taken a fair amount to contaminate a pool this size, and that’s not exactly easy to do without being noticed. Before the cameras were installed, none of the guests was alone with Augustus; either Caroline or I was always present. And afterward, the cameras would have spotted someone dumping chemicals into the pool.”
[Perhaps they gained access to the plumbing?]
I shook my head. “It’s a self-contained system, like a big version of those little water fountains that sit on your desk. Pumps are inside the crag. If the water starts to run low, you top it up with a hose.”
[Maybe we should check the hose.]
We did, but found nothing. If someone had filled the hose with antifreeze, though, I was pretty sure at least a little would have dribbled out near the tap or elsewhere, and I couldn’t find any trace of antifreeze anywhere but inside the enclosure.
ZZ arrived while I was still looking around. She went to talk to Caroline first, then knelt briefly and touched Augustus’s mane. I knew ZZ well enough to leave her alone until she was ready.
“Foxtrot,” ZZ said after a minute. “Come here, please.”
I came over. Whiskey, as always, came with me.
“Caroline says the poison was in the pool,” ZZ said. She used the brisk, business-like tone that meant she was very, very, upset and struggling to keep it in check.
“Yes,” I said. “I have no idea how it got there. Yet.”
She nodded. “All right. I need you to inform the guests as to what has occurred. I expect that some, if not all, will want to view the body. Please arrange a tasteful way to do this that satisfies everyone. I expect there’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing, and I don’t want this situation getting any worse. I’ve already told Shondra.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“And please—keep everyone away from me, will you? I need a little time alone.”
“I will.”
Then she turned around and left. I knew how badly she must be hurting; ZZ felt things very deeply. But this is why she kept me around, to handle crises when they popped up. It wasn’t the first time, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last.
Time to earn my paycheck.
* * *
Telling the guests was going to be tricky.
If I told them simultaneously, there would be chaos. If I told them separately, the order they were informed in would cause speculation and raise suspicions.
In the end I decided the only person’s opinion I had to worry about was Navarro’s. He was my biggest and therefore most immediate problem.
I didn’t bother trying to track him down—I just called his phone. He answered on the second ring. “Foxtrot? Nice to hear from you. How’s our supersized kitty-cat?”
“You should come down and see for yourself. But don’t tell anyone else where you’re going, all right?”
He chuckled. “But I’ve grown so close to all of them. I guess I’ll just have to live with the guilt … I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
I disconnected without saying good-bye. Smarmy bastard.
He strolled up five minutes later, looking entirely unconcerned. Caroline had rigged up a large blue tarp as a tent over Augustus’s body, concealing it from anyone outside the enclosure. When Navarro saw it he said, “Hey, look at this—a private room. Nice to see my boy is getting nothing but the best.”
Caroline wasn’t there. She had living animals to worry about, too, and it was feeding time. I stood just outside the enclosure’s gate, Whiskey beside me. I motioned him over.
“You wanted to see how he’s doing?” I asked. I kept my voice neutral. “Let’s go take a look.” I opened the gate and stepped inside.
He hesitated, but his ego wouldn’t let him decline. He stepped in after me, closing the gate behind him.
I walked up to the improvised tent and crouched down on my haunches, looking inside. Navarro joined me.
“What’s wrong with him?” he asked quietly. I guess he thought the big cat was asleep and didn’t want to wake him
[Perhaps they gained access to the plumbing?]
I shook my head. “It’s a self-contained system, like a big version of those little water fountains that sit on your desk. Pumps are inside the crag. If the water starts to run low, you top it up with a hose.”
[Maybe we should check the hose.]
We did, but found nothing. If someone had filled the hose with antifreeze, though, I was pretty sure at least a little would have dribbled out near the tap or elsewhere, and I couldn’t find any trace of antifreeze anywhere but inside the enclosure.
ZZ arrived while I was still looking around. She went to talk to Caroline first, then knelt briefly and touched Augustus’s mane. I knew ZZ well enough to leave her alone until she was ready.
“Foxtrot,” ZZ said after a minute. “Come here, please.”
I came over. Whiskey, as always, came with me.
“Caroline says the poison was in the pool,” ZZ said. She used the brisk, business-like tone that meant she was very, very, upset and struggling to keep it in check.
“Yes,” I said. “I have no idea how it got there. Yet.”
She nodded. “All right. I need you to inform the guests as to what has occurred. I expect that some, if not all, will want to view the body. Please arrange a tasteful way to do this that satisfies everyone. I expect there’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing, and I don’t want this situation getting any worse. I’ve already told Shondra.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“And please—keep everyone away from me, will you? I need a little time alone.”
“I will.”
Then she turned around and left. I knew how badly she must be hurting; ZZ felt things very deeply. But this is why she kept me around, to handle crises when they popped up. It wasn’t the first time, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last.
Time to earn my paycheck.
* * *
Telling the guests was going to be tricky.
If I told them simultaneously, there would be chaos. If I told them separately, the order they were informed in would cause speculation and raise suspicions.
In the end I decided the only person’s opinion I had to worry about was Navarro’s. He was my biggest and therefore most immediate problem.
I didn’t bother trying to track him down—I just called his phone. He answered on the second ring. “Foxtrot? Nice to hear from you. How’s our supersized kitty-cat?”
“You should come down and see for yourself. But don’t tell anyone else where you’re going, all right?”
He chuckled. “But I’ve grown so close to all of them. I guess I’ll just have to live with the guilt … I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
I disconnected without saying good-bye. Smarmy bastard.
He strolled up five minutes later, looking entirely unconcerned. Caroline had rigged up a large blue tarp as a tent over Augustus’s body, concealing it from anyone outside the enclosure. When Navarro saw it he said, “Hey, look at this—a private room. Nice to see my boy is getting nothing but the best.”
Caroline wasn’t there. She had living animals to worry about, too, and it was feeding time. I stood just outside the enclosure’s gate, Whiskey beside me. I motioned him over.
“You wanted to see how he’s doing?” I asked. I kept my voice neutral. “Let’s go take a look.” I opened the gate and stepped inside.
He hesitated, but his ego wouldn’t let him decline. He stepped in after me, closing the gate behind him.
I walked up to the improvised tent and crouched down on my haunches, looking inside. Navarro joined me.
“What’s wrong with him?” he asked quietly. I guess he thought the big cat was asleep and didn’t want to wake him
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