“That is correct, sir.” said the Major. “As we understand it, you were one of the five staff members that stayed overnight at the Residence, including Attaché Idi.”
“Right! The Ambassador is contemplating a little vacation and he and I spent time after dinner reviewing upcoming events and assignments.”
The Colonel asked, “How long was your meeting with the Ambassador?”
“We broke up about ten. I stopped down in the kitchen for a quick snack and a drink and then went up to my bedroom. As Number One, I have a permanent room at the Residence. The others were in transient quarters.”
“Where is your room?”
“On the other side of the building from the Ambassador. As the Major knows, we did that deliberately to minimize the impact if the Residence was attacked. A better chance of survival for one of us. In fact, it was your idea, wasn’t it Major?”
The Dog nodded.
“Did you see or hear anything that can shed some light on the Attaché’s death?”
“Not at all! That stairwell is enclosed and virtually sound proof. The domestic staff use it and they can be noisy at times.”
“What was your relationship with the Attaché?
“Paw’s length. The Ambassador and I both keep socializing with the staff to a minimum.”
“Did he report to you?”
“No, all the Attachés report directly to the Ambassador.
“What did you think of him?”
“A bit too backslappy and gregarious for my taste but I guess it comes with the job. He was good at what he did. Our GDP is growing nicely and part of that is due to his efforts.”
“Do you know why he was staying overnight at the Residence?”
“No, I don’t. He usually doesn’t stay over.”
“Any thoughts on what could have happened? We are still trying to determine whether it was an accident or not. Doctor Mopsi only found minimum traces of alcohol in his bloodstream and no signs of drugs.”
“I don’t know. To my knowledge, we’ve never had any kind of incident on that staircase before and Impalas are pretty agile animals. It’s a puzzle.”
The Great Bear agreed. “It certainly is. Thank you, Mr. Gibbon. We appreciate your time and cooperation.”
“My pleasure. I’ll be interested in hearing your conclusions.”
Chapter Ten
Who stayed over the night Idi died?
When we know, it may help us decide.
It’s a flip-a-coin call.
Was it simply a fall?
Or a true case of Impala-cide!
As we left his office, Octavius turned to me and asked, “What did Chita have to say?”
I replied, “She gave me two names here in DC. One is an expensive but trustworthy dealer. Mr. Alex, a Civet from Alexandria. I think we’ll be able to get confirmation from him on the nature, quality and cost of the stones. Chita has done business with him as Madame Catherine Catt. The other one is very interesting. An Impala who only gives out the barest amount of information on the web. Name of Faluj. Referrals only! I’m willing to bet he has something going with Idi and possibly the Embassy.”
“Could be,” said the Bear. “Colonel, why don’t you contact this Faluj. Pretend you have some ‘merchandise’ you want to sell. Tell him Idi from the Gotu Embassy recommended you. Let’s see if Maury is right.”
“Frau Ilse, get in touch with this Mr. Alex. Tell him we are engaged in tracking down some international smugglers and we’re operating in secret. We need an expert opinion on the nature, quality and cost of some stones we’ve uncovered. Use Chita’s name. Madame Catherine Catt. Can we meet him later this afternoon or early this evening?”
“Are you OK with this, Major?”
“You seem convinced there’s a connection between these stones and Idi’s death.”
“I’m not convinced of anything. They could be coincidences. I’m not fond of coincidences. Do we know, on the night of the Attaché’s death, who was in the room where the twins found the stones?”
“No one. I checked with housekeeping right after your offspring made their discovery. Whoever planted those stones on the shelf wanted an empty room that he or she could readily access. Shall we meet with Mister Ostrich?”
Oliver Ostrich, the Gotu Press Attaché, was out of his room when we arrived. I started to walk back to the receptionist when a very large bird came galumphing up the aisle. “Looking for me?” he said in a half-screech, half boom. “Oliver Ostrich, Press Attaché. Are you one of the detectives looking into Idi’s death?”
I acknowledged that I was.
“Well come on back to my press room and we’ll talk.”
Once again, two-foot me following a super tall animal. As we reached his office, we were all treated to a unique experience. Octavius was standing upright out in the hall. The Ostrich approached him, extended a wing and looked him straight in the eye. Two nine-footers! The bird spoke, “You must be Doctor Bear. I don’t get to meet many animals my height. I suppose you outweigh me a bit as, of course, does Joseph and the Ambassador but it’s refreshing not to have to stoop to hold a conversation. Come in, all of you!”
“Thank you, Mister Ostrich.”
“Please, call me Ollie. Everyone does.”
“Well, Ollie, let me introduce my investigative team. You’ve already met my colleague, Maury Meerkat, and I’m sure you know Major Butho. These two wolves are my highly professional associates, Frau Ilse Schuylkill and Colonel Wyatt Where. They are all top-notch detectives.”
“I’m pleased to meet you all. I just came from the Ambassador’s office and was told to fully cooperate with you in establishing that Idi’s death was an accident. I was also commanded to keep this all under wraps for the time being.”
Octavius snorted, “We don’t yet share the Ambassador’s belief that this was an accident. It’s a bit early to come out with final conclusions.”
The Bird looked quizzically at the Bear. “So, you think there may have been foul play?”
The Major sighed, “As Doctor Bear said, ‘We don’t know yet.’ I think it was an accident, but these folks were called in by the Ambassador to provide a definitive conclusion.”
“OK. So how can I help you?”
Colonel Where, who had been silent up to this point, asked, “How well did you know the Attaché?”
“Pretty well! I issued press releases and advertising material to support some of Idi’s campaigns. We also support the Embassy website and blogs. Publicity takes up a lot of my time and energy. The rest of it is taken up answering press inquiries and reacting to Facebook and Twitter trolls, scandalmongers and the rest. We have monthly and emergency briefings for the international press. Some of that should be handled back at Gotu but our connections here are better established and more widely accepted. The Prime Minister has come to rely on us.”
“What did you think of Idi?”
“Interesting guy. We both lived out in the fast lane, but he had two sides. Wide open on some stuff but very secretive about other things.”
“Like what?”
“He never seemed to lack for money. I know what our Attachés make, and it wouldn’t support his lifestyle. I never knew whether he was taking bribes or kickbacks or had some other businesses on the side. He liked expensive stuff - clothes, cars, good food, ritzy apartment. He didn’t seem to dote on the ladies and I’ve never seen him drunk or indulging in drugs. He did gamble, and I assumed that was where his alternate income was coming from. I really didn’t care enough to probe too deeply although if it led to a scandal, I was going to have to clean up the mess. At some point, I’m going to have to clean up this mess, anyway. So, I’m hoping you guys can prove it was an accident.”
“I understand he was an émigré to Gotu. Did he still have ties to his count
ry of origin?”
“He never spoke about it, but neither would I. Loyalty is an important commodity in our nation. Between us, the current regime has quite a few opponents, but it always has.”
“You seem to have known him better than most of the staff. How did he get along with them?”
“He didn’t have much interaction with most of them. An occasional tiff with Joseph about some arrangements he wanted for a visiting fireman. He did a lot of work with the Consul and the Deputy Chief and as best I can tell, got along well with them. What do you think, Major?”
The Ridgeback shook his head affirmatively.
“However, I think you’re about to meet with Madame Leonie, our Cultural Attaché. No love lost there. I’ll let her tell her own story.”
“One last question, Ollie. Why did you stay over after the staff meeting?”
“The Ambassador asked me to meet with him but then at the last minute, cancelled. I decided to have another couple of drinks and get back to the Embassy in the morning. Still not sure what he wanted.”
Chapter Eleven
So, our interviews almost are through
And we haven’t found much that is new.
Was the dead Attaché
On some other group’s pay?
Are we on to a possible clue?
Madame Leonie, the Cultural Attaché and Official Embassy Hostess kept us waiting while she finished a video call with another lioness. Giggles on the other end and more restrained laughter from the diplomat. Finally, she broke the connection. “My apologies, but my sister is a runaway talker. Good afternoon. I am familiar with Major Butho and it takes no great insight to assume that you are Doctor Octavius Bear. I have never met a Kodiak before. You are, indeed, large. I notice that you are all males. Is it beyond a female’s capabilities to be a detective?”
Octavius replied, “Quite the contrary, Madame. Two more members of my team are here but are currently out investigating another possible lead. They are mated Wolves - male and female. Frau Schuylkill is a truly formidable animal. A highly skilled pilot; estate manager; detective; sharpshooter; security specialist and Cordon Bleu chef. I think you would find her highly intelligent, courageous and physically daunting. She has won several high military awards for bravery. Her contributions to our work are always most valuable.”
I followed through, “Another member of our group who represents the finest in capable females is Doctor Bear’s Polar Bear consort, Bearoness Belinda Béarnaise Bruin Bear (nee Black.) Wealthy in her own right, she owns and manages a spectacular resort and theme park in the Shetlands and is part owner of a state-of-the-art genetics lab. She is the star of the world renowned aquatic show and revue - Some Like It Cold. She is also an exceedingly proficient aviator who just completed the journey from Scotland to their US home in Ohio in her own Concorde SST. She then flew from Cincinnati to Washington in a highly sophisticated helicopter that is currently on the grounds of the Gotu Residence. On top of that she is the mother of two rare hybrid cub prodigies. A truly exceptional Polar. I hope you get a chance to meet both these ladies.”
Turning her golden eyes in my direction and possibly sizing me up as a mid-afternoon snack, she asked, “And may I know who you are, sir?”
“I am Mauritius Meerkat, Madame, an associate and confidant of Doctor Bear’s. As I’m sure you know, we are investigating, on the Ambassador’s behalf, the death of Idi, the Commercial Attaché.”
“Ah yes, Idi. Idiot is more like it.”
The Bear stared at her, “I take it you were not fond of your colleague.”
“Colleague, indeed. He didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘collegiality.’ No, I was not fond of him. He went out of his way to impress everyone in sight with his importance. After all, he was bringing revenue into Gotu’s coffers while I was draining them with cultural events, educational programs, art, music and literature. He formed an alliance with the Press Attaché to ensure he got most of the media coverage while my efforts went to the back pages, if at all. He was constantly parading himself in front of the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief. I have reason to believe he sabotaged several of my programs and saw to it that I had to fight for every penny I needed to do my job.”
She continued, „Now, you’re going to ask me if I hated him enough to do him in and the answer is a categorical NO! I may have fantasized about it. After all, in our dark history, Impalas and Antelopes were once the natural prey of the Leonine species. No longer! But I can dream. Anyway, I thought it was an accident.”
My turn, “It may well have been, Madame. That is an important question we are attempting to answer.”
Octavius: “May I ask, Madame, why you stayed on at the Residence after dinner on the night in question?”
“Well, Doctor Bear, as you may know, in addition to my cultural duties, I am also saddled with being the Ambassador’s Hostess. After dinner, I held a meeting with Housekeeping and the Majordomo to plan the month’s social events. That took us until well after midnight.”
The Major asked, “During that time, did you see or hear anything unusual that might have a bearing on this case?”
“A couple of slammed doors that could have come from anywhere. No shouts, screams or bumps in the night. We were in the library using the household computers. The Deputy wandered in, sandwich and drink in paw, apologized and wandered back out.”
“Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”
“Nothing, except I hope the government sends us a cooperative replacement with a better diplomatic personality and appropriate skills. I’m tired of playing tug-of-war.”Without a further word, she turned back to her computer screen and left us to make our way out. I would have looked back over my shoulder if I had one. “Well, there’s a happy camper!”
The Development of Civilization - Volume 6 Part 2: It’s Elementary - Diamonds
(From “An Introduction to Faunapology” by Octavius Bear PhD.)
Diamonds are renowned for their extraordinary physical qualities, caused by strong bonding between their atoms. They have the greatest hardness and thermal conductivity of any material. The word comes from the ancient Greek - adámas “indestructible”.
GIA, The non-profit Gemological Institute of America categorizes diamonds by color, cut, clarity and carat (weight)
Color: In addition to the clear, colorless gems that make up most jewelry, some impurities may color diamonds blue, brown, yellow, green, purple, pink, orange and red. The famous Hope Diamond is a deep blue. Diamonds also can disperse light of different colors.
Cuts and shapes: Cut refers to the symmetry, polish and proportioning of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond’s brilliance. The finer the cut, the greater the brilliance and fire of the diamond. Shapes include round, princess, pear, marquise, oval, heart, emerald, baguettes and cushion.
Clarity is a metric that grades the visual appearance of each diamond. The less inclusions and blemishes, the better the clarity grade.
Carat (ct.) refers to the unique unit of weight measurement used exclusively to weigh gems and diamonds. It is not necessarily indicative of size. The Hope diamond has a weight of 45.52 carats.
The hardness of diamonds also makes them an ideal material for industrial use in cutting and grinding tools. As the hardest known naturally occurring material, diamonds can be used to polish, cut, or wear away any material, including other diamonds. Common industrial applications of this property include diamond-tipped drill bits and saws, and the use of diamond powder as an abrasive. Less expensive industrial-grade diamonds, with more flaws and poorer color than gems, are used for such purposes.
The market for diamonds has been dominated for decades by the DeBears group. (No relation.) Unfortunately, until recently there has also been a brisk trade in blood diamonds that we have described previously. Several other groups round out the ma
jor sources of gemstones.
Most natural diamonds are formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 mi) in the Earth’s mantle. Minerals containing carbon provide the source, and the growth occurs over periods from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years. Diamonds are brought close to the Earth’s surface through deep volcanic eruptions by magma.
Diamonds can also be produced synthetically in a High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method which approximately simulates the conditions in the Earth’s mantle. An alternative, and completely different growth technique is chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Several non-diamond materials, which include cubic zirconia and silicon carbide and are often called diamond simulants, resemble diamonds in appearance and many properties. Special techniques have been developed to distinguish natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds, and diamond simulants. One characteristic leading to diamond identification is its superior thermal conductivity. Electronic thermal probes are widely used in the gemological centers to separate diamonds from their imitations.
Then, of course, there is the Chita sniff-test which unerringly succeeds in identifying the real thing.
Chapter Twelve
Are the stones in the bag real or fake?
There are tests we should carefully make.
If it turns out they’re real
With a good jeweller’s seal,
There are several steps we will take.
We ran into the Colonel and Frau as we crossed the reception area.
The Attaché Case Page 5