Read Online Zero at the Bone by Mary Willis Walker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary Willis Walker
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seeing your father all these years?”
She was totally unprepared for the question. She felt she had blundered into an exam without even looking over her notes. Lester had asked for secrecy, but he was dead. “Oh, he wrote and asked me to come. So I came.”
Without any warning Sharb emitted two rapid-fire sneezes, spraying a fine mist into the air. Without intending to, Katherine took a step back to get out of range.
Sharb pulled out the handkerchief again and swabbed at his inflamed nostrils, shooting a dark scowl at the bird. “Was he expecting you today?”
“No. It was going to be a surprise.”
The director held out his arms to them. “Please sit down. Miss Driscoll, I’m sure you could use a little rest. Could I get Kim to bring you some tea or a soft drink?”
“No, thanks.” Katherine sat in the nearest chair. It was wondrously comfortable, deep and engulfing, the cracked green leather aged and softened to perfection. She let her open palms rest on the arms so she could feel it.
McElroy and Sharb sat in chairs flanking her, but Hans Dieterlen stayed standing. He made a stiff bow in her direction. “Miss Driscoll, my condolences on your loss. Your father was a fine worker. He will be impossible to replace.”
“Thank you.”
He turned to the director. “I need to go now, Sam. I have just time to get to Dallas to complete the paperwork before the Frankfurt flight arrives.”
“Oh, yes. Our visiting femme fatale. Go on, Hans. Thanks for your help.”
The head keeper made little bows to each of them and left.
“We have a rare white rhino arriving today,” Sam explained, “on breeding loan.”
Sharb kept his handkerchief pressed to his nose. “Miss Driscoll,” he said, “what was the reason your father gave for wanting you to come see him? Was he in trouble of some sort?”
She hesitated. “No. Not that I know of. He just wanted to talk, I guess. Get acquainted.”
“Is there any other family, or are you it?” he asked.
“I’m it. My father wrote that his sister, Julia Renfro, died last year, so I guess I’m the only relative left.”
Sharb nodded. “You guess,” he said under his breath and began coughing.
Katherine felt dislike welling up in her throat for the little man.
Sam McElroy looked at him as if he just that moment had noticed his distress. “Lieutenant, would it help if I had King Tut”—he waved toward the bird—“taken out for a while? I hate to see you suffer.”
Sharb shook his head in short irritated jerks. “No. No. It wouldn’t make any difference. The dander’s everywhere. I’m going anyway.” He stood and faced Katherine. “If you could come downtown later, Miss Driscoll—just some formalities, as next of kin. And a few more questions.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a card which he handed to her. “At five? I’ll be back in the office by then.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Just show them the card at the desk,” he said. Noticing Sam was about to rise, he held out a hand to stop him. “It’s been a long day. Stay where you are, Mr. McElroy. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” The minute he had risen, the bird began to flap its wings and shriek, “Bye-bye, bye-bye!”
“Tut, quiet!” the director barked in the bird’s direction. This caused a raucous increase in volume that made Katherine want to cover her ears.
The policeman looked back as he walked out the door, shaking his head in dismay.
Sam McElroy leaned forward in his chair and looked directly into Katherine’s eyes. “Miss Driscoll, anything we can do to help, just let us know. Will you do that?”
“Yes, thank you. What do you think is my next step here?”
“Well, you need to see Travis Hammond. He was your father’s lawyer, so he’ll know just what to do. I believe your uncle, Cooper Driscoll, will help with arrangements. So you’ll want to talk to him, too, as soon as possible.
“And we will do anything we can. You must know that I am beholden in
She was totally unprepared for the question. She felt she had blundered into an exam without even looking over her notes. Lester had asked for secrecy, but he was dead. “Oh, he wrote and asked me to come. So I came.”
Without any warning Sharb emitted two rapid-fire sneezes, spraying a fine mist into the air. Without intending to, Katherine took a step back to get out of range.
Sharb pulled out the handkerchief again and swabbed at his inflamed nostrils, shooting a dark scowl at the bird. “Was he expecting you today?”
“No. It was going to be a surprise.”
The director held out his arms to them. “Please sit down. Miss Driscoll, I’m sure you could use a little rest. Could I get Kim to bring you some tea or a soft drink?”
“No, thanks.” Katherine sat in the nearest chair. It was wondrously comfortable, deep and engulfing, the cracked green leather aged and softened to perfection. She let her open palms rest on the arms so she could feel it.
McElroy and Sharb sat in chairs flanking her, but Hans Dieterlen stayed standing. He made a stiff bow in her direction. “Miss Driscoll, my condolences on your loss. Your father was a fine worker. He will be impossible to replace.”
“Thank you.”
He turned to the director. “I need to go now, Sam. I have just time to get to Dallas to complete the paperwork before the Frankfurt flight arrives.”
“Oh, yes. Our visiting femme fatale. Go on, Hans. Thanks for your help.”
The head keeper made little bows to each of them and left.
“We have a rare white rhino arriving today,” Sam explained, “on breeding loan.”
Sharb kept his handkerchief pressed to his nose. “Miss Driscoll,” he said, “what was the reason your father gave for wanting you to come see him? Was he in trouble of some sort?”
She hesitated. “No. Not that I know of. He just wanted to talk, I guess. Get acquainted.”
“Is there any other family, or are you it?” he asked.
“I’m it. My father wrote that his sister, Julia Renfro, died last year, so I guess I’m the only relative left.”
Sharb nodded. “You guess,” he said under his breath and began coughing.
Katherine felt dislike welling up in her throat for the little man.
Sam McElroy looked at him as if he just that moment had noticed his distress. “Lieutenant, would it help if I had King Tut”—he waved toward the bird—“taken out for a while? I hate to see you suffer.”
Sharb shook his head in short irritated jerks. “No. No. It wouldn’t make any difference. The dander’s everywhere. I’m going anyway.” He stood and faced Katherine. “If you could come downtown later, Miss Driscoll—just some formalities, as next of kin. And a few more questions.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a card which he handed to her. “At five? I’ll be back in the office by then.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Just show them the card at the desk,” he said. Noticing Sam was about to rise, he held out a hand to stop him. “It’s been a long day. Stay where you are, Mr. McElroy. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” The minute he had risen, the bird began to flap its wings and shriek, “Bye-bye, bye-bye!”
“Tut, quiet!” the director barked in the bird’s direction. This caused a raucous increase in volume that made Katherine want to cover her ears.
The policeman looked back as he walked out the door, shaking his head in dismay.
Sam McElroy leaned forward in his chair and looked directly into Katherine’s eyes. “Miss Driscoll, anything we can do to help, just let us know. Will you do that?”
“Yes, thank you. What do you think is my next step here?”
“Well, you need to see Travis Hammond. He was your father’s lawyer, so he’ll know just what to do. I believe your uncle, Cooper Driscoll, will help with arrangements. So you’ll want to talk to him, too, as soon as possible.
“And we will do anything we can. You must know that I am beholden in
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