Nish was still gazing at his perfect new snow globe when the doors to the motel burst open and Sam roared in, brandishing the morning newspaper.

“There’s something weird going on here!” she announced. She seemed both angry and determined at the same time.

“What is it?” Sarah asked.

“Just look at this!” Sam said. She spread the newspaper out on the lobby coffee table and her teammates clustered around, peering down at the place on the front page where she was tapping her finger.

“TIME OF DEATH A PUZZLE,” said the headline.

Sam read out loud:

 

“Medical experts have concluded that Brad Cummings, the twenty-seven-year-old marine biologist found murdered off Victoria Bay last weekend, died as much as three hours before the dolphin found shot in the same waters. Early investigation had been based on the assumption that the dolphin had been killed first.

“It had previously been presumed Mr. Cummings got into an argument over the fate of the dolphin, which led to a confrontation between the marine biologist, a known environmental activist, and fishermen who may have snagged the dolphin in illegal nets.

“The dolphin, Vancouver Aquarium scientists confirmed today, showed faint signs of abrasion on one side, consistent with injuries found among fish and animals that have struggled in fishing nets.

“Both victims, RCMP sources say, were killed with the same weapon, a Lee Enfield .303-calibre rifle once popular with local hunters.

“No weapon has been found, nor have any witnesses stepped forward in the case.”

 

Sam finished reading and stood nodding with great satisfaction. “I knew there was something fishy about this whole thing,” she said.

“Of course there was,” Nish shot back. “They murdered a fish, remember?”

“You’re too stupid to bother with,” Sam said, dismissing him.

“I don’t understand,” said Fahd.

“Why would they kill Brad first?” Sam said. “It makes sense if he’d come along right after they’d shot the dolphin. Maybe he was even filming it. But why kill him and then, hours later, kill the dolphin?”

Everyone thought about it a while. No one had any idea why.

“Maybe they thought the dolphin knew something?” suggested Andy.

“Or had something?” offered Lars.

Sam looked up from the paper. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” said Lars. “It just seems they must have had to chase the dolphin. Maybe it had run off with the nets?”

“I doubt that,” said Andy.

“Well, something,” said Lars.

“What?” Nish demanded.

“I don’t know,” said Lars. “Something.”

It doesn’t add up, Travis kept saying to himself. It just doesn’t add up.