He drove the car to the far end of the parking lot and turned off the engine. He pushed his seat back. She sipped her coffee and looked out the side window, listening to him chewing and trying not to think about how hungry she was. She hated coffee without sugar but at least the liquid was filling her up a bit.
“Your friend doesn’t seem so friendly,” he said, scrunching up the wrapper after he’d finished eating. “Is her aunt really a cop?”
“Yes, but Dawn doesn’t talk about her much. I don’t think her aunt is very strict if that’s what you’re worried about. She’s always at work.” Vanessa supposed what she was doing was throwing Dawn under the bus but going along with Leo was easier than arguing with him. Leo had noticed Dawn on his own so she wasn’t responsible for that, at least. Anyway, it wasn’t like she and Dawn were even friends. She was just someone Emily felt sorry for and should never have let into their group. Chelsea had said the same thing.
“Where do they live?”
“I’m not sure. West end somewhere, on the lakefront,” said Vanessa.
“What’s her aunt’s last name?”
“Stonechild.” Vanessa remembered only because the name was so weird and she and Chelsea had had a good laugh about it. She felt Leo’s fingers running up and down her arm.
“You’re not jealous, are you, baby?”
“No, why would I be?”
“You know you’ll always be my number-one girl.”
She pursed her lips and nodded, letting her hair cover her face.
He leaned closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her toward him. His mouth was on hers and his tongue pushed her lips apart. She wondered if anyone could see them but knew Leo wouldn’t care if they did. After what felt like forever, but was more like ten minutes of his mouth on hers, he pulled away.
“Get in the back,” he said, “and take off your pants.”
“I don’t want —”
The slap across her face came out of nowhere and cut off the rest of her protest. “It doesn’t matter what you want or don’t want,” he said. “The sooner you figure that out the better. Tomorrow, I have a special surprise for you so let your mother know you’ll be home late for supper. Consider tonight the appetizer.”
Vanessa whimpered and pushed herself against the door as far away from him as she could get. Tears dripped onto the backs of her hands. Leo’s hand was once again on her arm, rubbing up and down.
“You have to do what I say, Vanessa. You’re my girl and that’s the way it’s going to be. I don’t want to hurt you, baby, but I’ll do what I need to do. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
“That’s my girl. Now, move into the back and get yourself ready for some fun.”
This time, she did what she was told without putting up a fight. She’d learned it was easier that way.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Kala poured coffee into her travel mug while chewing on a piece of toast. She could hear Dawn moving around upstairs and Taiku padding back and forth along with her between her bedroom and the bathroom. Kala smiled at the image and toasted another slice of bread while she waited for the two of them to come downstairs. She’d heard Dawn pacing in her room at 3:00 a.m. and needed to make sure she was okay before leaving for work.
“I thought you’d be gone by now,” said Dawn when she entered the kitchen.
Kala looked her over carefully. Dawn’s face was tired, with dark circles under her eyes. “Rough night?” Kala asked.
“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep.”
“Something on your mind?”
“Just school. I’ll be okay.”
“I’m here if you want to talk about anything.”
“I know.” Dawn walked over to the cupboard and pulled out the box of granola. “Aren’t you going to be late for work? You’ve usually left by now when you’re working on a serious case.”
“I wanted to see you since I made it home so late last night. I was with another officer and we got called to speak to a woman about an assault when we’d only just gotten into Ottawa. We ended up taking her to the hospital.”
“I got your text. No problem, Aunt Kala. Gundersund came by with Minnie after supper and we went for a long walk. He left after I got your message.”
“Well, I’m glad you weren’t alone all evening. I’m going to try to get home early today. All these overtime hours are wearing me out.”
“I don’t know how you do it. Have you made progress on the case?”
“Some. We’re piecing together the dead girl’s life and looking for a motive.”
“Well, I know you’ll find whoever did it. They should be locked away for a long, long time.”
“We have some way to go yet. I’ll see you after school. The weather forecast calls for sun and eighteen degrees today. Maybe we can get a fire going in the pit and cook supper à la Old West. Welcome in the first good spring day.”
“That’d be great.” Dawn’s phone pinged in her pocket.
“Expecting a message?” asked Kala.
“It’s probably Emily. She’s worried about a math test today.”
Kala spread peanut butter on her toast and held it in one hand while she grabbed her coffee. She stopped at the door and said, “Don’t forget to let Taiku out before you leave. I’ve already filled his bowls.”
Dawn gave her a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after him.”
Kala smiled at her. “I know you will. I never worry about you having my back.”
Dawn sat down at the table with her bowl of cereal and opened her phone message.
I’m outside.
She leapt up and leaned on the counter to look out the window. Her heart quickened as she scanned the back deck and lawn but she couldn’t see anyone. Pushing herself back from the counter, she thought for a moment about what she should do. Carry on to school as if she hadn’t read the message or go in search of him? Putting off the inevitable would only make the situation worse. Maybe she could get Fisher to leave before Kala found out. Decision made, she crossed the kitchen to the back door. “Come, Taiku. Let’s go for a walk.”
The sun was up, but the lawn and deck were wet with dew and the air held the overnight chill. She’d have to dress in layers if the day was going to warm up as Kala had said. Right now, she was happy for her heavy sweater. Taiku was sniffing around the deck and he growled low in his throat. He lifted his head and looked toward the back of the property before taking off toward the lake. She called his name and raced after him, worried about what he’d do.
Scrambling down the incline to the water, she found Taiku standing with his fur on end and growling. He was several feet from her dad, who was sitting on the rocks looking out at the lake. She scrambled across the rocky beach to Taiku and grabbed him by the collar. “Good boy,” she said and petted his side until she felt him relax under her hand. She walked closer to Fisher, all the while keeping a grasp on Taiku’s collar. “What are you doing here, Dad?” she asked, then stopped short when he finally turned and she caught sight of his face. She raised the side of her fist to her mouth. “What happened to you?”
“I got into a slight altercation.”
“Why?”
“I owe a bit of money to some unforgiving men. They decided to let me know how much they want it back.” His smile disappeared into the folds of his swollen cheek.
“How much do you owe them?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m handling the problem.”
She climbed the last distance between them and sat down a few feet away. Taiku sniffed Fisher’s open hand and let him rub the ruff around his neck before going off to explore the shoreline.
“Have you been to a doctor?”
“I’m fine, Dawn. Don’t worry yourself.”
She picked up a stone and used the sharp edge of it to scrape across a larger rock. “Where did you sleep last night?”
He waved toward the woods. “I’ve got a nice spot set up. I brought my sleepi
ng bag, and the weather is turning. It’s good to sleep outside again. The stars were brilliant last night. Haven’t seen them so clear in a long time. Say, I wonder if you could fill my water bottle before you go to school.”
She nodded and took it from him. “I could get you some food too.”
“No need … but I wouldn’t say no.”
“How long will you be staying? The thing is, Kala doesn’t know that we’ve been in touch, and I’m pretty sure she won’t be happy if she finds out. Mom doesn’t want me near you.”
“Yeah, I get it.” He looked back out across the lake. “I feel like I can breathe here. I’ll be glad to think of you in this place when I’m gone.”
He looked at her and she tried not to wince at his black-and-blue face. She asked again, “How long are you staying?”
“A few days. Just until I don’t look so beat-up. I’m going to catch a bus east and try my luck on the coast. Maybe find a place near the water and get hired onto a fishing boat.”
“That would be good.” He’d put distance between himself and whoever had hurt him so badly. Kala and her mom wouldn’t have to know.
“Yeah.” He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. “Been smoking since I was twelve. Might die with one of these cancer sticks in my mouth.”
“Have you tried to quit?”
“Not while I was inside. Would you like me more if I did?”
“You’d feel better.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. They’re like my security blanket.” He struck a match across a rock and lit the cigarette hanging from his bottom lip. “Don’t you start, though,” he added.
“I don’t intend to.” She wanted him to leave but couldn’t ask with him looking the way he did. Instead she said, “I’ll get the water but I have to go right afterward to catch my bus.”
“I’d come with you to the house but it hurts to walk. Couple of busted ribs and something not right with one of my legs.”
“You should rest.” She got to her feet. “Promise me you’ll stay out of sight.”
“Nobody else will know I’m here. Does Kala own this place?”
Something in his voice made her wary. “I’m not sure but I know she was renting.”
“Well, she seems to be doing okay for herself.”
Taiku raced ahead of Dawn to the house. She filled the water bottle, made two sandwiches with leftover chicken, and put them into a bag with an apple and a banana. She went up to the bathroom and wrapped a couple of aspirin inside a tissue before grabbing a washcloth, soap, and a towel. She’d find out what else he needed and bring it to him after school.
Gundersund watched Kala walk into the makeshift meeting room at the back of the main office and take a seat next to Bennett. He enjoyed watching her confident, long-legged strides as she crossed a room. He knew that he wasn’t alone by the heads lifting and faces turning to watch her make her way. She attracted their eyes like moths to a flame. He wasn’t a spiritual man, but since he’d met her, he could acknowledge the existence of another plane. An intuitive, otherworldly layer that couldn’t be seen or explained — a sixth sense that hinted at more than their physical reality. Judging by the reaction of people in crisis when she spoke with them, they felt it too. He pulled his gaze away from her and surveyed the others. Fatigue lined their faces, but not despair. Not yet. They were still working on the initial hit of adrenaline, confident they would find the puzzle piece that would set them on course to discovering why and how Nadia Armstrong had died — and in his bones, he believed Stonechild was right. This wasn’t a simple suicide. Somebody was covering up their part in her death.
Rouleau entered the space and joined Gundersund at the front of the room. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Everything okay?”
“Ellington wanted an update.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to update him after our debrief?”
“It was the only opening he had until four o’clock, when we’re meeting up again.” Rouleau shot him a quick grin before turning to face the team. “Good morning, everyone. I’m hoping you made some progress yesterday. Who wants to go first?”
Morrison raised her hand and filled them in on her trip to Ottawa and the meeting with Faz. “So Nadia wasn’t averse to raising money through soliciting when required, but apparently she gave it up when she met an older man, whom Faz believes could be Hugo’s father.” She looked at Kala. “Did I leave anything out?”
“We don’t think Faz was involved in her death. He was genuinely shocked to learn she’d died.”
“He could have been acting,” said Woodhouse.
“Then he deserved an Academy Award,” said Morrison. “If you’d been with us, you’d have seen how genuinely distressed he was. He almost passed out.”
“Maybe it was because you tracked him down and he was worried about getting caught.” Woodhouse held up both hands. “I’m not saying he killed her but I don’t think we should cross anyone off based on a feeling. Especially not this Faz guy, who did drugs with her in the past and then was replaced. You just said he was still trying to get back with her.”
“Agreed we shouldn’t be too hasty,” Stonechild conceded. She glanced at Morrison as if to say, let it go. “I also found out from Nadia’s brother-in-law, Peter Billings, that the reason she moved to Kingston was that she took her clothes off and propositioned him and he told her to leave. He doesn’t believe her sister Lorraine knew.”
“But she might have?” asked Rouleau.
“It’s possible. Women have a way of finding these things out.”
“Tell me about it,” said Woodhouse.
“What, one of your blow-up dolls discover she has a rival?” asked Bedouin.
“Very funny. I notice you never mention a significant other.” Woodhouse’s voice rose above the laughter. “In fact, it looks like none of you can keep a relationship together.”
The laughter died. Gundersund thought Woodhouse had landed on a truth that hit painfully close to home for most, if not all of them. Himself, for certain.
“My wife might be offended by that statement,” said Bedouin. “Twenty-six years of wedded bliss and counting.”
“Twenty-six years of the old ball and chain more like.”
Rouleau sighed and said, “Okay, let’s get back to work. Woodhouse, what did you find out from the latest door-to-door?”
“Nothing of consequence.”
“I have something,” said Bennett, ignoring the look Woodhouse shot him. “I got a call late yesterday from Mrs. Greenboro.”
“The old woman across the hall from Nadia’s apartment?” asked Woodhouse.
“Yeah. I’d have asked you to come along but thought it might be a waste of time after our first encounter.” He looked at Rouleau. “Mrs. Greenboro refused to say much of anything when we first got her to open her door.”
Woodhouse tapped his temple with two fingers. “Loony-tunes.”
“She was lucid and more forthcoming the second time around. She told me that the building’s owner, Murray Simmons, was dropping by two nights a week and spending half an hour to an hour in Nadia’s apartment each visit.”
All eyes were on him now. “What did Mrs. Greenboro think was going on?”
“She seemed certain that they were having sex. I checked and Murray Simmons is married with three young kids. A good reason to want Nadia silenced if they had a falling out.”
Rouleau said, “Combined with her previous soliciting, a sexual relationship with a married man isn’t too big a stretch. He might even be the older man she was seeing in Ottawa. Woodhouse, bring Murray Simmons in for an interview. Gundersund, arrange to have Jeff brought in at the same time and make Murray aware of his brother’s presence in the station. Maybe we can shake the pair of them enough to get at the truth.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“You should have told me that you were going back to speak to the old lady,” Woodhouse said as he pulled into the Mortimer Construction parking lot. It figured Simmo
ns was in construction in addition to being a slumlord.
“I thought of calling you,” said Bennett, “but you were already on your way home for the day and I had no idea if she’d have anything of value to share. I didn’t want to kill your evening if it was a wild goose chase.”
Woodhouse glanced at him, trying to determine whether he was blowing smoke. Bennett was staring straight ahead. If Bennett was telling the truth, Woodhouse was sure he’d have met his eyes squarely. “You better not be working to raise your profile at the expense of mine.”
“Now why would I do that?” Bennett finally turned his head to stare at him.
“Because you’re a dumb fuck.” Woodhouse got out of the car and didn’t wait for Bennett before walking into Mortimer Construction’s headquarters. If there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was disloyalty in uniform. He’d been given a worse time than he was giving Bennett, but he’d always toed the line. Well, except for feeding information to Marci Stokes, but that was a long game that his old partner, Ed Chalmers, had condoned. Senior management likes us to make use of the press but they can’t very well come out and say so, now can they, Woody? Chalmers’s words replayed in his head, giving him absolution.
Murray Simmons was standing behind the counter talking to a woman. Woodhouse called him over and held up his badge. He heard Bennett open the door behind him. “We’re here to take you to the station for a chat about Nadia Armstrong. We need you to elaborate on your initial statement.”
“I’m busy. Can’t it wait?”
“No. No, it can’t.”
Simmons looked at the woman, exasperation written all over his face. He was about to say something but thought better of it. “Tell Harold I’ll be gone for a few hours. Reschedule my eleven o’clock for after lunch.”
He followed them at a distance to the car. Woodhouse stopped and looked at Bennett and made sure he was staring back before tossing him the car keys. “You can drive. I’ve got some texts to answer on our way in.” He opened the back door and asked as Simmons ducked his head to slip past, “So, what is it you do in the office, exactly?”
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