by Parnell Hall
“Carl?”
“You have seen him. He works with David.”
“Are you telling me she came over here and questioned the staff?”
“No. The boys bring water. They bring food. They build fires. She talks to them there.”
“How do you know?”
“I asked.”
“What did she ask them about?”
“Daniel. Who are his friends? Was he in trouble? Did he need money?”
“What did they tell her?”
“They did not tell her about drugs.”
“How do you know?”
“That is what they say.”
“They may lie.”
“They do not need to lie. She does not ask, they do not say.”
“They may lie to you.”
“No. They tell me about drugs.”
“They may lie to you when they say they didn’t tell her. If they told her about the drugs and didn’t want you to know, they could say they didn’t.”
“Why? She does not say drugs, they do not say drugs.”
“Then why was she killed?”
He nodded. “That is problem.”
“Then you do think it’s one of us.”
“No.”
“She didn’t ask about drugs. She asked about Daniel.”
“They do not care about drugs. They care about murder.”
I took a breath. I was having trouble leading Duke through if-then relationships. Now that I knew he was sharp, I didn’t know if that was because he really didn’t follow, or whether he was being intentionally obtuse.
Clemson stepped out of the tent and said, “I’ll take it from here.”
28
2ND INTERROGATION
“YOU WERE LISTENING THE WHOLE time?”
“Yes.”
“Do you intend to listen in on all the interrogations?”
“No, just yours.”
“Am I supposed to feel flattered?”
“You can if you like. That wasn’t the idea.”
“What was the idea?”
“I want to talk to you about the murder.”
“You did that last night.”
“Yes, yes. Your wife was there. We were talking generally. I was adjusting to the news. I want to talk to you alone.”
We were in sitting on the cots in Clemson’s tent. He had two of them, standard issue, though he bunked alone. He was using the second one for his duffle, which was open with clothes and equipment strewn around. He had cleared a space for me to sit on the cot, sat facing me on his.
“What did you want to talk about?” I said.
“Let’s not play games,” Clemson said. “We have a serious situation here. A tourist has been murdered. That’s bad enough. If another tourist did it, it’s worse.”
“Why?”
“It shuts me down. The police step in. And not just the local police. We’re talking about the government. The consulate’s involved. The next thing you know, you have an international incident.”
“I would think it was the other way around. You’d have an international incident if a tourist was killed by a Zambian.”
“Yes, but one that’s easily resolved. We apologize. We don’t know how this deplorable situation could have occurred, but we’re dreadfully sorry and we will take steps to see that it never happens again. Some poor bloke is arrested and quickly put on trial if he’s guilty, or lost somewhere in the legal system if he’s not. And a crisis is averted and order is restored.”
“Are you really as cynical as all that?”
He grinned, pointed his finger. “Got me. No, but you get the point. If a tourist killed a tourist, it’s a circus and it shuts me down. That’s clearly not what happened. Daniel was involved with drugs and wound up getting killed. Most likely by someone else on the staff who wanted his drugs, wanted his business, got high and couldn’t control himself. Alice Ardsdale was poking into it. Asking questions of the staff. The killer doesn’t realize she’s asking questions of everybody, he thinks she’s after him. So he feeds her poison. Not that hard to do, if he’s one of the boys who serves the food.”
“Where’s he get arsenic?”
“It’s used in copper mining.”
“Mining?”
“You know nothing about this country, do you? Copper mining is a major industry. That’s why China wants the land. But you know nothing about that either. Never mind. The point is, the idea that a staff man did this is not farfetched. It is most likely true.”
“It’s stuffy in here. Can’t we sit outside?”
“I don’t want the others to see you.”
“Why not?”
“I want them to talk to you freely. I don’t want them to think you’re reporting back to me. You’re my eyes and ears on the ground.”
“Why?”
“What?”
“If you really think one of the staff did it, why do you want me to talk to the guests?”
“I have to protect against that outcome. It may not be likely, but it’s possible. If that should turn out to be the case, I need it cleaned up as quickly and efficiently as possible. It shouldn’t be that difficult.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“There’s either a killer or there’s not. Among the guests, I mean. The only way of finding that out is to find out who it is. See what I mean?”
I did. There was a kernel of truth behind Clemson’s twisted logic.
“So that’s your job,” Clemson said.
I frowned. “Isn’t that Duke’s job?”
“Yes, it is. But he won’t be along.”
“What?”
“The ranger doesn’t go on the canoe trip. Neither do the guides. I function as both guide and ranger. The only other staff man in the canoes is a spotter we pick up there.”
I frowned.
“So I want you to talk to the guests.”
“People will know I’m investigating.”
“Of course they will. That’s fine. They just won’t know you’re doing it for me.”
“Assuming that we go.”
“What?”
“You’re assuming the canoe trip goes out. When the lab finishes analyzing the evidence, aren’t they apt to hold you here and send someone?”
“No one could get here that fast.”
“They could call and tell you to wait.”
His eyes flicked.
I’ve been involved in enough investigations to know a guilty reaction when I saw one. “You turned your phone off, didn’t you? No one’s getting through until you’re safely out on the river.”
Clemson started to protest, realized it was futile. “All right, look,” he said. “Here’s the thing. I can’t afford to shut down, even for a day. My profit margin is razor-thin. Next to nothing. If everything goes smoothly, I’m fine. Any glitch and I’m screwed. The trip’s a washout. Might even cost me money.”
“Why don’t you charge more?”
He made a face. “I’m not Wilderness Adventure. I’m not Thompson Safari. If I raise my fee, people book with them. I don’t have gourmet meals and luxury lodges. I have low overhead and I’m cheap.”
I knew that. Alice had investigated all tours before going. This was the one we could afford.
“So,” Clemson said, “you talk to the guests, and Duke will talk to the staff. He pulled their records. David had a drug bust as a juvenile. Marijuana, no big deal, but it’s there. Carl got in a fight in town. He lost and paid a fine. Phillip’s record is clean, but he has a wife, three children, could need money.”
“Phillip has a wife?”
“Yes.”
“He looks twelve.”
“He’s about twenty. No evidence of violence or crime, but he could need money.”
“What about the guides?”
“No one thinks it’s the guides, but in light of the evidence, Duke’s pulling their records. It’s what he’ll be doing while we’re gone. He’ll also be making inquiries in town. If there’s anythi
ng there, he’ll dig it up.”
I cocked my head. “Duke’s rather sharp. I thought you told me he’d only solved one murder case.”
Clemson shrugged. “We don’t have many.”
29
SHORT GAME DRIVE
THE GAME DRIVE WAS A joke. I don’t know the punch line, but the setup was how do you keep ten tourists pissed off for hours? The answer was cancel the morning hike and have them interrogated by a Zambian ranger feigning a lack of English.
I knew that because I went first, so I was free to hang out at the campfire and greet the other guests as they returned. None came back happy. Unfortunately, none came back communicative. As least about the murder. Several were relatively vocal concerning Duke’s investigative techniques, verbal skills, intelligence, and parentage, then retired to their tents to sulk until the game drive.
Victoria was one of the last. As she walked by afterwards, I said, “Don’t worry. I didn’t give you up.”
She frowned. “What?”
“That was a joke.”
“Oh. Very funny.”
“So what did he ask?”
“Same thing he asked you.”
I doubted that. “You mean like the last time you saw her alive?”
“He didn’t put it that succinctly.”
“I’m shocked. What did you tell him?”
“I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember what you told him?”
“No, I don’t remember the last time I saw her alive. Probably at dinner like everyone else.”
“Is that what everyone else said?”
“I have no idea what anyone else said.”
“Except me.”
“Huh?”
“You said he asked you the same thing he asked me.”
“He probably did. I have no idea.” She frowned. “Are you checking my statement?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I have no idea. Are you?”
“Any reason you’d tell me anything different than you told him?”
“Did he tell you to check on the guests?”
“No, just you.”
She crinkled up her nose. God help me, she looked adorable. “Did he really?”
“No, that was a joke.”
“Good one,” she said. “Did you question Jason?”
“He didn’t stop by.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t look too happy when he came out,” she said, and walked off to her tent.
It took a while for her remark to register. When he came out? So Duke must have moved the questioning inside the tent after Clemson and I were gone. And David must have been picking up the guests one by one. He’d leave a guest outside the tent to be interrogated after the one inside was through, and go back to get another. So some of the guests were alone outside the tent while others were being questioned, and might have listened in. Victoria could have listened in on Jason. And Jason could have listened in on the guest ahead of him. Who was that? Could I remember the sequence?
By the time I got back from my talk with Clemson, the questioning was under way. The first people back were Simon and Trish. Trish came first, then Simon. So he could have listened in on her. Then came the librarians. I wasn’t sure which was first. So one could have listened in on the other, and one could have listened in on Simon.
Next up was Keith, who could have listened in on one of the librarians. Then came Jason, who could have listened in on Keith. What if he had? Something Keith said could have been what pissed him off. Maybe that was what made him grumpy, rather than his own interrogation. Of course, it wasn’t an either/or situation. The guy was just generally grumpy.
But Victoria had remarked on it. So it must have been blatant. Of course she could have listened in on him and known exactly what was bothering him. But I didn’t think so. She hadn’t shown a single guilty reaction. And she’d volunteered the information. If she’d learned it from spying, she wouldn’t have brought it up.
While I was thinking all that, Annabel came back.
“Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” I said. With Annabel I figured a cheery approach was best. Not that I expected it to work.
It didn’t.
“Pointless,” she sniffed. “I don’t know anything.”
“Who’s next?”
“Huh?”
“Who’s in there now?”
“I think I’m last,” she said, and headed for her tent.
She was last? Funny. Seemed like there was somebody else.
Oh, yes.
Alice.
I went back to our tent.
Alice was there.
“Did you talk to Duke?”
“Yeah. Surprised I didn’t see you.”
“I was talking to Clemson.”
“Why?”
“Duke didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
I gave Alice a rundown of my talk with Clemson.
“He wants you to be his spy?”
“Duke didn’t tell you?”
“Duke didn’t tell me anything. He could barely formulate the questions.”
“That’s an act. He’s actually articulate.”
“You’re kidding.”
“You couldn’t tell?”
“Not in a million years.”
My estimation of Duke’s prowess soared. It wasn’t easy to put one over on Alice.
“He didn’t ask you anything?”
“Just a few basic questions. Like the last time I saw her alive.”
“He didn’t ask any follow-ups?”
“Not of any depth. He acted like he wouldn’t have understood the answers.”
“He just asked when?”
“He wrote down the time. Very laboriously. Then read it back to be sure he got it right.”
“He should get an Oscar nod. I guess that’s his plan. Just lock down a few facts, see if I can come up with anything that contradicts them.”
“Not much of a plan.”
“It’s largely for show. Clemson doesn’t think it’s one of us. I gotta pack.”
“You’re packed.”
I looked. My duffle and backpack were lined up ready to go. Alice had packed for me while she was waiting. She seemed surprised I ever thought she wouldn’t.
A voice outside the tent announced game drive.
Alice handed me my binoculars harness, which she’d laid out on the bed. “Come on. Let’s spot a lion.”
We didn’t. The game drive was perfunctory at best. Interrogations hadn’t taken that long and we got a decent start; still it was short. It also seemed rushed. Like the guides weren’t trying all that hard to spot any animals.
We got back, had a hasty lunch, and piled into the jeeps again.
As we drove away, I could have sworn I saw Duke run out into the parking lot, waving his arms.
30
VICTORIA FALLS
WE CROSSED THE BORDER AT Victoria Falls. We were not alone. Everyone crosses the border at Victoria Falls. Zambia and Zimbabwe border on the Zambezi River, and the only way to cross the river is the bridge at Victoria Falls. Well, the only legitimate way. You can also swim the crocodile-infested river, but they don’t recommend it. The guides, I mean. The crocodiles don’t mind.
It’s an awesome bridge. Victoria Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Locals will tell you it is the largest, considering height, width, and water mass. I don’t know about that, but it’s one big falls.
We had our visas stamped at border patrol, lugged our bags over the bridge. Our vehicles weren’t coming. The drivers had no visas. A tour bus was meeting us on the other side.
Keith flexed his muscles and tried to help Victoria with her duffle, but she was having none of it. I’d have been glad to let him take mine, but he didn’t offer.
Clemson, who’d been uncharacteristically quiet during the drive, seemed to loosen up once we were on the bridge.
/> “Anyone like bungee jumps?” he asked. “Take a look down. This is one of the best bungee jumps in the world.”
“Do we have the time to do it?” Keith said.
I hoped we did. He’d have to, just so as to not back down in front of Victoria.
“It’s expensive,” Clemson said.
“How expensive?”
“A hundred and thirty-five dollars.”
“For one jump?” I said.
Victoria smiled. “Oh? You’re going to jump twice?”
“Not at those prices,” I said.
Keith gave me such a look. Without even trying, I’d stolen his thunder.
Clemson’s eyes twinkled. “It’s free if you jump nude.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you jump naked and they don’t charge you.”
“Oh, great, I can afford it,” Victoria said.
“All right!” Keith said loutishly.
I restrained my own loutish reaction. I knew Victoria had only said it for Annabel’s benefit. “How high is it?” I said.
“The bridge is one hundred and eight meters.”
I started doing the math.
“That’s three hundred and fifty-four feet,” Clemson said. He pointed to me. “You were figuring it out, weren’t you?”
“You caught me. I was converting it to football fields. It’s one point oh eight.”
Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head, but Victoria laughed appreciatively.
“That would be a hundred and eight yards,” Keith said scornfully. “It’s a hundred and eight meters.”
I threw up my hands. “Then I clearly can’t jump.”
Even Alice laughed at that.
Keith was frustrated, and it didn’t get any better for him when one of the librarians said, “Come on, Edith. Whaddya say? Wanna jump?”
Edith laughed. “I don’t know. Can we jump together?”
“They wouldn’t let you,” Clemson said. “Particularly since that girl fell.”
“Since what?” Annabel exclaimed.
“The bungee cord snapped and a girl fell in the river. Wasn’t killed, just banged up a bit. The miracle was that the crocodiles didn’t eat her.”
No one bungee-jumped.
We lugged our duffles to the Zimbabwe side of the bridge and cleared customs. Clemson talked to them for us. I’m not sure if money changed hands, but no one looked in our bags. Not that it would have mattered, unless someone wanted to bust me for trafficking in Malarone.