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I suppressed the urge to scream.ôWas this person a man or a woman? Tall or short? Fair-haired or dark-haired? ItÆs very important, Fred, to get a detailed description.ö

The duck thought for a moment, then finally shook his head.ôNope,ö he said. ôIÆm drawing a complete blank here. Like I said, all humans look the same to me.ö

Now I did let out a groan of despair, but it was wasted on the duck, who simply gave me a sort of blank look, then smiled and said,ôWeÆre in the same boat, arenÆt we, cat?ö

ôWhat do you mean?ö I asked.

He thrust out his rather bulging belly.ôYouÆre being groomed to have your liver removed too, arenÆt you? Though you look as if youÆre almost ready for harvesting.ö

Dooley suppressed a giggle at this, even as I threw the duck a dark look. It wasnÆt helpful, of course, since he was obviously a valuable witness. ôLook, if something springs to mind about what happened last night, please let us know.ö I would have given him my card, but since cats donÆt carry cards, or smartphones, that wasnÆt really an option.

We returned to the scene of the crime, and I must confess I found it baffling that a murder could have been committed in the presence of a barn full of ducks, and apparently no one had seen anything. But maybe Fred was right. Maybe for them all humans did look alike. To most humans all ducks look alike, too, of course.

And weÆd just joined Chase and Odelia, when the police officer returned and said, ôA man is here to see you, sir. He says itÆs urgent.ö

ôWhat man?ö asked Chase, whoÆd been crouching over the body, taking a closer look.

ôHe says heÆs Cotton KaratÆs lawyer? A Tobias Pushman.ö

Moments later, we all stood outside with Mr. Pushman, who I remembered from the day before, when heÆd been accompanying Mr. Karat to Town Hall. He looked as slick and well-dressed as yesterday, only his demeanor was more subdued, which was hardly surprising, considering heÆd just lost his client.

ôWhat IÆm going to tell you has to stay between us,ö the lawyer urged Chase and Odelia.

ôIÆm sorry, sir,ö said Chase. ôBut I canÆt make that promise.ö

The lawyer thought for a moment, then decided to take his chances.

ôThat man in there? The man who died? His name isnÆt Cotton Karat.ö

Chase frowned.ôAnd I have it on good authority that it is.ö

The lawyer sized Chase up for a moment, as if wondering if it was a good idea to take the detective into his confidence.ôCotton Karat is holed up in a rehab clinic right now, kicking a nasty addiction. I just spoke to him on the phone and heÆs alive and well.ö

Chase and Odelia shared a look of confusion.ôSo who is the dead man?ö asked Chase.

ôHis name is Eric Blandine, and he was standing in for Cotton while heÆs staying at the clinic. You see, it was imperative that people thought it was business as usual at the Karat Group, in light of certain recent events that involved Cotton displaying behavior that reflected badly on the group.ö

ôYou mean the shareholdersÆ meeting where he was drooling all over that model?ö

The lawyer winced.ôYou can understand how a drop of fifty percent in share price had us all on the ropes. So it was decided that Cotton would take a step back, until he got his life back on track. In the meantime we asked Blandine to step in. And he did a great job.ö

ôAre you telling us that it wasnÆt Cotton Karat who received that award yesterday?ö asked Odelia. ôBut Eric Blandine?ö

The lawyer nodded.ôThatÆs exactly what IÆm saying.ö

ôI thought he acted a little out of character,ö said Odelia.

ôEric was still learning the ropes. It was early days. But with a little help from me and CottonÆs family, he was getting there.ö He dragged a hand through his perfect coiffure. ôAnd now this,ö he said, gesturing to the barn.

ôDo you have any idea who might have killed Mr. Jardine?ö asked Chase.

ôBlandine. And yes, I have a pretty good idea,ö said Tobias Pushman, his expression hardening. He reached into his car and came away with a sizable tin of foie gras. ôThis arrived at the office this morning.ö

ôFoie gras?ö asked Chase, staring at the tin.

ôNot exactly,ö said Mr. Pushman, and opened the tin.

Judging from the horrified expressions on Chase and OdeliaÆs faces, I understood it wasnÆt the delicacy that had made the Karat Group famous that was in that tin. But it was only when Odelia lowered the tin so Dooley and I could take a sniff that I understood.

The tin contained a perfectly preserved, gleamingly fresh human organ.

And if I wasnÆt mistaken, it was in fact Eric BlandineÆs liver.

Chapter 10

ôThere was also a message,ö said Tobias Pushman as he handed an envelope to Chase.

Odelia had quickly closed the tin and had put it in an evidence bag her husband had supplied. She and Chase now read the message the envelope contained.

Odelia read out loud for our benefit,ôæThe ducks will have their revenge! This is your first warning! Stop the atrocity or more people will die! Foie gras is murder! Ducks are people, too!Æö She looked up. ôSounds a lot like the animal rights activists we saw yesterday.ö