Part 9 (2/2)

Deputy Jim looked Michael in the eyes. He hesitated before saying, ”It's Pete Gamble. He's been murdered.”

Savannah's hands shot up to her mouth. Her eyes widened and she gasped. ”Oh my gosh. Here? How...?”

Michael sat back in his chair, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Finally he asked, ”What happened? What was he doing here?” He looked off into s.p.a.ce as if in a daze. And then he stood. He stepped into the center of the room and began pacing, raking his hand through his hair. He turned and said, his voice raised, ”And you think that I...” he looked down, trying to gather his thoughts. He then stared directly at Jim and said slowly, ”I am not a murderer.” He pointed a finger at Jim. ”You should know my character by now. I wouldn't kill someone just because they got in my face. What are you thinking?” He put his head in his hands and rubbed his forehead hard with his palms.

Savannah stood and walked over to him. ”I'm sure he doesn't suspect you-he just has to ask these questions. It's his job, Michael.”

Jim swiveled in his chair to face the couple. ”That's partially correct, Savannah. It's my job. But dang, it looks suspicious finding him here, after all he has done to you in the past week. How do you suppose he came to be here-inside your clinic?”

”He was inside right there when you found him?” Michael asked.

”Yes and the door was wide open when Bud arrived this morning, or so he says.”

Savannah walked over and sat down opposite Jim.

”Who has keys to the clinic?” Jim wanted to know. He picked up his notepad and pencil.

Savannah responded. ”Michael and I, of course. Bud-he checks on the patients early each morning and, when advised, throughout the night. Scarlett, our receptionist, has a key, as do our cleaning people. That would be Iris and Cindy.” She then caught herself and said, ”No, not Cindy. She's out on maternity leave. Our new cleaning gal is Alyce.” Savannah turned toward Michael. ”Did you give her a key?”

”Yes,” Michael said. ”So it's me, Savannah, Bud, Iris, Scarlett, and Alyce who have keys.”

”And Lisa has a key,” Savannah said. ”She's Bud's backup.”

”Now why does...” Jim looked at his notes, ”Iris have a key?”

Michael walked over and sat back down in his chair. He took in a deep breath. ”She comes in and cleans the clinic a couple times a week after hours.”

”And the new cleaning gal? What does she do, what is her schedule?”

”Well, she cleans and sanitizes cages, examining rooms, and so forth on an ongoing, as-needed basis throughout the day.” Michael explained. ”She sometimes comes in early to make sure things are ready for patients or she might stay late to prepare for the next day.”

”Hmmmm,” Jim said, rubbing his chin and fixing his stare on his notepad. ”I'll need contact information for Scarlett, Lisa, and Alyce, if you don't mind.” He looked up at Michael. ”We have Bud here now and I know how to find Iris.”

Savannah rose from her chair. ”I'll get that for you,” she said as she walked over to the reception counter.

Jim looked down at his notes again. ”Now wait. Does the one out on maternity leave-Cindy-still have a key?”

Michael thought for a moment. ”Um, yeah, I guess she does.”

”I'll need her contact information, too, if you don't mind, Savannah.”

Michael leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him, and asked, ”How?”

”Huh?”

”How did he die?”

”Stabbed,” was all Jim would say.

Michael sat somber, a look of disbelief on his face. He then straightened his posture and asked, ”What I want to know is why is he in my...” he turned his head and looked over at Savannah briefly and then continued, ”our clinic? What was he doing here?”

Jim pursed his lips and shook his head slowly from side to side. ”That's what we're trying to figure out. Why was he here, how did he get in and who was with him?”

Savannah walked over and handed Jim the piece of paper with the information he wanted. She took her place next to Michael.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice. ”Good morning, folks.”

Savannah and Michael looked up. ”Hi Craig,” Savannah said, her voice strained.

Detective Craig Sledge didn't look like he was there for a visit. He walked over to where Michael and Savannah sat and faced them, saying, ”Michael, this doesn't look good.”

Michael squirmed in his chair, rubbed one hand through his hair, and said, ”Yeah, that's what Jim says. I'm some sort of suspect, it seems.”

Craig stared down at the floor. ”Gotta start weedin' people out. That's what we're doing now.”

”I'd think this was some sort of a frame job,” Michael said. ”But the only one I can think of who would do such a thing is dead.” He rolled his head slowly from side to side. Finally, he said, ”This is insane.” He looked up at the detective and then over at Jim and asked, ”So did someone break into the office or use a key?”

”Looks like they knew their way in,” Craig said matter of factly.

Savannah sat silent, tears welling up in her eyes. This must be how those innocent people I read about, who are sitting in prison, feel, she thought. Helpless. Absolutely helpless.

She looked up at the clock behind the reception desk and then jumped to her feet saying, ”Oh! It's after seven. I'd better call the staff and then make calls to the morning appointments,” she said. She hesitated and then asked flatly, ”Can I do that, Craig?”

”Sure, go ahead.” Craig then looked over at Michael. ”I'd like to ask you some questions.”

”Gosh, Craig, I can't think of anything that I haven't already told Jim.”

Craig thought about it for a minute. He conferred with Jim and then addressed Michael. ”Okay, buddy. You and Savannah don't have plans to go anywhere, do you?”

Michael stared at Craig, anger rising to the surface. He stood abruptly. ”Well, h.e.l.l!”

Savannah looked up from the reception desk, phone to her ear, concern on her face.

Michael then turned toward Craig and said, ”Do you know where Bud is? I need to talk to him about the patients. We do have a business to run here, you know.”

”I think they're just about finished with him in there,” Craig said while craning his neck to peer down the hallway. ”Oh, here he comes now.”

Michael walked over to the hallway entrance. ”Bud, are you okay?”

”Yeah, I guess,” he said, looking a little shaken. ”Did you see that dead guy?”

”No,” Michael said.” He looked over to see Craig and Jim walk out the front door with a couple of officials-from the crime lab maybe, or the coroner's office. Michael wasn't sure.

”He's an awful mess,” Bud continued. ”Someone sure must have hated him bad. Blood all over. I couldn't believe it when I walked up to the back door and found...” He s.h.i.+vered. ”It was horrible.”

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