Chameleons and a Corpse Read online

  “Her husband?”

  I blinked and realised I hadn’t shared anything about the dog lead I’d found with her. It had stayed between the three of us - Auryn, Jon, and I.

  “He left a dog lead that had been given to him by Timmy on the drive. I’m assuming that he was the one who left it,” I confessed, hating myself for gossiping.

  “Interesting. The police don’t know?”

  “No. I was going to talk to Andy Wright about it. Auryn thought that a woman visiting him might be less likely to incur a poor reaction…” I hoped that didn’t sound too much like I suspected Andy Wright of being the killer. I’d met the man at the barbecue and wouldn’t have thought he’d have it in him. But people had done crazier things in the name of love…

  “I could come with you when you go?”

  “I’ll let you know,” I said, unwilling to commit. I was finding I enjoyed the lawyer’s company for the most part, but there had definitely been something alarming about the way her personality had taken a flying leap into psycho when her ex-husband had turned up. I supposed that potentially wasn’t the most abnormal reaction in the world, but it still made me a lot less inclined to trust Georgina Farley.

  There was the sound of something hitting the floor upstairs. We both turned to look up and then, as one, we crept up the staircase. Somehow, I’d ended up leading the way, and it was only when I was a couple of steps away from the landing that I considered what might lie at the top. My first thought had been that Rameses must have come back home and somehow slipped inside, but what if the truth was a lot more dangerous? The killer could have come back for something.

  I stepped into the bedroom and drew in a sharp breath.

  “Window’s open a bit. I think a breeze blew over that picture frame by the look of things,” Georgina said and then looked at my expression. “Are you okay?”

  “Someone’s trashed this room. It didn’t look anything like this when I came up here on the day of the murder!”

  5

  Merrylegs

  Are you sure?” Georgina asked, looking around with more interest. “Perhaps the police disturbed a few things in their search. But it is rather unlikely that they would cause such a mess. I’ll have to ask them.”

  I nodded, taking in the room more carefully. Scarlett had a sizeable selection of perfumes, and their original boxes had been stacked up on the dressing table, I recalled. Now they were all over the floor and most were lying open. They were looking for something small, my brain supplied. I wondered if they’d found it.

  Georgina reassured me she’d contact the police and we left the house. I left the receipt with Georgina when she returned me to Avery Zoo. She’d promised to ask Jon if it belonged to him, and I thought it best that it was left with someone whom I assumed wouldn’t be as likely to lose it as I was. My new accountant had nearly broken down when I’d brought my tax return for him to do last month - and that had just been for my consulting work for the most part, as my comic hadn’t taken off back then. With the zoo and the comic added into the mix this year, I thought it more than likely that come next year, I was going to be all accountants’ public enemy number one.

  I was intercepted by the police before I made it through the entrance. The new detective, Alex Gregory, was leading the group and I recognised Officer Kelly as one of the other two police members accompanying him.

  “Is everything all right?” I asked, concerned that something had happened at the zoo since I’d been gone.

  “It’s important that we ask a few further questions regarding the death of Timmy Marsden,” Detective Gregory began.

  “I’ll do all I can to help,” I assured him, eager to repair any damage caused at the police station when Treesden had still been sneaking around.

  “Did you see anything that might have been the murder weapon when you were present at the scene?”

  I pricked my ears up at the mention of murder. It had been fairly obvious that Timmy Marsden hadn’t slipped and fallen or even done himself in, but all the same, no one had officially confirmed it prior to now.

  “I’m afraid I didn’t see anything that might have done it. It looked like a knife wound. I assumed he was stabbed,” I told him.

  “Madi! Great, you’re here. You’ve got to come and see the new foal. Merrylegs has literally just given birth!” Tiff’s voice floated out from reception as she dodged visitors and rushed out to the car park, her strawberry blond hair flew out behind her and her face was flushed with excitement. Tiff was the only person I knew who looked beautiful whilst running. Her running was never fast, but boy, was it glamorous.

  “Sorry! I didn’t realise you were in the middle of something,” she said when she arrived, coming to a stop and flashing a breathtaking smile at the police present.

  For the second time in two days I watched the sparks fly. This time it was Detective Alex Gregory who had just fallen head over heels for my best friend. As plot twists went, it was an interesting one.

  The detective turned around and instructed his accompanying staff to head back to the police station, as there were apparently only a few loose ends to tie up. Then he amusingly suggested we all take a trip to see the new foal.

  It was the first time during an interview with the police that my interviewer had actively been keen to let me go as soon as possible. When I walked away from the shetland pony enclosure, I turned and flashed a smile at Tiff from behind the detective’s back. She slightly raised her eyebrows in return, and I knew that although she was keeping her cool, she was equally interested in the new detective. I walked away wondering what would become of it all. She’d been singing praises to Pierce, but now there was a new man on the scene… who would she pick?

  I smiled at this slice of normality. Tiff had often been beset by offers. I’d always been the one to listen to the pros and cons of each and then have nights of discussion in front of the TV with a bucket of popcorn between us. Feeling nostalgic, I made a mental note to schedule one of those nights with Tiff soon. You should never be too busy to spend a girly evening with your best friend.

  I met up with Tiff again later and she confided everything I had already known about her and the new detective on the force. Unsurprisingly, he’d already asked her on a date.

  “I just feel like I’ve been really naive. Is everyone really cheating on everyone else?” I asked, when the conversation moved on to the now-confirmed murder.

  “I don't know why you’re focusing on that. If I were you, I’d be huddled in a corner right now because I saw a corpse,” my best friend said.

  “Well, it’s not as if it’s my first one.”

  “Quite,” Tiff replied, and I felt like there might have been some point I’d missed. “You’re not really worried about Auryn, are you?”

  “No, of course not,” but my voice lacked conviction even to my ears. “It’s not Auryn, it’s other people. I’m sure she’s nice, but the new head of reception looked really friendly with him when I saw her coming out of his office.”

  “Oh, Madi! Please tell me you aren’t turning into a jealousy monster?”

  “I’m not! Am I?” I bit my lip. “I do trust Auryn. Of course I do.” I was certain of that.

  “Good. Then you shouldn’t think anymore on it,” Tiff said with such hotness that I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  Tiff followed her reprimand up with a smile and I knew the matter had been dropped. “I think I’m going out for a drink with Alex tonight. You’ll be there as my emergency text contact, won’t you?”

  It took me a second to realise she was talking about the detective. First name terms already! “Of course I will be, although, he is the law, so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Or if you do, I probably can’t get you out of it without being arrested.”

  Tiff rolled her eyes and grinned. “You’re so reassuring. Anyway, he seemed nice. Perhaps he’s a good man.”

  “Perhaps,” I echoed, not wanting to colour her opinion in any way. My own bumpy start w
ith the detective was not entirely guiltless on my part. I hoped that Tiff would see a different side of the new detective, and who knew what might come of it? At the very least, I was hoping she’d put in a good word or two on my behalf. With my track record, I might need it.

  After sorting a few organisational things out for the forthcoming event and spending some more time admiring the new piebald foal, I returned to The Lucky Zoo to discover what had become of the lost chameleons and the devious raccoon. To my relief, Billy was back inside his enclosure and the pile of rocks and food debris he’d been subtly piling up in order to facilitate his escape had been removed. His keepers were under strict instructions to look out for his tricks in the future. I didn’t for a second think that it would be the last time Billy escaped, but it wouldn’t be for lack of trying on our part.

  The chameleons had come back to their food bowl of crickets and had then been returned to the tank. According to Gabby, they were still young enough to share but would soon need to be separated out. When I asked her what we were going to do with so many chameleons, she’d asked politely if the zoo might consider becoming a renowned breeder of chameleons, as it was her speciality. I’d told her I would think about it, seeing as she’d asked me. Although I was keen to not appear too pleased with the keeper who’d gone behind my back, the idea certainly appealed to me. I’d already decided that I would contact Snidely Safari - a zoo I’d consulted for, who had a world famous collection of reptiles and amphibians - and ask their advice on how to put the word about. I was determined that The Lucky Zoo would not be isolated and would instead become a helpful part of the conservation efforts of zoos across the country.

  I did the evening round, checking that everything was as it should be. My walk took me on the long trek around the elephant enclosure, and I was pleased to see that Donald Trunk and his family were showing healthy elephant behaviours. I watched the bull elephant fan his ears and wondered if in the future the zoo might be fortunate enough to have a baby elephant. With a 22 month gestation period after mating, I knew that it was a hope I’d have to hold onto for a while to come.

  My mind drifted back to the Marsden house and the destruction in the bedroom. For some reason, my mind danced back to the late Jenna Leary and her bad habit of hiding things on memory cards and in print in order to get her own way. I wouldn’t have called it blackmail, as her goals had never truly been malicious, but it certainly hadn’t been honourable either. I wondered if Timmy had shared that trait.

  On the topic of infidelity, I was pleased that Detective Treesden had retired just as the case got underway. Now that I knew his prior involvement, it was surely a good thing that he was remaining clear of a case where he had strong ties with the person who was probably still suspect number one. The same could be said for Officer Kelly, who was still on the case, but I hoped she’d be able to decide whether or not she was in too deep.

  I made a determined effort and shut the lid on the murder investigation. I had enough on my plate to be getting on with, including making amends. I’d thought about the conversation I’d had with Tiff and now I pulled out my phone, composing an ‘I’m sorry I’ve been a bit crazy’ text to send to Auryn. I would have to think of something to make it up to him if I’d been as bad as Tiff had implied.

  I really hoped it would be the last time I’d need to send a text to my husband-to-be because of my own overactive imagination.

  By the time I’d finished my round, I’d made the decision to swing by Avery Zoo to catch Auryn at the end of the day. I went bearing the gift of takeaway dinner, as I knew Auryn well enough to suspect that his current heavy workload would mean he wasn’t eating well. There’d been a time when Auryn had looked like a surfer who worked out on the side. These days, he appeared as lean as a model, but not necessarily in a good way. He was still getting the workouts in, but sometimes he just forgot to eat. There were times when I wished I could have a few days of that myself…

  “I’m sorry about… everything,” I said, once we were sat down in the open square between the otter and beaver enclosures. The zoo was empty of people but the evening was still light.

  “I was never worried,” my fiancé told me with a smile. “We’ve been under a lot of stress, and finding out about other peoples’ dirty laundry can make you doubt those who are around you. Plus, we saw someone who had died in a terrible way. It does have an effect, you know.” The last part seemed almost like a gentle jibe.

  “It’s your first one,” I suddenly realised, thinking about the number of times I’d had the misfortune to come across corpses and then Auryn’s comparative inexperience.

  “I’m surprised you’re as well-adjusted as you are,” Auryn told me.

  “Try not to think about it too much,” I said, feeling my mind disobey me the instant I said it. Images of a surprising number of bodies and their diverse causes of death assailed me for a moment. I shook them away.

  “I’ll just be glad when it’s all over,” I added.

  Auryn nodded. “I just hope it was none of my friends who were responsible, but I know how it looks…”

  “That reminds me…” I said and then told him about meeting with Georgina Farley’s ex-husband Harry, and then Timmy’s next door neighbour, Ethan.

  “Hmmm Harry… what did you make of him?”

  I found I only needed four words to describe him.

  “That sounds about right,” Auryn concurred with a smirk. “Back at Harvington House he was always a bit full of himself. He was sixth form age when I was just starting. Was he in the garden at the same time as Ethan?”

  “Yes, and it wasn’t exactly comfortable.”

  “Ethan’s a good guy. You probably noticed we’re close in age. He’s done well for himself. I’d prefer him over Harry any day.”

  “But Harry said you were such good friends!” I teased, making Auryn groan.

  “I think someone might have broken into the house since the murder,” I told him, and then explained what I’d seen and my theory about the size of what had been searched for. “There weren’t any signs of a break-in, but who knows if the house really was locked up before we got there? All it would have taken was the police to forget locking the back door. There’s all that land leading up to the property. Ethan probably wouldn’t notice because the hedge is so high.”

  “Do you think they found what they were looking for?” Auryn asked. I shrugged. There was no way to know for sure.

  “Harry accused Georgina of being involved with Timmy. I thought Scarlett would have picked a lawyer who wasn’t involved with her husband. You'd think they’d be worst enemies!” I bit my tongue when I realised I was dangerously close to revisiting a familiar topic.

  “Other people have other views,” Auryn told me with an understanding smile. I smiled back and we looked up at the first few stars appearing against the fading sky.

  We arrived home to find we had the house to ourselves. There was no note to suggest that Will and Lizzie Marsden had returned, so they must be staying out for dinner. We had the house to ourselves and I suggested we made good use of it. It was only later when I was about to go to sleep that I reflected that in spite of a murder and the combined busyness of our two zoos, we still had more time to spend together now than we had when we’d gone on holiday. I smiled at the darkness and said a silent prayer of thanks that - all things considered - the world had been pretty good to me.

  6

  Following a Lead

  I woke to find a text from Tiff recounting every detail of her drinks date with Alex Gregory. It had apparently turned into a full-blown night out, and she’d only got back in the early hours. I spared a thought to wonder if the detective thought it wise, considering he was currently in charge of a murder investigation. But then, Tiff had her own job to do, too. I thought they’d probably just been having too good of a time to care. A sudden thought of a double date popped into my head. I laughed out loud before I could stop myself.

  Auryn turned to look at me.
/>   “Just warming up for my big speech,” I told him with a raised eyebrow. Today I was due to give a pep talk to the entire staff of The Lucky Zoo about the arts and crafts day that was taking place on Saturday. It was the first time I would be addressing everyone I’d employed, and I was definitely feeling the pressure. I’d got to know everyone who worked for the zoo pretty well, but I needed to encourage them to go out and get ‘em on the arts and crafts day to make sure it was a roaring success. I had run a few thoughts by Auryn and then asked his advice. Unhelpfully, he’d told me to go out and start talking and that it would all turn out great. I thought that probably rung true for him, but I didn’t have that unlearnable spark of charisma he definitely possessed. Hopefully it won’t be a car crash, I thought, turning my head to look out of the window to see what the weather was doing today. A face popped up and I cried out in dismay.

  “What? Oh,” Auryn finished, once he’d turned and looked out of the window, too. “We’re two floors up. How is he on the windowsill? And with half a dead rabbit. Where did the other half go?”

  I decided to answer the least grisly question. Anyway, Auryn was well aware that Lucky had decided to supplement his diet. “I think the wisteria might be a little out of hand if it’s thick enough for him to climb all the way up here. Maybe we should do some gardening?”

  “That would be nice. Of course, we don’t tend to have a lot of free time, but maybe once this event is done, we could take a couple of days? Get some wedding planning done, too?” He nudged me in the ribs.

  “It would be nice.”

  “Annabelle Wright is coming in to talk to me about the latest event regulations and how they affect financial law, or something incredibly dry along those lines,” Auryn said, changing the subject.