Poolside (2)
Ray looked up. When humans are confused they get this expression on their faces, and Ray had it now. Here in the nation within the nation, as Bernie calls it, we’re not quite so easy to read when it comes to confusion. Only my opinion. But our faces, yours and mine, are different. You’ve noticed that, right? Noticing is important in our work – we’re partners in the Little Detective Agency, me and Bernie. Bernie says you can look us up in certain books. Their pictures are down below.
But forget all that. Right now we were on the job – a paying job, and the client was Colonel Bob, father of Ray, the young guy sitting so confused by the pool. What were those things around him? Red-splotched towels? A reddish color, I was pretty sure, although I can’t be trusted when it comes to colors, Bernie says. But the smell: he trusts me on that. And the smell of blood: well, that’s an easy one.
“Ray?” Bernie said. “You’re not dropping the gun.”
Ray glanced down at the gun in his hand, like he was surprised to see it there.
Tags: blood, Colonel Bob, Little Detective Agency, Ray
This entry was posted on Friday, June 18th, 2010 at 8:58 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
4:16 am on June 18th, 2010
Yes it does look like a setup. But who set Ray up? No one knew that Bernie was going to Albie's house.
4:31 am on June 18th, 2010
Foster? Who may not be as dumb as we thinks he is?
4:31 am on June 18th, 2010
Well, If Foster is smart, and Bernie thinks he is, Foster had a pretty good idea what Bernie would do with the information he (Foster) gave him.
Doesn't he?
And Bernie wondered why Foster took less money for the information than he had asked for previously.
So maybe, giving Bernie the information that would make him go to see Albie, was more important than getting the money.
And we don't have any other characters to suspect. Remember, unless he is teasing us, Chet has to stay with the characters we have met. Have we met any other characters? B? Do you remember?
Of course, Col Bob could be playing a double game, using Bernie to find Ray so C.B. could set him up.
Or, maybe Astrid did it. We know nothing about this woman except she had an affair, she was a stripper and she married Albie. A hard life could have made her a very hard woman.
~Wookie, This is like making a mystery quilt. We don't have all the blocks yet but we are starting to see the pattern.
~Rio, congrats on the win (gnashing teeth)
Staff
4:32 am on June 18th, 2010
heh heh heh,
Hi Sis!
4:34 am on June 18th, 2010
Staff: A simultaneous post with my sister. I love you.
4:40 am on June 18th, 2010
We don't think it was Col. Bob. He seems like he is a good guy. Not Ray either, too obvious.
Oh, and this is really important! Barb said she heard on the business news this morning that "There will be a degree of volatility in the market today, due to the expiration of options and futures". Hey, haven't we talked about futures before? I'm almost remembering something.
4:55 am on June 18th, 2010
Love you back Dawson,
I have to go pack the clothes now. Computer is last! Bluegrass Festival tonight and Sister Librarian tomorrow!
(It is gale force winds here today, it looks to be an interesting drive. So far no trees are down)
5:33 am on June 18th, 2010
Oh oh. Maggie may have just jinxed us.
What an excellent summary Staff. (Drive carefully. I've seen on the Weather Channel that 60 tornadoes have hit MN.)
My problem is that I don't think that the Foster being portrayed has the personality to set anyone up. I may be reading him incorrectly. If he had tried to manipulate Bernie (and he did seem to be waiting for Bernie and Chet to leave first), I would think that his plan was to have B&C go to Pine City to see Astrid at Club Utopia (which I have mentioned before means "no place"–literally "not a place.") Then the problem is, if not Foster, who? I think Col. B is a good guy. That would leave Astrid, and why would she want to set her son up? There is still the question of why Albie was put in the freezer. If this were a setup, wouldn't the bad guy want the body found easily? Bloody towels….mmmmm….still pondering.
6:15 am on June 18th, 2010
We also don't know yet if Ray himself has a bleeding wound. We won't know until he puts down the gun which he seems surprised to be holding.
BStover,
I have this (romance novel addict speaking) little problem in that I keep thinking Astrid will get together with Foster. I know I know. I can't help it.
I think, if he sent Bernie, 'nowhere' then he and Astrid have some sort of interaction. Hmmmm?
If this interaction exists, is it for good or evil?
I don't believe that Col Bob needs anything from Astrid anymore.
He knows about Ray. He has a wife and daughters. (Is his wife still alive? I forget.) Maybe they are threatened by Astrid.
Now I really have to go.
I am driving through North Dakota today so hopefully won't meet any tornadoes. Just high winds.
Alice and Abbie are staying home and being visited by Patrick, who loves cats. He owns the biggest cat I have ever met. 'Puder' weighs about 25 pounds. He is huge! Alice looks like a teacup Chihuahua next to him.
Staff
6:36 am on June 18th, 2010
Ray! Put down that gun, youngster! I think that maybe crazy 'O Ray did all of this while he was drunk. I don't see how this could have been a set-up.
Why do humans get themselves drunk almost all of the time? Is that question a question that comes with an answer?
6:54 am on June 18th, 2010
Special thoughts going out to Rio today.
7:05 am on June 18th, 2010
We miss you, Rio, but you are doing a good thing and helping your family. We are all thinking of you.
7:07 am on June 18th, 2010
Have a safe trip, Staff.
7:20 am on June 18th, 2010
I bet the gun in Ray's hand is a handgun that shoots a 22-long. If this is a setup, that is of no importance. I don't think Ray did it. Could Ray have been shot?
7:25 am on June 18th, 2010
Staff: Col. Bob is divorced. At least that's what I think he is telling Bernie in this line: "Two girls here–twins. The mom got custody" (THAT 132).
Lexi: You should feel free to pout all you want and I will feel free to tease you.
I'm going to make strawberry jam.
7:47 am on June 18th, 2010
Dawson, I emailed the History Channel and asked them to please show NWT Ice Pilots here in the U.S. Mom said it couldn't hurt to try to plant a suggestion in their corporate brain.
7:56 am on June 18th, 2010
What great summations. One POV left out. Perhaps Ray was not set up, but was there by accident. Perhaps someone (?) was setting up Bernie and Chet!
They certainly have enough felons they have put away who would love to see Bernie in jail. I don't think they would put Chet in jail. I bet Susie would take care of him.
Zoë has decided that Grace IS in PPD. She is taking Grace for walks in the sun. Which is nice since we have sun today. So far in the past week we've had sun Tuesday and today. Jeez.
Grace opened her package and there were 13 beautiful quilts! 12 for a dozen pups and one for Zoë and me. I'm talking gorgeous here. Outlandish. Awesome.
And all were 007 Wookie tested! Thanks Wookie and friends! Yesterday was a hard day and you definitely sent us some sun shine.
The pups ate their cereal today. (snicker) Here's two pics. In the first one in the upper center you can see one trying to escape! The second is why we're not taking puppy pictures with their quilts today!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1276880147-06182010log4.jpg[/img]
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1276880186-06182010log6.jpg[/img]
8:08 am on June 18th, 2010
Just ordered the audio CDs of Dog On It, for OTAS's birthday!
8:23 am on June 18th, 2010
Melanie, The puppy pictures are hilarious. Have you ever had this many pups before in one litter?
9:17 am on June 18th, 2010
Melanie. Thank you so very much for your kind comments about the quilts. My mom and I are so glad that you enjoyed them. As indicated, they all do have my seal of approval, although my mom is the one who deserves the real credit. Thank you mom for sending them on my behalf. It's great to see the puppies eating with such zeal and gusto (think Rio with nachos and beer), although I think I do have a clear sense of why you decided not to take any quilt pictures today. Wookie
9:35 am on June 18th, 2010
Well, the puppies certainly like their cereal! Can they take a bath at this age or….? I hope Grace starts feeling better.
Wookie: What a wonderful gift you sent for the puppies. I hope we get some pictures.
One thing I still think we really have to consider is why Albie was put in the freezer. The usual psychological reason for that is that the killer does not want to get rid of the body. Does that fit any of our characters? Another remaining problem as I see it is that no one knew B&C were going there so how could a "setup" apply to Bernie?
9:47 am on June 18th, 2010
Siber-H: This is the LARGEST litter we have every had. A friend of ours had 15 once. We hope we don't.
B Stover: Grace gives the baths right now.
Okay, If Foster is as smart as Bernie thinks, then he might have double thinked (I know that's not a word, but isn't it great?) and come up with Bernie coming to Vegas.
Or he might have told Astrid. Let us not forget her interesting TN relatives.
My feeling is Ray thinks Astrid killed Albie for reasons unknown at this time and hid Albie in the freezer. Before drinking? After drinking?
10:13 am on June 18th, 2010
I like "double thinked." Why does it remind me of Orwell's 1984?
If Ray put Albie's body in the freezer, and, if Ray is trully surprised that he has a gun in his hand, then something strange is going on. Someone would have had to put the gun in his hand after he dumped the body and while he was unconscious. (And what made him lose consciousness?)
The various interpretations are fascinating. I like Chet's line today: "Noticing is important in our work."
1:01 pm on June 18th, 2010
Back!… We are back home to stay tonight….snort!… My friends dad passed away this morning at 9:10 mountain time….sniff!… We were all there, me, my friend, my friends brother and their mom….sniff!… Dad passed peacefully and he squeezed my friends hand very hard for about half an hour before his grip lessoned….sob!… She was strong all morning and afternoon mostly for her mother, but now that we are home alone together, and as the shock wears off she will be crying more…sniffle!.. I hope I can be a great comfort to her in my own strange pug way…snort!… We will sit and remember all the good times with dad….sniff!… And then we will watch the Rockies game together tonight… grunt!… She will feel better soon, because all the stress of worrying about him will fall away and relief will set in at some point…sniff!
Message!…She told me to tell you all that she knows I am hanging with a good crowd here and maybe all your niceness will one day wear off on me… heh! …At least she can hope… grunt! … Oh, and I’m sure when she feels better she will let me speculate a little bit about the mystery… paws crossed!
1:22 pm on June 18th, 2010
Melanie: Grace will have a little snack when she washes those pups.
Wookie and his Mom: So thoughtful of you to cheer up Melanie & Co.
Ray came to see Albie about something (maybe to do with Astrid). They had a few drinks, spiked with Everclear 190 proof alcohol by Foster. After they were both smashed, maybe even passed-out, Foster got and shot Albie in the kitchen, put him in the freezer (because who wants to look at a fat dead guy in a Speedo and besides Foster wanted to clean up any sign of himself being involved) cleaned the kitchen, forgetting all about the cartridge. Then Foster put the gun in Ray's passed out hands and scattered the bloody rags and empty booze bottles around Ray. Don't know about the darn wine glass. What's that doing there? And why was Chet looking at the table so intently?
I see Colonel Bob and Astrid getting together in the end. After Bernie proves Ray didn't do the murder.
1:35 pm on June 18th, 2010
Ah Rio: I'm glad you were all with him at the end. And I'm glad you are there for your friend. You're a great comfort to her so you must be nice despite your gruff exterior. Glad you're home.
2:22 pm on June 18th, 2010
It's good to have you back Rio. Please tell your friend the I am truly sorry for all of her recent loses. I hope she does feel less stressed soon. I know that you are helping her.
2:28 pm on June 18th, 2010
Guys!… Thanks, it is very good to be home again…uh-oh!… She is getting ready to go on one of her long walks and now she is reaching for my harness and leash…yeesh!…. I thought we could just take it easy and wait for the game to start, but OH NO! …grunt!…Well, I have not made my mark on the park for a few days, so maybe it is time to let all those other guys I am Back!…heh!
2:31 pm on June 18th, 2010
Know!…I forgot a word up there, but you guys know what I mean!… PeeMail!… heh!heh!
2:58 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio, you and your best friend and family are in our prayers. It is never easy, and you have had two very difficult losses. Mom and I love and support you guys.
I know that you are helping her. That is one of the things that the nation within a nation does best. We're the "good guys" and you are one of us.
3:24 pm on June 18th, 2010
I'm so glad your friend was able to be with her dad.
I hope Aunt Lilly behaved herself.
Be good to your friend tonight. Not too many nachos and beer!
The Power of the Pack is with you.
3:43 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio – what a trooper – to take a walk with your friend to help her even when it is NOT your favorite thing to do. Glad you could be there when her Dad died this morning. She has been through so very much recently. Please let her know we are thinking of her and praying for her. It's OK to be very sad. She doesn't have to be strong all the time. Personally I love the Jewish custom of sitting Shiva for a week – during which the bereaved don't have to do anything for themselves but remember the deceased and experience the loss. So much better than the typical "you'll get over this if you keep busy" philosophy.
3:45 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio. On behalf of me, my mom and dad, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your friend as this very sad time. As difficult as it was, the fact that she was with her father at the end will be something that she will remember and cherish always, and be a part of the special memories that live on, even after our loved ones are gone. Your friend is wrong about one thing though — it is your niceness (even if occasionally in a gruff sort of way) that is rubbing off on all of us here. You are truly a special friend to your friend and to all of your friends here; she is very lucky to have a friend like you and we are too; but you are lucky and blessed to have a friend like her. With sadness, Wookie
3:47 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio – My heart aches for you and your friend. You both are in our thoughts.
I hope the Rockies win (did I just say that?)
4:09 pm on June 18th, 2010
Today every time I went on to Chet The Dog proper, the Friends of Chet first dog was that big lab. I think that dog is 1/2 Newf and 1/2 Lab. My mom's first rescue dog after she retired was 1/2 Newf and 1/2 Lab and he looked just like that. "Bear"
His temperament, size and white blaze on this chest were Newfoundland, but he had the coat and ears of a Lab. He was a great dog. He did not have webbed feet. Bear got Zoë interested in Newfoundlands.
He is the reason why we have "Bear" in our kennel's name. Not that we actually have kennels. We have rooms. The family room, the living room, the puppy room, the bedrooms!
4:16 pm on June 18th, 2010
Hey!…The Power of the Pack! That’s a good one Melanie…snort!… Your little guys were all over that cereal today! …grunt! …The one that’s really covered in food doesn’t look like Greedy Guts’, the color is different. Maybe he changed colors with someone else so he could pig out again…heh!
SiberH!… Are you going to listen to the game tonight?… snort!… It is on now!… gruff!… I still can’t believe the Twins took two away from us while we were gone! …growl!
Aunt Lilly!…. My friend was telling that story about Aunt Lilly waking her dad up by slapping him around to the hospice people today and they were laughing… snort!…But I think I told the story better to you guys the other day…heh!
Well!… All you guys have taken the gas out of me by being so nice so I need to regroup for a few minutes … snort!… Thanks for all of your kind thoughts….sniff!… 007Wookie really knows how to tug at my puggish heart strings!…snorkel!
4:17 pm on June 18th, 2010
Melanie, you just answered a question I was going to ask you when you got a little more time…How did you guys get into Newfs?
4:20 pm on June 18th, 2010
I'm listening to the game tonight, Rio. Rockies won a good one yesterday.
Me too, I like Melanie's, "the power of the pack"
4:38 pm on June 18th, 2010
SiberH!… I ..cough! cough!…also want you to know that I care very much about you guys too…snort!…I can type for her and say that we appreciate everyone’s prayers and support… sniffle!… I knew what was happening, and I was the best behaved I have ever been in my life today and even yesterday… sneeze!… I just stayed in the room with her dad for almost the whole time except when I needed to go OUT!…sniff!… But her and I were there in the room with dad for most of the time…cough!…She had a book with her and guess what it was?… “Down The Rabbit Hole”… heh!
4:54 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio, I'm proud of you, but, you see, I knew you would be well behaved and come through a crisis like a real trooper. I never had any doubts.
Mom just finished, "Down the Rabbit Hole". I think that book is a good choice for your friend to be reading right now…it is totally involving and an easy read with some humor in it.
5:00 pm on June 18th, 2010
Wow!…Siberh! Did you guys already finished 'The Fan'….snort!… How was it? You did say it had some dark humor in it that we would enjoy… grunt! …Give us a ‘short’ review, please don’t give anything away though!…heh!
Rockies!… 2 – 0 top of the third!…grunt!…. NOW why couldn’t they do that against those darn Twinkies?…ugh!
5:24 pm on June 18th, 2010
Theory!…Ray has short-term memory (even more extreme than Spencer!) and does not recall what happened to him earlier …snort!… He is confused and does not know why he is even there … grunt!… The only way to figure this out is to go backwards and see what he did earlier in the day to get to Poolside(2)…
1. he had to arrive
2. he had to go through the house
3. he had to somehow have either drank a lot or been hit over the head with one of the empty bottles
4. he had to have towels with blood on them put around him
5. he had to have a gun in his hand either by choice or by force
6. he had to have seen someone else if it is a set-up
7. he had to be there for a reason
Suggestion: Check his tattoos and Polaroid’s for clues (do they even sell Polaroid film anymore?) – Back to the game that the Rockies are Winning!…snort!
5:36 pm on June 18th, 2010
Yep, We finished, "The Fan", and liked it very much. It has a lots of baseball in it. I think it might be PA's darkest book, at least, of the ones I have read. There is dark humor in it. I think you would like it, Rio. It is an entertaining, suspenseful, thriller. It was made into a movie, but I have never seen the movie. Almost always, the books are better than the movies.
6:04 pm on June 18th, 2010
SiberH!…The book we have has a photo of Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes (I think it is Wesley?) on the cover… snort! … So they got some big name actors to play the characters…sneeze!… They must have mucked up the movie, because we have never seen it and we see most of the good ones…heh!
6:04 pm on June 18th, 2010
Well, guys, Foster is completely out of the question. He said to Bernie where he'd be in L.A., and if he really DID do it, Bernie would know where to find him and take him down. Foster ain't dumb, though he may seem to be at times…
Right now my paw really hurts to type. I ran out again, and then running away, I tried jumping over something, but then I landed wrong, and now my paw hurts. Grr, why did I run out?!?
It hurts too much. Ow, so tailwags and licks. Lexi-an apparently dumb pup.
6:14 pm on June 18th, 2010
Lexi!… What the heck are you doing up at this hour??…snort!…Actually, I do not remember Foster telling Bernie exactly where he would be in L.A….grunt!…Just that he was headed for L.A. for a new job doing the same sort of thing… cough!… What do you think you know that the rest of us do not know…heh!heh!… I’m sure your paw is too sore for you to answer that question…sniff!
Ach! we posted at the same time above!…gasp!
6:19 pm on June 18th, 2010
Rio, We have different covers on our books.
Lexi, you are not a dumb pup, you are just a pup. Try ice on the paw. I hope it feels better tomorrow.
6:20 pm on June 18th, 2010
Lexi: Maybe you will think twice before you run out again. At least until your paw feels better. Lexi ain't dumb, though she may seem to be at times…
6:23 pm on June 18th, 2010
Twins lost tonight, Tigers won and are 1 game out of first! Go Rockies!
6:24 pm on June 18th, 2010
Dawson!… ailnay on the eadhay!…snort!
6:27 pm on June 18th, 2010
SiberH!…Both the Giants and the Dodgers lost today!…snort!…That is good news for the Rockies especially if they can win this game tonight…grunt!…It is still 2 – 0 top of the sixth!…yooo!
6:43 pm on June 18th, 2010
I would sure like to see the Rockies move up in the standings.
6:46 pm on June 18th, 2010
Nineth!… Holding our breath here!…snort!
6:58 pm on June 18th, 2010
PeeMail? Rio – you make me laugh! I am sorry for your friend's loss. It is a sad thing indeed to lose a loved one. Sigh.
Lexi – you are not a dumb puppy – you are a spirited puppy!!
Melanie – what is PPD? Pooped Puppy Disorder??
6:59 pm on June 18th, 2010
WOO WOO Don't need to hold our breath any longer. WOO WOO
Good Night All Good Night PUPPIES
Good Night, Rio I'm sure you and your best friend are pretty exhausted by now, but I am glad the Rockies won for you today.
See you tomorrow!
7:00 pm on June 18th, 2010
Hi Wolfie!!!
7:19 pm on June 18th, 2010
Just a brief good night prayer for Rio and his special friend. God, please comfort them in their time of sorrow and watch out for them always. And thank you for bringing us all together in this wonderful place to share the joys and sorrows we all experience and the warmth and good feelings that we feel for one another here. Sleep peacefully tonight, my little pug friend, knowing that the bond of our friendship will grow and blossom forever. Amen. Wookie
9:27 pm on June 18th, 2010
Hi back, Siber Husky!