Page 31 of Forensics of a Fable

“Detectives,I’m sorry for the wait. I was with a patient when my receptionist told me you arrived,” Portia Cochons said as she shook Bel and then Olivia’s hand. “What can I do for you?”

Bel had raced home, calling her partner as Eamon escorted her, and after a quick shower and breakfast, both women met at Brick House Veterinarian. The receptionist had informed them that the vet was performing a wellness visit, and the detectives had been in her office ever since.

“Do you recognize either woman?” Bel asked, sliding photos of Alana Drie and Jane Doe over the desk for Portia to see.

“That’s the girl Wolf found on our hike, but I don’t know her name.” She tapped Jane Doe’s picture. “I don’t recognize theother girl, sorry. Does she own a pet? I always remember people by their pets.”

“Unfortunately, no,” Bel answered.

“Ah, well then, I doubt I knew her,” Portia said. “I’m married, run this entire practice, and own quite a few dogs. If I don’t see you inside this building, chances are I’m too busy to know you.” She gave an insecure chuckle, as if she was unsure why the detectives were in her office.

“Do you stock Pentobarbital here?” Bel asked.

“Yes, of course. Why…” she trailed off as the reason for the police visit suddenly clicked into place. “Oh god.” She picked up her desk phone and dialed the receptionist. “Can you tell my next appointments I’ll be delayed… yes… yes, I’m fine… no. Okay, thanks.” She hung up and returned her attention to the detectives. “The killer used Pentobarbital on those poor girls, didn’t he? And because I’m the vet and I found the body, you need to ask if I did it.”

“You and your staff have easy access to Pentobarbital,” Bel said. “It’s not a drug one can come by easily in Bajka unless you work in this office.”

“I understand why you’re here, and in your shoes, I would follow the same line of reasoning,” Portia said. “But I’m not a killer. I admit, I am better with animals than people, but I love helping living creatures. I went into this profession to help save furry lives, which in turn saves their fur parents, a fact I suspect you understand, Detective Emerson.”

“My dog is the center of my universe,” Bel agreed.

“That’s how I feel about my dogs… and my husband, of course,” she added quickly. “I couldn’t kill anyone. My entire job is about saving lives and ensuring health.”

“You might not have killed those women, but maybe you sold the Pentobarbital to someone,” Olivia said as the detectives studied her reaction.

“I would never. I would lose my license.”

“Selling a drug like that could earn you a lot of money,” Olivia pushed. “Medical school is expensive. Were you trying to make a quick buck to help pay back those loans?”

“I realize you’re just doing your job, but I own the only animal hospital in the surrounding area,” Portia said firmly, gesturing to the expensively furnished office. “Do I look like I need money? Do I look like someone who would sell a lethal drug for extra cash?”

“What about your employees?” Bel asked. “Could any of them have sold it? Are any of them struggling financially?”

“No, I trust my staff and pay them well. We’re a family, and most of my employees have worked here for years. Besides, none of our stock has ever gone missing.”

Bel and Olivia exchanged a glance. If it hadn’t come from the vet, where had the killer gotten it?

“Will your invoices and order forms prove every dose is accounted for?” Bel asked.

“Absolutely. I’ll get my receptionist to gather our records and send them to the…” she trailed off, pinching her eyebrows in concentration. “Wait, wait…. This was months ago, so I didn’t think of it until you mentioned the records. They’ll account for this, but we received a shipment but then had to order more shortly afterward. Someone broke in, vandalized the building, and knocked medication off the shelves, shattering them on the floor. Pentobarbital was among the damaged vials.”

Bel stiffened. “A break-in? Did you file a police report?” If she had, why hadn’t the station made the connection?

“Yes, but there was little to report,” Portia said. “We had a shattered window and some things in storage broken, but nothing was missing. The deputy who took my statement said it sounded like kids vandalizing the building. Our recordswere untouched. None of our expensive tech was taken. No medication was stolen. It was just a mess.”

“Is it possible that someone could have lifted the drug before smashing the stores?” Olivia asked, leaning forward on the desk.

“No… well, I don’t think so. The floor was a wreck.”

“I believe this explains how the killer got the Pentobarbital,” Bel said, as she and her partner made eye contact. “The vandalism was a setup. The theft ruined what they stole, making it impossible to miss a few doses.”

“How didwe not make this connection before?” Sheriff Griffin sat with Bel and Olivia in his office as they shared their morning’s discovery with him.

“Nothing was reported stolen.” Bel slid the police report across the desk. “Portia Cochons filed this after the break-in, but she told the deputy nothing was missing. It was just a lot of broken glass and vials. It appeared as if someone threw a rock around the vet and then left.” Bel avoided her partner’s gaze as she spoke. Photos of the rock were included in the report. A rock that was alarmingly similar to the ones Ewan Orso gathered for his work. Bel hadn’t understood what he meant at the bar when he said he hadn’t found the right one from Bajka yet, but seeing the stone from the report reminded her of how precise he’d been when building the coffee table. Each specimen wore an identical shade of grey. They were all the same size, the same shape, and they matched the one used to vandalize Brick House Veterinary.

Either that, or he hadn’t found the right victim. A girl too small. A girl too big. Was he still looking for the right woman? Was that his way of warning that he wasn’t done killing yet?

“Let’s get the deputy in here to ask him… oh.” Griffin froze, staring at Bel with sorrow in his eyes, and she knew what had caused her boss’ expression. The deputy who had been called to the scene was Saltz, one of the officers Alcina killed when she broke into the station to murder Garrett. Anything he knew about the vandalism had gone to the grave with him.

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