Predator

“Okay. So we’ll take what we have. How can I help you?”

“It’s about Mr. Penny. I can’t believe he’s gone.”

“He was eighty-nine.”

“But so vital.”

Vital, Decker thought. The man sounded like a shut-in, but maybe he had another life that only she knew about. “Did he visit the sanctuary often?”

“Not often. He didn’t like leaving Tiki alone. I’m sure you understand why.”

“It would be a problem if the tiger got out.”

“That wasn’t the issue. Mostly it was because she was so attached to him. She didn’t like it when he was gone.”

“Did you know the tiger well?”

“Tiki and I had a healthy respect for each other.”

“So may I assume that you visited Mr. Penny and Tiki in his apartment?”

“Of course. Someone had to give Tiki her shots.”

“You gave a tiger shots?”

“After she was sedated of course.”

“Vignette, I’m sure you know this. But it’s illegal to keep a wild animal like a tiger in a suburban area.”

“Of course I know that. That’s why Mr. Penny didn’t come here all that often. All he wanted was to live out his life with Tiki.” A sigh over the line. “I guess he got his wish.”

Decker tried to be patient. “Vignette, if you are aware of other wild animals living in residential areas, you should report them to the police. You’ve got to know that the chance for a disaster is high.”

“No other tigers as far as I know. It’s all I can do to take care of what animals I have here. And I have a license to do that, in case you’re wondering.”

She not only sounded youthful, but she was also acting like a petulant kid. Decker said, “That’s good to know.”

“Look, Lieutenant, I begged Mr. Penny to give her up, but he wouldn’t. So what should I do? Snitch on the biggest supporter we have?”

Rather than confront her, it was best to keep things civil. “When was the last time you were at the apartment?”

“I was just there maybe three, four days ago. And Mr. Penny seemed just fine. Was it a heart attack?”

She seemed blithely unaware. Or she was a good actress. Decker sidestepped the question. “Do you know where he got the tiger?”

“Not offhand. You can get cubs through mail order. Sometimes you can get animals from smaller defunct zoos or circuses or animal acts. But I don’t know about Tiki.”

Perfect segue, Decker thought. “You know, I’d really like to come down to your place and see your sanctuary. That way we can talk in person, which is much better than over the phone.”

“What’s there to talk about?”

“Just wrapping things up,” Decker lied.

“What things?” A pause. “Why are the police involved?”

“We were called in to take care of the body.”

“Oh … okay.”

“But I still have a few questions about Mr. Penny. Maybe you can help me.”

She said, “I’ll answer your questions if you’ll answer mine.”

“What are your questions, Vignette?”

“I know this is going to sound like I’m a vulture … do you know if there was a will or anything like that?”

Decker said, “I don’t know.”

“It’s not for me personally,” Vignette said. “It’s totally for the animals. Mr. Penny was a great supporter. I don’t know how long the sanctuary can last without him.”

You mean without his money. Decker said, “Could we meet tomorrow and talk a little more?”

“Sure. Come down. I’ll show you what we do, so you won’t think that I’m just about greed.”

But it was always about greed. “What time works for you?”

“Around eleven would be perfect.”

“I’ll see you then, Vignette. I’m sorry; I didn’t catch a last name.”

“Garrison.”

“What’s your official title?”

“Acting director of the sanctuary. We had a permanent director … he was a vet actually, but he moved to Alaska to study the mating habits of the Kodiaks.”

“Not for the fainthearted.”

“It’s really just a matter of gaining trust, Lieutenant. When the trust is there, it doesn’t matter how fierce the animal is. You can have grizzlies that behave like puppy dogs and puppy dogs that behave like grizzlies.”

“That’s true,” Decker said. It wouldn’t serve his purposes to argue. In his mind, he’d much rather face a snapping puppy than a happy grizzly. “I’ll see you tomorrow at eleven.”

“Great!” Vignette chirped. “I’ll give you the grand tour. And maybe you can find out about a will?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Decker hung up.

Did the word grasping mean anything to her?