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by LSI |
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Chapters: Prologue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18
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Chapter Three Trainer Steve Ryan led Grissom, Blake and Sara to a large perimeter fence Sara would have guessed to be at least fifty feet high. On the other side of the fence were several other fenced-in enclosures, one of which housed the most magnificent feline she’d ever seen. On her visit to the Habitat, she’d only caught sight of a couple of lionesses, which tended to be much smaller in size than their male counterparts. Even at rest, and from a distance, she could tell this one was huge, easily the five-hundred-plus pounds to which adult males could grow. “Is this the one?” Blake asked Ryan. “Yeah…that’s Shadow,” Ryan said, a catch in his voice. “He’s beautiful,” Sara whispered as if afraid to rouse the sleeping lion, although her normal pitch wouldn’t have carried as far as Shadow’s cage. “He is, isn’t he?” Ryan said, a ghost of a smile crossing his lips. The pride in his voice would have rivaled a parent’s for his child. Then, sorrow crossed his chiseled features. “I still don’t understand how this could have happened. It doesn’t make sense.” “Lions are still predators,” Grissom reasoned. “Their behavior can be unpredictable.” “Lions are like people, Mr. Grissom. Treat them nice, they behave nice.” “And this Shadow was treated nice?” Ryan seemed to take exception to Grissom’s tone, which to someone who didn’t know him could have been misinterpreted as sarcasm, when in fact it was just mild skepticism—not at all unnatural when questioning a witness. In this case, however, Sara almost felt sorry for Mr. Ryan. Although she knew better than to jump to conclusions, it was obvious that he cared deeply for the lion, and was profoundly distressed by the incident. “All my cats are treated well, Mr. Grissom,” he said coldly. “I resent the implication that they aren’t.” “No one’s implying anything, Mr. Ryan,” Blake jumped in. “I’m sure you want to get to the bottom of this as much as we do. We’ll need you to help us understand this better.” Grissom’s lip curled derisively, clearly unimpressed with Blake’s interference. He moved slowly along the fence, eyes trained on the dozing Shadow. Sara turned her attention back to Ryan. “Mr. Ryan, what would prompt a lion to attack one of its handlers?” Her voice was gentle, respectful of his grief. His eyes softened. “Lion attacks are rare, Miss Sidle. They’re really social animals. They’d have to be provoked in some way, which my handlers are too well trained to do. They’re gentle with them; we don’t even use whips or sticks on the cats, just hand and voice commands.” “He looks harmless enough now,” Grissom said, rejoining them. “Has he been sleeping since the incident?” “Lions sleep twenty hours a day, Mr. Grissom. But no. He became very agitated when the tranquilizer started to wear off, so we’re keeping him sedated for now.” “Did the vet examine him yet?” “Yeah…Jacobs had to get back to the Habitat, but Joe examined him and he’s been keeping an eye on him ever since.” “Joe?” Blake asked. “Joe Tharnish. Fourth-year DVM student. He’s doing his externship here.” “Would it be possible to talk to him?” Grissom asked. “Sure. Here he is now.” The man coming their way had to be at least thirty—older than the image his student status had conjured up. It was hard to tell if he’d noticed them. Shoulders hunched and eyes downcast, his cowboy boots dragged along the sun-dried earth, lifting little clouds of dust with each step. He seemed lost in his own private world. “Joe, these folks are from the crime lab. Mr. Grissom, here,” he said with a tilt of his head in Grissom’s direction, “would like to ask you some questions.” When Joe looked up, his eyes were grief-stricken. Grissom must have noticed, because when he spoke, his voice had softened considerably. “Did you witness the attack, Joe?” he asked. He shook his head. “No. I’d already left the Habitat by then.” “So you were there earlier?” “Yeah. I went with the last shift, but then Jacobs gave me the rest of the night off, so I came back here.” “The last shift?” asked Blake. Ryan responded for him. “We rotate the lions into the Habitat in two to three shifts a day. Yesterday, we brought in the last shift at around seven.” “I left at nine-thirty,” Joe offered in a faint voice. “Everything was fine…I can’t believe…” His eyes watered and he abruptly looked away. Sara and Grissom exchanged a glance. There was obviously another story there, but it wasn’t the right time to question him about his relationship with Amy Wilcox. It could wait. Grissom changed the subject. “Mr. Ryan said you examined Shadow when they brought him back here. Did you find anything unusual about his behavior?” “I looked him over, took some blood that I shipped to the lab for analysis this morning. At first he was calm, but that’s normal since he was still under the effect of the tranquilizer. But after a while, when it started to wear off, he became very agitated. He looked…disoriented, I guess is the best way to put it, so we’ve been sedating him ever since.” “Okay.” For a moment, no one spoke. Grissom seemed to be mulling over something in his mind. His eyes were focused on Sara but he wasn’t really seeing her. It wasn’t like him to be so hesitant—at least not while interviewing a witness—and she tried to reason why he would be now. They still had a lot of ground to cover before they could determine whether this was a simple accident or if there had been foul play. Joe’s reaction to the event obviously went beyond the professional, which meant he likely had a personal relationship with the victim. She sensed that Grissom had picked up on that as well. Conversely, Ryan couldn’t fathom that one of his beloved lions was capable of such an offense. She wondered just how much he knew about the attack. Surely, with his trained eye, he would have noticed the gash in Amy’s side and come to the same conclusion she and Grissom had. Joe, on the other hand, might not be aware of the details which could account for Grissom’s hesitation. Sara’s musings came to an abrupt end as a mighty roar resounded on the still morning air. Three heads jerked up and whipped around in the direction of Shadow’s cage. But the lion was still asleep. “A lion’s roar can be heard from five miles away,” Ryan said, explaining why they couldn’t see another lion in the vicinity. “Mr. Ryan, you said earlier that your lions would have to be provoked to attack one of their handlers,” Grissom said, apparently having resolved his indecision. “Shadow did more than that.” Joe snapped to attention. “What do you mean ‘more’?” After a quick glance at Ryan, Grissom said, “According to the coroner’s preliminary report, there’s no evidence to suggest the attack was retaliatory, or an instinctive response to a threat.” “What do you mean by that?” “It means that Ms. Wilcox didn’t sustain the type of injuries we would expect had that been the case. The attack was predatory.” As a look of disbelief settled on Joe’s face, Grissom continued. “The right side of Ms. Wilcox’s abdomen was ripped open. The, uh…injuries to her internal organs are what killed her.” He didn’t add that the liver had been missing and was most likely being digested as they spoke. “That’s fucking impossible. You’re saying Shadow saw her as food! You’re out of your fucking mind.” “Joe, calm down,” Ryan stepped in. “Your theory does seem implausible, Mr. Grissom. Lions don’t prey on humans unless they don’t have a choice. My lions are very well fed.” “Unfortunately, it’s not a theory. That’s what the evidence is telling us, and that’s why we’re here. Do you keep records of their daily food intake?” “Yes, each cat has its own food and medicine chart.” “With your permission, we’d like to take Shadow’s records for the past month.” “No problem, Joe will get them for you. But I can assure you, you won’t find anything unusual,” Ryan said, still a hint of resentment in his voice. “It’s only a place to start, Mr. Ryan,” Sara said. “Right now we’re looking at probable cause. By eliminating them one by one, we’ll eventually find the one answer we’re all looking for.” Ryan nodded. “Joe…” Joe had already moved away from the group and was stiffly walking in the direction of an outer building behind the farm house. Ryan took off after him. When he caught up with him, they exchanged a few words. Sara would have liked to eavesdrop on their conversation but they were already too far to be heard. Blake glanced at his watch. “Listen, you two seem to have everything under control here, so I’ll head back. I’m expected in a meeting in less than half an hour. Uh, Sara, would you walk with me to my car?” “Sure,” she said in surprise. She didn’t dare look at Grissom. They’d only taken a few steps toward the car when Sara said, “What’s this about?” “Dinner.” “Blake,” she started, ready to chastise him for crossing the professional boundaries she’d established only hours earlier. He didn’t let her finish. “I know. I apologize for bringing this up at work, but I didn’t have a choice. I don’t have your phone number and I have no idea where you live.” “You’re a detective, Blake. I’m sure with the vast resources at your disposal you could have found my phone number.” Despite the warning in her tone, her face held a hint of humor. Blake warmed to it. “But it wouldn’t have been as much fun.” “Oh. What’s that supposed to mean?” “I’ll
tell you tonight.” Blake
opened the car door. “Will
you tell me where you live now, so I can pick you up later?”
He handed her one of his business cards and a pen.
Sara jotted down her address and phone number.
“ She
nodded. “ With a farewell wink, Blake got in the car, closed the door and drove away. As soon as he left, Sara strode back to the perimeter fence and Grissom, who was watching her progress with a scowl on his face. When he spoke, he didn’t even try to conceal his displeasure. “What was that about?” he asked bluntly. Under different circumstances she might have skirted the question and apologized for the interruption, but something in his manner brought out her rebellious streak. How dare he stand there in judgment of her! It’s not as if he’d never mixed business with pleasure. At least she limited her choice of partners to respectable members of society. If there was any truth to the rumors about him, he hadn’t always been so discriminating. In the seconds between his question and her answer, she’d already worked herself up into a tizzy. “Dinner,” she delivered as bluntly, meeting his eyes with a defiant, unwavering glare. “Dinner?” “Yes, dinner. He asked, I accepted. He wanted to know where to pick me up.” “Oh.” An unreadable mask descended on his face. He looked away. “You know, Grissom—“ “Joe’s getting those records you want,” Ryan interrupted in the nick of time, preventing her from finishing the scathing retort she would only have regretted later. Telling Grissom other men enjoyed her company, even if he didn’t, would have been counter-productive to her resolve to keep their relationship strictly professional. “If there’s nothing else,” Ryan continued, “I have a slew of journalists demanding my attention. Looks like the story got out. This is going to be a media circus.” “Actually, Mr. Ryan, there is one more thing. I’d like to examine Shadow.” Sara couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Has he gone mad? Ryan shared her sentiment. “You’re joking. You’re not trained for this.” “Shadow is sedated, is he not?” “Yes, but…I don’t need to tell you how dangerous this is. If something happened, I could not be held responsible.” “You have a witness to that effect, Mr. Ryan,” he glanced at Sara who’d been standing stiffly by looking at Grissom like he had two heads. “But as a precaution, I suggest you bring your tranquilizer gun along.” Ryan shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said as he left to get the gun. As soon as he was out of earshot, Sara pounced on him. “Grissom, are you out of your mind?” He searched her face briefly. “Sara, that lion hasn’t moved a hair since we got here.” “That doesn’t mean he couldn’t come to when you’re in there and decide he’s due for another meal. You said yourself, lions can be unpredictable.” “If he becomes agitated, Ryan will have the tranquilizer gun,” he said on a sigh. “Really, there’s nothing to worry about.” “Fine, I’m coming with you.” “No,” he said hastily. Then, his voice softened. “You stay here and see what you can get out of Joe when he gets back with those records.” As if on cue, Ryan and Joe returned, Ryan brandishing a gun, Joe a file, which he handed to her. “Let’s get this over with, Mr. Grissom,” Ryan said. He unlatched the double gate and opened it. “Grissom,” she said, taking a step in his direction. “What?” He said impatiently. “Be careful.” He nodded and followed Ryan into the corral. Ryan swung the gate closed, but didn’t bother re-latching it. Joe stayed with her. “Your boss is a fool.” ‘You have no idea,’ she thought, but didn’t say it. Instead, she concentrated on getting more information from Joe. Her eyes never leaving Grissom, she asked, “Do you think there’s any danger, Joe?” “Yesterday, I would have said no. After what happened to Amy, I don’t know what to think anymore,” he said mournfully. “You loved her very much.” It was a statement, not a question, intended to let him know she understood his pain. It had the desired effect. Joe started to tell his story. “She was so good with the lions. The first time I saw her, I knew…you know…the way you know that something important has just happened and your life is about to change.” Sara nodded her understanding, encouraging him with her eyes, to continue. “I couldn’t believe it when I found out she felt the same way about me.” He became silent. “You started dating?” Sara asked softly, urging him to go on. “Yeah, we didn’t want anyone to know at first. But her ex found out and he threw a fit, so everybody knew after that.” “Her ex?” “Kevin Foster. She broke up with him when we got together. He was pissed off.” She recognized the name as that of the other handler who’d been on duty last night. “Joe, do you have any idea who might have wanted to hurt Amy or the Habitat?” “No. Even Foster, I mean, he has a temper and all, but I don’t think he would have wanted to hurt her that way. He said he loved her.” Sara had seen enough to know that love was often a motive for murder, but she didn’t say so. At this point they didn’t have any evidence to suggest the attack had been anything other than an accident. “Did he, uh…ever get violent with her?” “When he found out about us, he hit her…gave her a black eye. But he apologized after that, told her he wouldn’t hurt her again. She believed him. I asked her to stay away from him, just in case, but it was hard since they worked together.” Sara didn’t need to hear any more about Kevin Foster to recognize the characteristics of an abuser. She quelled a sudden pang of anger. She looked forward to that interrogation. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said, indicating the end of the interview. She didn’t have any other questions for Joe at this time. “Thank you.” He met her gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Can I go now? It’s been a long night.” “Sure, thanks for your time.” As he walked away, Sara turned her attention to the two men crouched down beside the still-dozing Shadow. The gun, she noticed, was propped up against the fenced wall of the cage a good five feet away from them. She questioned the prudence of not keeping the gun at arm’s reach, but then realized she was probably overreacting. Ryan knew what he was doing. Watching Grissom run his hand up and down the lion’s tawny coat, she didn’t know whether to feel apprehension or envy. On the one hand, she was all too aware of the damage a blow from a lion’s strong forepaws could do, or how quickly they could tear a limb off an unsuspecting enthusiast. She’d read enough zoo horror stories. But to be that close to this magnificent animal, to be able to touch him, feel the heat of his body through his thick coat… For a fleeting moment, she regretted not having insisted on joining him. Not that she believed for a second that Grissom would have retracted his terse ‘no’. A movement caught the corner of Sara’s eye, interrupting her train of thought. She scanned the horizon, but didn’t see anything. Just as she was beginning to think she’d imagined it, she spotted her: a full-grown lioness hiding behind a clump of grasses no more than thirty yards from Shadow’s cage. With their backs to her, the men were oblivious to her presence, but the cat wasn’t to theirs. Sara opened her mouth to alert them, but closed it again. What if her shouts spooked the animal and did more harm than good? She searched her brain for more lion facts, but it had suddenly gone blank. She watched in horror as the lioness took a few tentative steps forward then broke into a fast stride, quickly closing the distance between herself and the unsuspecting Grissom and Ryan. The file she’d been holding fell to the ground. Without stopping to think, Sara rushed through the gate. “Grissom!” she screamed. The lioness stopped abruptly and looked at Sara. For a brief moment, Sara congratulated herself on having distracted her. Then, with a thunderous roar, the cat changed direction and leapt straight at her, landing no more than ten feet in front of where she stood, frozen to the spot. The big cat snarled, baring her teeth. Sara’s muscles tensed, her heart raced, and as much as she wanted to run, her feet would not cooperate. She was vaguely aware of Grissom taking aim with the tranquilizer gun, and of Ryan putting his hand on the barrel to lower it. “Don’t move, Ms. Sidle.” Ryan’s garbled voice penetrated her subconscious. Don’t move! Sara didn’t know why that command sounded so hilarious. She was sure she was laughing, but couldn’t hear any sound. Other thoughts entered her brain then, disjointed, senseless thoughts. Nick’s voice, ‘I thought you were indestructible, Sara.’ Blake. Someone would have to cancel her dinner date with Blake. She wondered if Grissom would call him and explain. Grissom. He’d be angry with her again. She hoped he wouldn’t get into trouble over this. “Whatever
you do, don’t move,” she heard Ryan say again, his voice was clearer
this time, closer. “Easy,
Kitty… that’s my girl. Come
to daddy…yeah, there’s a good girl.”
The lioness slowly
crept up to Ryan and rubbed her head against his hand, licking it
caressingly. Then, she
walked away without a backward glance. As
suddenly as it had come, the threat was gone.
Had
Grissom not grasped her elbow just then and dragged her out of the
corral, she was sure she would have crumbled to the ground in relief. “What
the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted as soon as they crossed the
gates. His hands closed over
her upper arms and he shook her, hard.
He was angry. She’d
known he would be angry, and she tried to explain, but the words
wouldn’t come. Her knees
shook so badly, she didn’t think her legs would support her much
longer. She tried to
breathe, but her lungs burned at the effort.
“I…”
she dragged in a breath and tried again.
“I thought…” “That’s
the problem, you didn’t think. Do
you realize how close you came to leaving here in a body bag?” She felt the blood drain from her. If he hadn’t still been clasping her arms, she had no doubt she would have collapsed at his feet. He stared at her for the longest time, a mixture of fear and exasperation crossing his features, and just when she thought he was going to shove her away, he drew her roughly to him and held her until they both stopped shaking.
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