“Yeah,” Jude said. “The only blood outside of the cage is what flowed under the bars.” He flipped through the pictures and pointed to the one showing trails of blood. “The killer must have cleaned up the blood from where the shooting actually took place.”
“There aren’t a lot of circumstances that would force me into a cage with a seven hundred pound tiger. I’d do it for Ten and the kids, but that’s it.” Ronan shuddered at the thought of being in an enclosed space with an apex predator.
“So, what you’re saying is that you’d let Fitz or I become Meow Mix?” Jude asked with a grin. “Jack was shot. The killer figured the tiger would attack the body and tear it apart, making it impossible to tell the man had been murdered.”
“That makes sense,” Fitz agreed. “But why didn’t Sheba attack Jack?”
“According to what Celestina told me back in 1995, Sheba was raised around people. The cat knew people weren’t a food source. It’s possible that even with a fresh kill only feet away, Sheba knew not to eat him.” Ronan realized he had inside information the cops at the time wouldn’t have known.
“If that’s true, then it opens up a whole new suspect pool,” Fitz said, as he jotted notes on his pad.
“I don’t understand what you’re getting at,” Jude said, looking confused.
“There were only a certain number of people who had the keys to the tiger’s cage. Nava, Celestina, Hank, the tiger keeper, and the owner of the circus, who, according to the police notes was out of town. That gives us three people who knew Sheba intimately.” Ronan turned to Fitz. “All three knew the tiger wouldn’t eat a person. That would leave us with the rest of the crew as suspects because the killer assumed the tiger would eat or mangle Jack’s body.”
Fitz nodded in agreement. “I imagine it would have been pretty easy to steal a key during the performance. Everyone is in high gear getting ready for their act. You’ve got people running around, changing costumes, and only paying attention to themselves.”
“I get what you’re saying,” Jude started, “but a murder isn’t a quiet thing. Is it possible for the killer to have shot Jack and dragged him into the tiger cage him without anyone hearing?”
Ronan grinned. He knew the solution to that problem. “During the curtain call at the end of the show, everyone comes out to take a bow, even the roadies. I remember the ring master asking the crowd to give them a round of applause.”
“The killer knew that would be the time to strike because no one would be backstage. In a crowd of workers that big, it would be easy not to notice someone was missing,” Fitz added.
“Kent told us he remembered Jack not being onstage for the curtain call. What we need to find out is if he noticed if any of the other cast or crew were missing too.” Jude shook his head. “After twenty plus years, I’m not so sure anyone’s going to remember such an insignificant detail.”
“Not so fast.” Fitzgibbon flipped the page of his legal pad. “Kent knew Jack was missing because they were lovers. Other members of the crew were in relationships with each other as well. Maybe they noticed someone was missing, the same way Kent did.”
“We need to talk to Nava and Celestina. Find out if Vincent was present at the curtain call.” Ronan bounced out of his seat and reached for his jacket. “What are you all waiting for? Rehearsal starts at one. Let’s go.” If Ronan was going to be the killer’s next victim, they didn’t have a moment to lose in catching him. His life was in Jude and Fitzgibbon’s hands.
12
Tennyson
Thanks to Kaye and Barb taking the kids for the afternoon, Ten and River sat at a table in Lobster Charlie’s feasting on chowder and hot buttered lobster rolls. River looked like he’d died and gone to heaven.
“Okay, little brother, spill it,” River said between bites. “I know you had that dream again last night.”
“How did you know?” Ten asked, wondering if River had a touch of his gift.
“You have this haunted look in your eyes and you’ve been a bit jumpy today. With Everly especially.” River took a sip from his soda and seemed to be studying Tennyson.
“I hate this.” Ten sighed. “Every time I see you, something is going spectacularly wrong. All I wanted was a peaceful and fun week to spend with you, Barb, and the kids.”
“You don’t have to worry about the kids. They’re thick as thieves together. It wouldn’t matter where we took them, they’d have a great time. Same goes for Barb and Kaye, who’ve become best friends. They’re comparing recipes and are going to treat us all to homemade dinner tonight. Who saw that coming?” River laughed. “I suppose you did.”
“Actually, I didn’t.” Ten remembered back to their first trip to Florida when River had been arrested for murder. “I was so caught up in trying to help you and being volcanically mad at our father for keeping you a secret, that I didn’t look too far into the future. Mom and I were both hurting and all I wanted was for her to smile again. Thank goodness for Everly being able to reach Dad and getting him to talk to us. Mom has come so far since our father died. I wasn’t totally sure how she’d react to finding out I had an older brother, but I did know that she wouldn’t take David’s duplicity out on you.”
“Kaye’s been like a second mother to me for these last few months. I love how she volunteered to stay with us for a few weeks after the Christmas break when my paternity leave was over. She was invaluable to Deb, Brooke, and Delta. To be honest, I didn’t want to send her back to you.”
Ten laughed. “I got that same impression from Mom as well. She loves the sunshine and warm days in Florida. It might not take much to get her to agree to spend a few months a year down there with your family.”
“I could never take her away from you. Your kids depend on her so much.”
“Ezra and Lizbet with be in school full time in a few years, which would free Kaye up to fly south for the winter. If she decides she wants to go before then, we’ll just have to enroll them in preschool.” Ten loved the idea of Kaye getting to be a snowbird. If he could get away with it, Ten would do it too. He was sick of New England winters that lasted from November until May.
“I’ll take that under advisement.” River pushed aside his plate and leveled Ten with a serious look. “You never answered my question about your dream. I’ll give you points for the way you were able to artfully turn the conversation away from you, though.”
The one thing he’d learned about River over the last year of their relationship was that he couldn’t get anything past his older brother. “I had the dream again last night, but I didn’t want to worry you with what I saw. You’re on vacation and deserve to relax.”
