An Unfortunate Incident

by K T Brodland

  With that taken care of, she pulled her favorite pink nightgown from her suitcase and undressed. She took a quick inventory of the red blotches on her left side and on her left arm between her shoulder and her elbow. No wonder it hurt when she moved. She eased the nightgown over her head and pulled back the blankets and crawled into bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

  Cat closed her bedroom door and stood still, willing her reluctant body to move enough to get undressed and have a shower. She sniffed at her shirt, wrinkled her nose at the stale odor of the greasy burgers and French fries she’d lived on for the past eighteen hours. Yup, a shower was definitely in order. She slowly made her way to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothing along the way. They’d end up in the laundry hamper later. Much later.

  She finally emerged from the shower feeling a little more human after letting the massage setting work out the ache in her muscles. Once in pajamas, she dropped into the easy chair in the corner of her bedroom and poured a generous three fingers of single-malt scotch. The burger she’d had earlier that day was enough to convince her that she wasn’t drinking on an empty stomach. She put the footrest up and leaned back into the chair’s overstuffed comfort and sipped at her drink. She closed her eyes, picturing her visitor’s bruised face and the obvious pain when she moved. She hoped she was wrong, but her gut said the tale Olivia told was not going to have a happy ending.

  Cat was jerked awake at some point by anguished cries coming from across the hall. She remained motionless at first, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Remembering she wasn’t alone, she jumped out of bed and stumbled out into the hall. Opening the guest room door, she flicked on the overhead light and moved to the bed where Olivia was thrashing about.

  Cat gently shook Olivia’s shoulder several times, before she heard a whimpered name.

  “Alison?”

  Eyes wide as she awakened, Olivia sat bolt upright, then scooted back in the bed as far as she could go. She huddled by the headboard, her arms wrapped around her knees, her hair spilling around her shoulders like a drift of snow.

  “Sorry to disturb you,” she whispered. “I guess I was having a nightmare. Can’t really remember much about it now.”

  Cat patted her arm. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve had a few of those myself. Most of the time I’m quite glad I can’t remember what the dream was about. You okay now?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “How’s the pain level?”

  “Fine if I don’t move. Since I just did, I’d put it at around five.”

  “Would you like some more Tylenol? Might help you get back to sleep.”

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. It wasn’t that long ago that I had those pain meds you gave me. I’ll see how I feel in the morning.”

  “Speaking of which, I know you are anxious to find out what is going out there at the farm, but from what I can see, you are in no condition to go anywhere.” She held up her hand as Olivia tried to shake her head, winced and gave it up as a bad job. Cat continued. “I can deal with your car. I also have to stop by my office and check in with my boss. While I’m there I can contact one of my friends with the RCMP and find out the status of your farm. It could still be an active crime scene, in which case you would not be allowed on the premises for at least another day or two. If so, then you are more than welcome to stay here until you get the all clear. Is that okay with you?”

  Olivia sighed. “Part of me wants to say to hell with that idea.” She managed a weak laugh, clutched her sides. “The other part of me says right now I couldn’t fight my way out of a wet paper bag. So, yes, that’s okay with me.”

  “Right answer. I’ll leave my business card on the kitchen counter in case you need to get in touch with me. Once you are mobile, help yourself to whatever you can find in the fridge.”

  Olivia nodded. “Oh, before I forget, my car is a white, four-door Mazda. I’m not sure how far it is from here, but you can’t miss it.”

  Cat nodded in the direction of the cell phone and laptop on the bedside table. “I see you got your phone plugged in.”

  “Yeah.”

  Cat gently patted Olivia on the shoulder. “Try and get some sleep.”

  Once she was back in her own bed, she chuckled at the brief glimpse she’d had of Olivia’s high necked, long sleeved nightie. It was much too modest for her tastes. She preferred nightgowns that were cut down to here and up to there. Better still, nothing at all.

  Chapter Two

  O nce she was mobile the next morning, Cat filled her commuter mug with coffee and checked the contents of the fridge to make sure there was something edible that would be easy for Olivia to fix later on. In the garage, she glanced briefly in the direction of the big black Harley parked by the outer wall. Good thing she hadn’t been riding the bike in all that rain yesterday. Even wearing leathers, she’d have been soaked right through to the skin before she’d gone a mile. She slid behind the wheel of the fire-engine red Mustang convertible and keyed the ignition before backing out of the garage and down the driveway to the main road. Acting on a hunch, she turned left onto Lakeside Drive and cruised along slowly, looking for Olivia’s car.

  Fifteen minutes later she caught sight of Olivia’s Mazda midway down an incline, its front end lodged up against a big yellow pine. She eased off the road, put on her hazard lights and got out.

  While the rain had let up during the night, the ground remained soggy enough to hold the tracks in the mud that showed where the car had left the road. Cat stood on the edge of the incline, hands on her hips, staring down at the scene, imagining Olivia struggling to get up to the road in the dark and the rain, hauling that heavy suitcase and then walking for several miles hoping that someone, anyone, would come to her aide. No wonder Olivia broke into the first place she could find that looked safe.

  Cat trudged back to her car and called her mechanic. “Hi, Dave. Cat here. I’ve got a little problem and could use your help.”

  “Not the Mustang, I hope?” He responded so quickly that she laughed.

  “No, the Mustang’s just fine. Someone I met recently was in a minor accident and I told her I’d get you to come out and tow her car to the garage.” She glanced up and down the road, looking for landmarks, then gave him directions to where she would be waiting. She was relieved when he said he’d be there in less than half an hour. She thanked him and hung up.

  While she waited for the mechanic to show up, she pushed her seat back and closed her eyes, grateful for a few minutes respite and a chance to review the details of the information Olivia had given her. What concerned her most was the fact Olivia was unable to connect with her employees. Even if they were advised to stay elsewhere until the forensic crew was finished with the place, at least one of them should have had their cell phone on. Then there was Olivia.

  Her mother used say strangers were friends you hadn’t met yet. However, most strangers didn’t bypass an alarm system and then fall asleep on your couch. A frown creased her forehead. As for Olivia’s suitcase, there were traces of dirt on the wheels but nothing like the amount of mud there should have been. And she couldn’t picture Olivia carrying that heavy suitcase for the two miles or so she’d walked in the pouring rain. So how did she manage that?

  Cat tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, considering her next move. A phone call to Jean at the main RCMP office might provide her with answers as to what had happened out at the farm. She could proceed from there.

  One of Dave’s crew showed up just then and she hauled out of her car to deal with the tall, skinny drink of water who’d come to tow the Mazda to the garage.

  “Hi, Mike,” she called out as she joined him at the edge of the road.

  “Hi, yourself,” he responded with a smile. “Dave got real busy and asked me to come and give you a hand.” He nodded at the Mazda. “Doesn’t look too bad from here. The air bag wasn’t deployed so your friend couldn’t have been going too fast. But we’ll know more once we
get the car up on the hoist.”

  Cat stepped to one side while Mike put a chain on the tow key then got back inside his truck. She got a good look at the damaged front end of the Mazda as it was pulled up to the roadside. Despite Mike’s calm appraisal, she had a hunch Ms. Jeffries was going to be handed a hefty bill by the time Dave got through with it. She waved goodbye to Mike as he drove off, then got back into her own car and pointed the Mustang toward her office.

  Chapter Three

  A nne Mathews looked up from her laptop as the door chime announced Cat’s arrival in the office of Solo Investigation Services. “Hello there. I wasn’t sure you were going to make it today.”

  Cat paused by the waist-high counter that fronted Anne’s workstation and looked down at the slim, gray-haired woman seated behind it. She started toward the break room at the rear of the office. “Can I get you a coffee?”

  “Sure. I made a fresh pot not long ago so it should still be drinkable.”

  When Cat returned, she handed Anne the ceramic mug with the blue and green stripes that was her partner’s favorite cup, then headed for her office a few steps away. “Come on in,” she called over her shoulder.

  Cat made herself comfortable in the leather swivel chair on her side of the antique oak desk and cast a glance at the stack of files on the corner of that desk. She waited for Anne to get settled. “I’d have been in earlier, but I had an errand to run first. When I got home last night, I found an uninvited guest parked on my couch. It seems she was in a bit of an accident and couldn’t get anyone to help her out, so she decided to try and use the phone at my place. Given that she looked as though a truck had run over her when I saw her, I’m amazed that she managed to walk that far at all. I located her car this morning and called Dave to have it towed to the garage. So, I now have a house guest. Given the circumstances, I have a hunch she could end up being a client.”

  In response to Anne’s raised eyebrows, Cat filled her in on what little she knew at that moment.

  Anne nodded. “Have you talked to Jean yet?”

  “That’s my next move. Oh, and here’s a chuckle for you. I recognized Olivia from the farmer’s market where the break-in occurred. Turns out she owns the place.”

  “Hm. At least she is not a complete stranger.”

  “No, she isn’t. And I remembered that more than once I was tempted to ask her out for coffee. Never got around to it. Which is probably why she is still at my place. Felt sorry for her.”

  “So, have I missed much in the world of crime while I was off on that surveillance gig?” Cat asked, alerted by Anne’s thoughtful expression.

  “Global News reported a drive-by shooting on Thursday that has the homicide unit looking for suspects.”

  Since her best friend was with the homicide unit, Cat leaned forward, her instincts on high alert. “Did they give any details as to where this incident happened?”

  “Apparently, it took place out on Boundary Road and three of the victims were DOA when the RCMP and the paramedics showed up. A fourth person was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The usual line ‘No further details will be available until next-of-kin have been notified’ was given out.”

  Cat frowned down at her empty mug. “That’s where Olivia’s farm is. Have there been any more reports about the shooting?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I’d hate for her to hear that news and not know any of the details. Anything else I should know about?”

  “No, not really. Just the usual round of mischief on the part of the local riffraff. Oh, and a family requested a background check on their daughter’s boyfriend. They were quite pleased when I confirmed their suspicions that the boyfriend was definitely not good enough for their precious offspring.”

  Cat nodded. This request was not unusual in a town where gang activity was common. “And what did you find out about the boyfriend?”

  “About what you’d expect. Young Sonny Wilkes spends far too much time hanging out with the Alphas. No doubt he’s been up to his share of trouble. He just hasn’t been caught at it.”

  She fiddled with her coffee cup. “I do have some news that’s relevant to us, though.”

  “Go on.”

  “I was on the phone most of yesterday.” Anne took a long swallow of her coffee. “After talking to my sister, I’ve decided to finally pack it in and move back to Vancouver to be with her. She hasn’t been well ever since her husband passed away.” She shook her head. “It’s hard to believe it’s been six months.” She took in a deep breath. “I’m going to be here until at least the end of the month, so that will give us time to get everything sorted out. In the meantime, I’m going to get my lawyer to draw up the papers to transfer my share of the business to you.”

  Cat opened her mouth to protest, shut it with a snap and sat there staring at her friend, stunned at the prospect of losing the woman she had worked with for the past ten years.

  Anne sighed. “I still haven’t decided what to do with my place. I could sell it outright I suppose. That would probably be the simplest idea.”

  After a moment, Cat finally managed to speak. “Don’t get ahead of yourself here. You might want to hang onto the place in case you change your mind about being on the coast.”

  Anne nodded slowly, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks for being so understanding about the short notice,” she said as she pushed out of her chair.

  “Oh, for chrissakes, Anne. What did you think I was going to say or do? Go on, get outta here. I’ve been thinking its long past time you retired anyway. You do what you have to do for your sister. Family is more important.”

  Anne retrieved her coffee cup before heading back to her desk. Cat watched after her, idly noting how smart Anne looked in her pale green pantsuit. Anne really didn’t need to work, her husband had left her comfortably well off when he died, but she said coming into the office, acting as Cat’s secretary, gave her something to do besides sitting at home, twiddling her thumbs and feeling sorry for herself. To distract from the news Anne had given her, she turned on her laptop and read through the news clip about the shooting, then dug out her cell phone. She hit a speed dial number, waited until the call was picked up.

  “Staff Sergeant Gordon speaking.”

  “Hi, Jean. Cat here. Do you have a minute?”

  “Barely. I’ve a shitload of paperwork to take care of.”

  “Ah, the joys of being a senior officer. I won’t keep you more than a minute then. What can you tell me about the drive-by shooting that took place out on Boundary Road last week?”

  She heard the rustling of papers, then Jean spoke. “It’s not really public knowledge yet, but I can give you the highlights. Not that there’s a great deal to tell. Three of the victims were family members, Abe and Barb McIntyre and their son, Steven. They were all DOA. The young woman who was rushed to the hospital with gunshot wounds to her upper body was identified as Steven’s girlfriend. She survived, barely, since she lost a lot of blood. Almost lost her baby as well. Poor kid is six months along, according to Lee, who was part of the surgical team. We managed to locate the McIntyre’s next of kin this morning and they are flying out from Toronto in a couple of days. We also got a heads up from Acme Security that there was a break-in at the address we found in the McIntyre’s wallets. We sent a couple of constables out to follow that lead, but there was no one around. Someone had been by the place, though, and trashed it thoroughly. The security rep did say they were going to connect with the owner and let her know what had happened.”

  “Did they give you a name?”

  There was a rustle of papers. “Yeah, Olivia Jeffries.”

  “Can she access the property now?”

  “Sure. We’re finished out there. How do you know her?”

  “Ms. Jeffries is staying at my place. She was in a minor car accident and came by my place needing a ride home. She had a nasty bruise on the side of her face, and I didn’t think she should be on her own for a day or two.
I managed to talk her into staying for now. Do you need to talk to her?”

  “Not unless she knows something about why the family was targeted and by whom.”

  “No suspects then?”

  “Nope, and no eyewitnesses either. There aren’t many houses along that stretch of road where the family was killed.”

  “Have you been able to talk to the girlfriend?”

  “Not really. According to Lee, it was touch and go there for a day or two.”

  “Well, I’m sure Olivia will want to go and see her.”

  “Okay, keep me posted. Every bit of information we can get, no matter how insignificant, could be helpful.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Good. Oh, by the way, while I have you here, we’re having our first of the season barbecue this Saturday. Look forward to seeing you. If Olivia is still your guest, maybe you could bring her along.”

  “Oh, I am sure she’d be delighted to spend an evening with a bunch of old farts like us who’ll sit around, swilling beer, and telling lies about the good old days.”

  Jean laughed. “You never know. She might enjoy herself.”

  “Yeah, sure. Okay, talk to you later.”

  She’d barely hung up when her mechanic phoned. She jotted down notes while he brought her up to date on the condition of Olivia’s car and how long it was going to take to do the repairs. She winced at the ballpark figure he guesstimated it was going to cost. She thanked him and hung up. She stared at her notes, then dialed her home phone number.

  Olivia picked up on the second ring. “Hello.”