“Organophosphates,” Jack offered.
“That’s it, organophosphates. Are you suggesting someone at the American Pest Control Company might have had a hand in his passing?”
“I’m not suggesting anything, just trying to keep an open mind. Have you been out to speak to the people at the pesticide company?”
“I did speak with the owner, of course, and I asked about Ethan’s recent behavior, but I didn’t ask specifically about any ongoing feuds or the like. The owner did offer that Ethan and the techniciansupervisor did occasionally have words but nothing serious on either side. But I’ll definitely be speaking with him again.”
“Since you seem to know so much about what is going on in town, did Ethan have any potentially violent interactions with anyone, particularly any of his fellow Diehard Patriots?”
“Not that I am aware of,” Bill said. “I did speak with John Daniels this morning for that very reason. He knew Ethan as well as anyone since they were both the Diehard Patriots’ founders, and he didn’t mention any conflicts other than reminding me about Ethan being irritated at the two Netherlander commanders.”
“Oh?” Jack questioned.
“Ethan was upset that only the lower-ranked two were showing up for their nighttime activities. He felt strongly that the commander and his lieutenant should be participating as well instead of attending to their brewery and had been saying so for some time.”
“Okay, now I remember,” Jack said. “I do remember now Bob telling Laurie and me about that right after we arrived. Bob said you’d learned it when you talked with Miss Huber Monday, the day Ethan died.”
“Correct! Right after his death, she was the main person I wanted to talk to besides Bob and Melanie. I knew Janet and Ethan were living together, and that if anyone knew or might be able to guess how Ethan had managed to poison himself, it would be her.”
“Did her mentioning that Ethan was irritated at the Netherlanders make you want to go back out to the Bennet Estate and have another chat with them?”
“Well, of course it passed through my mind,” Bill said. “But since Bob had told me about Ethan’s symptoms and Bob’s utterly strong impression that he’d been poisoned by some kind of pesticide, I didn’t think it was necessary and even might be misinterpreted asintrusive by the Netherlanders. To be honest, I’ve become very much appreciative of their presence.”
“That’s equally interesting to hear,” Jack said. It was his time to wrinkle his brows questioningly. “What’s making you appreciative?”
“For the time that they have been here, which is now going on six weeks, there’s been a significant uptick in the Diehard Patriots’ nighttime maneuvers as they call them. Despite that and despite my serious concerns, there’s been no major accident like fatal shootings, which I’ve been fearing for years. My inclination is to credit the Netherlanders; after all, they are supposedly professionals. I’d heard that not only are they supervising the Diehard Patriots’ nighttime activities, I understand they’ve also been giving a series of lectures on proper weapon handling and the like. It’s my strong opinion they’ve been a great benefit to our community. I’m actually thankful.”
“I can see your point,” Jack said, and he could. The idea of seventeen disaffected, marginally employed, young men afire with extremist ideology running around at night drinking beer and shooting off AR-15 rifles and not getting hurt in the process seemed an impossibility. The Netherlanders had to be responsible.
“I’ve not ruled out another visit out to the Bennet Estate,” Bill said. “It’s just not a high priority.”
“Understood,” Jack said. He glanced at his watch and grimaced. “Uh-oh, time’s marching on. I’ve got to run to get to the game, but I do want to at least meet Janet Huber. Melanie says she’ll be at the convenience store.”
“I’d say that was correct until the Margery Malone Elementary is back in session. During the summer, she’s always been the dutiful daughter and helped out.”
“I appreciate your time, Bill,” Jack said. “And one last thing. We’ve some friends visiting from the Big Apple who brought a bunch of steaks, and we’re having another barbecue out at the Hiram House tonight. If you and Grace would like to join, we’d love to have you. Bob and Carol are coming. Sorry about the short notice, but our friends just got here this afternoon.”
“That’s generous of you. Thank you. I’ll give her a call right away. I’m sure she’ll be happy to accept.”
“Terrific,” Jack said. “Around eight if that works for you. See you then.”
Without another word, Jack spun around and dashed out of Bill’s office. He merely nodded a cursory greeting to the duty officer before rescuing his bike. A minute later he was on it, heading south across town as Huber Convenience Store was on the opposite side of Main Street, close to the Roaring Fork River.
Upon arrival there was no debate about what to do with his bike. Without hesitation he wheeled it inside the single-story, gable-roofed building with Victorian Gothic Revival gingerbread. Conveniently enough the checkout line was close to the doorway where there was a large, old-fashioned, and rather elaborately decorated cash register positioned front and center on the counter. The old register reminded Jack of the convenience store in the small Midwestern town where he grew up. They had had an identical machine. The difference was that back then it was functional.
Behind the antique register was an athletic, youthful-appearing woman who Jack assumed was Janet Huber. She was wearing a bright-yellow sundress and appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties. She had a wide, oval, tanned face with small expressive features and bright blue eyes that flashed momentarily in Jack’sdirection, seemingly eyeing his bike. If she cared about it being brought inside, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she carried on with a conversation she was having with the older woman she was helping check out.
Quickly Jack leaned his bike against the wall to the side of the modern, glass, double entrance doors and then stepped behind the woman. Conveniently no one else was in the checkout line although there were a number of other people shopping, especially back at the deli counter manned by an older couple. As Jack waited anxiously, he observed Janet. She had moderately curly, neatly coiffed hair whose summer cut was short enough to almost give the appearance that it wasn’t hair but rather a blond-colored helmet.
“Can I help you?” the young woman said with a mildly confused expression when it was Jack’s turn. She obviously noticed his empty hands and lack of a shopping basket or cart. Her luminous, cornflower-blue eyes stared directly at him.
“I hope so,” Jack said. “Are you Janet Huber?”
“I am…” Janet said questioningly, wondering who this stranger was.
“My name is Dr. Jack Stapleton,” Jack began. He hadn’t really thought through what he was going to say or specifically what he wanted to ask the woman. “I’m a forensic pathologist visiting Dr. Bob. I was supposed to assist him autopsying your boyfriend, Ethan Jameson, this morning. I understand that you have talked with Chief Hargrove today, so you are aware that his body has gone missing.”
“I did talk with the police chief this morning,” Janet said. “And yes, I know about what’s happened. But let me be clear. Ethan Jameson was not in any true sense of the word my boyfriend. We had been living together for a short time, but things were notworking out well, although certainly not to the point of me wishing him harm or vice versa. With that understood, may I ask if the body has been found?”
