SPINS - A BRITE Alliance mystery

Chapter Two

Chrissy’s charm bracelet? This piece of jewelry often jingled in my presence because of its white bowling pins and multi-colored bowling balls, so, on the evidence table, I recognized the unique item her boyfriend, Smith Cannon, had given Chrissy.

Why would the bracelet be found at the aquarium? Then I realized Chrissy had probably been at last night’s banquet. I studied the baggy closer. Labeled storage area, I wondered why she had strayed away from the banquet area?

“What’s wrong, Sarge?” asked Harrison. “Why are you looking at that evidence bag?”

I sighed. “This is Chrissy’s charm bracelet. You know, my friend who’s on Canada’s bowling team?”

“So she was here last night?” asked Jack.

“I suspect so. Probably for the banquet, but she may have been here during the day. What a mess.” I rubbed my forehead.

“I don’t think we need to worry about who was here during the day,” commented Harrison. “If death had occurred earlier, the body would’ve been found before the banquet began. I wouldn’t want to try and determine who’d played tourist during the day.”

Harrison’s statements ricocheted around my brain. I tended to agree with his logic—the aquarium would have been polished up before the banquet, and the body discovered during that time. We’d need TOD, time of death, for confirmation, though. “Okay, let’s go back to the office; we have plans to make.”

Jack rode to the office with me, as we’d taken my vehicle. “So, working together again, eh?”

“In more ways than one.” I laughed. “Don’t forget to call me boss lady.”

“I’ll get right on that,” he replied, touching the back of my hand.

Our relationship was in a great place, and I hoped our companionship would last for a long time.

Back at Burnaby RCMP, I settled into my office. After our recent alien murders, I’d finally received my own space. We had mostly worked on cold cases recently, so we now had time to focus on our suspected Tristorian murder.

I thought for a few moments and then called Harrison and Jack into my office. “Guys, I’ve decided the three of us will be the main leads on this alien case. I’m going to divvy up duties, and you can add help, as you see fit.”

Their glances met, and then they nodded acceptance. They’d gotten along during our previous experience with offworlders, and I’d hoped their cooperation would continue.

“Harrison, you’re in charge of harassing Testing and getting results as soon as possible. Jack, did you see cameras at the aquarium? I saw some, but are they everywhere?”

“They have numerous ones in all the public and private areas, except the washrooms—our favorite places.”

I had to laugh. Last year’s kafuffle had started in one of the men’s washrooms at Revolutions, the bowling alley. What a mess of DNA and substances we’d had to work with on that case.

“Well, we need to sift through the camera coverage. See what you can get from the Aquarium. I’m not sure how cooperative Tyler Gannon, the chairman, will be. If you have any problems, Jack, let me know.”

I scrimmaged through my papers, and then I turned again to Jack. “Do you have everything worked out at your Vancouver detachment?”

“Oh, they’re going to miss me, but Ambassador Stark had already called and given my boss the word.” What Jack had not said was that his boss was also my boss. Inspector Hayden had apparently arranged all. “So I’m yours for the interim.”

Harrison coughed and broke our locked eyes spell.

The subject needed to be changed. “Do we have a desk available for Jack?”

“How about Liz’s? She’ll be out on maternity leave for a few more months.”

“Good thinking. After we’re finished here, show Jack his new home.” I thought for a moment. “Now, I asked Dino for a list of everyone who was at the aquarium last night for the banquet—including cooks, servers, and such. He asked Tyler to help him. I need someone to follow up.” So many memories regarding the antics aliens got up to flooded my mind. “Also anyone else who happened to be in the building, although I assume the facility was closed to the public during the banquet?”

“Yes, and the manager seemed particularly happy about the extra revenue from the Itlan banquet. Although I wasn’t sure he liked the Itlans running about eyeing his fish,” added a laughing Jack.

“Yes, Itlans do like their fish.” I grinned.

I had to admit Jack’s comment about Itlans cracked up both Harrison and me. Fish eaters weren’t exactly the type of customers an aquarium would encourage.

“As you said, Dino and Tyler Gannon are supposedly working on the list you want of everyone present last evening. Although Tyler seemed reluctant to be involved in our investigation,” added Jack.

“Have fun double-checking the possible suspect list, Jack, and dealing with Gannon. Any questions, anyone?” I asked. After no one spoke, I said, “Okay, good. Now, I need to figure out the intergalactic politics of this mess.” My head hurt.

“Good luck, Sarge,” said Harrison, as he left my office.

Jack smiled and said, “Better you than us, oh Goddess of Intelligence.”

I picked up a binder and pretended to throw it at him. Goddess of Intelligence, indeed. The Itlans had given me a label I hadn’t been able to live down. Why they had decided I was the reincarnation of their Goddess of Intelligence was anybody’s guess, but I tried not to fuss too much about the honor.

And then there were the Tristorians. Who was the dead Tristorian? Probably a bowler, however … My com interrupted my ruminations.

“This is Ambassador Stark. Is this Detective Sergeant Tarine Dominion?”

“Yes, Ambassador. You’ve reached the right person. How may I help you?” Another encounter so soon with the Tristorian ambassador didn’t bode well.

“How does your investigation proceed? Any news to impart?”

“Way too early for any conclusions. We’re still collecting evidence, such as information on who was there for the banquet. I’ll certainly let you know after we have any substantive conclusions.” Why had he called?

“The dead Tristorian is Myth Soong. He is…was an excellent bowler, and he was on our team for the current round of competitions.”

That’s where I’d seen him, I should have picked up on this—I’d previously bowled with him. Who else had I forgotten in the last six months?

Why hadn’t I been asked to join their team? I’d helped the Tristorians win the last competition here in Vancouver after all and, in addition, I had been given Tristorian citizenship. However, I stayed silent and waited for Ambassador Stark to continue.

“Our world will miss him.” He bowed his head.

Getting information required a level of finesse when dealing with aliens. And a headache always settled in when I tried to be diplomatic. “Is there anything I should know about Myth Soong? Anything Tristorian to help my investigation?”

“He was an expert gardener.” The ambassador clasped his hands.

Now, what should that information tell me? I shook my head. “Ambassador, as soon as I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”

Gyle Stark studied my face, and then he said, “Your country needs your expertise, Tarine. Be vigilant for Tristor. Solve this for your newly-adopted world.” Then he broke our connection.

His meaning was clear. After being given Tristorian citizenship during the last bowling competition on Earth, I now had two countries to answer to. The pressure continued to mount, however, that wasn’t anything new for a homicide detective.

Before I had a chance to consider my options, my com rang again. “Detective, I need to know how your investigation is proceeding because I need to know when I can re-open the aquarium. This closure is bad for business,” complained Tyler Gannon.

Not a surprise to hear from Tyler. “Our investigation proceeds as quickly as possible. Since I understand your needs, we’ll be going back to the aquarium shortly to continue our studies. I’ll let you know when you can start your clean up. Hopefully, tomorrow.”

Without a further word, he terminated our conversation. Of course, I’d just planned my evening. Before I had a chance to even write down a few words, my com rang again.

“Tari, Tari, I am so glad I caught you. I have great news,” said a bubbly Dino, my favorite Rheinon ambassador.

“What’s up, Dino? I’m kind of busy.” The first twenty-four hours of an investigation were extremely important.

“Yes, yes, of course, and I’m here to help. Is that not wonderful?”

“What’re you talking about?” Sometimes aliens could be so, well, alien.

“I have been assigned, by the BRITE Alliance, to work with you, just like last time.”

My sidekick is back? “Really? The BRITE Police Commission assigned you to work with me?”

“No, no, not the BPC. The BRITE ambassadors had a meeting and decided you and I had worked so well together solving murders last time, we should do it again. Wonderful, is this not?”

I’m not sure Dino had solved any murders. However, he had eased the way in many situations, so I decided to be gracious. “What a great idea.” I wracked my brain for a moment. “I’ll be going to the aquarium later, can you join me there, Dino?”

“Certainly. I will bring my crime investigating tools.” Dino grinned.

“I’ll give you a call when we’re ready to go,” I said, and hung up. Shades of last year. Oh, well, Dino hadn’t been too much of a nuisance, just really yappy.

Before I returned to the crime scene this evening, I had a few things to do, and making a list was my top priority. The first item on my list was Chrissy, so she determined my next action.

“Hey, Chrissy, I need to talk to you,” I said after I’d reached her.

“A little busy right now practicing for the bowling tournament. This is so exciting getting to bowl against all these aliens again.”

I heard the clash of bowling balls and pins in the background. “No, Chrissy. I need you here at my office right away.”

“I really can’t get away. How about tomorrow?”

“This has to do with the dead Tristorian found after your bowling banquet last night. I need to talk to you about the situation.”

“What dead Tristorian?”

I saw her drop her bowling ball. “I see you get my point. Get over here, now.”

She nodded and hung up.

I’d hated to be so abrupt, but we needed to talk.