“She was here on Friday,” he said.
“You treated her?”
He nodded. “And you know medical records are confidential.”
“Look, do you watch the news?” Tain asked. “Friday, a boy was beaten to death at Rocky Point Park.” He waited until the doctor nodded. “That girl is the older sister. We have reason to believe she’s another victim, and until now, we thought she might be dead. Can you at least confirm she’s still alive?”
“I’m not promising you that.” The doctor started walking down the hall, where there weren’t as many people. “Look, I treated her.”
“But?” Ashlyn prompted.
He drew a deep breath and glanced around before he spoke.
“I’d like to think she’s still alive…How was the boy killed? Internal injuries caused from a severe beating?”
“The blow to the back of his head killed him first,” Ashlyn said.
“And if it hadn’t, without proper treatment he would have died from the internal damage? Hell, even with proper treatment he might have died?”
Tain glanced at Ashlyn and nodded.
“Then there are no guarantees that girl is still alive.”
“But you let her walk out of here?” Ashlyn asked.
“I didn’t let her do anything. I left to consult with the staff about her case. We were waiting on X-rays, but I suspected we’d find a history of old injuries suggesting long-term abuse.”
“Why?”
The doctor nodded at a nurse scurrying by, then looked at Tain. “You ever pick up a kid you know is being beaten? You know that look. I see it in your eyes. Some stuff you can’t run from, can’t change. A lot of people who work here have to shut off from it because it’s too much. I used to work in Toronto. Patch them up, send them out until they get stabbed or shot again. Here, we just send them home and let them be used as punching bags, and there’s not a damn thing we can do about it.”
“Look, I know you can’t give us her file,” Ashlyn said. “But we’ve been looking for her for days. If there’s anything you can tell us, unofficially, that might be helpful…” She shrugged.
“My suspicions were correct. And she hadn’t just been beaten. She’d been stabbed. When she came in, she had a pair of track pants wrapped around the wound, and she had the knife. I scolded her for pulling it out, but she said she hadn’t, just that when she’d grabbed the pants the knife was there.” He shook his head. “That was all she said. She wouldn’t tell me what happened. I left that room for ten minutes and she managed to sneak out.” He nodded down the hall, at the staff bustling from room to room, patients being wheeled down the hall for tests, X-rays, or to be taken to long-term care. “Hard to believe anyone can leave unnoticed around here.”
“Actually, that’s why it’s easy to get out. What’s one more person?” Tain said. “Look, I’m not trying to jump down your throat. You’re busy and you’re doing your best, but you never reported this?”
“When I came back there were two police officers talking to the nurses. Honestly, I thought that’s why they were here.”
Tain looked at Ashlyn and saw her jaw clench. “That’s why they were supposed to be here.” He passed the doctor his card. “Thanks. If you think of anything else…”
The doctor nodded. “Sure.”
Tain followed Ashlyn to the car. “How many donut shops can there be in Port Moody?” he asked.
“Not donuts. Starbucks.”
It was close, and when they arrived they could see the cop cars outside.
After he got out of the vehicle he leaned down and looked inside. “You coming?”
She paused. “I’m not sure I trust myself.”
“It’s up to you.”
Ashlyn undid her seat belt and followed him.
Parker was laughing with his partner, but when he saw Tain and Ashlyn he reached for his cup and drained whatever was left of his beverage. When he set it down he wasn’t smiling. “Time for us to go,” he said as he stood.
“Leaving so soon?” Tain asked.
Parker looked at Bennett, who stood and glanced at Ashlyn, then Tain, then settled on looking at the floor. “We’re a bit busy this morning,” Parker said.
“I can see that.”
Parker was sitting by the window, and Tain was standing directly in his path. Unless he wanted to crawl under the table Parker couldn’t get out without Tain moving. “Excuse me,” Parker said.
“Not so fast. The other day Constable Sims sent you to Eagle Ridge Hospital to do a routine check for Shannon Reimer.”
From the corner of his eye he could see Bennett look up. Parker’s scowl deepened. “So?”
“You learn anything helpful?”
“If we had we would have told you.”
“How hard did you look?”
“I did my job.”
“You checked on anyone without ID.”
Parker was standing nose to nose with Tain. “Nobody matching Shannon’s description was admitted.”
“What about anyone treated and released? Or being treated while you were there?”
“Get out of my way.”
“Or what? You’ll make me get out of your way?”
Parker pushed him, hard. Caught off guard, Tain bumped into Ashlyn, who grabbed his arm.
“I told you to move,” Parker said. “Next time, I won’t ask twice.”
Ashlyn let go of Tain and stepped forward to keep Parker from leaving. “He asked you a question.”
Parker sneered. “Listen, sweetie, I don’t answer to you either.” He looked her up and down. “You looked better the other day. He must be running you ragged.”
Ashlyn smacked Parker on the face so hard he twisted away from her. She used his momentum to grab his arm and pushed him facedown on the table. “I don’t like your insinuations, your attitude and I don’t like you, Parker. But on this case, I’m in charge. You had a job to do and you were asked a question. You either answer it, or I’m off to chat with your commanding officer.” She let go of him.
Parker’s face was as red as a Santa suit. He shoved Ashlyn into Tain, hard, and while Tain tried to steady himself and Ashlyn, Parker barreled past them to the door. His partner followed.
“You okay?” Tain asked.
“I will be after we see that son of a bitch’s boss.”
After Ashlyn had left the house, Craig had gone downstairs. He’d folded the blankets she’d left on the couch and set them with the spare pillow she’d used, made tea and pulled out the Harrington case folders.
Hours later, he had to admit that most of the loose ends of the case had been tied off nicely. Donny Lockridge’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. So were Lisa Harrington’s, but since it was her crowbar that was to be expected. Donny had legitimate access to the crowbar as well, his defense had countered. He had, after all, been the victim’s boyfriend and been hired by Lisa Harrington to do some work around the house and clean out the garage. His fingerprints were on all of the tools.
Donny and Hope had been seen arguing a few days before her murder.
And Donny’s alibi for the time of Hope’s murder had fallen through. He’d refused to provide another explanation for his whereabouts, raising suspicions he was involved.
The prosecution had established that Donny had access to the murder weapon. They’d also pointed out that Hope’s body had been moved from wherever she was murdered. The crime scene had never been found, and although Hope had been a slim, petite girl, it was still hard to believe her mother could have moved her alone.
The only other person with access to the blanket from Hope’s bed and the murder weapon was Hope’s younger sister, Destiny, and she’d only been six at the time.
Donny Lockridge had no alibi. Although no witnesses had seen him move the body, and there were no traces of DNA found in his vehicle, Donny had lost his temper on the stand. That fact, combined with his access to key physical evidence and Lisa’s testimony had been enough to persuade the
jury.
A locket Hope always wore had never been recovered, and it was assumed it was lost at the actual crime scene.
The other thing Daly and Bicknell had never explained was the DNA found under Hope’s fingernails. It didn’t match Donny Lockridge, and it was clearly not from someone Hope Harrington was related to. The defense argued that it suggested someone other than Lockridge had killed Hope.
The prosecution had countered by pointing out the severity of the crime. It was personal, they argued. Hope played sports at school. She could have tripped and grabbed a friend, and accidentally cut them with a fingernail. Since the defense could not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the DNA got on Hope during her murder, they couldn’t use it to exonerate their client.
Craig leaned back in his chair. It had been circumstantial, but it still sounded solid. He’d been through half the interview notes and found nothing to suggest there was another viable suspect. Lisa Harrington’s testimony had sealed Lockridge’s fate. According to her, Hope had decided to end their relationship just days before her murder. Donny had been angry and had hit Hope. Lisa thought he was just upset and that he’d get over it. She said she always thought Donny was a “good kid.”
Lisa had cried on the stand and blamed herself.
The profile that had been put together on Lockridge pegged him as an average kid, destined for a blue-collar job. He didn’t have the grades for university or, as far as Craig could tell, the interest. Lockridge wasn’t a big guy, but he’d been fit and strong and done a lot of jobs involving manual labor. As far as the case against him went, they had motive, means and opportunity. The physical evidence was thin but not nonexistent.
Yet Donny Lockridge had persuaded a lawyer that he’d been railroaded and that there was a case against the RCMP, the prosecutor, everyone involved. What could Lockridge have that would persuade a lawyer like Smythe to take legal action? And why against the RCMP? As far as Craig could tell they’d followed the evidence. It wasn’t airtight, but it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors.
Unless Lockridge knew who had the missing locket or the source of the mystery DNA, Craig couldn’t even see grounds for an appeal. He leafed through the folders and eventually found what he was looking for. Donny Lockridge had appealed his conviction.
The appeal had been denied.
Craig took his mug to the kitchen and filled the kettle. As he plugged it in he heard a knock on the door.
His father was on the front step, and he didn’t wait to be invited in. Craig followed him down the hall, toward the living room, but Steve caught a glimpse of what was spread across the dining room table and stopped.
He picked up a photo of Hope Harrington and stared at it. The kettle whistled, and Craig went to the kitchen.
When Steve entered a moment later Craig reached for an upper cupboard. “Tea?”
“I want you to drop this.”
Craig let go of the cupboard door and turned around. “Why?”
“Is it really so hard for you to understand?”
“Do you have something to hide?”
“How can you even ask me that?”
“Then what difference does it make if I check the files or if someone else does? It’s still the same truths or lies that will be found.”
Steve’s face lengthened. Not much, but paired with how his shoulders sagged it was noticeable. He turned away from Craig and then walked over to the counter and picked up the bottle. “You’re drinking?”
“Don’t start.”
For a moment, Steve stood looking at the bottle, then set it down. “Seems there’s nothing I can say to you.”
“That’s on you. If there was nothing to hide I can’t imagine why you’d be upset about this. Even if Zidani took me off, someone else would be ordered to go over these files. I already have. I still have to find Ted Bicknell—”
Steve looked up then. “You haven’t talked to J.T.?”
“J.T.?”
“His first name is John.”
Craig hadn’t pulled their service records. In part, because he’d hoped his dad would tell him whatever it was he needed to know so that he wouldn’t have to go digging.
“That’s what I still need to do. Talk to Ted, talk to you.”
Steve turned abruptly and headed for the door. Craig followed him. “I think it would be a good idea for you to stay away from your old partner. It looks bad enough that you aren’t cooperating—”
“I’m doing what I have to do.” Steve turned and pointed a finger at Craig. “There are some things that should be left alone, and this is one of them.”
“So you are trying to keep yourself out of trouble?”
Steve shook his head. “The only thing I’m trying to protect is you.” He yanked the door open and walked out.
Ashlyn and Tain hadn’t even reached their desks or taken their coats off before Zidani appeared in their work area, the cantankerous glare back in place.
“My office. Now.” Then he paused and pointed at Ashlyn. “Just you.”
As soon as he was out the door Ashlyn pulled off her coat and tossed it over her chair.
“Don’t have too much fun without me,” Tain said.
“I’ll try not to.”
When she arrived at Zidani’s office he wasn’t waiting at the desk. He had his hand on the door and as soon as she was inside he slammed it. “What the hell happened this morning? I’ve just had a call from the Port Moody police.”
She rubbed her forehead. “Parker and his partner were sent to Eagle Ridge Hospital as part of the canvas, to make sure Shannon Reimer hadn’t gone there. They only looked at anyone admitted. Shannon was treated Friday afternoon.”
Zidani grunted. “At least we know she’s not dead.”
“Actually, we don’t know that. The injuries were consistent with a severe beating, and she’d been stabbed. The doctor left to discuss the case with a colleague and we know how overworked nurses are. Shannon snuck out.”
“You have her file?”
Ashlyn shook her head. “Legally, our hands are tied here. With the Reimers already having a lawyer on the case, it could take days to get the records. The doctor did tell us he suspected long-term abuse.” She thought about what he’d said to Tain about the look in his eyes. “He hinted that the X-rays had supported that conclusion.”
Zidani sighed. “What you’re saying is, if they hadn’t messed up, we might have found her.”
“Worse. The doctor said when he returned about ten minutes after leaving Shannon, she’d disappeared, but there were two police officers talking to the nurses. We double-checked. If these guys had done their jobs we could have had Shannon on Friday afternoon. The reason we figured it out was because Tain checked up on the address where the 911 call came from.”
“Eagle Ridge Hospital.”
She nodded. “Can you imagine how long she must have been there for, waiting for treatment? And we still managed to get officers there in time to practically cross paths with her. If they hadn’t messed up, if they’d done their job properly…”
“Christ, what a mess.” He sank into his chair. “None of this changes the fact that you got physical with Parker.”
“Not before he pushed Tain.”
“So you let Tain get in his face and get him angry, and basically accuse him of incompetence.”
“He’s worse than incompetent. Parker’s reckless and he’s a sexist asshole.”
Zidani pointed at a chair, and she sat down. “Makes me wonder why you partner with Tain.”
“He’s a good cop. I know he gives other people a hard time, but that’s not how he is with me.”
“So that’s all that matters to you? If you don’t have a problem with somebody, nobody else should?”
She was starting to wonder where this was going. “I didn’t say that. If Parker has a problem with women, it’s his problem, but if I’m in charge of an investigation and he’s working on it, I expect him to do his job. And I don’t think that’s too much
to ask.”
Zidani nodded and leaned back in his chair. “So what do you want to do about Parker?”
“I don’t want him on this investigation.”
“You realize he’s filed a complaint against you.”
“What?”
“You deny hitting him?”
“Not for a second. He shoved Tain into me, and then…” She took a deep breath. “What’s going to happen now?”
“Nothing. I already told his commanding officer that Parker’s an arrogant asshole and a sexist pig. If you say it, you sound petty, even if it’s true. If I say it, it’s harder for him to argue with. It isn’t Parker I’m concerned about. It’s Byron Smythe.”
Her annoyance had produced some heat in her cheeks, but Ashlyn felt that dissipate. “What are you talking about?”
“Someone worked him over. Good. Bruised ribs, split lip, sprained wrist. And a dislocated knee.” He looked at her quietly for a moment. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
She closed her eyes for a moment. Craig…What have you done? “Smythe got physical with me at the mall.”
“When was this?”
“Saturday night.”
“So you kicked the shit out of him?”
She shook her head. “No. Just kicked him in the leg. I-I’m probably responsible for the knee injury. But the rest… It wasn’t me.”
Ashlyn rolled up her sleeves and Zidani was quiet for a moment as he looked at the bruises.
“Smythe grabbed you and you kicked him, and that’s all that happened?” He nodded at her, looking at her arms. “Did you show those bruises to Tain?”
“No. It happened Saturday night and yesterday we barely saw each other.”
“Nobody knows about this?”
“I didn’t broadcast it in the office, if that’s what you mean.”
Zidani picked up his phone, dialed and relayed instructions. Within minutes there was a knock at the door. A woman came in, carrying a camera case.
“Take your shirt off and let Lucy photograph you. If Smythe files a complaint it’s going to make this thing with Parker harder to shake off.”
The Frailty of Flesh Page 16