Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Koala Killer Eighteenth Installment

When their clean-cut detective friend, Bill, returned, they all went down the hall to see Jorge about this Carl. Jorge asked Jeannie to send for him. She sent one of the landscape people to the elephant exhibit.

Jeannie came back into the office to announce, "Jose says Carl was busy and would come as soon as he finished with Lucy."

"Lucy's our Asian elephant," Jorge explained.

Bill spoke up, "I'm going to ask him to come down to police headquarters for questioning Mr. Johnson. I would have gone to the elephant exhibit direct, but Mari said I wouldn't be able to get in where the keepers and the animals are, anyway."

"That's correct. This is the best way, I think." Jorge murmured, as he fiddled with the letter opener on his desk.

"I think I'll alert our plain clothes backup fellow. We just might need him."

"I hope there's no trouble officer, the zoo is filled with children. Along with the usual families, there are two classes of school children here today."

"That's what I'm trying to avoid, Mr. Johnson. I'll be right back."

Jorge was asking how Mari was feeling, when they heard Jeannie shouting, "That's him, don't let him get away."

Cass was first out of the door. Jorge was right behind. Mari tried getting up, but she was stiff and slow, so she tried to use the wheel chair, but she hadn't got the hang of quick maneuvers quite yet. She was left behind, bumping into door frames. She finally figured out that one of the brakes seemed to be still on."

By the time she got out to the front path the action had moved out of sight. Cass was gone. Bill was too. Jorge was nervously reassuring the mothers with strollers across the path who looked terrified. Jeannie was staring toward the exit as if she was in a trance. Mari bumped into her leg as she came up next to her asking,"What's going on?"

But Jeannie didn't answer.

Cass was first to return. They practically jumped him for information.

He told them, "When I got to the door, Bill and another man, who was probably the backup fellow, were chasing a heavy-set zookeeper down the path. I took off after them. The keeper went through the public exit turnstile. That slowed down Bill and company. Then I heard a big engine racing, and caught a glimpse of a bis 4x4 off-roader as it went roaring out of the parking area. Bill and the other policeman shouted to someone else and soon they were giving chase. So I came back."

We went back inside and the group broke up. Jorge was distracted and went back into his office. Jeannie looked nervous, she avoided eye contact as she plopped down at her desk. Mari offered to show Cass around the zoo.