ôLooks like they might get back together again, Max,ö said Dooley, once again having forgotten all about the grudge he was harboring toward me. ôIsnÆt that sweet?ö
ôThe supermodel and the duck farmer. Almost sounds like a Hallmark romance,ö I said.
And since there was nothing more for us to learn there, we repaired to the car.
ôAnd maybe heÆll even get his contract with the Karat Group back,ö Dooley pointed out.
ôGetting his wife back and his contract. ItÆs a good day for Zak Lemanowicz,ö I said as we climbed onto the backseat.
Moments later, we were cruising along.ôSo what now?ö asked Odelia.
ôNow I donÆt know anymore,ö said Chase. ôZak obviously alibied out. And same thing goes for Elvis Diamond. Both of those alibis sussed out by your cats, I might add.ö
ôWhatever it takes to get to the truthàö She thought for a moment. ôDid you ever find out how Eric Blandine was lured to the farm?ö
ôNope. Nothing on his phone, computerà Also no fingerprints on the package containing his liver, or the tin, or even on the card.ö
ôThis is turning into a tough case, Mr. Kingsley.ö
ôIt most certainly is, Mrs. Kingsley.ö He then dropped his gaze down to his wifeÆs belly. ôHow are you feeling? IsnÆt this too stressful for you?ö
ôIÆm fine, Chase!ö
ôAll right, all right.ö
ôHow is the baby bump?ö asked Dooley curiously, inserting himself between the two car seats to take a gander.
ôThe bump is fine,ö said Odelia with a satisfied smile as she affectionately rubbed said bump.
ôDo you think the baby is going to be a vegetarian?ö
Odelia chuckled.ôOh, Dooley. What kind of a question is that?ö
ôJust curious. Are babies carnivores, herbivores or omnivores?ö
ôOmnivores, I guess, like the rest of the human race.ö
ôIÆve stopped being a vegetarian,ö said Dooley.
ôThatÆs good news,ö said Odelia, closing her eyes for a moment.
ôMax advised me to become a vegetarian but Pris told me I could die.ö
ôMax never told you to become a vegetarian, Dooley,ö said Odelia. ôYou came up with that silly idea all by yourself. In fact Max told you that you shouldnÆt become a vegetarian.ö
Dooley frowned.ôHe did?ö
ôOf course. Max is your friend. He doesnÆt want you to die.ö
ôHe doesnÆt?ö
ôOf course not. Who is this Pris, anyway?ö
ôElvis DiamondÆs cat Priscilla.ö
ôSheÆs been feeding you a lot of nonsense, Dooley.ö
ôOh?ö
ôSome women are like that. They try to come between you and your best friends. They probably think it will tie you closer to them, which is nonsense, of course. All it does is alienate you from your friends and youÆll end up resenting the person responsible.ö
ôOh,ö Dooley repeated, as he darted a quick look in my direction.
ôSounds like your Pris is exactly such a person.ö
ôOkay. Thanks for the warning.ö
ôYouÆre welcome.ö She turned to me. ôHave you figured it out yet, Max? Cause weÆre at the end of our rope here, as you can probably see.ö
ôNo, IÆm afraid the whole thing is still a mystery to me.ö
ôThought so,ö she muttered. ôWell, donÆt let me keep you. Work that big brain of yours, will you? Cause this entire case looks just about ready to fall apart around us.ö
Just then, her phone chimed, telling her a message had arrived. She took it out and stared at the message. It was a video, which started playing the moment she clicked on it.
ôOh, my God!ö she cried. ôPull over!ö
Chase pulled over, and together they watched the video. Judging from the sounds, it was something really gruesome connected to ducks, though Odelia shielded her phone so we couldnÆt see.
ôTrust me,ö she said finally. ôItÆs better that you donÆt see.ö
ôThereÆs a message,ö said Chase.
ôæCheck Lita FiolÆs phone,Æö Odelia read.
ôI knew it!ö said Chase. ôTheyÆve been lying to us from the start!ö
He immediately started the car again, and moments later we were zooming along, this time in the direction of the shop where Lita worked.
Chapter 30
Miss Fiol was behind the counter when we arrived. Chase wasted no time demanding to see her phone, and in spite of her protestations, went through her files until he found it. He then held up the phone for her to see, and the same video was played.
Her cheeks colored violently and she had to avert her eyes. Clearly the video affected her powerfully.ôI got that vile thing a couple of days ago. Evidence that Merle Poltorak is a vicious butcher. Nothing less than a criminal. The way he treats those poor animalsàö
ôSo you decided to teach him a lesson, didnÆt you? Him and Cotton Karat both. Somehow you lured the man you thought was Cotton to the farm and killed him there on the spot. Were you alone or was a member of your group there to help you set it up?ö
ôBut I didnÆtùI couldnÆt!ö
He was leaning over her now, his bulk crowding her as she cowered.ôAdmit it, Lita. You murdered Eric Blandine in cold blood, as a message for Merle and his main suppliers: the Karat Group.ö
ôYouÆre crazy! I was with Tobias that night. I already told you.ö
ôYouÆre lying, and so is Tobias. What did you tell him? That you needed him to supply you with an alibi? What lies did you feed him, Litaùor are the two of you in it together?ö
ôOf course not!ö
ôTobias needed to get rid of Cotton one way or another. HeÆs been scheming behind the manÆs back. And murdering his replacement would send a strong message to Diedrich and to Cotton both: time to bail out while you still can. Time for a new man at the helm.ö
ôLook, I admit I was furious when I received the video, but instead of going out and murdering the man, I talked to Tobias. Asked him to drop Merle as a supplier. Go back to Zak Lemanowicz. He has perfected a production process that is absolutely humane.ö
ôOh, save it,ö said Chase harshly. ôLita Fiol, youÆre under arrest for the murder of Eric Blandine. You have the right to remain silentàö
A woman approached the counter. I recognized her from the last time weÆd been in there. She was holding up a piece of tofu. ôCan you tell me if thereÆs fish in this, miss?ö
ôShop is closed,ö said Chase gruffly, and then escorted Lita from the premises.
I glanced up at Odelia.ôDo you really think that sheÆs guilty?ö I asked.
Odelia shrugged.ôHonestly? I donÆt know anymore, Max.ö
We all went down to the station, where Lita was to be booked and fingerprinted, and interrogated more thoroughly by Chase. And since Chase had taken the car to transfer his arrestee, the rest of us walked the short distance from the Happy Bean to the precinct.
ôMax?ö said Dooley finally, after weÆd traveled a block and a half in silence.
ôMh?ö I said.
ôIÆm sorry.ö
ôSorry for what?ö
IÆd been thinking hard about this most startling development in the case, and DooleyÆs words took me out of my musings.
ôThat I thought you wanted to kill me by turning me into a vegetarian.ö
I smiled. It sounded ridiculous when he said it like that.ôThatÆs all right.ö
ôNo, itÆs not all right. I let myself be turned against you by a scheming cat. ItÆs not okay.ö
ôDonÆt be too hard on yourself, Dooley. What Pris said all sounded very plausible.ö
ôI know, but stillàö He was quiet for a few moments, then seemed to come to some kind of decision. ôI want you to accept my resignation, Max.ö
ôWhat are you talking about?ö
ôMy resignation as your best friend. I behaved in a way no best friend should, and so I think you should find another cat to fill the position because I resign. In disgrace,ö he added, hanging his head.
ôBeing a friend is not like being a CEO, Dooley. You canÆt resign or even be fired.ö
He looked up at this.ôYou canÆt?ö