“That’s an understatement.”
“Hey! I’ve had an idea! I could stay up all night too! That way we’d be in sync.”
“You’re crazy, Riley. But I honestly believe you would.”
“Sure, why not?” Riley snuggled up as Paul put his arm around her. “What did you think of Jean?”
“She’s a good-looker, isn’t she? But as far as I’m concerned, there’s something missing. Call it chemistry if you like.”
Riley looked at him. Her smile was impish. “Just as well. By the way, you never met Jonathan, did you?”
“The boyfriend? Can’t say I did. Why? Has something happened?”
Riley gave Paul a quick rundown on Jonathan’s behavior and how he had ditched Jean.
“That guy’s the world’s worst kind of creep,” she continued. “You’ll never believe this. One day I was sunbathing on the lawn and fell asleep. It was so hot that I’d taken off my bikini bra. I woke up and there was Jonathan looking down at me. Unfortunately, I’d rolled over on my back so he could see everything. I covered myself as best I could and asked him to pass the bra, which was on the garden seat.” By this time, Riley was getting quite worked up. “Do you know what the bastard did? He picked it up, said, ‘catch,’ and threw it at me. You can guess what happened. Of all the shitty things…”
Riley stopped. Paul was looking stricken. For a moment she was puzzled then realized she’d upset him.
Riley took his hand. “Paul, I’m so sorry. I—”
“It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”
He glanced at his watch and stood. In spite of what he’d said, Riley could tell he really was hurt. She shouldn’t have even mentioned Jonathan, certainly not now, not before…
“I think I’d better get going. Those thunderstorms, I want to take a look at the radar and see what’s happened to them.”
Riley followed him to the front door. He turned and glanced at her, but before she could kiss him, he was striding down the path toward the Mustang.
“See you for breakfast!” she called, then hurried back to the deck to watch him leave.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” she cried, thumping the deck rail with clenched fists as the Mustang disappeared down the driveway.
Riley didn’t sleep well that night. She tried to figure out exactly why Paul was so upset, just because Jonathan had seen her topless. She came to the conclusion that it was a kind of jealousy. On the plus side, his reaction demonstrated conclusively how he felt about her. Next, she thought about damage control, which could be attempted when he came for breakfast. The easiest way would be to seduce him, but that would go against the grain. Besides, the timing would be wrong. With these things going around in her head she finally went to sleep.
The telephone put an end to a confused but erotic dream. It was almost eight a.m. As she rushed into the hall, she reflected for the hundredth time that a bedside extension had become a necessity.
It was Paul.
“Hi! Do you mind if I take another rain check—for breakfast I mean? I’m completely exhausted and want to go home and sleep.”
Riley felt a surge of disappointment. “Sure. No problem. Tomorrow, maybe.”
“We’ll see. I’ll call you.”
“Okay. I’ll—”
But he hung up.
Things didn’t look good. He still seemed to be annoyed with her.
After breakfast, Riley made a shopping list and set out for the store. It was a clammy day with a warm southwesterly blowing patches of low cloud across the sky. By the time she arrived, her clothes felt damp.
She was about to open the door when a rather odd looking man came out of the shop and walked away across the parking area. By this time, Riley had got to know most of the people in the neighborhood, at least by sight, but this character was a complete stranger. He seemed odd because he had a very small mouth and his hair was long and tied in a pony tail.
Doris was behind the counter as usual.
“Who was that guy?” Riley asked. “I haven’t seen him before.”
“‘Ello, Riley! Nor ‘ave I, but we gets a few strangers ‘round ‘ere now and again.”
“On foot?”
“Didn’t ‘e ‘ave a car then?”
“No. And it’s a bit sticky for walking, isn’t it?”
“I ‘ates it like this,” Doris commented.
Riley consulted her list and carried what she needed to the counter.
“You looks a bit peaky,” said Doris as she rang in the items. “You needs a change if you asks me. Why not get away for a day or two? The west coast is very pretty, they say. Never been there meself, though.”
Riley thought for a moment. “You know, Doris, that’s a great idea. But if I don’t go soon, summer will be over, won’t it?”
“It’s a long drive. Might take you a couple of days.”
“That okay. I enjoy driving.” Riley fished some loose bills out of her shorts pocket. “I’ll have to decide when to leave and have Charlie check the car.”
On the way back to the house, she made up her mind to hit the road on the following day, if possible. With Paul still upset and on night shift, it might be a good idea if they didn’t see each other for a while.
Riley heard the phone before she reached the front door. She dropped her grocery bags and ran. Perhaps it was Paul but no such luck. John Kelly wanted to see her at the RCMP Office on Topsail Road sometime in the afternoon if she could make it. There were a few things to discuss. As soon as he hung up, Riley dialed Charlie. He said he’d be in for an hour or two and could give the car a quick checkup.
“I knows she’s top condition,” he concluded, “and there ain’t no cause for worry. I’ll give ‘er an oil change and check the levels. You won’t ‘ave no trouble.”
Since she trusted Charlie, Riley had no qualms about the long drive. She put together a sandwich lunch and ate it at his very grubby old desk while he did the work.
Charlie lowered the hoist.
“Is there anywhere special I should see?” she asked as he wiped his hands on a grimy rag.
“Yis there is, a place called Western Brook Pond. It’s big gorge on the way up the Northern Peninsula. Look on your map. You gets a boat that takes you right up to the ‘ead. Ten miles it is. And wear some good ‘ikin shoes. The boat’s a fair walk from the ‘iway.”
“Sounds fascinating,” Riley replied. “But where’s the nearest place to stay?”
“Rocky ‘Arbour. Go to the Tourist Information for motels and the like.”
“Thanks, Charlie. I can’t wait.”
After that, Riley went straight to the RCMP Office, where she found John Kelly doing a stint at the front desk.
“Come through the wicket and take a seat,” he said. “It’s a quiet day so we won’t be disturbed too much.”
Riley made herself as comfortable as possible in an upright chair at a table behind the counter.
Kelly joined her and put a manila folder between them. “First off, I wanted to ask if you plan to stay on in your house or move back to Toronto.”
“That’s a fair question, John. I honestly don’t know. One part of me is scared and the other wants to stay. I’ll have to make up my mind soon, though. And I have to decide about going back to the university since registration begins after Labor Day. I’m going away for a few days to think things over and at the same time see the west coast, Gros Morne to be precise. I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
“Good idea. And you won’t be looking over your shoulder all the time either.” John Kelly extracted a sheet of paper from the folder. “I’ve been checking a map of your property. It would be a good idea to do a more careful search of certain areas where we think an intruder might have been. They’re marked in yellow.” He handed a survey map to Riley. “If you can think of anywhere else, we can highlight it right now.”
Riley paused as she examined the markings. “Looks okay to me. I think you’ve covered all the likely places, especially where we found the cartri
dge case.”
“Good. We’ll do that while you’re gone. Our presence ought to keep trespassers away as well. Finally, I’d like to know what you think of your lawyer, Mr. McGrath. Don’t get me wrong. He’s not suspected of anything and he’s well thought of around here. The reason I’m asking is that the inspector wants us to talk to him about the history of your property, and also about your late uncle. Neither of us has met McGrath. If we know what sort of person he is, it will make things easier.”
“I see what you mean,” said Riley. “Well, I don’t know any other lawyers, but let me think…At first he seemed aloof, a bit of a smoothie. Later on he relaxed a little and was less formal. He’s pleasant enough and quite forthcoming with information. Oh, yes. And he knows all the locals, at least around Dog Cove Road, particularly Doris. Um…I can’t think of anything else.”
“Quite a few lawyers have inflated egos,” Sergeant Kelly commented.
“I suppose he’s inclined that way, but I quite like him.”
“Thanks for the help.”
“No problem.”
A vehicle pulled up in the car park.
“Here’s a customer,” the sergeant remarked. “If you think of anything before you leave, give me a shout will you? Oh…and let me know where you’re staying.”
“Will do.” Riley stood. “I’ll be gone for about a week.”
The customer was an elderly woman who must have known John Kelly quite well; Riley heard her greeting as the door swung closed.
She arrived home in the late afternoon and called Paul immediately. He answered at the first ring.
“Hi, it’s me,” she began tentatively. “How’s things?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Paul, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about Friday. It was stupid. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Paul didn’t answer.
“Are you still mad at me?” continued Riley.
“No, of course not. I never was. It’s just that I think the world of you and very the idea of Jonathan…well…you know.”
“And I think the world of you too. But there’s something else. I’ve decided to go away for a few days, leaving tomorrow. The idea is to see Gros Morne National Park. More important, I need to think what to do after all the crappy things that have happened. The only alternatives seem to be to stay or to sell up and go back to Toronto.”
“But—”
“Paul, listen…please. Because of you, I honestly don’t want to leave. In that case, what happens if I stay? If I move into town, will I still be harassed by these people, whoever they are? There’s no way of knowing, is there? John Kelly can’t help. There are no useful leads and he can’t find out who’s behind it all. Anyhow, that’s what I want to think about. Also, Gros Morne is supposed to be spectacular. I’d like to see it while the weather’s good.”
“It’s certainly a fantastic area,” agreed Paul. “And I think it’s a great idea. It’s not much fun with me on nights, is it? Are you driving?”
“Yep. Charlie checked the car today.”
“Where will you stay?”
“Dunno. I’ll fix up something before I leave and phone as soon as I get there. Paul…I wish you could come.”
“So do I. But I had my vacation in June.”
“Look, I have to go now—a lot of stuff to do. I promise to call every day, okay?”
“Sure. And please be careful.”
After that, Riley felt a lot better and so did Paul by the sound of it. Now she could concentrate on enjoying herself and deciding about the immediate future.
Chapter Twelve
The House Sitter
On Sunday morning, Paul left work as soon after eight a.m. as he could. He wanted to stop at Riley’s house in case she hadn’t left, but he was out of luck; her car wasn’t in its parking spot. Despite the fact that she had warned him about her early departure, he felt a little downhearted and continued his drive homewards.
Whenever he was on the night shift, Paul always found it difficult to sleep in the mornings, especially during the summer months. The movements of his parents above the basement apartment disturbed him, despite their efforts to the contrary. Today, he remained awake, worrying about Riley driving across the island on her own. However, by early afternoon, he had slipped into a sleep of sorts, which lasted for a few hours.
After his evening meal, Paul was about to flop out in front of the TV when the phone rang. He rushed over to its shelf in the kitchen half of the living area, almost knocking over his coffee cup in the process.
“Hi, Paul. It’s me.”
“Safe and sound, I hope. Where are you?”
“Rocky Harbour.”
“Jeez, that’s one hell of a drive. You must be real tired.”
“You could say that again. I left around six and only stopped a couple of times on the way. I phoned ahead from a tourist information office and booked a room at this super little guesthouse. The bed’s comfortable and the whole place is absolutely spotless. I don’t know about the food yet. I’m going to have dinner in a few minutes so I’ll soon find out. After that, I’ll hit the sack. Everything’s hunky-dory and the car’s fine. As for the scenery, I took a few pictures on the way so you’ll be able to see for yourself.”
Paul had been to Gros Morne, but hadn’t made it obvious and decided not to say any more at the moment. “Will you call tomorrow?”
“Sure. Of course. About the same time, okay?”
“Great. And take care.”
“You too.”
With his worries groundless, Paul felt a lot better. He was even looking forward to work so he could find out if the good weather would continue on the west coast. When he finally arrived at the office, a pleasant surprise awaited him. There was a note from his supervisor informing him that the duty roster had been changed. His last night shift would be on Tuesday instead of Friday. That meant he would have Wednesday off and begin afternoon shifts from noon to eight on Thursday. It wasn’t until he was on his midnight meal break in the staff room that he had an inspiration. He could house-sit for Riley until she came home at the end of the week. This would also shorten his drive to work by about a quarter of an hour. The question was, would she let him? He couldn’t see why not.
When he got home on Monday morning, his last thoughts before falling asleep were to wonder what it would be like to spend a few days alone in her house. Would there be an aura about the place that might help him know her better? Surely there had to be.
Paul’s apartment was simple. A passage that spanned the basement from one end of the house to the other gave access to two bedrooms facing the back yard, with a storage room and bathroom opposite. The passage opened into a single room, a kitchen area to the right and a living area to the left. It ended at a below-ground exit.
He had set his alarm for five o’clock in the afternoon, but it was after half past when he went to the kitchen for a cup of tea. He was soon settled in his favorite armchair with the vital fix of caffeine plus buttered toast and strawberry jam. He had just started on the second slice when the phone rang. Riley was early.
“Hey, Paul!” she cried, obviously bubbling over with excitement. “I had a fantastic day.”
Paul felt his pulse racing. “Terrific! And what did you do?”
“I climbed to the top of Gros Morne! I don’t mind telling you I’m pretty whacked out and my feet are sore, but the view from the top was…wow!”
“It’s a tough hike. I think it goes up about 2,500 feet. By the way, I’ve got some good news and a neat idea to go with it. I’m switching to afternoon shifts sooner than I thought. My last night is Tuesday.”
“Paul, that’s fabulous. And what’s the neat idea?”
“Well…I wondered if I could stay at your place until you get back—sort of house-sit. It would save me a bit of driving as well. But if you’d rather I didn’t, it doesn’t matter.”
“I should have thought of it myself. I’d really like that. And…and use my bed. It’s
much better than the one in the spare room. You’ll find clean sheets in the linen closet. And treat the place like your own. Help yourself to anything you like from the freezer. When do you think you’ll move in?”
“Let’s see…maybe Wednesday morning after work. The place will be quieter than my apartment and it will be easier to adjust to a normal routine.”
“Perhaps you should call Sergeant Kelly. He’s supposed to be searching for clues in the woods and might think you’re an intruder.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Paul, this is a marvelous place but I miss you.”
“And I miss you too. Don’t stay too long.”
“I’ll be back by Saturday evening. That’s a promise.”
They chatted on. Riley told Paul more about her hike and her plans to see Western Brook Pond on the following day, which was Tuesday. She wanted to visit Corner Brook and a nearby provincial park on Wednesday.
“I might not be here when you go to work tomorrow,” she concluded, “so maybe we should skip the phone call. I’ll talk to you on Wednesday evening.”
“Sure, I almost forgot. What’s your number?”
Riley gave it to him, then they hung up.
The next two days seemed endless. When at last Wednesday morning came, Paul arrived at Riley’s house in a deluge. The charts at the weather office had indicated that the remnants of a hurricane were swinging northeastwards to the south of the Avalon Peninsula. Fortunately, this would have no effect on the west coast. One thing was certain, though, Sergeant Kelly wouldn’t be snooping around in the woods, which reminded Paul he hadn’t called him, so he went into the hall and did so.
After hanging up, he left his dark brown duffel bag and two plastic bags of food on the floor beside the phone and wandered from room to room. The place wasn’t quite as tidy as usual. A couple of dirty plates lay in the kitchen sink and Riley’s bed wasn’t made. These things told him she had left in a hurry, anxious to be on the road and get to Rocky Harbour in one day.
The first thing Paul needed was food. As soon as he arrived at his apartment after a night shift, he usually had a light meal washed down with decaffeinated coffee. He knew Riley had some eggs in the fridge, so he set about boiling one and making some toast.
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