Shady Hollow by Juneau Black

Author:Juneau Black [Black, Juneau]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2022-01-25T00:00:00+00:00

Mindful of the panda’s warning about the poison, Vera returned to the police station the morning after the funeral. Her last encounter with Orville had ended on a rather bad note, but she had important information to communicate to him now.

When she entered, Orville was sitting at his desk, studying some papers. As usual, the chief was nowhere to be seen.

“Hello,” Vera said quietly. “Am I disturbing you?”

Orville glanced up, saw who it was, then straightened up in his seat. Vera saw his expression shift, but she couldn’t tell if he was angry or merely annoyed. “Vixen. No, you’re not disturbing me.” Orville waved toward the papers. “These are the reports from Dr. Broadhead. He finally sent the results of his tests on the poison used to kill Otto Sumpf and to almost kill Reginald von Beaverpelt. Expert though he claims to be, he doesn’t know what kind of poison was used.”

“It’s called heartstill, or it is in our language,” Vera said.

The bear’s eyes narrowed. “And how do you know that?”

“Sun Li told me.” Vera related the details of her visit to the Bamboo Patch. She mentioned Sun Li’s past life as a surgeon and then told Orville about the heartstill. Orville was scribbling furiously in his notebook, and he muttered that he’d get the rest of the mysterious poison that day and lock it up for safekeeping.

“Please understand,” Vera told Orville gently, “whoever stole the first box of heartstill has more than enough poison to murder everyone in Shady Hollow. They won’t need the second box.”

Orville nodded but said he couldn’t just leave it alone. “I’ll take it just to be on the safe side,” he said firmly.

Vera heard Lefty start singing in his cell. Orville turned around, too, saying, “I suppose I really should think about releasing Lefty. He’s been enjoying a comfortable bunk and free food for far too long.”

Vera nodded. She guessed that Orville knew Lefty was not guilty of these crimes, and Lefty didn’t seem to have seen anything useful, either. The time had come to cut the raccoon loose.

“One less thing for me to worry about,” said Orville, “although it has been nice to have some company at the police station.”

He got up from his desk and headed over to the cell area to tell his prisoner the good news.

Lefty was lying on his bunk but looked up expectantly when he heard the heavy tread of the police bear. Lefty scrambled to his feet when he heard the jingle of keys.

“Well, Lefty,” said Orville, “I’m going to let you go. I know you didn’t kill anyone.”

At first the raccoon looked relieved, and then an expression of fear took over. “You can’t do that,” he almost shrieked at the bear. “I’m staying right here, where the killer can’t get me.”

Orville was clearly a little taken aback by the reaction (so was Vera, for that matter), but he put his key ring back on his belt.

“Okay, Lefty,” he acquiesced. “You can stay in jail until we catch the killer.

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