Night of the Living Dandelion (12 page)

“With working the late shift and being new in town, when has he had time?”

“Mornings. Afternoons. A lot of women here at the bar are just waiting for a signal from him. Who knows? Maybe Vlad is out with someone right now. And maybe that someone has a boyfriend. That could make some guy want to go after Vlad in a big way.”

“It would take a sick mind to go as far as murdering an innocent party for revenge.”

“We’ve seen some sick people in New Chapel, Marco.”

“We’re talking about an abduction and brutal killing, Abby. I’m sure you understand that Lori Willis had to be alive to have the blood drained from her body. That speaks of someone who had a deep hatred of her.”

“Or needed a supply of blood.”

Marco frowned at me. “No vampire theories.”

“How about a ritualistic killing? I’ve read about cults who drink blood.”

“If that was going on in our area, we’d see a pattern of that type of crime.”

“Unless this is the start of a new pattern.”

“Let’s keep that theory in reserve and stick with the simplest explanation first. So let’s take a look at who might have wanted to kill the victim.”

“Let’s call her by her name.
Victim
sounds too impersonal.”

“You’re right. It’s a habit. I’ll try to watch that.” Marco pulled his legal pad closer and began to read from his notes: “Lori Willis. Sixty years old, never married, no criminal record of any kind, not even a traffic ticket. She worked as a licensed practical nurse, then went back for a four-year nursing degree from Purdue. Moved to New Chapel from West Lafayette, Indiana, to take a job as an RN at County Hospital. Spent several years on the oncology floor. Taught nursing classes in the evenings. Promoted to nursing supervisor, then when Parkview opened three years ago, she left County to take a position there as director of nursing.”

Marco leaned back. “Thoughts?”

Just one.
When was our food coming?
My stomach was starting to eat itself.

“Thoughts. Okay. Judging by her upward mobility, Lori must have been considered quite competent, especially to be offered the position of director of nursing. Nikki said that was a position with a lot of power.”

“And people in power make enemies. Why don’t you see what Nikki can find out about how the victim—I mean Willis—got along with the staff at County? Anyone with a grievance, any reprimands she might have given out, that kind of thing. Also whether she was seeing anyone or had broken up with anyone. I’ll take a trip across the street to the county clerk’s office to see if the vic—if Willis was ever involved in any malpractice litigation.”

“Sounds good,” I said.

“Moving in a different direction, how about a trip out to the Tumbling Dice Restaurant after supper tonight?”

“Sure. Why?”

“If you remember, Reilly told us that Willis’s PDA showed an appointment there Tuesday night. I want to see if the night manager can tell us whether she showed up and who the other party was. The manager won’t be in until four o’clock, so we can eat first and then be on our way.” Marco leaned back. “That’s all I have. Anything you want to add?”

“Are you going to talk to Vlad about the murder?”

“If the facts lead us there.”

That was his second avoidance answer. “I realize it’s awkward for you, Marco, but to be fair, the evidence does point to Vlad. Yes, it’s circumstantial, and someone might be trying to frame him, but don’t you think we should know whether he had any prior contact with Lori Willis? At least to keep us from being blindsided by the detectives, in case he did have?”

“What kind of contact do you mean? I know he wasn’t at the restaurant with her. And besides, Willis was sixty years old.”

“Come on, Marco. Haven’t you ever heard the term
cougar
? Lori was a single woman. Why wouldn’t she date? You saw her photo. She was trying very hard to look like a forty year-old. She wouldn’t be the first older woman to date someone a lot younger.”

“Thirty years younger?” Marco shook his head. “You’ve seen the women lined up at the bar. He could have his pick, and I’m telling you, Lori Willis wouldn’t have been it.”

“Maybe not for you, but do you really know Vlad that well? It’s been a few years since you and he were in the military. A lot can happen in even one year. Look at us. A year ago we didn’t even know each other. You need to talk to him, Marco. Remember when Nikki was a suspect in a murder case? I had to ask her tough questions, too.”

Marco tapped his pen on the desk as he studied his notes. I could tell he was softening, so I kept working on him. “It’s the fair thing to do. The just thing to do. As you’re fond of reminding me, an investigator has to remain objective.”

He studied me for a moment; then one corner of his mouth quirked, as it always did when he was mildly amused. “For a new partner, you’re awfully pushy.”

I gave him a sidelong glance. “Like you didn’t know that going into this.”

“All I can say is, it’s a good thing I like pushy women.”

“
Woman.
Not
women
. And I prefer the word
enterprising
.”

At a knock on the door, Marco said, “Come in.”

The door opened and both Rafe and Gert entered. Gert carried a tray with our food on it. Rafe brought a scowl with him.

“Here ya go, kids,” Gert said, putting the plates on the desk. “Anything to drink?”

“Water for me,” I said, reaching for a plate. Marco held up two fingers.

“Two waters it is,” Gert said. She elbowed Rafe on her way out. “Go get ’em, tiger.”

I bit into my burger as Marco pulled his plate forward and shook out the napkin. “What’s up?” he asked his brother.

“How long do I have to play bouncer boy? I’ve been there for hours.”

“Switch with Evan, then.”

Rafe immediately brightened. “Thanks!” He started toward the door, then stopped. “Wait. Evan is clearing tables.”

“And?” Marco asked, picking up his burger.

“I want to work behind the bar.”

“Rafe, you’re in training. You have to be able to do everything. So clear tables for a few hours, then work behind the bar.” At that, Marco took a bite.

Rafe watched Marco for a moment, his lips flattened together just like Marco’s when he was trying to suppress an angry reply. Then he spun on his heel and walked out. He would have slammed the door, but Gert came in just then with our water.

“Got it worked out with the cub?” she asked Marco after Rafe had gone.

“For now,” Marco said, opening his bottle and taking a swig.

Gert merely shook her head and pulled the door shut behind her.

I swallowed a bite of burger and washed it down with water. “Why
did
you put Rafe on door duty?”

“I needed someone to keep the media people out.”

“You know what I mean. Why not Evan? That fits in more with his duties, doesn’t it?”

“What difference does it make?”

It wasn’t like Marco to be so uncaring about his brother. Was he testing Rafe?

Marco’s telephone rang. He picked up the receiver. “Down the Hatch. Salvare.”

I finished my turkey burger while he conversed with someone on the other end and took notes. When he hung up, he said, “My source at the coroner’s office just told me the coroner’s preliminary report lists the cause of death as exsanguination.”

Just as Kyle had thought. I remembered him making two fangs with his fingers and asked, “Anything about how the blood was drained?”

“Two small puncture wounds in both jugular veins.”

“In both veins? Why would it be necessary to tap into each side twice to drain blood?”

Marco drummed his pen on the pad. “Maybe the killer didn’t hit the vein on his first try.”

“That doesn’t sound like someone who’s experienced.” I used my tongue to feel the distance between my eyeteeth. “Did your source mention how far apart the marks were?”

“About two inches.”

A shudder ran up my spine. Were we looking for someone who knew how to draw blood—or suck it?

“O
ur killer could be a doctor, nurse, medic, lab technician—basically anyone who knows how to perform a phlebotomy,” Marco said.

Which would include Vlad. Despite Marco’s confidence in him, the evidence against Vlad was compelling enough that I had to put him on the list, though I wouldn’t tell Marco that. Not yet. It would be better to let him come to the conclusion himself. Then again, with those twin wounds in Lori’s neck, maybe Vlad needed to be a suspect in a category all his own.

“Once we start digging into Lori Willis’s medical history,” Marco said, “suspects will emerge.”

I reflected on the coroner’s report as Marco ate his burger, and finally had to speak my mind. “I can’t get past those double puncture wounds, Marco. If our killer is an experienced medical person, he or she should be able to hit the jugular vein on the first try, right? Especially if you take into account that his victim must have been restrained.”

“The killer could have been in a hurry, gotten careless. Remember, we’re talking about a murder, not a hospital procedure.”

“But two tries on both sides of the neck? Doesn’t that seem odd?”

“What are you saying?”

Marco wasn’t getting it and I wasn’t about to blurt it out. Maybe if I tried a different approach. “Are you positive there were two wounds on each side?”

“I’m only telling you what my source said, Abby. I’ve asked for a photo of the body so we can see the wounds for ourselves.”

“Who is your source, by the way?”

“Someone who knows people at the coroner’s office.” Marco paused for a drink of water.

I hated when he wouldn’t tell me things; it only heightened my desire to know. “Is your source a female?” Okay, why did I ask that?

He put down his mug, a little smile appearing at one corner of his mouth. “Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”

I gave him a look that said,
Don’t be ridiculous
.

“Wouldn’t matter if it was a female,” Marco said. “I’ve got all the woman I need right here in this room.” And on that romantic note, he took another big bite of his burger.

“Well, all-the-woman-you-need wants you to treat her like all-the-partner-you-need, too.”

“Is it
that
important to know?”

This man had a lot to learn about intimacy.

“I’m teasing you, fireball.” He wiped mustard off his mouth. “It’s Kyle.”

“The EMT?”

“I’ve used him for several months now. Kyle’s in and out of the coroner’s office all the time, talking to the staff, picking up bits of gossip . . . That’s the kind of contact every investigator cultivates. Remember that for the future,
partner.
”

I didn’t like the way he kept planning for my future, as though he wasn’t going to be around. It spooked me. “If we’re looking for someone who’s experienced at drawing blood, that would include Kyle. How do you know you can trust him?”

“I don’t know that I can trust him, which is why I’m going to run a background check on him. But until I can find a new source, I don’t have a choice.”

“Fair enough. Was that all the information Kyle had?”

“That’s all there is at the moment. A final report will be issued when the toxicology results are in, which won’t be for a while.”

I glanced at my watch. “I’d better get back to Bloomers. We’ve been so busy, I hate to leave Lottie and Grace there to manage things for too long.” I paused at the door. “The notoriety may not be good for Vlad, but it’s sure been good for the flower business.”

 

It was almost two o’clock when I got back to the shop, an hour before Nikki started her shift at the hospital. Grace was occupied in the coffee-and-tea parlor, and Lottie was helping a customer, so I parked myself at my desk in the workroom and called Nikki at the apartment.

“Hey, Nik, I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure. I have a favor to ask you, too.”

“You go first.”

“Okay. Remember when you gave Simon strawberries the other morning? Don’t do that anymore. It does bad things to his intestines.”

“I thought they would be good for him.”

“If you want to clean out the litter box after he’s eaten strawberries, be my guest.”

“Oh, those bad things. Got the message, Nik. Have you had the news on today? Did you hear that Lori Willis’s body was found behind Marco’s bar?”

“Yes. In the garbage bin. How awful! Everyone at the hospital is talking about what happened. A lot of the nurses knew Lori.”

“Okay, here’s my favor. Would you see if you can find out whether Lori had been seeing anyone, or whether she’d made any enemies or received any reprimands while she was at County?”

“Sure. I’ll ask around today.”

I knew she’d help me. When we were kids, we used to pretend we were Sherlock Holmes and Watson. I was always Holmes, naturally.