Closing Time

by Brenda Chapman

  Stonechild grinned. “There’s a lot about these people that makes me wonder.”

  They chose a table at the far end of the lodge restaurant away from the kitchen and waited for the others to arrive. Blaine Rogers entered first, still in his work coveralls. He nodded at Kala before taking his usual seat near the window.

  “He’s alone,” she said under her breath, but loud enough for Rouleau to hear. His eyes flashed agreement at this observation, but he didn’t voice a response.

  The kitchen door swung open and Martha stepped into the room, wiping her hands on her apron, her cheeks puffed with food. The open door released a heady smell of roast chicken, tomatoes, and spices, and Kala felt hunger rise up the back of her throat. Martha chewed as she crossed the space toward them and swallowed before reaching them. She laughed as she caught her breath. “Good evening, officers. You’re in for a gourmet treat tonight. Would you like to start with salads before the main? Wine or beer?”

  Kala spoke first. “Yes to the salads. Water for me. Rouleau?”

  “A beer to wash it down, thanks.”

  “Coming right up.” She smiled and flashed a mock salute before moving across the floor to Blaine’s table. He was ordering a beer when the front door opened, letting in cold air and Petra, who fell laughing into the room with a sheepish-looking Ian following a few steps behind her. Petra’s coat was open and her white blouse was unbuttoned, exposing her black-lace bra. Her makeup had been applied with a generous hand and a smear of red lipstick bled onto the skin surrounding her mouth.

  Both Martha and Blaine turned their heads and stared motionless for the smallest fraction of time before Martha lurched forward and grabbed Petra roughly by the arm. “Are you out of your friggin’ mind?” Martha hissed, loud enough for everyone to hear. She pulled Petra down the hall to the washroom while Ian took the seat across from Blaine with his back to the room.

  “What’s going on, man?” asked Blaine. “I thought you were done with that thaaang?”

  Ian said something that Kala couldn’t hear and both men laughed.

  Kala saw Rouleau’s shoulders stiffen and glimpsed a flash of anger when his green eyes met hers. It was gone just as quickly, but she had no doubt about his feelings. Rouleau was not a man who would sit silently by while men made a woman the butt of their jokes.

  “It’s okay,” he said in response to her concerned look. “We’re letting this play out. I gather that was Petra?”

  “Yes.”

  They both kept an eye on the hallway, waiting for the women to emerge while straining to hear the men at the next table without appearing obvious. Kala was starting to get out of her seat to check on Petra and Martha when the kitchen door swung open. Shane poked his head into the room. He looked around, his gaze stopping on Ian and Blaine. “Anyone seen Martha?” he asked.

  “Washroom,” said Blaine. “Should be out in a minute.” Ian hunched deeper over the table.

  “Tell her she’s wanted in the kitchen.” The door swung shut and he was gone.

  Kala relaxed back into the chair. “They’re taking a long time.”

  “Go check. I’ll keep watch here.”

  She met them in the hallway. Petra’s coat was buttoned all the way up and her mouth had been wiped clean, although traces of red still stained her lips, bruised from rubbing, likely with a rough piece of paper towel. When she saw Stonechild, she shook off Martha’s restraining hand on her arm. Her flushed face highlighted her eyes, sparkling with unnatural brilliance. Her child-like smile made her look euphoric. Demented.

  “Offffff …. i … cerrrrr,” Petra screeched, and flung her arms wide as if to embrace Stonechild. “What’s shakin’?”

  Martha grabbed Petra from behind and pushed her against the wall, stepping around her to face Stonechild. “I apologize for my cousin’s wife. She’s had waaaay too much to drink.”

  “No, I haven’t! I haven’t had nearly enough to drink! I’m just getting started!” Petra’s arms flailed, her hands scrambling to get past Martha, but Martha held firm. She shot Kala an apologetic smile and raised her voice to talk over Petra. “I’m taking her home to sleep it off. I wonder if you could let Shane know that I’ll be gone a while, so he’ll need to serve dinner?”

  “Of course.”

  Martha turned and used her entire body to block and hustle Petra down the hall toward the exit. Petra tried to push past her, arms thrashing wildly and head bobbing back and forth while Martha worked to contain her. The entire scene looked like a comedy skit — as if someone were trying to put a jack-in-the-box back into its container and taking several attempts to squash the clown inside.

  “I want to see Shane,” Petra wailed. “I want him to know that I can make it just fine without him. The bastard.”

  Kala looked over her shoulder and signalled to Rouleau that she’d be gone a minute before she followed the two women out the door. Instead of rushing to help, however, she hung back, letting the failing daylight shelter her from their view. They’d reached the parking lot and all the fight had drained out of Petra. She was crying and talking loudly between sobs. “Why is he doing this to me? I’ve never loved anyone else. He knows that.”

  Martha was shushing her, looking over her shoulder to make certain they were alone. “It’ll be all right,” she said. “You’ll survive this.”

  “Like you will with Neal?” asked Petra. “He’s such a fool for splitting up with you. I could kill the pair of them. This place is where marriages come to die.”

  Kala stopped at the edge of the parking lot in the shadows and watched the women start up the path through the trees toward Shane and Petra’s cabin, Petra stumbling and Martha holding on to her waist. She couldn’t move any closer without revealing herself, but she didn’t need to follow them any longer to know that the undercurrents she’d felt running through these people’s relationships snaked deep and dangerous. She understood with certainty now that she hadn’t imagined the dysfunction hidden behind their guarded interactions.

  Had Rachel stumbled in over her head or had she wittingly stoked the passions for her own romantic fantasy? Which one of these people had she angered enough to want her dead? Or was the killer from the wider circle of her life in Searchmont? For now, Kala was content to let the emotions escalate while she and Rouleau watched from the wings. Her detective sixth sense told her that the truth wasn’t far from the surface. It was only a matter of time.

  She took one last look up the path to check that Martha and Petra had made it safely inside Petra’s cabin, inhaled a full breath of the sweet late-summer air, and turned toward the restaurant and Rouleau waiting for her inside.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Clark rolled over and kissed Valerie on the forehead. She smiled in half-sleep but didn’t wake completely as he slipped out of bed and stretched. The baby had been transferred to the Sault Area Hospital the evening before for a few more days of observation, and Jordan had promised to take Valerie for a visit as soon as she was up and dressed. Jordan would spend the day and bring Valerie home when she was ready.

  Clark felt the familiar guilt that his long hours on the job often produced, but also a surge of excitement at the idea of being back. He wondered if having a child at home would lessen his obsession with work at all. Ever since his son was out of danger, all he could think about was the murder investigation. Make that investigations. He had a lot to discuss with Stonechild and Rouleau, beginning with Faraday’s murder.

  The morning was warmer than normal but overcast. The calendar turned a page today into September with the Labour Day holiday a few days away. Kids would be heading back to school Tuesday and summer camps would close up for the season. He was well aware that Martha and Neal were eager to shut down Pine Hollow Lodge and head south to Cobourg. He didn’t think they could realistically keep them stuck in place much longer without evidence that they were involved in the murders. Even if he believed someone at the lodge had to know something.

  Clark had a quick shower an
d dressed in his uniform. Jordan was in the kitchen with a pot of coffee on the stove when he made it downstairs. He checked the clock on the wall next to the fridge. “I’m surprised to see you up this early.”

  “Couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d see you off before I have my shower. How’s Valerie?”

  “Better now that the baby’s this close to home. Thanks for taking her to the hospital today.”

  “No worries. Have you come up with a name yet?”

  “Val’s superstitious and wants to wait until we have him safely home.” Clark grinned. “I put it down to hormones.”

  “Whatever makes her feel better.”

  Clark filled his travel mug with coffee. “Sorry that I don’t have time to chat. I’m grabbing a granola bar and I’ll be on my way.” He eyed his brother as he poured cream into the mug. “Is there anything I should know about you and Stonechild before I meet her today?”

  Jordan rubbed the knuckles of one hand across his mouth before answering. “We’ve caught up on what’s going on in our lives, but I haven’t put the moves on her if that’s what you’re concerned about.”

  “But you plan to?”

  “I’d be lying if I said no.”

  “She has a life down south. You should be prepared for her to turn you down.”

  “I know.” Jordan gave a slow grin that lifted the right corner of his mouth. “But on the other hand, I might just be what she’s been missing.”

  On the way to Pine Hollow Lodge, Clark thought about his brother and Stonechild and the chances of them rekindling their close relationship from a few years back. Stonechild had mentioned seeing somebody in Kingston, but he had no way of knowing if they were serious or not. The woman was even more closed off now than when he worked with her in Nipigon — if that was even possible. She could do worse than Jordan, who’d grown up a lot since becoming a father. He was crazy about her still, and that counted for something. The question was whether Jordan’s feelings for Stonechild were enough to win her over after the mess he’d made of things the last time.

  He parked and checked that Stonechild and Rouleau weren’t in the restaurant before making his way through the woods to their cabin. He spotted them on the dock with the dog and thought they painted an idyllic picture with the morning sun sparkling off the water and a mama loon with her two offspring bobbing in the waves not far from shore. He walked across the uneven ground to join them while the loon’s haunting call trilled and echoed off the rock face. Rouleau turned toward him first with his hand already extended when Clark reached them. Rouleau’s grip was firm and Clark gazed into his intelligent green eyes for a moment before Rouleau released his hand. He had the feeling that he’d been sized up in that one searching look.

  Stonechild welcomed him back before she signalled to the dog to lead them across the dock and onto the shore. “I put the coffee on before we came outside,” she said over her shoulder. “We may as well go inside where we’re certain of privacy while we hash over developments.”

  They arranged themselves around the kitchen island and Clark listened while Stonechild concisely summarized the interviews and observations from his time away. Rouleau was attentive and added the odd observation when she asked for his input.

  “I’ll be heading home to Kingston today, then,” said Rouleau when she finished. “I’ve got budget meetings that I’d hoped to miss, but should attend if I can.” He directed his question to Clark. “Will you be requiring Stonechild’s help much longer?”

  “Hopefully not, if we can wrap this up. We appreciate that you’ve lent her to us.”

  Stonechild tapped her chest. “Hey, I’m right here, guys. No need to talk about me as if I’m a commodity.”

  Clark returned her smile. “Never.” He drained the last of his coffee and stood. “So, based on all you’ve told me, I’d say Father Vila is our first stop today. We’ll see if we can get him into confession … no religious reference intended.”

  “Go ahead,” said Rouleau. “I’ll get organized and be on the road within the hour.” He looked at Stonechild and appeared to hesitate. “Any messages you want me to pass along?” he asked.

  Her eyes lit up for a moment before she looked past him toward the window and the view of the trees. “Nothing in particular. Just say that I’ll be in touch.”

  Clark could tell that Rouleau wanted to ask her more questions but was holding back. Before meeting him, Clark had mistakenly thought that this might be the man she was involved with but knew now that they had a professional relationship — nothing intimate. Yet they were comfortable with each other, even if Rouleau was her sergeant. He was older than her, but a kind man who appeared to understand her. Would she give up his friendship and her position in Kingston Major Crimes to make a life with Jordan?

  “Thank you again for helping out, sir,” said Clark, offering his hand again. “Perhaps we’ll be in a position to return the favour one day.”

  Rouleau’s eyes danced. “I might take you up on that. Don’t keep our best officer too much longer.”

  “We’d like to, but I understand why you want her back.”

  Stonechild sighed. “Guys. I’m right here.”

  Rouleau turned as she stood and they embraced for a moment. “Take care of yourself,” he said quietly into her ear.

  “I will.” She patted him on the back before stepping away. A look passed between them.

  “I wish I could help,” he said in a low voice, barely above a whisper. “With whatever is bothering you.”

  She looked away. “I’m sorting it out.”

  Clark walked toward the front door and Stonechild joined him at the entrance. She didn’t look back, even when the dog barked sharply at being left behind.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  ouleau drained the coffee pot and called to Taiku to go for a walk. He’d planned to spend a few more days helping with the cases, and the unexpected free time had taken a bit to sink in. Why rush back to the office when I can enjoy this gift of a day?

  Taiku disappeared into the woods on the path leading to the main lodge and the road. I was thinking a walk along the waterfront, but okay. Rouleau picked up his pace, slopping coffee as he hurried after the dog. The flutter of anxiety that Taiku was making a run for it eased when he reached the opening to the path and Taiku was sniffing around the underbrush, appearing to be waiting for him to catch up.

  “All right, old boy,” said Rouleau. “Where are you leading me?”

  Taiku trotted toward the lodge but carried on past, stopping and waiting for Rouleau when he reached the parking lot. Rouleau spotted the Hydro truck still in place and remembered that Blaine and Ian were done their work for the summer and were awaiting word that they could return home. Stonechild had told him that Ian, the better-looking one, was engaged and getting married at Christmas. She’d also said that Ian and Blaine were less friendly with each other than they had been at the beginning of the summer. “Too much time in each other’s company,” was how she’d summarized it.

  He pondered this rift as he walked at a moderate pace after Taiku. A wind had come up since breakfast but the day was warmer than the week before, and he started to enjoy being outside, alone with his thoughts. Marci had left for her new job in France with his decision about following her still up in the air. He’d have liked to see her off, but perhaps it was better this way. The sadness of their parting wouldn’t overwhelm him and cloud his judgment. The dog kept darting into the woods and leaping back onto the road at intervals, always looking around for Rouleau before bounding into the bush. Rouleau was thinking about turning back when Taiku disappeared down a path leading toward the lake. Rouleau hesitated for a moment before starting after him. The trail, littered in pine needles and shaded by conifers, cut through thicker woods. He could hear the waves before he broke out from the shaded path onto the wide expanse of sand beach. Taiku was near the water being petted by someone bent over with their back to Rouleau. He straightened and turned at Rouleau’s approach.

&nb
sp; “Blaine,” said Rouleau. “Sorry if we interrupted your peace. The dog’s been taking me on a tour.”

  “No problem. I’m just killing time.” Blaine pointed to a spot farther down the beach near the water. “That’s where they found Thomas Faraday’s body.”

  By silent agreement, they began walking together toward the location where he’d been pointing. “You were with Ian that entire day and evening,” said Rouleau. He remembered Blaine’s discomfort in the restaurant when Stonechild had asked him about his whereabouts. He’d had the sense Blaine and Ian hadn’t been telling the truth.

  Blaine was silent, walking with his head bowed and kicking at the sand with each step. The wind was stronger here on the open beach, the waves rolling onto the shoreline and crashing against the rocks off in the distance.

  “It never helps in these investigations to keep quiet when you have information that will come out later,” Rouleau said quietly. He swallowed the last of the coffee and held the mug loosely at his side. Blaine struck him as a man who had always been an outsider, probably picked on in school no matter how much he tried to fit in. His sullen demeanour would be the shell that kept him from more hurt.

  The two of them stopped a metre from the water and stood side by side watching the waves roll one after the other onto the shore. A mist dampened their faces and clothes. Taiku returned from a romp in the shallow water to stand next to Rouleau. Blaine crouched and called Taiku over, ignoring his wet fur as he gave the dog a rubdown. He looked up at Rouleau.

  “I wasn’t allowed to bring my dogs for the summer. I have two German shepherds.” He straightened. “Ian’s getting married a few months after we get back to Thunder Bay, and I’m not certain if I should warn his fiancée about the kind of man she’s tying herself to.”

  “And what kind of man is that?”

  “A dishonest one.”

  “Can you tell me about it?”

  “He’s been sleeping around with Petra when her husband’s working in the kitchen. That night that Faraday died —” Blaine stopped for a moment. “Yeah, that night, he went out after supper and came back an hour later with Petra. They were having sex when your officer and Shane found the body.”