Approximate Time of Death (short story)

Approximate Time of Death was the seventh story in the anthology Decalog 4: Re:Generations. It was written by Richard Salter.

Summary
Mark Forrester is the CEO of Chaba-Bug Farming Interplanetary, a company on the colony world of Jedharon, which sells the secretions of the planet's chaba-bugs -- a natural preservative which enables food to be stored and shipped indefinitely. He is, however, facing a hostile takeover attempt from GFC, whose CEO, Xavier Yolande, intends to move production off-world, a move which would devastate Jedharon's economy. Mark starts to receive death threats and hires a bodyguard, John Loader, but despite this precaution his friend and partner Harry Porin is killed by a bomb in his office. Some time later, Loader seeks out a young trainee Adjudicator, Rachel Carson, and asks her to investigate the attacks. She is unable to contact Mark in person, and learns that over the past year he has become distant and erratic -- and if the takeover bid is not defeated soon, then GFC will legally acquire the company. Before she can determine the truth Mark and his wife Celia are found dead, apparently having committed suicide from their despair at being unable to prevent the takeover bid. Loader insists that they were murdered and promises to provide Rachel with proof, but she works out the truth for herself first. She therefore tricks Loader and Yolande into believing that each has called the other for a secret meeting, which she monitors until she has a confession on tape. Yolande bribed Loader to murder Mark's friends and family until he gave in and sold CFI, but when Mark found Loader standing over Celia's body, he attacked him and Loader killed him in self-defence. This happened a year ago, and ever since then, Yolande has been using bribes and insiders to make it appear Mark was still alive until Yolande could legally take possession of CFI; Mark's and Celia's bodies have been preserved by chaba-bug secretions all the while. Loader brought in Rachel in order to threaten Yolande with exposure and blackmail him, never guessing that a trainee would actually solve the case herself. Loader and Yolande are arrested, and Mark's grateful father places a request for Rachel's promotion and promises to buy out CFI himself to ensure that Jedharon's economy does not suffer.

Characters

 * Rachel Carson
 * John Loader
 * Gareth Forrester
 * Mark Forrester
 * Xavier Yolande
 * Harry Porin
 * Celia Forrester

Worldbuilding
to be added

Continuity
to be added