by Susan Harper
“May I help you?” he asked as she made her way over, and she smiled with relief that she would be able to communicate with one of the officers without a translator.
“Yes, actually,” Kendell said. “I’m honestly just hoping to get an update. My name is Kendell McDonald. I came here with my friend Lil and Pauline. Lil was accused of hurting Zachariah, and I’m starting to get worried about her.”
The man crossed his arms, but smiled ever so slightly. “I wouldn’t be too worried about your friend. Sounds like she is in good company at the embassy.”
“Oh,” Kendell said. “So, she’s at the embassy?”
The man laughed. “Don’t play coy. I’m sure you knew.”
“Okay, fine, I knew,” Kendell said, feeling a bit defensive now. “But, to be fair, your fellow officers were not conducting a legitimate investigation. They just arrested her because she was the first one to find the body, pretending like that was enough to say case closed.”
“That’s why I’m here,” the man said. “When your department gets a call from the president’s son, they straighten up. Sounds like your friend Lil made friends with the right people very quickly.”
“Sounds like Lil,” Kendell said, smirking. “So, why shouldn’t I worry?”
“Because we are no longer looking at your friend Lil as a possible suspect,” the man said. “My name is Detective Mwangi, by the way. After President Kenyatta’s son called the station and complained about the way things were being handled down here, the station’s leading officer asked me in to come and straighten these boys up. I’m very sorry for the way your friend Lil was treated. She definitely should not have been made to feel like she had to run straight to the embassy. And, for future reference, all you have to do if you’re arrested in a foreign country is request to speak to someone from your country’s embassy, and a consular officer will be appointed to you. There is no need to attempt to evade police to get to the embassy. That’s not the case in war-torn countries necessarily, but in places that are friendly with the Americans… Wel, there was really no need for her to do all of that.”
“That’s good to know,” Kendell said, blushing with embarrassment at the lengths they had just gone to get Lil away from the local police. “But, why are you no longer looking at Lil?”
“Because I looked at the body and spoke with the forensic pathologist,” Detective Mwangi said. “Before Zachariah was bashed in the head with the coffee pot, he was in a fight. We found bruises on his arms. One bruise in particular is on his arm, and suggests that the assailant gripped his arm. You can see impressions of the assailant’s fingers. And, they’re very large. Plus, Zachariah’s fists are split, suggesting he punched and fought back. We are assuming that whoever attacked him is large and fit. Like every single man who was here the night he was murdered.”
“So you’re throwing out the possibility of a female assailant?” Kendell asked.
“After looking at the scene of the crime again as well as the body, I’m almost certain of it,” Detective Mwangi said confidently. “We’re looking for a man, which gives us Five suspects. Mr. Duffey, Mr. Ashley, Landon, Rider, and least likely, Jahi. Our primary suspect at the moment is—”
“Mr. Ashley,” Kendell said.
Detective Mwangi raised a brow. “Yes,” he said. “Have you been doing a little detective work, Miss McDonald?”
“A little,” Kendell said. “I know that he and Zachariah are former business partners. They run competing businesses. Now their businesses are both looking to merge with a company here in Nairobi. And I know they got into a confrontation at the train museum the other day here in Nairobi. Plus, Mrs. Ashley has some reservations about his plans for trophy hunting. That’s a lot that makes Mr. Ashley look bad.”
“Have you noticed any bruises on him?” Detective Mwangi asked. “Because Zachariah definitely put up a fight.”
“Honestly, no,” Kendell said. “But, I haven’t noticed bruises on anyone, really. I haven’t been looking because I didn’t know Zachariah had fought off his attacker.”
“Well, do me a favor and keep an eye out,” Detective Mwangi said. “We have five suspects, really, and everything we have on Mr. Ashley is fairly circumstantial. He definitely has motive, though, and motive could lead us in the right direction. But, we need to be sure he’s the only one with motive. Everyone else has been acting very odd. I’m going to be conducting some additional interviews soon. The manor guests are understandably getting antsy. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some work to do.”
“Of course, and thank you, Detective Mwangi, for taking the time to speak with me,” Kendell said. “I really appreciate it.”
Detective Mwangi nodded and headed back toward a group of officers who all seemed annoyed that they now had to take orders from the detective. Kendell was glad, though. She decided to go grab her phone and send Lil a reassuring text on her way back to the suite, but first, she noticed a text from her boyfriend.
Still being lame, Kendell? When R U coming home?
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she griped. She stormed into the suite in such a fury, it woke Pauline up from her nap. “Oh, sorry, Pauline,” Kendell muttered.
“What did you fling the door open like that for?” Pauline moaned, gradually making her way to the edge of the bed before throwing her feet over the side. She placed her feet on the floor and stretched a bit before standing.
“I’m sorry,” Kendell said. “I got another lovely message from Jack. He is being such a jerk! He has always been such an awesome boyfriend, but the moment I decide to do something for myself, he has completely flipped on me. He has acted like a total jerk ever since I left New York. It’s not like I’m going to be gone forever, just a month, maybe a little longer. He’s even encouraged me to take some time to myself! So, why is he acting like this? We don’t even live together, you know? It’s not like I’m inconveniencing him or anything.”
“I don’t know, honey,” Pauline said, rubbing her eyes. “He doesn’t need to be so controlling. You’re a sweet girl. You deserve better than this. But, you say he’s never acted like this before?”
“No, and we’ve been dating for years,” Kendell said. “So, I just do not get where this has come from all of a sudden. I’ve always been very independent, and he has always respected and appreciated that. So, it’s just so…weird. And out of character for him. My friend Brandon told me Jack has been stressed because he’s been putting in a lot of overtime, so that might have something to do with it, but he doesn’t need to take his stress out on me!”
“What are you going to do?” Pauline asked.
“What do you mean?” Kendell asked. “Are you asking if I’m going to break up with him?”
“Maybe.”
“I don’t know,” Kendell said, suddenly feeling very sad. “I don’t like this version of Jack. It’s very unattractive, and I don’t like being told what I can and can’t do. I might have to, but the idea of walking away from a relationship that I’ve put so much into just seems insane to me. I don’t doubt that he loves me and cares about me, but this is ridiculous. I haven’t even been gone for two weeks. He has gone longer than that without seeing me because of our crazy work schedules. So, it can’t be that he’s missing me too much or whatever. We’re used to going long periods like that. If he’s mad because I’m not working… Well… Honestly, that’s just selfish. I’m using my vacations days, for crying out loud! A paycheck is still going into my account each week. So, what is it? I just… I just don’t know.”
“Maybe you should enlist your friends to help?” Pauline suggested. “Lil certainly owes you after you and I got her out of here and to the US Embassy.”
“You’re suggesting that I have Lil spy on Jack to see what’s up?” Kendell asked.
“That is exactly what I am suggesting,” Pauline said as she sashayed toward the bathroom. She stood near the sink with the door open as she filled a small bowl of water for Dot. She exited the bathroom and plopped it
down on the floor, and the little dog scurried over to get herself something to drink as Kendell contemplated Pauline’s suggestion.
“Hmmm…” Kendell pondered. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt, but that sure does seem dishonest.”
“True,” Pauline said. “But he is acting like a bit of a…a creep, really. I think trying to find out why he is acting that way is you trying to salvage the relationship instead of running away from it.”
“I guess,” Kendell said and nodded. “I think I will talk to Lil, but right now, I just want to shower. It’s been a long day.”
“Oh, you know our shower has a tub bottom with jets, right?” Pauline said, smirking while she pointed to the bathroom. “I got the suite for a reason, honey.”
Kendell smiled and headed into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and set her phone down on the floor by the tub. She ran some hot water, then found a basket sitting on the bathroom counter full of bubble bath, foot scrub, lotions, and various scented bath soaps. She grinned. “Well, I am on vacation,” she told herself as she filled the tub with bubbles and dove in.
Instantly, she felt relaxed. She smiled and reached for her phone. She decided to text Lil about Jack. Lil was still at the Embassy, she learned, but things were looking good for her. It didn’t sound like she would be staying in Nairobi for any length of time after all—not any longer than the rest of them, at least. She would still have to stick around until the investigation was complete, but Kendell was able to assure her that the president’s son had put a rush on things and that a proper investigation was now taking place. It would be over soon, they hoped.
Now, the uncomfortable part of the conversation. Kendell explained everything that Jack had been guilt-tripping her about, and Lil of course responded with an overwhelming amount of support. Lil could be sassy at times. She was the feminist of the group, the one who didn’t need a man and always had her fellow woman’s back. To hear that Jack was being anything less than supportive obviously set Lil off by the number of swear words that came in her next text. Kendell laughed. Sometimes talking smack about your boyfriend was the best therapy, but she knew it was not the best thing for her relationship to make her friends not like him, so she defended him gently before asking Lil to keep an eye out when she returned to the States. Kendell still had a few legs left on her world journey with Pauline, so Lil would probably see Jack before she did.
Red, you know I got this. I’ll find out what has pretty boys panties in a knot.
Kendell laughed when she read the text. She thanked her, wished her luck while at the embassy, and then put her phone back on the bathroom floor before letting herself sink down deeper into the warm water. It was soothing and relaxing, exactly what a vacation was supposed to be. “Finally,” she said once her shoulders relaxed. “Now I actually feel like I’m on vacation.”
11
Kendell was growing tired of all the waiting around. Giraffe Manor was an amazing and beautiful place, but after being cooped up there for several days under constant surveillance by local police, its charm was wearing off. So far, the police had not been able to make the connections they needed in order to nail down a perp. Not entirely. Mr. Ashley was on Kendell’s list for sure; the man’s history with Zachariah that he had conveniently attempted to keep under wraps was in and of itself very convincing, but that was hardly enough to go on. The police seemed to be on the same page there, but Mr. Ashley maintained his innocence, and there really wasn’t much more to go on beside his history with Zachariah.
After spending a good part of the afternoon lounging around the suite attempting to kill time, Kendell finally emerged from her quarters in time to enjoy some of Jina’s afternoon tea. Jina had plates full of cookies set out in the breakfast nook, and pretty much everyone apart from Rider and Landon had come down for her tasty treats. Jina was an incredible cook; she also made some of the best tea. Kendell figured everyone else was starting to get a taste of cabin fever like herself, and so were desperately seeking some sort of conversational piece with one another. The Duffey children were half-asleep come teatime, probably from pure boredom. Their eyes lit up when they saw Kendell round the doorway. While she appreciated their smiles, Kendell knew they were just waiting on Pauline. Pauline’s dog had become a form of entertainment for the children that they so desperately needed. The giraffes were fun to look at and to occasionally feed, but they could actually chase the dog around and play with it.
As Kendell was sitting down, Detective Mwangi appeared in the entryway. After he had first arrived at Giraffe Manor, he had emptied out one of the open guest rooms and turned it into a temporary office. Kendell felt like that was the one and only thing the man had done since arriving, and it seemed like a waste of time. But, by the look in his eyes as he entered the little breakfast nook, she could tell he was ready to get down to business. About time, Kendell thought. Supposedly, this man was the best of the best in their area, and his slowness to get going had made her question that significantly. Mwangi called in Mrs. Ashley, saying he wanted to speak with her privately. The woman went pale, and her husband attempted to insist he come along. Detective Mwangi denied the request, explaining that he needed to speak with everyone individually. This made sense, and frankly, Kendell was surprised the local police hadn’t thought to do this just yet.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured her husband and followed the detective into the makeshift office.
“About time they started doing something other than moping around looking for your friend,” Mr. Duffey said. “I feel like all they’ve done is hold us up in here while they walked around aimlessly in the manor’s forests.”
“There has been a change in leadership on the case,” Pauline said. “They were just letting local police take care of it, but apparently, the local department received a personal call from the president’s son about their professionalism, so they brought in that Detective Mwangi fellow.”
“Really?” Mr. Duffey asked. “Interesting. Well, so long as we get out of here soon, I really don’t care who is running things. Don’t get me wrong, I love giraffes and could probably spend time with them all day, but I’m about to go crazy just sitting in my room.”
“You’re not the only one,” Kendell said sympathetically. Watching this investigation unfold was as agonizingly slow as watching paint dry.
They all sat enjoying their tea and treats, and avoided talking about Zachariah. They’d had one too many heated discussions since the man’s death, and everyone was worn out. Screaming matches could be quite draining, especially over something so serious. Everyone was simply done trying to defend themselves to each other. Instead, they all conversed about life in general and enjoyed the ability to have conversation instead of being cooped up in their rooms. The Duffey children sat on the floor, playing happily with Dot. Nearly forty-five minutes went by, and Kendell could see Mr. Ashley growing antsy.
“What could they possibly be talking to my wife about for this long?” he growled, crossing his arms in frustration. The man had started bouncing his leg impatiently, and he kept looking toward the entryway for his wife to appear. The man started to stand up like he intended to go investigate why the officers were keeping her so long, but finally, Mrs. Ashley returned along with Detective Mwanji.
The detective smiled at Mr. Ashley. “Sir, if you would come with me, I’d like to have a word with you.” The look on Detective Mwanji’s face was pointed, like he had learned something from Mrs. Ashley that was incredibly incriminating.
Kendell watched Mr. Ashley grow pale, then he nervously straightened out his shirt and followed the detective out of the room. The detective must have found something out about the Ashleys, Kendell thought. What could he have possibly had to say to Mrs. Ashley that would have kept them cooped up that long? “What did he talk to you about?” Kendell asked her.
Mrs. Ashley huffed and crossed her arms. “Nothing, really. He asked me a few questions and then just had me sit there while he did some paperwork. It was su
ch a waste of my time and energy. I told him that too, but he just smirked at me like he couldn’t care less whether or not he was wasting my time. He better have a good reason for all of that nonsense. I’m so tired of being here! How hard is it to find out who killed that man? Surely they must have some crime scene investigative person who can…I don’t know…do a DNA test or something, right?”
Mr. Duffey rolled his eyes. “This isn’t television, dear.”
Kendell smirked. I see what you did there, Mwangi, she thought, recounting Mr. Ashley’s very nervous face. The man had kept Mrs. Ashley tied up for so long with one purpose: to make his prime suspect nervous. Mr. Ashley had motive, which automatically made him a suspect. Kendell realized that Mwangi was playing the Ashleys. He had taken them separately and one right after the other so that they couldn’t talk to each other about what he had asked her, and that let Mr. Ashley get in his own head about it. It would certainly keep them on their toes, and it would increase his chances of catching one of them in a lie.
But Kendell was still not convinced. Several more minutes ticked by, and Kendell lost track of time. She imagined that Mr. Ashley was squirming in his seat talking to Mwangi. It had been over an hour since Kendell and Pauline left their room, and Kendell found it odd that neither Landon nor Rider had come down for tea yet. The two men had shown quite a love for everything Jina had thus far created, so she found it strange they would not have at least come down briefly to sample one of her treats. With everything going on, a part of her was worried for the two men. Could the killer have struck again? Even if the killer had not, it was still a little strange that the two of them had stayed cooped up in their room. Deciding that she really hadn’t spent any time looking into the photographers, she rose to go pay them a quick visit.