Grave Doubts (A Paranormal Mystery Novel) (21 page)

“Oh, I scared
it away,” she lamented. Marian turned to follow the little bird and froze.

“Um…Lee…” she
stammered.

Lee slowly swiveled
her head to look behind them. A familiar cold chill ran the length of her
spine. An entire flock of birds had assembled quietly behind them.

“My God,”
Marion whispered.

They both stood
up and turned around to face several hundred birds. Most of them were on the
ground, but many others had filled the branches of nearby trees.

“I don’t think
they’re here for food,” Lee said, as she began to move around the end of the
bench in their direction.

“Lee, don’t do
anything!” Marion exclaimed, her voice straining.

Lee ignored her
and moved carefully around the bench. Taking small steps, she inched forward
until she was only a few feet from the nearest bird. These were wild birds that
would normally fly away. So, why weren’t they?  A moment later, she had her
answer.

The trailing “
keeer
”
of a hawk made both women look up. High above them, a hawk circled gracefully
down through the sky until it landed on a lower branch of the closest pine
tree. Instantly, the flock of birds dispersed in a whirl of flapping wings. In
a matter of seconds, they were all gone. Marion’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Lee, what’s
happening?”

Lee didn’t
answer. She was focused now on the hawk. Taking the onyx bird into her left
hand, she turned her right hand over, offering up her arm to the hawk.

“C’mon,” she
whispered to it. “C’mon. I dare you.”

Adrenalin
pounded through her body, but she waited as still as stone until the powerful
wings of the hawk unfolded. It lifted off the branch and then descended, its
wings spread at full span. The big bird lowered itself onto Lee’s arm in a
whoosh of forced air. Lee took a step back in order to balance herself under
the bird’s weight. She could feel the talons digging through her blouse into
her skin. The bird’s head shifted back and forth, its eyes watching her, its
feathers glistening in the afternoon sun.

Lee couldn’t
breathe. Her eyes were fixed on the hawk. Slowly, she raised her left hand and
held out the onyx figurine. The large predator looked at the figurine, its head
jerking in short, sharp movements. Then it pushed its beak forward until it
touched the onyx bird, just as the small bird had done at Hendrick’s Park. The
hawk turned back to Lee, watched her for another second or two, and then pushed
down on Lee’s arm, lifting off like a champion diver leaving a springboard. It
pulled itself higher and higher into the air until it caught an air current
that took it up the river and out of sight.

Lee watched it
go, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. When she could no longer see the
bird, she turned to find Marion standing in front of the bench, her face as
white as the hair that topped her head. They stared at each other for a minute
before Marion murmured, “That was amazing.”

The older woman
seemed to make a decision as she stuffed her remaining sandwich into the lunch
bag and tossed it into a nearby trashcan. “Okay,” she said with a deep breath. “I’m
in. I’ll be at your house tonight. We’ll map out what you’ve got and see what
fits and what doesn’t.”

Lee smiled in
relief, as she rubbed the spot on her arm where the bird's talons had left
marks. “You mean it? You believe me?”

Marion gave a
hesitant smile, showing a perfect set of white teeth. “I don’t know what I
believe. But I just saw an inexplicable thing. Perhaps that hawk was an escapee
from the local zoo and just happened to be trained to land on people’s arms,
but I doubt it. Something is going on here, and I want to help. I have to make
a trip to Cottage Grove after work, but I’ll be back by eight. I’ll bring some
wine. You provide the snacks.”

Lee felt as if
someone had just lifted fifty pounds off her shoulders. She wiped her eyes and
picked up her lunch bag. She snatched a large peanut butter cookie from the bag
before sending it into the trashcan.

“I’ll make some
popcorn with cheddar cheese that will make your mouth water.”

They laughed as
they walked back toward the bridge, meandering through the rose garden that
bordered the path. Most of the roses were gone, but little nameplates like
Camelot and Big Ben indicated the noble plants whose color had waned. They
reached the other side of the bridge and started through the parking lot.

“Okay,” Marion
said. “Save it for tonight. I want it all. Who knows, with two brilliant minds
and a little wine…”

“And a very
small carved bird…” Lee interjected.

Marion laughed.
“Right, well, with all of that, maybe we can shed some light on this mystery of
mysteries.”

“By the way,
what do you know about Pauline Bates?” Lee asked.

“Why do you
want to know about Pauline Bates?” Marion’s eyebrows arched in question.

“She was at
Diane’s funeral.”

“Why would she
go to Diane’s funeral?”

“That’s what I’d
like to know. She was there though, in all her eerie splendor.”

“Let me think
on that one,” Marion said. “I can make a few phone calls. See you tonight. And
don’t forget,” she warned. “Go see that Native American woman. You need to find
out what you’re dealing with here.”

With a short
wave, Marion climbed into her vintage BMW and pulled out of the parking lot.
Lee watched her depart feeling better than she had in days. A quick check of
her watch let her know that she had time to follow up on Marion’s suggestion to
find out more about the bird. She backed out of the parking space and started
out of the lot, just ahead of a brown pickup truck.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Lee negotiated
her way through the one-way streets of downtown Eugene until she found a parking
spot a few doors down from the store called, Inspirations. She put a quarter in
the meter and hurried up the sidewalk. The store’s front window displayed a
variety of books about channeling spirits, meditation, and UFOs. Inside, Lee
was met with a discordant blend of colors, sounds, and smells. One whole corner
was filled with handmade birdhouses and desktop fountains. Beaded jewelry and
crystal figurines filled the glass display case, while scented candles and bags
of potpourri spilled from the drawers of a large antique sideboard. Layered
over all of this was a kind of woodland fairy music. The cynic in Lee wanted to
laugh, but since she was about to ask questions about a sculpted bird’s ability
to move around on its own, she wondered if there wasn’t a book or two here she
ought to read.

A young woman
dressed in a long tie-dyed skirt and blouse stood off to one side talking with
a young man who looked like he hadn’t washed his hair in a decade. His clothes
didn’t look much better. Lee browsed among some hand-dyed silk scarves for a
moment, thinking she might actually buy one, when the boy left and the young
woman approached.

“May I help
you?” she asked with a light voice.

“Yes,” Lee
replied, still fingering a bright blue scarf. “I was told a Native American
woman worked here. I don’t know her name, but I was hoping I could speak with
her.”

The girl’s
brown eyes lit with recognition. “Oh, you mean Lilly. She’s in the back. I’ll
get her for you.”

The girl
retreated in a flurry of bright colors to disappear behind a long green curtain
at the back of the store. Lee wondered how truly native this woman could be if
her name was Lilly. She remained skeptical until a short, box-figured woman
appeared, her black hair hanging like two braided ropes across her ample breasts.
She appeared to be middle-aged and wore a turquoise gauze dress tied at the
waist with a multi-colored woven belt. A heavy silver conch necklace hung
around her neck. She was clearly Native American, and Lee felt ashamed at her
bias. The woman approached with a warm smile.

“I am Lilly,”
she said in a husky voice. “What can I do for you?”

“I wondered if
you could answer some questions about the Native American culture,” Lee said.

“There is not a
single culture. There are many tribes,” she said. “But I will try to help.”

Lee hesitated
before bringing out the bird. Finally, she withdrew if from her purse and held
it in the palm of her hand.

“A friend of
mine purchased this in a store when we were up in Yakima a year ago, near the
reservation. The man who sold it to her said it was her totem. She died
recently.” Lee stopped, not knowing if she should say anymore.

Lilly shifted
her dark, impassive eyes to the bird. She had a kind face and her skin looked
like tanned, oiled leather. But her eyes held a sense of wisdom that comforted
Lee. While Lee studied her, Lilly studied the bird.

“I’m sorry
about your friend. American Indians feel a kinship with the earth and all of
its animals,” she said, still looking at the bird. “The hawk is a very proud
and brave bird.”

“But I’m not
sure I understand what a totem is,” Lee interjected.

Lee felt silly
holding the bird and so placed it on a glass countertop next to them. The woman
glanced over at it, but didn’t touch it.

“Animal totems
are spiritual symbols, or spiritual tools,” she explained, glancing back at
Lee. “We believe that all of nature is connected, and that animals carry the
qualities of individual human beings. Each person is connected to a specific
animal. That animal can serve as a channel to the greater universe. Totems,
like this bird,” she said, nodding at the bird, “represent the animal’s
connection to the person. They work with the subconscious mind; if the person
can tap into the energy, the totem can convey information or qualities the
person needs. We have a couple of very good books on the subject,” she said,
turning to find the literature.

“I don’t have
time,” Lee blurted, stopping the woman. “I’m sorry. I’m in a bit of a hurry. I
just need to know a couple of things.”

“If you are
doing some kind of research, there are many qualified resources at the
university.”

“No, it’s for
something else. I just need to know how a person finds out what their totem is.”

The woman
minimized Lee’s bluntness with a slight shrug of her shoulder. “Young people go
through a ritual to discover their totem, like coming of age. The totem might
be a hawk, like this one. Or it might be a bear, a wolf, or even a deer.
Characteristics of the animal are reflected in that person. For instance, the
bear is self-reliant and adaptable. The deer is intuitive and compassionate.
And the hawk,” she nodded at the bird again, “is a fearless hunter that goes
after what it wants.”

“I still don’t
understand what their purpose is. The totem, I mean, other than to reflect
someone’s characteristics?”

The woman
studied Lee, her eyes searching Lee’s face as if knowing she was struggling
with a demon of some kind.

“Many people
believe their totem animal gives them protection and power. If they are brave,
then they become braver. If they are strong, they become stronger. You say your
friend has died. Perhaps you think her totem failed her?”

“No, that’s not
it,” Lee stuttered, thinking just the opposite. “Well, maybe,” she admitted.
The bird
hadn’t
protected Diane, so what good was it?  The woman watched
her, then finally turned and reached for the bird.

“Did your
friend share the same characteristics as the hawk?”

Lee couldn’t
help but laugh. “Yes. I mean you might say that Diane had a hawk-like
personality. She could be severe and biting and…”

“Those are
negative characteristics,” the woman interrupted. “What were the good
characteristics they shared?”

“I don’t know.
I don’t know what the hawk’s good characteristics are.”

Lilly studied
the bird as she spoke. “The hawk has keen eyesight and perfect balance, but it
lacks patience,” she said. “It is a proud bird and a predator. Single-minded in
its purpose. As a predator, it knows how to survive.” She cupped the bird in
between both hands as Marion had done. “You say your friend bought this in
Yakima.”

“Yes.”

“Where were you
when this man told your friend the bird was her totem?”

Lee felt a
chill begin to flutter beneath her shoulder blades. “Uh…I was standing right
behind her.”

“And you
believe this man was wrong.”

“I don’t know.”

The woman
paused, cradling the bird and leaning into it as if listening to something.

“Well, you are
right,” she finally said, opening her hand and handing the bird back to Lee. “This
is
not
your friend’s totem. This is
your
totem. You are the hawk.
And the hawk is you. And you need to listen to its call.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Lee returned to
the hospital with a new sense of confidence. The fact the onyx bird might be
her
totem instead of Diane’s was a surprise, but not a shock. All along, Lee had
felt a connection to the bird. She also believed Diane was working through the
bird, pointing the way. Lee just didn’t know how to read the signs.

But her goal
now was to return Bud’s personnel file to Robin. The fact her intruder knew she
had it spooked her. The last thing she needed right now was to lose her job. And
after she did this, she was heading home for a nap. She needed a clear head
before her meeting with Marion later that night.

“Are you back
again?” Marie asked when Lee entered the office again.

Lee hesitated.
If this continued, she’d have to start keeping a log of the half-truths and
lies she was telling just to keep them straight.

“I just need a
phone number,” she lied again. Lee slipped into her office and pretended to
look for the in-house phone list. Just as she found it, Jenny interrupted her
search.

“By the way,
the photographer called,” Jenny began, pushing a lock of hair behind her ears. “He
said to tell you everything is set for that Occupational Health photo shoot at
Green Valley tonight. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Sally went
home sick. Do you want me to cancel it?”

“What?” Lee
looked up, distracted. “Um…no, don’t cancel it. It’s taken too long to set this
up.” She sighed, her mind moving in slow motion. “I’ll go, I guess.”

“Well, before
you commit, the photographer wants someone to go out to the sawmill with him
this afternoon in order to find the best place to set up for the picture.”

“Shit.” Lee
dropped her head and sighed. “I suppose I can do it. What time?”

“Two o’clock.”

She looked at
her watch.

“Okay. You can
tell him I’ll be there. Where do I meet him?”

“Go to the east
gate. James Rupert is the photographer.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Jenny returned
to her desk, and Lee put the phone list back. She rubbed her eyes, trying to
relieve the burning sensation that kept her blinking every few seconds.
Grabbing an interoffice envelope, she slipped the personnel file inside,
addressed it to Robin, and marked the envelope confidential. As she dropped the
envelope in her Out Box, another envelope lying in the In Box caught her eye.
It was a blank, letter-size envelope with no return address. Lee’s name was
written on the outside in a distinctive, curvy script she now recognized. She
ripped open the envelope and pulled out a black and white newspaper ad for a
Maytag refrigerator. Lee flipped it over, confused. The ad had been torn from a
newspaper, and the backside had only two paragraphs from a story on the state’s
budget cuts. She looked back at the ad for the refrigerator. It declared a huge
sale on all appliances that coming weekend. The name of the store had been
separated from the picture, as if whoever had sent it wanted Lee to focus on
the refrigerator itself. There was nothing more inside the envelope.

Lee stepped
into the outer office where Marie was pulling letters off the printer. “Marie,
do you know when this arrived?” She held up the envelope.

Marie glanced
up, squinting to see what Lee was holding. “Yesterday afternoon, I think.”

“It didn’t come
in an interoffice envelope?”

“No. It came
with the rest of the mail, just as you see it.” Marie turned away, clutching a
handful of paper.

Lee shrugged
and stuffed the picture and envelope in her purse, feeling too overwhelmed to
contemplate it now. Glancing over at Diane’s desk, where some of her personal
belongings still sat, she made a decision.

“Listen, can
you guys box up all of Diane’s stuff?  Carey and her mother are going over to
the condo this weekend to do the same thing. I’ll drop it off to them.”

“We’ll get some
boxes from shipping,” Marie said with a pained expression.

Jenny popped
her head around the partition. “What should we do with the boxes?”

“I can pick
them up.”

Jenny rolled
her chair all the way into the walk space. “No, Lee. One of us will drop them
off at your house.”

“Don’t come
back, Lee,” Marie said quietly. “We can take care of it.”

“Thanks,” Lee
replied, warmth rising to her cheeks. “And, I’m sorry if I seem out of sorts. I
just… well, thanks.”

She started for
the door when Marie stopped her. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Marie handed Lee a pink
telephone message. “I thought you'd like to see this. Ruth Innes called. She’s
back in the lab. “

Lee’s mind
raced. Ruth was an information systems coordinator who had worked in the lab
until she was hired away by a computer software company. Lee thanked Marie and
headed straight for the lab on the second floor. Her nap could wait. She wound
her way through a narrow hallway and found Ruth in her old office, the phone
glued to her ear. When Lee arrived, Ruth waved her in, while she finished her
conversation. Lee took a chair next to the cluttered desk.

After a year in
the corporate world, Ruth’s appearance hadn’t changed. No tailored suits or
white-cuffed blouses. Instead, she wore her brown hair in a long braid down her
back and a full, colorful skirt accented with dangling jewelry. When Ruth hung
up, she got up and gave Lee a hug that produced a tinkling melody as the
strands of necklace collided.

“Lee, how are
you?

“I’m fine. When
did you come back?”

“This week.
Jack gave me my old job back. The for-profit world isn’t all it’s cracked up to
be. I missed having to raise money for what I needed.” She winked and motioned
for Lee to sit down. “So, how are you, really?  I heard about Diane.”

The mention of
Diane’s name brought a catch to Lee’s throat, something she hadn’t expected. “I
still can’t believe she’s gone.”

“I wish I could
help.” Ruth’s large dark eyes showed genuine sympathy. “I liked Diane.”

Lee perked up. “You
mean that?”

“Mean what? 
That I liked her?”

“No. Help.”

“Of course.
What can I do?”

Lee knew Ruth
meant emotional support, and God knows she needed it. But right now, she needed
much more and threw out a careless response to Ruth’s question.

“The police
think Diane committed suicide. I don’t.” The other woman pulled back, but Lee
pushed forward. “I’m trying to figure out how she died. You worked with Diane
on the employee campaign for two years. You know how rigid she could be and
what a perfectionist she was. Can you picture her killing herself?”

“No. The moment
I heard that she committed suicide, I questioned it.”

“Will you help
me get some answers?”

Ruth paused as
her demeanor became guarded, but the dark eyes searched Lee’s as if calculating
a critical move in a chess game. “Are you working with the police?”

“No. I’m on my
own. They ruled it a suicide, so the case is closed.”

“I see.” Ruth
hesitated, her hands playing with the blotter on her desk, the eyes still
looking for answers. “What do you need to know?”

Lee got up and
closed the door. “How would someone commit fraud in a lab like this?”

“You think
someone in our lab is committing fraud?”  Her face registered shock, as if Lee
had challenged the integrity of the department.

“No…I mean, I
don’t know. I’m only trying to piece things together.”

“Why do you
think someone is committing fraud?”

“If Diane was
killed, there has to be a reason. The only thing I can think of is that she may
have stumbled onto something illegal. Something someone else would kill for.
So, I’m looking at everything. But she was dating someone in this lab.” She
paused, knowing this might cause Ruth to retract.

Ruth opened her
mouth and exhaled. “Yes, Bud Maddox. I don’t know him well, but he thinks a lot
of himself.” She glanced through the window in the door out to the lab. “Fortunately,
he’s on a break right now.”

“Good. Look, I
need to know how things operate up here in the lab.”

“Do you suspect
Bud?”

Lee couldn’t
say yes, even though she was positive that Bud Maddox had something to do with
Diane’s death. But she didn’t want this to appear like a vendetta against a guy
she just didn’t like.

“I don’t
suspect anyone, yet. But since she was dating Bud, and he works here, I thought
I should follow up.”

The other woman
hesitated a moment before appearing to make a decision.

“I trust you,
Lee, but we need to be careful.”

“If you don’t
want to do this, just say so.”

The other woman
took a deep sigh, folding one lip under the other. “No, I want to help. But, I
think I should show you instead of just telling you,” she said, as if catching
on to a game.

“No one can
know what I’m doing,” Lee said cautiously. “If asked why I’m here, remember,
I’m just responding to your phone call.”

“Well, I did
call you. I wanted to volunteer again for the employee campaign committee.”

“Okay. Good
enough.”

They left the
office and ran immediately into one of the shift supervisors. Ruth took the
lead with confidence.

“Hi, Ray. You
know Lee Vanderhaven from the Foundation. The Foundation is looking for some
capital equipment to fund.”

“Oh, sure. Hi,
Lee,” he nodded to Lee. “Take a look at the backup centrifuge. It’s on its last
legs, and we couldn’t get it into the capital budget until next year.”

“I will,” Ruth
said agreeably.

“And don’t
forget the staff meeting in a few minutes,” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“I won’t.” Ruth
smiled as Ray continued down the hallway. She turned to Lee. “Things haven’t
changed much around here. This will be the third meeting I’ve attended today.
At some point, I’d like to actually get some work done.”

Ruth led them
into the lab area, which could only be described as ordered chaos. Two long
counters covered with computer screens, test tubes, microscopes, and a variety
of other supplies led off toward the back wall and a bank of windows that
overlooked a parking lot. Boxes were stacked on top of cabinets, while tall
stools cluttered the aisles. Things were cramped and congested, and Lee saw at
least two workstations tucked into corners. She imagined how easy it might be
to conceal your activities here.

Ruth took her
to the second aisle and pointed out a large, waist-high, round metal canister
that stood on the floor. This was the backup centrifuge, and Ruth pointed to
the newer model sitting right next to it. She looked around to see if any of
the technicians were within earshot, and then backed up to the center of the
aisle where they could speak alone.

“Okay,” she
said softly, “let me explain a few things. We run a lot of tests here. Medical
screens are run on patients who come in for routine surgery or other kinds of
treatment. We run a urine profile to determine protein levels, pH, specific
gravity, things like that. During each shift, a tech will work on a batch of
samples. And for preliminary drug screens, they use this machine.” She
indicated a bulky looking machine that sat on the counter to their left. Next
to it were two plastic cups.

Lee looked at
the innocuous looking piece of equipment. Someone had taped a small sign to it
that said,
Drug Busters.

“Funny,” Lee
said disingenuously.

Ruth smiled. “The
machine indicates drugs that are present in the urine sample. If the level is
above a certain threshold, the tech manually marks it as positive and takes it
to a locked refrigerator. Eventually it would go to the drug confirmation room.
When they’re finished, the samples are placed back in a locked refrigerator in
the next room, along with all other samples that came in for routine drug
testing.”

“I’m not sure
what you mean.”

“Well, drug
tests are routinely done on all pre-employment physicals, as well as all
industrial accidents. And because of our Occupational Health contracts, we do a
lot of physicals. Look there.” She pointed to a row of little plastic cups at
the end of the counter that had clear plastic caps and were sealed with a thin
strip of red tape. “Those are here for drug testing. The red tape guarantees
the seal hasn’t been broken. There’s a chain of custody for most everything we
handle.”

“You mentioned
the drug confirmation room. That sounds familiar. Where is that?”

“Right over
there.”

Ruth pointed to
a small room partitioned off by a sliding glass door. Inside, a female
technician sat at a big computer, punching in numbers. When Lee turned back,
her attention was momentarily deflected by the reflection of something in the
window directly above the workstation.

“What happens
to the urine samples that you’re not testing for drugs?” she inquired, ignoring
the reflection.

“There’s no
chain of custody on those. The sample sits on the counter until the shift is
over. Like those two there. Then they’re put into a refrigerator and kept for
two days.”

She gestured to
a refrigerator standing about five feet behind the workstation. Lee realized it
was the refrigerator she’d seen reflected in the window.

“Is that
refrigerator locked?”

“No.”

“You mean
anyone can get at those samples?”

“Yeah,” Ruth
shrugged. “But after two days, they’re thrown away anyway.”

Lee was trying
to figure something out. “If the samples are just put in an unlocked
refrigerator, someone could just reach in, pull out a urine sample and run
another test?”

“Why would they
run another test? These samples haven’t been tagged for positive drug screens.”

A lab tech
appeared to get a clipboard off the counter, and the two women stopped talking.
Ruth overreacted, saying a little too loudly, “What if the fundraising
committee picked the centrifuge as their project?”