Page 41 of June's First Murder
"Pento… what?" Sara Lee stuttered.
"Pentobarbital," Carl repeated. "It's what we use for euthanasia. It's a barbiturate…. very controlled, very regulated. I keep a strict inventory because it's a DEA-scheduled drug." His voice was flat, clinical, like he was giving a lecture instead of explaining why he was a murder suspect. "I had a euthanasia several days ago, and the situation became chaotic, and I didn’t dispose of the syringe properly."
"But…" Sara Lee began, her eyes wide. She had no idea how a vet's office worked, but she was certain Carl followed every law, every guideline, and took every precaution.
"The medication cabinet’s door itself has a lock, and it's kept locked in my pharmacy room. Only I have keys to both." Carl rubbed his hand over his face, looking haggard. "I searched everywhere, thinking maybe I'd dropped it, maybe I'd just forgotten to dispose of it. Then I checked our records, our logbooks. When my office manager and vet techs came in, I asked them if anyone had remembered disposing of the syringe. I even spoke to the tech who had been in the room with me for a second time. No one remembered anything amiss. No one had touched it. I called the evening cleaning crew, but again, no one remembered seeing it."
“But, it would have been empty,” Nana June pressed.
Carl swiped his hand over his face and sighed. "No. The dog died before I had a chance to euthanize it. The syringe was still full, but where it went, I have no idea. I had to report it.” He took a shaky breath. “By law, I'm required to report any loss or theft of controlled substances to the DEA and local law enforcement within one business day of discovery."
Sara Lee’s heart dropped seeing the anguish on his face.
"So you called Sheriff Gordon," Nana June said.
"I did. He came right over." Carl's hands clenched together. "We went through the cabinet, the logs, the security system, everything. And then..." His voice dropped. "Then he told me that some of the preliminary lab results came back on Raymond. Pentobarbital was found in his system. Gordon said he was planning tocome talk to me anyway, and that I'd just saved him a trip."
"Oh, my," Nana June murmured.
"But that doesn't make you a suspect!" Sara Lee cried out, her voice breaking slightly. "Just because someone stole your medication doesn't mean you killed him!"
"It puts the spotlight directly on my staff and me," Carl said grimly. "My medication. Drawn into the syringe by me. And I can't explain how anyone got access to it."
"What are you going to do?" Nana June asked. “After all… the number of people who would have had access to your clinic is very low.”
Sara Lee was surprised by how composed her grandmother sounded when her own heart was pounding so hard she could barely think straight. She knew Carl and had no doubt that he had anything to do with Raymond’s death, just like she was convinced of Barb’s innocence in any of her family’s financial situation.
"I'm still trying to figure out what happened." Carl finally took another sip of his tea, grimacing like it was bitter. "How the syringe became lost… how it wasn’t found even with our searching. Who can I trust in my staff, which, before this, had been everyone."
"Do you have security cameras?" Nana June asked, her voice calm and measured.
"Yes, but not nearly as good as I should have. One at the front door, one at the back entrance, and one focused more on the reception desk since that’s where money is collected. Also, the laboratory and surgeryarea. But there’s no camera in each examination room." Carl nodded. "Gordon took all the footage. He's having his deputy, Tom, review everything to see if there is anything helpful, even though we know there isn’t."
Sara Lee’s head twisted back and forth as she watched the conversation ping-pong between her grandmother and Carl, finding her mind racing to absorb all the information and implications.
"Gordon thinks it was either someone on my staff or the cleaners..." He shook his head. "I can't believe anyone on my staff would do this. My receptionist has been with me for two years. She's engaged, planning her wedding, and saving for a house. My vet techs are both young women who love animals more than anything. None of them had any connection to Raymond that I know of."
All this time, Ted had been quiet, sitting in the armchair by the window with his tea untouched. When Nana June turned his way, raising an eyebrow in silent question, he hefted his shoulders and spoke through tight lips.
"If he needs an attorney, I'll either represent him myself or get him the best criminal defense lawyer in Virginia." Ted's voice was gruff with emotion. "Carl's not going down for this."
"It can't come to that," Sara Lee said desperately. "It can't."
She watched as her grandmother leaned forward slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Carl, walk me through your procedure for that kind of drug. When would you use it?"
Carl set down his teacup and straightened slightly, seeming grateful for the concrete questions. "Pentobarbital is a Schedule II controlled substance. Every time I use it, I have to log the date, the animal's name, the owner's name, how much I used, and how much is left in the vial in the cabinet. The DEA can audit me at any time, and the records have to be perfect."
"When do you use it?" Nana June asked.
"Only for euthanasia. It's not used for anything else in veterinary medicine." Carl's voice softened. "It's very peaceful. We sedate the animal first so they're not feeling any pain. Then we administer the pentobarbital intravenously. It stops the heart within seconds. The animal just... goes to sleep and passes peacefully."
Sara Lee felt tears prick her eyes at the gentleness in his voice. This was why he'd become a veterinarian… to help animals, even in their final moments. And his compassion with their owners shone through as well.
"How much would it take to kill a person?" Nana June asked quietly.
"Less than you'd think. The therapeutic dose for a large dog might be three to five milliliters. A fatal dose for a human would be similar, maybe a bit more, depending on body weight and tolerance." Carl's expression darkened. "If Raymond was given a full syringe, that would be enough to kill him."
"What would be the effect if mixed with alcohol?" Nana June continued, her eyes sharp.
