by Wayne Purdy
“How have you been keeping?” Her mother said, expressing a rare show of tact and changing the subject.
“We’re both fine.” Hazel made to go around her mother, but she caught her daughter by the arms and held them in her own strong hands. The contact nearly made Hazel cry. She hadn’t been in her mother’s arms in years. She hadn’t felt anything like affection from her in even longer. Her mother had always been a cold woman. Affection was weak, and she was anything but weak.
Slowly, she ran her hands down to Hazel’s wrists and hiked up her sleeves. She ran her fingers along the scars, tracing them from top to bottom, and back again, like a blind woman reading braille, but the words were only desperation, sadness and despair. She studied the tattoos covering the scars as if she were studying a Picasso. They were a collage of bright colors, a flowery garden on a human canvas.
“Nothing can cover the ugly up. No beauty can ever make it go away,” she said, still fingering the raised ridges of the scars. “It would have been better if you had died.”
Hazel choked back a sob, but the tears running down her cheeks betrayed her.
◆◆◆
An hour later, they were back in their own apartment. Jamie had a lot of questions and Hazel did her best to give her some answers. Enough to sate the curiosity of a child without exposing herself, without having to explain herself. Jaime wanted to know why she didn’t know her grandmother. She wanted to know why Hazel was crying. Jaimie turned on the television, and put on her show, something about an animated pig. Hazel went into the kitchen, put a pot on to make a cup of tea when she noticed it, and her stomach lurched. Above the fridge, the Dream Jar’s lid was screwed off and all the money was gone.
“Oh, Eddie. What did you do?”
9
Hector
The knock on my door was unconscionably loud and woke me. I checked the alarm, it read 7:34 am. “Who is it?” I muttered.
“Open up, Heck,” an angry voice called from the other side. “Its Zaki.”
I groaned. What did he want? I was still in boxers and a tee and judging from the increasingly obtrusive knocks, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to change. I lumbered towards the door and checked through the peep hole. Zaki’s angry, frowning face appeared before me in a fish-lens. He was unhappy. “Hold on,” I said, unlocking the chain and letting him in. He didn’t wait, barging in as soon as a sliver was available. “Jesus,” I said, annoyed. “Take it easy.”
“I told you, Heck,” he said, planting a finger into my chest. “I told you. You were eyes only on this. What part of that didn’t you understand?”
Shit. What did he know? “What are you talking about?”
“I got an interesting call from Bob Nowak. He told me that you went to the base and asked questions.”
I had no choice but to come clean. “I did. I didn’t see the harm in it.”
“Are you kidding me right now? This is an active police investigation. I could bring you in on obstruction charges.”
“You could try. I’m not obstructing anything, and I’m not mucking around in an active investigation. Gracie Telford is a cold case. Remember?” I didn’t tell him about my visit with Irene Telford. I had a hunch it wouldn’t go well.
Zaki’s nostrils flared and a vein on his forehead throbbed. He wanted to take a swing at me. “I asked you in on this as a courtesy. I know how close you were to the Telford file. I know what it cost you.”
“That’s all I was doing,” I said, keeping my voice even. Zaki’s temper was rising. It would do no good if we both came at this hot. “I had some holes in my notes, I hoped that Cutler could help me fill them in.”
The colour faded from Zaki’s face, and he calmed down. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. “Did he?”
“He wouldn’t even see me.”
Zaki stared at me, waiting for me to add more. “That’s what Nowak said too.” Zaki was trying to catch me in a lie, but I wouldn’t take the bait.
“I chatted with Nowak for a few minutes too. Mostly small chat. He didn’t have anything to add.” Zaki kept his gaze on me. “He hinted that there was more going on with Gracie then he could say. Something classified.”
He pressed his lips into a tight line and rubbed his temples. “May I sit?”
“Make yourself comfortable.”
He dropped his bulk into an old chair, and it groaned in protest. “He said as much to me. Wouldn’t elaborate. Said I’d need a warrant but even that might not do much. Its classified. National security.”
Zaki wouldn’t meet my eyes. There was something that he wasn’t telling me.
“Got any coffee?” He was changing the subject, and it wasn’t subtle. I would have told him to go to hell, but my caffeine headache was gnawing at the coils of my brain, demanding to be fed. Reluctantly, I filled the machine with water and added some ground coffee into a fresh filter and flicked the machine on. It whirred to life and the aroma of coffee filled the room. I put the milk and sugar on the table as well as a pair of unmatched mugs.
“What’s the next move?”
“I served the warrant anyway, but I’m not hopeful. I suspect the redacted report that I already got is the most I’ll get.”
The coffee finished percolating. I set the decanter onto the table, and Zaki poured himself a mug. He took a pull. “What did Nowak want?” He didn’t call just to snitch on me. What would be the point?
“He called off the record. Said he had two names. Guys who were both in Afghanistan during Telford’s murder and live near enough to have done the new killing too.”
“Does either one look good for it?”
“Don’t know yet. One lives in Markham. The other in Port Hope.”
“Will you keep my informed?”
Zaki glared at me. “Why should I?
He took another drink from his coffee, slurping it noisily as he did. The sounds grossed me out, but I pushed down the urge to react. It wasn’t the best time to antagonise the man.
“Like you said, I have an interest in the case,” I tapped my patch, driving the point home.
Zaki inclined his head. “I can’t do that,” he said slowly. “But if you happen to ask more questions in the Gracie Telford murder, I’ll look the other way. It’s a cold case anyway. Hell, it’s so cold it’s frozen, and it’s not my jurisdiction. It didn’t even happen in this country. Just don’t do anything to jeopardise the new case, and any information you get finds its way to me. Promptly,” he added.
My chest expanded. This was Zaki’s way of tacitly letting me in on the case. He had to have swallowed his pride to let me in. It was the opening I needed. “I understand.”
“Look, one dead tranny isn’t a priority. I got other cases on my plate. Higher priority cases. I don’t have the time or resources to chase this one down, but I have a personal interest in this one too.”
“How so?”
“I got it wrong. I don’t like being wrong.”
I went to the counter and grabbed my notebook. I flipped it open to a fresh page, skipping past the updated interview with Irene Telford. “What were the names of the two new suspects? The ones Nowak told you about?”
Zaki leaned forward. “Can’t tell you,” he said, a lop-sided smirk pasted on his face. “This is a one-way street, Heck. I can’t give you anything. I got my knuckles rapped once because of you.”
“I’m sorry, Zaki. You know how it is when you’re chasing down a case. The tunnel vision you get?”
“I know it.”
“It feels good. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the hunt.”
“Then hunt away,” he said, then added a warning, “but don’t fuck this up. I’m serious.” Zaki drained his mug and plopped it back onto the table. He ran his hands along its surface, as though he were sweeping away imaginary crumbs. “I don’t know why I keep sticking my neck out for you.”
“Must be my winning personality.”
He didn’t respond, as he let himself out.
I was energised. I hadn’t
felt this good in a long time. Zaki gave a long leash, and I meant to use it. I did my exercises. I couldn’t afford a gym membership, but I could train just as easily at home. Each morning, I did a battery of sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups, and repeated the reps for an hour. At the end, I was drenched in sweat, and my limbs were shaky, but I felt good.
I jumped into the shower and then dressed for the day, opting for a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. I called Nowak. “Bob. Its Heck Collins. You free for lunch? My treat?”
There was a slight pause. “Sounds good,” he said. “Pick me up at noon?”
◆◆◆
A chain link fence ran around the perimeter of the Denison Armoury. On the other side sat several decommissioned military vehicles on concrete pads. The army had decided they made good lawn ornaments, a tank, a jeep, a landing craft. There was even a plane mounted to a post, pantomiming take-off, but never achieving it. A Canadian flag flapped in the breeze.
I pulled over near the front door of the base and waited for Nowak. The guard on duty smartly saluted and I saw Cutler walking out. Mercifully, he didn’t glance my way as he headed towards the parking lot. Its best if I avoid the old man as much as possible for now. I’m not easily intimidated, but he made me nervous. The man wasn’t my commanding officer anymore, but he still held some power over me. Moments later, he drove by, driving a dark blue Cadillac Escalade. I quickly removed my notepad from my breast pocket and wrote down the plate number. I saw Nowak scanning, looking for me, and I flashed my high beams. He trotted over and climbed in.
“What is this?” he asked, marvelling at the technological wonder that was Macy.
“It’s a Volkswagen Thing.”
“And you really drive it? On purpose,” he said, laughing.
“Its an acquired taste. Where do you want to go?”
“There’s a good Thai place on Dufferin. Its only a couple minutes away. They’ve got a great lunch special.”
“Sounds good to me.” I pulled out of the base and followed his directions. It was a little restaurant in a strip mall, sandwiched between a bank and a dry cleaner. There was another storefront on the end. Its windows were blacked out and a for lease sign hung from the front door. It used to be a convenience store, its sign was long gone, but the ghostly remains lingered, the negative space of the missing letters hung around like a guest overstaying her welcome. We pulled into an empty parking space and went inside. The greeter led us to an empty booth in a corner. She seemed to know Nowak. “You come here often?”
“Like I said, they’ve got a good lunch special.” He patted his stomach, as if to blame the restaurant for his expanding berth. He was stocky, but in good shape. The waitress took our orders. Nowak ordered a Stella and the chicken Pad Thai. I had the same. After she brought our beers, he spoke. “I think I owe you an apology.”
“How’s that?” I said, taking a healthy pull from my beer stein.
“I called Zaki Hosani yesterday. Mentioned you. He seemed a little miffed.”
“Just a misunderstanding. We worked it out this morning.”
“Good to know. So, I’m sure you didn’t ask me to lunch because of my company. What’s on your mind?”
“Zaki mentioned that you gave him two possible suspects. I was hoping you could pass the names on to me too.”
Nowak raised an eyebrow. “I thought you two worked it out?”
“We did. He gave me the go ahead to keep looking into this on my own, but he can’t give me anything. I guess the brass don’t like it.”
“No skin off my nose,” Nowak said. The waitress brought us our meals. He tucked in ravenously. “This is strictly off the record. Cutler would have my balls if he found out I was helping you.” His mouth was full of noodles. I ignored the sounds coming out of his mouth.
“This won’t get you into trouble, will it?”
“Only if Cutler finds out, and I’m not telling him, are you?”
“Mum’s the word,” I said, pretending to zip my lips shut.
“Zaki already has the names anyway. It just gives you a jump on it, is all.”
“True enough,” I took out my notepad. And waited for the names. Irwin Bobb from Markham, and Hernan Estes, Port Hope. I would be paying both gentlemen a visit in the very near future.
“I can’t do much, because so much of it is classified, but I hope these names will help.”
“Why is it classified?”
“Don’t know. It’s above my pay grade,” he said, pushing noodles around on his plate. “Probably because of her role as an intelligence analyst. Gracie came into contact with a lot of secrets.”
“Do you remember if she had a boyfriend?”
He paused, thinking. “A boyfriend? I don’t think so. As I understand it, she was the town pump, if you get my meaning.”
“She was promiscuous, you mean.”
“And not very discerning. She would let anyone have a go.”
“Did you?”
He stared daggers at me. “I was involved with her only professionally. My job was to help her be the best soldier she could be. She was troubled. She had self-destructive habits, sexually, but I never hurt her. I only wanted to make her better.”
I put my hands up in a defensive gesture. “Okay. Okay. I had to ask. Dot the tees and cross the ayes.”
“Sorry. I know Gracie stuck with you all these years. She has me too. I failed her before you ever did. I really wanted to make her a better soldier. A better person.”
He spoke with a raw sincerity. I believed him. We finished off our lunches in silence. I glanced at my watch. “When do you have to be back?”
“Cutler left before I did. He’ll be taking a liquid lunch. It happens more often these days.”
“What’s going on with him?”
“I admire the man. He’s brilliant, but these last few months have been hard. He’s pissed off all the time. Its like walking through a minefield just talking to him. You can’t know what will set him off.”
“You mentioned that he and his wife are getting a divorce-”
“I don’t know the details. Ellie is a good woman. I’ve gotten to know her a bit over the years. She puts up with a lot.”
“Like what?”
“The usual things a colonel’s wife puts up with; long hours, one-sided conversations, infidelity.”
“Infidelity?”
“Cutler always has a lady on the side. I think its easier to be intimate with someone if you’re not expected to make small talk after.”
“Are you sure its always a lady?”
“What do you mean?” He asked.
“Does he ever sleep with transsexuals?”
Nowak laughed. “I don’t think so. He’s a man’s man. Transsexuals? No. It would never happen. Not in a million years. He’s not,” Nowak paused, searching for the right word, “enlightened enough.”
“Does Mrs. Cutler know about the other women?”
“I can’t say. I know the marriage is rocky. I saw Ellie with a black eye once. She wore oversized sunglasses to cover it up, but it was obvious. She’s a proud woman, so I didn’t want to embarrass her by asking about it.”
I frowned. That’s what wife-beaters counted on; the wall of silence protecting their victims and themselves. No one ever wants to address the black and blue elephant in the room.
“He has a little apartment. I think he’s spending his nights there now. Not just one-night stands. He’s going to lose the fancy house in Rosedale if there’s a divorce.”
“Was that where he was when the other girl was killed?”
“Are you asking me if he has an alibi? Because I don’t know.”
“And what about you?” Do you have an alibi?”
His expression darkened for a moment but passed as quickly as a sun shower. “I told you. I was on furlough. I went home for my mother’s funeral.”
“That’s what you said.”
“But my word isn’t good enough?”
I put my hands out, palms
up. “It’s noting personal. Just being thorough.”
“I’ll email you copies of the roster and flight manifests from back then. Will that be enough?” He said it with bitterness, but then his voice softened. “I’m sorry. I know you’re just doing your job?”
“It’s nothing personal,” I said. “I’m just ruling you out.”
“I’ll send the documents this afternoon.”
“I appreciate that, Bob.” The list Nowak provided; Irwin Bobb and Hernan Estes wasn’t the complete list of men who were in Afghanistan and now live in or near the city. There was Frank Bello, currently living in Millhaven Penitentiary. there was me and Zaki. There was Nowak, who said he was on furlough during Gracie’s murder, and then there was Colonel James Cutler. The only ones I know for sure didn’t do it were me and Frank Bello. Probably not Zaki. James Cutler suddenly seemed a likely suspect, but I had to be sure. I was forbidden to talk to Cutler, but I could still narrow down the suspect list. It was time for me to check the other men’s alibis.
10
Hector
The next night I arrived for my shift downstairs to see Regards pacing back and forth. He was smoking a menthol cigarette. Regards only smoked when he was nervous. “All right?”
He didn’t notice my arrival and he flinched at the sound of my voice. “Heck!” He exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He dropped his cigarette and ground out the cherry.
“What’s going on?”
He opened the door and gestured with a tilt of his head, beckoning me to follow. I did, trying to quell the unease growing in my stomach. Regards had never done this before, and I was concerned something bad had happened. He briskly walked into his office, closing the door behind me. He did it so quickly that I felt like Indiana Jones rolling inside, except I wouldn’t have had time to grab my fallen, dusty fedora before it latched shut. Hazel was sitting at a chair across from his desk. Her body shook with quiet tears.
“He’s here,” Regards whispered.
Hazel looked up. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her mascara ran down her cheeks charting a map of her sorrow. “Hector. I don’t know what to do,” she said between blubbery sobs.