“Henry Mistraika? Okay, we’ll start there and work backward. I’ve just come from Arnold’s place, and was talking to him and Marion both. She mentioned your brief luncheon meeting with some guy whose name she didn’t know but when she described his truck it checked out with the one Arnold saw early this morning. Arnold had phoned me his plate number so I was able to get a name, and after a few phone calls my office crew was able to identify him as a back-to-the-land American immigrant from Michigan who moved here some thirty years ago and lives on a few acres of land about forty klicks southeast of the village, not very far from Robertson Mines. You’ve heard of the phrase ‘blood and soil’? Yeah, he’s one of those guys. Self-styled Nazi... not good. Off the record, he has been seen in the company of that Giordano fellow you mentioned, who is supposedly in charge of Robertson Mines ‘accommodation camp.”
“I hear that phrase “blood and soil” and it makes my frickin’ blood boil,” said Anderson.
“Well, he and another guy we don’t know yet were the ones checking things out with Arnold, of course and also with the bar staff at the Inn last night. The other guy is younger, it seems, and probably works at Robertson’s. There is likely a third guy involved because I don’t think Mistraika was in the bar when you were. Now, let’s talk about Hassam for a moment. As you know, I have him under guard at the hospital, and he does seem to be getting stronger although they still have him knocked out. But when he came to for a few moments very early this morning (before they knocked him out) he asked for two names: Anita, and Mr. Anderson. You’re not as pretty as Anita, Frank, but you must have made quite an impression in the few minutes you talked to him!”
It was Anderson’s turn to sit stone-faced, and Marjorie spoke up: “It’s about trust, John. I don’t have Wendy’s way with words, but I think the word I mean is “empathy”... I don’t know him nearly as much as I’d like, but from my perspective Frank is a walking definition of the word. Frank, it seems unfair to talk about you while you’re sitting there – or behind your back for that matter, but we do need to understand why Hassam – and others – reach out to you and I think that’s why.”
“I would agree. And as a cop, of course I must protect Frank, but right now I also need him, both for his empathy ‘cause we need to probe Hassan’s mind when he is able, and for his uncanny way of sensing what may be happening around us. So, Frank, I don’t have the right to put you under guard in a hospital but I would like you to take steps to remain safe. I haven’t even mention that you are my friend. And anyway, who would run this boat if we need it?”
“Arnold probably knows these people better than any of us... what does he say?”
“He wants John to lock you up in a safe place,” said Marjorie. “Marion called me when I was up at your house just now, and they are frantic – which is why she called me. I think you were still there, John?”
“Yes. I confess I was. And she said she was going to call and I didn’t say no. Sorry, Frank.”
Anderson took a long deep breath... and lit a smoke. “Okay. This whole affair is like a freaky big spider that has taken on a life of its own and managed to suck us all into its web. As a person who likes to stay a long way away from involvement, I would normally be looking for a way out, but I have also just discovered new friendships, emotions I didn’t know I had, and a sense that every now and then standing up and being counted is a good thing. And I confess that in a weird way, I’m having fun.
“So where do we go from here? I have no great urge to be shot, or even have the crap beat out of me by ugly men, but I am not sure if that’s on the cards anyway, as long as I live my life in a normal way until we get to the bottom of this. After all, I am pretty sure I’m not the main target... there are other agendas out there. What do you – both – suggest?”
“I think I know what Marjorie might say at the moment, but I’ll start. I agree that nobody is going to come after you in broad daylight, or when you are with friends, or working. I would worry mostly about your boat and your house at the moment, both of which I can put under guard for now and no one will ever know except you. I do think this is not going to last forever, but it may take some time. Marjorie?”
“I was going to suggest that Frank spend the nights at our island, but these folks have boats too, so I like your suggestion better. I’m glad you have access to staff, otherwise we’d all have to take turns sitting up at night with a baseball bat. I do know that under the present circumstances I am not going to Toronto this week.”
The sergeant got up and looked at Anderson. “There will be a plain clothes and armed officer hanging around your house and the dock 24-7 beginning at about 18:00 hrs tonight. He (or she) will introduce themselves to you each day, and if the neighbours ask what the hell, just say that you have someone doing some work on your stuff. It would be best if you did not lock the boat cabin or the house and shop, so they can go in and out during the times you are not there. I hope that’s okay, Frank?”
Anderson got up and shook his hand. “Sure. And thank you for your concern. And don’t forget to keep me in the loop – I’ll try to pull my weight!”
“You always do. See you both later – Marjorie, please say hello to Wendy for me, and if you do go to Toronto, take care down there. It may seem like it’s safer in the city than out here in the sticks, but really... it’s not. We only have a few idiots out here... in the city they have bunches! Glad I ain’t a city cop.”
And with that, the sergeant was gone. Anderson walked over to Marjorie and took both her hands. “I’m awfully fond of you, and it will take some time for me to get used to someone who matters and who actually worries about me. And I feel suddenly very weary. Could I suggest we shut down this boat and the radar project and go to the house and a good glass of wine? Notice I said ‘good glass of wine’ not ‘glass of good wine’, but it’ll have to do.”
She smiled and kissed him gently. “Let’s.”
***
Wendy had joined them at the house at about five o’clock, importing with her a (warm) cooler full of Chinese and Thai food. “Hope you like Asian food. Marjorie and I do and there’s a place in Maple Falls that does it well for take-out. I figured you folks would be just as happy to eat in this evening... I expect it’s been a long day. And is that wine I see over there? Love those kids, but a glass or two of wine looks like the perfect antidote!”
Anderson grinned: “Hi Wendy, yes, indeed I love Thai food especially, but Chinese too if it ain’t too weird. Got to watch out what you order in Vancouver or you get floating turtles and stuff! And yes, wine, but I’m going to head uptown and get some more. We just about killed off this bottle.”
“Give me your keys, Sis, and I’ll go get it. You two haven’t even had a chance to get to know each other.”
Anderson poured a glass for Wendy and they sat down at the table. He told her a little about the day, and last night, and warned her that they would be interrupted at some point by his new prison guard. Wendy laughed appropriately, but suddenly turned serious: “I am so glad. Marjorie is my strength, and always seems so calm and strong, but she was up most of last night worrying about you, and sounds like things got even worse today. Marj was ready to kidnap you and take you with us to the city, although she knew that wasn’t in the cards. She adores you, you know that don’t you?”
Anderson sat quiet for a moment. “Yes, Wendy, I guess I can sense that. I’ve never known anyone such a short time that somehow feels like a lifetime. She fills my thoughts, something that has totally taken me by surprise. Marjorie is very special.”
“Yes, she is, and I am all at once thrilled for her and jealous of you... we have always been very close – not lovers, just very close – and now I have to share her. But she deserves this, and you’re a pretty good guy so I think we’ll all get along!”
“I forgot to tell you, Wendy, that good old sergeant John said especially to say hi. You must have made an impression on him the other day... I think he was blown away by the “commun
ications” exercise at Maple Falls. Kept muttering about how the hell come the OPS can’t get someone like you!”
“Yes, he’s a pretty cool guy. Not at all what I expected from a senior cop. And his daughter was a hoot... she sure loves her dad. Reminds me a bit of the way I was with my dad. What’s his wife like?”
“He doesn’t have one of those. I think she died several years ago. He hasn’t talked about it, but then really, I hardly know him. In a short time, though, he has become a good friend.”
Marjorie drove up and joined them with a couple of bottles of wine. The three of them stuffed themselves on the food and drained one of the bottles of wine over the next couple of hours. Anderson took some time to greet the OPS officer at 18:00 as promised, introduced him to the sisters, showed him around the shop and then walked with him down to the boat. They decided he should park his unmarked SUV by the shop, facing the dock so he had a place to sit when he wasn’t walking around and could still see any activity or strange lights at the dock.
Wendy left at about eight o’clock and drove back to the B&B. Marjorie looked at him coyly – a look he hadn’t seen from her – and said, “you don’t have a nice big sofa like we do at the island, so let’s take a glass of wine and go to bed, okay?”
Anderson could feel himself blush. “That sounds like a good idea. A wonderful idea, actually.” She headed into the corner of the big room that served as his bedroom, and began to fuss with blankets and pillows while he opened the second bottle and poured two glasses. He locked the main door and the one to the shop and turned off all the lights except the bathroom light in the opposite corner, and carried the two glasses over to the bed. Marjorie had puffed up the pillows and was sitting on the side of the bed. He put a glass on the lone bedside table on his side and leaned across on one knee to hand her a glass. While he was at it, he kissed the top of her head gently and then turned to sit down against the pillows. She took a sip and handed her glass back to him and put up one finger, touching his nose then her lips. With both hands free she got up, unzipped and slid off her jeans, then knelt on the bed facing him and unpinned her hair, letting it fall onto her shoulders. She motioned for a sip of wine, gave him back the glass and unbuttoned her blouse which she wriggled out of and dropped to the floor. She pulled the blanket over her legs and faced him full on again and took the wine glass. She motioned to him, whispered “your turn,” and took another sip.
Anderson was speechless, but he got the message. He stood up, kicked off his shoes and socks, undid and stepped out of his blue jeans and took off his buttoned shirt. He stopped for a moment at the T-shirt... then stripped it off over his head and sat down on the bed beside her, pulling part of the blanket up to his thighs. Marjorie looked openly – and admiringly – at his chest and shoulders, then reached up with one hand and unclipped her bra, shrugging it off her shoulders. One strap caught, and Anderson leaned toward her and guided it off her arm. As he brought his hand back he let it caress her right breast gently, then leaned down and kissed the nipple. She gasped slightly and held his head close with her free hand.
Anderson was shaking like a leaf, all over. He sat up on his knees, took her wine glass, and put it by his on the table. “Later” he mumbled, and took Marjorie’s head in both hands, kissing her forehead, cheeks and neck and finally full on her lips. That’s when the lightning began to flash; she opened her lips to his, grabbed him around the shoulders and squirmed her body around under him. When her breasts pressed against his chest, it was as if he blacked out, awakening briefly in short agonizing moments of ecstasy.
The only thing he remembered next morning was falling asleep with his mouth at her breast like a baby, and she was stroking his hair.
07:00 JULY 23
Anderson woke suddenly to the beeping of his cell phone alarm across the room on the dining table. He crawled out of bed, had a funny feeling someone was watching him, and looked back at the bed. A mess of blond hair on the pillow, a pair of sleepy eyes and a sweet smile greeted him. “Damn,” he said. “I’m sorry, I obviously forgot to shut it off.” He quickly crossed to the table and shut off the alarm before returning to the bed, where he leaned over and kissed Marjorie on the nose, eyes and forehead.
“Wondered when you’d wake up,” she said. “I’ve been lying here watching you snooze ever since I heard the changing of the guard outside.”
“”Police? Oh, geesh, I’d forgotten all about our new burglar alarm system!” Wonder what time that was.”
“Six o’clock, according to the clock on the wall over there.”
“I am so sorry.” He stretched out beside her and started to nuzzle into her neck: “Sleeping in would have been so much nicer. I might even get to know you a bit this morning!”
She sighed and kissed him on the nose. “Someday soon, someday soon, my very special friend, but in about fifteen minutes Wendy is going to show up and spirit me away to the big city. She probably wouldn’t be shocked to find her sister pinned to the bed by a naked man, but I just have a feeling that Mr. Anderson might feel a tiny bit embarrassed!”
“Oh crap,” Anderson sputtered, and rolled out of bed again. “That’s another thing I forgot about this morning,” he said as he scrambled into his shorts, T-shirt and jeans and sat down again to pull on his socks and shoes. “I have forgotten pretty well everything except that somehow, I think last night was the most special time I can ever remember... or sort of remember anyway. It was like a lightning storm in a warm fog, and no, it was you, not the wine.”
Marjorie was tucking herself back into bra, blouse and jeans. “It’s been a very long time for a number of things – most things actually – but I don’t ever recall being compared to lightning and fog. Strangely though, Mr. Anderson, I think I understand you.” She wiggled across the bed on her knees and grabbed him from behind, kissing his neck and right ear. “I am really glad I met you.”
Anderson turned and gently put his hand on her cheek and kissed her. “Yes, so am I. Coffee?” He got up and headed for the kitchen area. Before starting on the coffee pot, which was still where she had placed it on the table eight hours ago, he glanced out the window. It was drizzling rain, and a light fog was whisping across the harbour and the docks. “Not the best day for driving. Sure you have to go?”
“Better get it over with for the next few weeks,” Marjorie replied. “As you pointed out, the fog won’t be too bad once we get away from the lake, and if we have to be driving instead of enjoying the lake in the sunshine, a little rain won’t bother.”
“Be careful, please.” He saw Wendy’s car come around the corner of the shop: “Here she comes, as promised, right on seven-thirty. We’re gonna want breakfast, so I’ll start some bacon. while the coffee brews.”
“Wendy told me last night she was going to buy us breakfast,” Marjorie said, “but a decent cup of coffee would go down well first.”
“Well, good morning lovebirds,” chirped Wendy as she tapped on the door and came in. “Surprised to see you up and around! Say, that’s the same SUV that was here last night when I left. Is the same cop still here? Makes for a long shift!”
“No, the day-shift arrived in a police cruiser and they traded vehicles,” said Wendy. “Reminds me, is the tank full?”
“Yes, I gassed it up at Frank’s friend’ garage yesterday. His wife was teasing me about owning a hybrid and putting her out of business.”
“Yeah, that’d be Marion,” Anderson laughed. “She’s an equal-opportunity tease – she gets everyone about something and she names people: I’ll bet you are now called ‘that hybrid lady from the island’!”
“Maybe she’s right. Our grandmother was Ukrainian. Does that make us hybrids?”
“Of course,” interjected Marjorie. “We’re Irish girls with Ukrainian roots driving a Japanese car in Canada.”
“Better not tell that idiot blood-and-soil guy who was in the Zoo the other day,” said Anderson. “He’ll try to get you deported to Mexico or something!”
“You be careful of him this week,” said Marjorie. “He and his buddies worry me.”
They had a quick coffee and left for the Zoo and breakfast. Marjorie rode with Anderson in his truck; the sisters planned to leave directly from the restaurant. Sam welcomed them happily – especially happily because they were his first customers this morning. Anderson asked him if he had seen “that idiot old guy” again; Sam replied that he had indeed seen his truck go by several times the day before, but he had not come back to the restaurant.
Anderson and the Webster sisters chattered away their breakfast, talking about the drive ahead, which routes they took, and other small talk which did not address the thoughts that lurked in their minds. Wendy asked Marjorie if she had given Anderson the keys to their place; she said “Dammit, I forgot” and fished a set of keys out of her small backpack that passed as a purse. “This is the main door key, and these two are padlock keys for the shed and for Polly,” she said as she handed the keys to Anderson. “There’s never been any reason to check the place, but just in case – or if you need to go there, here they are. And while we’re at it, I know you have my telephone number but – Wendy – you should maybe trade numbers with Frank, too.”
Soon enough, the sisters got up and prepared to leave. True to her word, Wendy went to pay Sam for the breakfast, and as Anderson and Marjorie walked outside onto the restaurant’s covered porch, he felt his cell phone vibrate in his shirt pocket. He took it out and hit the “decline” option, sending the caller to voicemail. “Got things to do before I answer that,” he said as he took Marjorie in his arms. “Like this...” and they shared a long kiss.
A very long kiss; they were still at it when Wendy came out the door. “Come on, you two, and no, Marjorie, you can’t take him with you ‘cause he might get lost in Scarborough. And Frank, it’s only three days and we’ll be back!”
Sunset at [20 47] Page 20