“But she did manage to film your animals being mistreated?” asked Odelia.
“Well, yes, but that was one sick cow that was on the floor, waiting for the vet to arrive. They secretly filmed it just as it was in a terrible state—it had tripped and fallen and broken a leg. So while we were waiting for the vet to come, Opal’s spy filmed it, and later claimed all of our cows were suffering the same fate. He basically accused us of being animal abusers, which is insulting and untrue. On the contrary. We love our animals, and treat them with attention and care.” She shook her head. “It’s so unfair.”
“But why didn’t you take her to court?”
“After the item aired all of our clients canceled their contracts, from one day to the next. We lost all of our business overnight, and since we work with very narrow margins as it is, it put us out of business. We’re up to our eyeballs in debt, and we don’t have the money to sue anyone. We had to sell our animals and close down the farm, and all because Opal decided that a bit about animal abuse would attract more viewers than a bit about an innovative way of animal husbandry and the benefits of raw milk.”
Gran had also joined them, and now took a seat next to Jacqueline. “You know, I can’t blame you for trying to take revenge,” she now said, handing the woman a tissue.
“Revenge? What are you talking about?”
“You know, wanting to get even. If I were in your shoes I’d do the same.”
Jacqueline frowned at Gran. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“You’re not going to let her get away with it, are you? You’re going to make her pay, right?”
Jacqueline Jackson abruptly got up, then searched around for a moment. “Where are the cameras? I know you’re filming this. You’re trying to entrap me, aren’t you? Trying to make me say things on camera and then use the footage to make me look bad again.”
“No, I can assure you…” Odelia began.
“I know how you people operate. Everything for the ratings. Well, I’m done being used by you.” And with these words, she stalked to the exit and walked out.
Odelia gave her grandmother a reproachful look. “Now look what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done? What you’ve done, you mean. You should have confronted her. Instead you just sat there and listened to her waffling on and on about her farm.”
“You practically accused her of trying to kill Opal!”
“Well, she is the perfect candidate, isn’t she? And I wasn’t lying. If I were in her shoes I’d have done the exact same thing. Though I wouldn’t have used cyanide. Too crude.”
“Oh, Gran. You’re a terrible detective.”
“I’m a terrible detective? You’re a terrible detective. I’ve only been here one day and already I’ve identified about a dozen possible suspects. In fact I’m starting to think this whole town might have it in for Opal. Maybe the question we should be asking ourselves is this: who here doesn’t want to kill her?”
“I thought Gran was Opal’s biggest fan?” Dooley said.
“I think she might not be her fan anymore,” I said.
Oh, how fickle fame and fandom can be.
Chapter 12
“Shouldn’t you be paying attention?”
Chase muttered something, as he continued reading Odelia’s text. “Odelia has already identified several suspects,” he said.
“Good for her, but we’re not here to solve Odelia’s case for her,” said the Chief. “We’re here to learn about policing communities in the twenty-first century.”
Chase put his phone away again. So far the conference was a bust. The person giving the keynote speech didn’t just look like Rambo, he also was a big proponent of the Rambo method of community policing: go in hard. Let people know who’s in charge.
“You need to show your citizens who’s boss!” he was saying now, as he walked across the stage, clicking his little clicker device to show the next slide in his Powerpoint presentation. On the big screen behind him heavily-armed cops were seen pounding on people with big heavy clubs, and showcasing the kind of weaponry more commonly found on the battlefields of the Middle East. “You need to teach them to show respect!”
“I’m not bringing that kind of weaponry into my town,” the Chief grumbled. Grenade launchers and automatic weapons were proudly hoisted up by cops armed to the teeth, behind them a vehicle that looked exactly like a tank.
“Imagine driving that thing around Hampton Cove. People would have my hide.”
“The mayor will have your hide if you don’t drive that thing around Hampton Cove,” Chase reminded him.
The mayor was a big proponent of the militarization of the police department. He’d already told the Chief he was freeing up a budget to buy old army gear they could repurpose. The army, since it was pulling out of several battlefields in different parts of the globe, had combat gear for sale at rock-bottom prices, and police departments across the country were a primary market for that kind of stuff, eagerly snapping it all up.
“I don’t want it,” said the Chief stubbornly. “I’m not prepared to turn my police department into the military and my town into a battle zone. I’m a cop, not Rambo.”
“No, you certainly don’t look like Rambo,” said Chase with a slight grin.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Chase didn’t speak, but merely gave the Chief’s impressive belly a prod with his finger.
“I’ll have you know I bought a Fitbit last week,” said the Chief, and showed the little gizmo, which he had attached to his wrist.
“It’s not enough to buy a Fitbit, Alec. You have to actually use it if you want to enjoy the full benefits of the Fitbit experience.”
The Chief stared at the thing. “You mean…”
“You have to turn it on and start counting steps, or else it won’t do a thing.”
“Huh. Is that right?”
“Kingsley! Lip! Is there something you want to share with the rest of the group?!” suddenly the keynote speaker yelled. He was a buff guy, with a buzz cut and a take-no-prisoners attitude.
“No, sir, no!” the Chief said, blushing slightly when suddenly the attention of a hundred and fifty attendees turned on him. “We’re good, sir!”
“You know what?” whispered Chase. “Let’s blow the next session and go to the gym instead. They’ve got a great gym at the hotel. I checked it out this morning.”
“The… gym?” said the Chief, his blush deepening.
“It’s a place where you can do all kinds of exercises: machines, free weights…”
“I know what a gym is,” the Chief grunted. “It’s just that… I mean I don’t know if I…” He patted his belly. “I’m not exactly in the best shape, as you’ve already established.”
“So? Why not make today the first day of the rest of your life—a life filled with health and fitness?”
“Lip! Kingsley! This is your final warning!”
“I’m sorry, sir!” said Chase, holding up his hand. “Please carry on.”
On the screen a tank was firing a rocket into a building, reducing it to rubble.
“Huh,” said the Chief. “That’s one way of dealing with civil unrest, I guess.” He then heaved a deep sigh. “Okay, fine. Let’s blow the next session and go to the gym.”
For some reason he sounded like a man on death row, ordering his last meal.
“Okay, team, this is it,” Opal said. They were all engaged in a huddle, just like on a football field, and Odelia found the experience quite enjoyable. She was cheek to jowl with the pale guy with the spiky hair called Kurtz, whom Gran had identified as a serial killer, and her other cheek was practically touching Opal herself.