Getting through the interview with Hireman had taken us up to lunch, and Officer Jenkins and I returned to the station to get a quick bite to eat before continuing on. I had brought my lunch with me, figuring that there wouldn't be that much time to eat. Officer Howard was waiting for us as we came in.
"Any luck?" he asked as we made our way past the desk.
"We talked with the school superintendent," Officer Jenkins reported, "still convinced that Beauregard was some sort of prophet or something... but he did give us some possible lead to investigate. One is a in town butcher shop employee, Kevin Mars, and the other is a rancher, Dusty MacClure. We planned to go through the rest of the list and see if anyone else has any "ideas" before we start naming possible suspects."
Officer Howard nodded, "Very well. When you get to Mars and MacClure, be careful. The last thing we need is anther officer in the emergency room."
"Can do, sir," I said respectfully.
"And Officer Wayne?" Officer Howard turned to me.
"Yes, sir?"
"Try to hold your temper with guys like Hireman," he cautioned, "he did call here with the complaint that you were somewhat confrontational with him and requested a formal censure of you as an officer. Now, I put it under "I" for "ignore", as I'm sure he probably started it... but that will only work so many times. Some people are jerks and we have to deal with it."
"Of course, sir," I answered, "I should have thought it through more..."
Officer Howard nodded and turned to go back into his office, "alright then, have a good lunch know. And call in when you finish checking the list."
+++++++++++++++++++
Lunch went by quickly and quietly. After placing my plate, knife, and fork back into the igloo box that I had, I went out and waited for Officer Jenkins to return. Once she did so, we returned to going down the list of R.A.M. members to see what they knew. I expected much of the same earlier "rut" that we had been in as we began going down the list again, but we also had to make sure that what Wayne Hireman wasn't a complete lie and to make sure that there weren't any possible suspects that we missed.
The first place we visited as we resumed checking with the other R.A.M. members turned out to be the home of one of them that had since tried to learn what Molly and I were honestly like rather then buying into Beauregard's trash.
"Oh, hello, sir," the man commented as he answered his door, "here for some of my hunting stories? Or do you have one for me?"
"I'm afraid we're here because of Joshua Marksman's murder," I told him, "we thought you might be able to identify a possible suspect."
"Oh?"
"His sons didn't get a good look at him, so other then that he is male, we have no definite lead," Officer Jenkins sighed, repeating what had become of a staple of these question and answer sessions.
"I'll do what I can, but I don't know if I can help you much," the man replied, "a lot of us only joined because Beauregard went on about how we were all in danger, and that if we joined R.A.M. we would be protected."
"We're looking for any information on R.A.M. members that would have somewhat of a volatile personality and felt betrayed by Beauregard," Officer Jenkins explained.
"He betrayed everyone," the man sighed, "told us all we were in danger, stole from us, and then we begin to learn that there was never any danger to begin with. The real question is in the personal opinion of the person. I'm sure there are guys that agree with Beauregard's point of view and still feel betrayed by the man."
"I'm sure," I nodded, "but could there be anyone that you met in R.A.M. that might have been volatile enough that he'd pull a gun or some other weapon as a result of an argument? Possibly after Marksman defended Beauregard?"
The man sighed as he tried to think things over.
"I think there was a butcher shop employee that was a R.A.M. member," the man commented after a moment, "I never got his name... but he always seemed to be on "edge" as it were."
"Kevin Mars," Officer Jenkins mused.
"He was the only person that I knew of that could have snapped over something like that," the man told her, "but I don't know for sure on if there was anyone else..."
"I see," I nodded, "we thank you for your help."
"Sure," the man replied, "let me know if you have any hunting plans. I got a buddy that would let you on if you came with me. He has some good spots."
"The area around Bandhavgarh has good spots too," I gave him a friendly smile, "and the hunting season isn't until the fall... at least the one that Molly and I would participate in."
The man nodded, "I see. Good luck with catching the murderer."
"Thank you," Officer Jenkins replied, and we made our way back to the car, "wish more guys could be like him."
I nodded.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
I found Molly putting freshly bought packets of meat when I returned to Bandhavgarh that evening. Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, and even a few fish fillets and packets of shrimp were among them. The rest of the checking that Officer Jenkins and I did went quietly. A lot of it went as I had expected. People either weren't home or didn't have the time. Those who did, usually didn't know that many people in R.A.M. other then a few select friends. A few however, did give us some answers that helped. Most of them turned out to be ranchers who were among the first people that Beauregard recruited. They largely confirmed Wayne Hireman's identification of Dusty MacClure and Kevin Mars as possible suspects. Officer Jenkins and I would begin asking them a few questions tomorrow.
"Hello, George," Molly said to me as she came out from the laundry room to take the next bag of groceries to put in the deep freeze, "have a good day?"
"I had a fairly productive day, if that is what you mean," I shrugged, "Officer Jenkins and I have been working on finding out who murdered Joshua Marksman."
"Any luck? Or can't you tell?" Molly wondered.
"We've had some luck," I told her, "but I can't really go into any details."
"I see," Molly nodded as she came out and I handed her the next bag.
"I see you've been shopping today," I commented.
"Just making sure we don't completely empty the freezer," Molly answered, "better a little here and there then taking everything the grocery stores have in one big "gulp"... the hunting seasons are too far apart for that."
I nodded, "Amazing how simple and routine this has all become for us... we eat meat, we buy meat, and then we eat it again."
As she finished putting the last packets in, she then turned we enjoyed a brief hug.
"Better a routine, I guess, then moping about," Molly commented, "and I have you to thank for that."
"You always had the strength, dear," I told her, "and that is going back to before you were transformed. Sometimes we simply don't know how strong we are until we're faced with something tough."
"All the same," Molly smiled, "you were there. Hopefully I've been there for you just as well as you were there for me."
"Of course," I nodded, "How was your day?"
"Good," Molly chuckled, "still a jungle gym for kids wanting to play and be friendly... but... I like friendly. It's actually helped with some of the discipline type tasks I have to do. Makes Mrs. Fitzpatrick's work a lot easier."
"Discipline?" I wondered, "I didn't know kindergartners got detention?"
"Not detention," Molly corrected, "punishment is generally time in a corner or no actual recess. Much like what you likely experienced as a kid."
"Are you implying I was a troublemaker?" I teased.
"If the fur fits," she smirked and gave a soft tug on my whiskers.
I chuckled and sighed, "I'll go get changed. Then I can help you with dinner."
"Okay, George," Molly nodded.