Chapter 31
Paradise felt everyone’s excitement as they waited for the governor and her entourage to show up. The boys nearly vibrated
with the anticipation of seeing the governor’s grandson again. The news crew had already arrived with cameras ready, and she
waited with Blake at the park entrance for the black SUVs to pull into the lot. It was a perfect summer day for the visit,
with temps in the eighties and lower-than-normal humidity for July.
Dust swirled in the distance, and she spotted four SUVs heading for the refuge. “Here they come.”
“The tigers are ready. I waited to feed them until she gets here. I’ll let her use the feeder if she wants. It might play
well for her constituents,” Blake said. “I’m going to suggest a tour of the dens in case she wants to talk about housing with
a backdrop of the animals. Her donation already came through too.”
If she wasn’t already a fan of the governor’s, Paradise would have jumped on board with that news.
She held Blake’s hand and waited. The back door of the first SUV opened, and fiftysomething Governor George exited with her eight-year-old grandson.
She wore white capris and a wraparound tunic with boots and chunky jewelry.
The outfit looked elegant yet casual, and Paradise admired the governor’s choices.
The red-and-white top complemented her short gray-streaked dark hair.
The campaign manager, Angela Burns, exited behind her, but she’d opted for a pale blue pantsuit that played well against her
soft white hair and brought out her blue eyes. Her smile emerged when she saw the welcome party. She waved the camera people
over. “Get a picture of the group.”
Levi waved. “Hi, Jackson.”
Dark-haired Jackson glanced up at his grandmother, who made a shooing motion. “Join your friends,” she said. The boys fell
into chatter about the new additions to the park since Jackson had been here last.
Paradise let Jenna and Blake welcome the guests while she hung back and glanced at her phone. Drew was supposed to let her
know if he’d found anything in the files. He’d made copies for all of them, but she hadn’t had a chance to study hers yet.
Evan gestured her toward him. She veered from the path to the big cat enclosure to join him. “What’s wrong?”
“One of the jaguars needs his right maxillary canine repaired. It’s infected too. I didn’t want to bother you on this big
day, but the infection seems to be spreading. His jaw is swollen, and I don’t like the way he looks.”
Dread congealed in her gut, and her previously injured shoulder began to ache. The canines were what the big cats used to
pierce the skulls of their prey, and she shuddered at the thought of working on one again.
Stop it! It was just a reaction to the last time she’d worked on a jaguar’s tooth. She’d make sure it was completely sedated this time.
It wouldn’t happen again. But her hands trembled despite her self-talk as she told Blake she had to tend to a jaguar.
“Want me to come?”
“You’re needed here. I can handle it.” But could she? There hadn’t been time to hire a new vet tech to replace Warren. She
rejoined Evan. “Do you suppose Honey could come help with the anesthesia?”
“She’s at a school meeting. She won’t be free until later today. Maybe it could wait.” His forehead creased with doubt.
“I’ll do it now. I don’t want to lose the jaguar.” She walked the oyster path back to the clinic building. “Is he already
caged?”
“Yes, I coaxed him into a crate with some meat. He was agitated though, so I tranquilized him, and he’s sleeping in the clinic.”
Her fingers curled into her palms when Evan opened the door to the medical facility. She could smell the big cat before she
saw him. Watching him breathe in and out took her back to the moment she’d been injured. Her mouth went dry, and she nearly
turned and ran. She held her breath and forced herself to take a step closer, then another.
“We’ll need help to get him out of the crate to be examined. Can you get Clark and a couple more keepers?”
“No problem.”
The big cat stirred, and she went to get the anesthesia to put him all the way under. She checked his weight and pulled the
dose he needed into the pole syringe, then administered it. He didn’t flinch.
Please, God, please. The constant prayer filled her head, and the longer she worked, the steadier her hands became. She didn’t have to do this
alone. This time she knew God was here.
By the time the men returned, the big cat was fully sedated.
Paradise checked his vitals and they were perfect.
The men got him situated on the table, and she inserted the general anesthesia through the breathing tube into his trachea.
The gas and oxygen flowed smoothly. He was out so she went to work with steady hands.
An hour later she stepped back and exhaled. “Let’s get him into his den to let him wake up. I hate that we had to take his
tooth, but he won’t need it for live prey anyway. I gave him an antibiotic to handle the infection. He should be fine.”
And she was more than fine. She’d done the exact procedure that had caused her injury, and she’d made it through. This place
had accomplished the healing she’d hoped and prayed for when she agreed to come here. It had brought more than that though—it
had brought love and family in abundance.
Blake watched in fascination as the governor did take after take with seemingly endless patience and energy. Mom and Frank
had taken the boys and Jackson off to see the lemurs and the otters. It was nearly lunchtime, and the camera crew started
to pack up their equipment while the lunch crew set up tables and chairs upwind from the big cat smell.
He spotted Paradise heading their way and waved. She was out of breath when she reached him. “How’d it go?” he asked.
“Great. The tooth had to come out, but he’ll be all right.” She held out her hand. “Look, steady as a rock. I wasn’t sure
I could do it, but I prayed and remembered that I didn’t have to do it alone. The jaguar is back in his den waking up. I’ll
check on him later, but I think I’m getting past my fear. I’ll always use caution with the big cats, but I’m not paralyzed
with terror.”
“I’m so proud of you. I knew you could do it.
” He nodded toward the governor. “They’re already done.
I think the campaign ads will be great, and we’ll get some amazing publicity out of it all.
Want some lunch? They’re setting the food out right now.
” He motioned to the crew bringing in barbecue and all the fixings on the nearby tables in the grassy area.
The aroma had already begun to push away the stench of big cat.
“I’m starving. I was too excited this morning to have more than coffee.”
He’d wolfed down a bowl of cereal, but it was long gone. “Governor George wants us to sit with her.”
She slipped her hand in his. “I thought we should ask her if she knows the Collins family. She might have some political insight.
I know they’re in Mississippi, but it’s not that far way, and it’s worth a shot.”
He prayed she didn’t have her hopes up. It was all a long time ago, and he doubted neighboring states got that involved with
each other.
The governor and her manager hailed them from the front table. Angela pointed to the spots across the table from them. The
rest of the family sat farther down the table. He pulled out Paradise’s chair and slid it in for her, then settled at the
end chair across from the governor. “I think it went well. Are you happy with the spots?”
“Thrilled. Angela tells me she thinks they’re fresh and innovative. I was able to articulate my policies as well, and who
doesn’t love big cats. You’ve got some beauties here.”
“I’m going to vote for you,” Paradise said.
The governor laughed. “Well, I should hope so! I heard you had to leave us for a little emergency surgery. Did the jaguar
make it?”
“He did. He should be waking up about now.” Paradise leaned forward. “I’ve never paid much attention to politics. Do you know the Collins power family in Mississippi? We met them over the weekend.”
The governor lowered her barbecue sandwich to her plate. “Oh my, yes. Pamela and I were sorority sisters back in the day,
and we stayed in touch until her death. How did you meet them?”
“We’re investigating the murders of my parents and my brother Drew’s father.”
Governor George gaped, but she quickly recovered her composure and stared at Drew sitting on Paradise’s right side. “Benjamin
Collins was your father?”
“That’s what I’m told.”
The governor frowned in perplexity at Paradise. “How are you two brother and sister?”
“His father had an affair with my mother.”
Both women wore shocked expressions, but Angela recovered faster. Maybe in her job she’d seen a lot of infidelity and secrets
come bubbling to the surface. Blake took a bite of his sandwich while his thoughts ticked through possibilities. Paradise
had been right, and if the two families had been friends for decades, was it possible Governor George might know something
about this?
He took a sip of sweet tea. He’d slathered on the jalapeno sauce, and his mouth was on fire. “We learned Pamela Collins hired
a private investigator before her ‘fall’”—he used air quotes—“down the stairs. Did you ever suspect it wasn’t an accident?”
The governor nodded. “I admit it seemed odd. If you knew Pamela, you’d question it too. She’d been a figure skater since she
was a little girl. She was always so graceful and poised. She never rushed anywhere. I assumed there’d been something on the
stairs she didn’t see.”
“I knew her well too.” Angela glanced at Drew. “Do you have evidence her death wasn’t an accident?”
Drew set his tea on the table. “No, but three other murders of people connected to her within a week is suspicious. I was surprised the police ruled it as accidental without a lot of investigation.”
“Sometimes accidents happen,” the governor said.
“We heard she was a difficult person. Maybe it’s not too hard to believe someone wanted her gone.”
“Ben was a womanizer, and that’s putting it politely,” Angela said.
“He seemed to really love my mother. He told Pamela he was divorcing her.” Paradise leaned forward. “He was bludgeoned to
death, just like my parents. The method ties them together.”
“Your parents were killed with a golf club?” the governor asked.
“No, the killer used a ball bat on them, but clearly the murderer likes more personal, up-close killing,” Drew said.
Blake could see the women were intrigued but not convinced. “We were told to take a close look at family members. Do you know
Bear?”
The governor picked at her coleslaw. “Of course. I knew all of Pamela’s family. I can’t imagine him raising his hand to a
man, let alone a woman.”
“And what about Percy? Someone told me he would do anything to keep the family in power.”
“Percy is always a gentleman. I can’t see anyone in the Collins family committing such atrocious crimes.”
The governor’s manner grew frostier, and Blake smiled. “I’m sorry I brought it up. I can see it’s upsetting you.”
The governor managed a smile and picked up her sandwich. “I’m not upset, but I can tell you that family had nothing to do
with this.”
Blake moved the topic to King Julien. Maybe they were on the wrong track.