I hated premeditated murders. Whoever it was had brought the cleaver with them and snuck up on the rabbit smashing in his head. Was that because he was concentrating on his search, did they stay in his blind spot, or did Zelikow not perceive them as a threat?

  The sound of footsteps stomping in the hallway pulled me from my musings. Lohman barged through the door grunting with exertion. “I should kill you, Wrench.”

  Not wanting to deal with the hog, I presented a bored expression and said, “I have a craving for pork chops for breakfast. Know any good restaurants?”

  Lohman wasn’t amused but kept his mouth shut as a tall lanky coyote in the gray and brown leathers of the state police walked in. The coyote stuck his hand out. “Are you Kaiser Wrench?”

  “Yes, and you must be Sergeant Collins.”

  The coyote smiled and wagged his tail. “I’m a big fan of yours, Mr. Wrench. I had the opportunity to work with Duke Barrow, and he talked you up big time.”

  After we shook hands, I nodded to the body. “Here’s your corpse.”

  Lohman wasn’t to be ignored. “What do you mean, his corpse? Since when does state overrule city police?”

  Sergeant Collins’ lip twitched, but he did a good job of not smiling. “Since you’re inadequately supplied with materials and males, I would think the question obvious.” While the hog glared daggers, Sergeant Collins looked at me, and said, “About a year ago, the town petitioned the state to assist in police matters. Seems the place was being overrun with gamblers and crooks.”

  Collins pulled off his gloves and took out his notepad. I gave my statement as Lohman scowled.

  At the mention of Norman, Collins stopped me and asked, “Norman Zelikow was kidnapped? This is the first I’ve heard about it.”

  “The matter was reported to the city police. I’m sure Lohman here can fill you in.”

  The veins in the hog’s neck stood out against his flesh as he gritted his teeth as we both looked at Lohman.

  “Is this true?” asked Sergeant Collins.

  “What of it?” replied Lohman. “Zelikow wanted things kept quiet, so we did.”

  “And who found the kit?”

  “I did,” I said.

  Lohman nearly had a seizure right then and there. The loss of ten grand had him squealing.

  Collins and I ignored him while I explained the situation. “I found the kit in an abandoned shack near the waterfront earlier this evening. After I took him home, Zelikow decided to keep me around in case of a second attempt.”

  Lohman stuck his snout in my face. “How’d you know he was here?”

  “The kit was pretty shaken, so I figured he’d want to get a hold of Mrs. Shore.” It galled me to give the hog the information, but I did. In my own way. “When I realized he’d left the estate, I followed. The rabbit liked to have everyone believe he was in perfect health, but he wasn’t. After having an attack, he should have been resting, not running around.”

  Collins nodded and asked, “How’d you get in?”

  “The door was unlocked, and I walked in on this.” I waved my hand at the state of the room and added, “That’s when I called you.”

  “Your explanation stinks.” Lohman wasn’t about to let it go and continued. “I think Zelikow didn’t want to pay you, and you got back at him.”

  “Last time I checked, I’m a tiger. If I’m going to kill someone, I’ll use a gun. If I don’t have a gun, I’ll use these.” I unsheathed my claws in front of his snout, just shy of skewering it. “Meat cleavers aren’t my style.”

  Before the situation could escalate, Collins asked, “How did Zelikow get here?”

  “Drove, I imagine. He’s got a blue 1964 Cadillac. Not sure I’ll be any use, but you might want to lock it and have a couple of males guard it.”

  Collins called a plainclothes hound over and gave him instructions as the coroner arrived.

  While the opossum looked over the body, the buzzards took photos and dusted for prints. Collins took a set of my prints for elimination purposes.

  Lohman took his time going through the papers scattered across the floor, but from his grumbling he wasn’t finding anything.

  After the opossum was done, the buzzards stuffed the body in a wicker basket and hauled it out along with the cleaver wrapped in a towel. More cops came in, and I repeated my statement. Outside the apartment stood a single reporter scribbling hastily in his notebook. If this was New York, the police would have had to bar every chipmunk, squirrel, and rabbit from descending on the place for a story. The situation was still possible once the story went out on the wire.

  Collins got ahold of me before I left. “Where can I reach you?”

  “I’ll be staying at Zelikow’s estate for the time being.”

  “Okay, I’ll be out there later.”

  “So will I,” said Lohman. “You’d better keep your nose clean.”

  I rolled my eyes and walked off.

  Collins caught up to me before I got to my car and asked, “Mr. Wrench, would you mind keeping me informed if you find anything?”

  “Sure. But if it’s something that needs immediate attention, I deal with it right there and then.”

  The coyote seemed to think this over before nodding. “Good enough. Your reputation precedes you for… taking care of things first and informing the authorities when possible.” By the hint of a smile on his face, Duke must have told him all the dirty details.

  “Better not tell Lohman.”

  Collins growled. “That pig? The sooner he’s on a spit the better. As for Mrs. Shore, we’ve a seven-state alarm on the Teletype along with roadblocks set up. If she’s still around, we’ll find her.”

  “I’ll see what I can pick up on the estate about her and have Danny pick up Zelikow’s car.”

  “Danny?”

  “Zelikow’s chauffeur.”

  With a nod of goodbye, I climbed into my car and headed back to the estate. The sun was just peaking over the horizon when I got back.

  At the gatehouse, I stopped and honked my horn until the hawk came out. He had a cloth napkin tied around his neck with spots of his breakfast scattered across the white linen.

  “So, it was you who opened the gate. Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “Did you hear me go out?”

  “No, sir. I slept pretty sound. Never used to, but here lately…” He paused for a moment before adding. “I’ve been feeling rather guilty for sleeping so sound when the kit disappeared.”

  “You must have been out because not only did I leave but so did Mr. Zelikow.”

  The hawk straightened at the news. “He did? Oh dear, he’ll be mad at me for sure.”

  “I don’t think he wanted anyone to know he left. But that’s neither here nor there. Zelikow is dead.”

  I left him standing at the gate with his beak open and drove up to the house.

  Before I shut the engine off, I revved it a few times, hoping to wake up at least someone in the house. Hell, I even slammed the door when I came in.

  Candy met me at the top of the staircase with hands on hips, wrapped in a silken Chinese robe. Her red tail flipped back and forth in aggravation. “Would you be quiet? Norman is still asleep, and I’d like to keep him that way for a while.”

  “Is everyone still here?”

  “How should I know?” the fox gave me an appraising look and asked, “What happened?”

  “Zelikow’s dead. Murdered to be precise.”

  Candy’s hands covered her mouth as her eyes widened. “How? Who?”

  “Right now, Mrs. Shore is the prime suspect. The rabbit was murdered in her apartment, and she’s gone.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “Get everybody up and have them meet me downstairs. Don’t tell them anything.”

  “Okay.” Candy ran off, glad to be doing something while I headed for Norman’s room.

  The kit was fast asleep, and I shook him gently. “Norman, wake up. I have to speak to you.”

  The rabbit’s eyes opened slowly, but he smiled when he saw me. “Mr. Wrench.”

  “Call me Kaiser.”

  With a yawn he asked, “Is it time to get up.”

  “No, but I have bad news.”

  I didn’t really know how to break the news to him, but I didn’t want him finding out from the rest of the colony. After a couple of attempts, I decided to give it to him straight. “Your father’s dead.”

  The news took time to register, and he gave me a puzzled look. “Dead?” When it did, he buried his face in his pillow and sobbed. He finally asked, “What happened?”

  That I didn’t have the heart to tell him, but the thought of the colony informing him pushed me to say something. “He was killed.”

  “But… why?” Great big sorrowful eyes brimmed with tears and soaked his white fur.

  “Cry it out kit. I’ll do what I can to find the person responsible.”

  “And shoot him. That’s what I would do.”

  I patted him on the shoulder. “Rest now.”

  Norman nodded and buried his face back into his pillow. I knew I was going to do what I could to sort out this mess. Besides, I owed the kit. I’d keep my silent promise to him, even if it scarred my soul. Just like the last time I made a promise.

  CHAPTER 5

  The colony glared at me with sullen faces. The Mercier brothers especially, considering I gave the one a nice fat lip. Cristina Hudson and her son tried staying aloof while her husband and daughter fidgeted. Linda Brooks was of course out on display even at this hour.

  Candy came in and announced that coffee would be ready soon, after which I gave the rabbits both barrels.

  “Zelikow is dead. Someone decided to split his head open with a meat cleaver in Mrs. Shore’s apartment.”

  Silence filled the room, and they stared at me blankly as the news sank in. Cristina Hudson spoke first. “In Mrs. Shore’s apartment? And, where was she?”

  “No one knows yet,” I said. “She may not have anything to do with his death, if that’s what you’re thinking. Or she might be another victim. What I do know for sure is that the police will be here soon to ask questions.”

  Before they could pummel me with questions, I left the room and entered the kitchen. I grabbed a cup of coffee from Candy and took it into Danny’s room.

  “Hi, Kaiser. What’s the matter?”

  “Zelikow’s dead. Meat cleaver.”

  Danny let out a whine and tucked his tail between his legs. “What now?”

  “They’ll be an investigation. Don’t worry, I called in the state cops. They’ll keep Lohman from lynching you.” I handed him the coffee. “That’s what I’m hoping, anyway. Were you in the sack all night?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you prove it? Did anyone see you?”

  The mutt let out another whine and his ears plastered to his head. “No. But someone was up and about.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Twice last night I heard the engine of a car.”

  “That would be Zelikow and me. What else?”

  “After the first car, someone came down the stairs. Then there was another sound, real funny, like someone coughing. But then it faded away. Don’t know what it was.”

  “If we could figure out who it was, it could be useful,” I said. “For right now, keep it under your hat, unless asked. Okay?”

  Danny was looking more and more like a kicked puppy.

  “Right now, you’d better get dressed. Zelikow’s car is in town outside Mrs. Shore’s place. When the cops get done with it, you’ll need to drive it back.”

  I left Danny sulking in his room and met George in the kitchen. The penguin wiped the tears from his face and said, “I just heard. It’s dreadful. Who could do such a thing?”

  “Don’t know, but right at the moment I’m running on fumes and need some sleep. Wake me up when the police get here.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  I trudged out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room. Not bothering to take off my shirt or shoes, I lay down and was out in seconds.

  Raised voices drifted through my sleep-addled mind along with what I thought were pieces of dreams, but it was the angry music that awoke me. The sound echoed through the house with a vengeance.

  Curious of who was playing, I left my room to investigate. Norman sat at the piano pounding out the haunting fury. Dressed in a Prussian blue bathrobe his stark white fur glowed in contrast.

  “Norman, stop,” I said.

  The kit immediately ceased playing, but he hung his head and kept his eyes closed.

  “Take it easy, okay.”

  “I keep thinking of Dad. He taught me so many things.”

  I sat down on the bench next to him with my back to the piano. “Don’t you think your dad would prefer you use the stuff he taught you rather than grieve for him?”

  “Yes. He wanted me to learn everything now so I could achieve something instead of taking my whole life to learn the fundamentals.”

  Norman seemed better as he talked everything out and got it out of his system, so I let him carry on.

  “Too bad he’ll never make his report about me to the College of Scientists. Dad really wanted to be the President of the College for the term and was confident he would win the position because of me.”

  “Maybe Mrs. Shore could present the report for him?” It was the wrong thing for me to say.

  “But Mrs. Shore’s wanted by the police. She can’t present the report.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “One of the policemen that was here this morning. The big Red River Hog said they found her car down at the creek. He thinks she killed herself.”

  The fur on the back of my neck stood on end, and I let out a roar. “George.”

  The penguin came bustling in. “Yes, sir?”

  “Didn’t I tell you to wake me when the police arrived?”

  “Yes, you did, sir. Unfortunately, officer Lohman was quite insistent on letting you sleep. Very insistent. As for everyone else, he directed that they all go home after their statements were taken. Mrs. Clement drove Mr. Meadows to town so he could pick up the car.”

  “Nuts.”

  “Sergeant Collins did leave you a message. He said that he would be working late tonight and would like to see you. His headquarters is out on the highway.”

  “At least someone wants to see me.” I patted Norman on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go back to your room and wait for Candy… Mrs. Clements gets back?”

  “Why do you call her Candy?” Norman asked the question, giving me a good view at his big innocent eyes.

  “It’s just a nickname. I give everyone I like a nickname.”

  “Do I have one?”

  I leaned down, nearly touching his nose. “Lancelot of course. That bull was the bravest male in King Arthur’s court.”

  Norman flashed me a smile. “And big. Bigger than you.”

  I nodded, ruffled his fur, and set off to see Sergeant Collins.

  The state police headquarters consisted of a low building set back from the road. The coyote was waiting in his office and set down the paperwork he was filling out when I came in and sat down.

  “George said you wanted to see me.”

  “Yes, we found Shore’s car, but she’s nowhere to be found. The car door was open, and the tide was going out. It could have carried the body right into the bay. If that’s the case, we may never find it.”

  “Shore’s an albatross. Aren’t they seabirds?”

  Collins nodded. “True, but you can’t swim if you’re knocked out or dead. Since the car was found thirty feet out in the water, she was driving fast. Missed the guardrail just before the bridge. There’s every indication the wreck was deliberate. But that’s not what I wanted to see you about, Mr. Wrench.”

  “Please, call me Kaiser.”

  “Sure.” The coyote gave me a smile before becoming serious again. “I’d like to know more about this kidnapping. If Mrs. Shore didn’t commit suicide but was murdered, everything might tie in.”

  I told him everything I knew about Norman’s abduction and what happened when I went out to look for information. Minus the mention of Ackroyd, knowing he’d have to tell Lohman.

  When I finished, he asked, “Do you think it all ties in?”

  “Not sure. Kidnappers usually want money, but this one didn’t go well for them. The kit turned out to be a slippery eel.”

  Collins offered me a cigarette and said, “Kidnappers who mess up usually want to disappear, not murder the person they’re trying to get money out of.”

  “Did you know Nicholai Zelikow didn’t have long to live?”

  The coyote shook his head, and I continued. “That rabbit was worth a lot of money, so it stands to reason that the motive in everything that’s going on here stems from money. His relations were hanging around waiting for him to be shuffled off to the processing plants. One or more of them could have found out about his condition and decided to hurry it along. Only when the stress of the kidnapping didn’t work, they took matters into their own hands and made Shore the patsy.”

  “Do you think they killed the albatross as well?”

  “Once you’ve done one murder, the second comes easy.”

  “But your theory is full of holes.” Collins smiled. “It takes more than one person to pull off a kidnapping and opens the ringleader up to blackmail. Then there’s the fact that Zelikow was searching for something in Shore’s apartment.”

  “Touché.”

  Collins handed me a stack of papers. “Here are the statements from everyone in the house. They all say the same thing. No one left the house, so it can’t be any of them. Lohman wanted to lean on everyone, but I told him to back off.”

  I read through all the statements before handing them back. “Somebody’s lying. Danny heard someone come down the stairs just after Zelikow and before me. It’s not in his statement because I told him to keep quiet until I checked it out. Plus, he’s terrified Lohman will kill him instead of just beating the snot out of him. You’ve met the family. Any one of them would refute the mutt’s account and leave him holding the bag in a heartbeat.”

 

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