “I told you in my text that I was going to Deputy Ken Trenton’s place to check out some animals. Those are it.”

  Looking back down at the bags, Nathan frowned. “You didn’t say what kind of animals. It isn’t his dog, is it?”

  “I don’t think Ken has a dog. At least, I didn’t see one. It’s a raccoon and a squirrel.”

  They were standing in a small gravel parking lot in front of The Devil’s Elbow, a dilapidated square wooden building at the edge of town. Ember noticed on her way out to Ken’s that the open sign was on, so she’d texted Nathan to see if he could meet her there on her way back. It had taken longer at Ken’s than she’d expected, so now she was rushed for time. There was a possible kennel cough case coming in at three, and that was one she had to handle herself.

  “Any idea what’s killing them? Think it’s the same thing that made those other animals sick?” Nathan pushed off from the truck and began to walk alongside Ember. “Because that’s the sort of thing that could make a lot of people nervous real quick.”

  Glancing up at him, Ember saw the concern in his dark eyes. A tingling of excitement fluttered in her stomach as he took a hold of her arm to stop her before they entered the store. It wasn’t the sort of conversation to have in front of anyone else.

  “It’s too soon to speculate. I was afraid of rabies, and I guess it can’t be ruled out before we test those dead animals, but I’m willing to bet it’ll be negative.”

  “What, then?” Nathan pressed.

  “Parker Creek runs through Ken’s property, Nathan. And it might be the common factor with all of the animals.”

  Nathan paled a little, and he took a step back. “The water? A parasite or something? I thought Beaver Fever only caused stomach problems. Have you checked with the health clinic yet to see if anyone has been seen there with similar symptoms? How about that dog’s owner from last night?”

  Ember put her hands up to ward off all the questions. “Whoa! I literally came up with the idea, like, fifteen minutes ago. It probably has nothing to do with the water, but it has to be considered and ruled out. It’s unlikely, because, yeah, all of the potential parasites I’m aware of have totally different symptoms. The illnesses and deaths may all be random and not connected at all. But checking to make sure there haven’t been any potential human cases is a good idea.”

  Grinning lopsided and looki
ng a little embarrassed at his overreaction, Nathan ran a hand through his jet-black hair, totally unaware of how charming he was. “Sorry. Guess I heard ‘water’ and my imagination took over. I hope you’re right and it’s all unrelated, because otherwise, it could be a mess. Let me know if I can help. Actually,” he continued, squinting slightly in thought, “if the water does turn out to be the source, it could very well be a parks issue. It’s not far above Ken’s place that it turns into National Park territory. Maybe I’ll go poke around some this weekend and make sure we don’t have any abnormal dead animals lying around in that area.”

  “If you do it on Sunday, I’d be happy to go with you!”

  “It’s a date.”

  His hand was back on her arm, and Ember couldn’t help but blush under the intensity of his stare. She didn’t know why she acted like a schoolgirl around him. Thankfully, he opened the door then, and she scooted inside the dim interior of The Devil’s Elbow.

  It was aptly named, in reference to the scraggy knots and elbows found on old bended pieces of wood. Branches hung from every available surface on the walls, as a sort of weird decorating scheme. On the floor and various shelving was the furniture made from similar wood, and Ember was stunned by the quality.

  The building itself wasn’t much larger than a two-car garage, and it was an open space with shelves running its length. In the middle sat a cast iron woodstove burning red, radiating a heat that made any layers of clothing unnecessary. It smelled of a mix of cedar, pine, and woodsmoke. Not unpleasant but warm and inviting.

  Ember instantly liked the store and got caught up in browsing the various creations, forgetting momentarily why she was really there.

  “May I be of some assistance?”

  Startled, Ember jumped back from a rocking chair and spun toward the gruff voice. Sitting on the far side of the stove, a man yanked out of a John Wayne movie sat regarding them.