Are You Listening to Me? : A Detective Toby Mystery (9781927899403)

by Cushnie-mansour, Mary M.

  Toby stood up and arched; stretching in the mornings was good. He could hear Jack making coffee in the kitchen, so sauntered over to his dish, meowed, and then walked over and rubbed around Jack’s legs.

  “Just give me a minute, old boy.” Jack finished pouring the water in the coffee-maker and then pulled Toby’s box of kibbles from the cupboard and filled his dish. Toby finished his breakfast and returned to his perch on the back of the couch. Jack had poured a coffee and was reading his newspaper in his favourite chair.

  “How would you like it if we moved, Toby?”

  “Must be something severe if Jack is calling me Toby.” Toby opened his eyes and looked at Jack.

  “It just isn’t the same around here with that gym next door. People coming and going all day long, and, from what I hear, eventually the gym is going to be open 24-hours a day. Just a matter of time. The other day when I came home, someone was parked halfway in my driveway. I had to go over to the gym. Good thing Camden was working because he went right back into the workout areas and found out who it was. I think he’s right about some of those people. The guy didn’t even apologize. Camden was furious, but I told him it was okay––no biggy.”

  “Oh, Jack, it is a biggy for Camden––be careful.”

  “Anyway, as I was saying, I’m thinking of putting the house up for sale and maybe get us a little place on the edge of the city.” Jack paused and took a sip of coffee. He shook his newspaper page and continued to read. “Just a thought, old man––just a thought.”

  ~

  Camden was meticulously watching a couple of people. The first one was the woman who had thrown him the money on the first day at the gym. He had tried several times to be friendly with her, but she wanted nothing to do with him. Once, she had even spoken quite sharply and asked him if he had a problem. Camden had looked up her file. Her name was Brianna Gates; she was a school teacher. He copied down her email address.

  The other person Camden was watching was a fellow named Tyler Acton. He was a machinist and thought he was really something. Camden had been checking the guys’ washroom for supplies one day, and Tyler had bumped into him and knocked the supplies out of his arms. The bastard hadn’t even bothered to apologize or help to pick them up. Camden had gotten into trouble from Isabella for taking so long in the washroom because Paige was really busy at the front desk and he was needed at the drink counter. Camden copied down Tyler’s email address.

  So it was, on that particular rainy day, May 27th, when things really began to fall apart for Camden again. There were others, too––others he was watching, but he hadn’t made any final decisions on them yet. On May 27th, Brianna had brushed by him without even a smile. In fact, she had appeared to be sneering at him. Tyler had been leaving at the same time Camden was headed for home and hadn’t even thanked him for holding the door open.

  Toby was sitting by the window when he saw Camden running past. He observed the look on Camden’s face and hoped Emma would be okay. She had never said anything about her brother being mean to her, but Toby had the feeling he could be.

  When he arrived home, Camden was still enraged. Luckily, Emma was resting on the couch. He assumed she’d had a stressful day, too. Rainy weather affected her like that. Duke was lying on the floor beside her and he looked up when Camden came into the living room, then put his head down and went back to sleep. Camden headed straight for the back porch––straight to the special plant that he took such care to make sure went with them no matter where they lived. He picked some of the seeds and then headed to his room. Camden opened the closet door and reached up for a box on the top shelf. Inside was a mini coffee grinder, which he took over and set on his desk. He pulled a zip-lock bag out of the top drawer of his desk and then put the seeds into the grinder and turned it on. The seeds ground quickly. He poured the powder into the baggie, sealed it, and tucked it under his pillow. He put the grinder back in its box and returned it to the shelf in his closet.

  Camden breathed deeply as he sat down at his computer and went to his email account. He had given Paige his email, but she hadn’t sent him anything yet. He’d noted she had not given him hers. Camden had two email accounts: one that could be traced easily, one that couldn’t. It was the account that couldn’t be traced easily that he opened on May 27th. He scrolled to his special email, the one he had sent several times over the past few years. He smiled as he read it, picturing the faces of Brianna and Tyler when they read their mail later. He copy/pasted the document into a new email and then typed in Brianna’s email address. When hers was sent, he opened another blank document and pasted the letter again, this time typing in Tyler’s address. He pushed send and sat back in his chair for a moment. Camden smiled as he closed his computer and headed downstairs. His step was light, as though the weight of the day had evaporated.

  Emma was in the kitchen starting supper. Duke was lying in front of the sliding doors to the three-season room. Emma looked up as Camden entered. “Sorry, Cam, I had a headache and decided to lay down for a bit. I overslept. You know how rainy weather affects me.”

  “No problem, Emma. Maybe I can help you. What are you cooking?”

  “I was going to make spaghetti. You look like you’ve had a good day.”

  “Pretty good. What can I do?”

  Emma put her hands on her hips. “Well, I guess you could chop the onion for me.” She passed him an onion, a knife, and a chopping block.

  Camden laughed. “Ah, is that what I get for offering to help––the onions!”

  Emma joined in the laughter. She was happy to see her brother relaxed. Maybe things were going to work out here after all.

  ~

  Brianna had gone for groceries after her workout at the gym. She didn’t need much, but it would save her from going on Thursday or Friday night when the stores were crowded. On the way home, Brianna went through the Swiss Chalet drive-thru and picked up a quarter-chicken dinner with a side Caesar salad. She figured the meal would go nicely with a glass of rosé wine. It had been a long day. She hated rainy days because the students had to stay in for recess. Those were the days when she most questioned her teaching vocation. But, on the whole, Brianna enjoyed the kids. Next year she would apply to teach grade five; grade two was beginning to bore her.

  Sylvester, Brianna’s cat, greeted her at the door. “What do you want, kitty? Miss me?” Sylvester rubbed his head on one of the grocery bags and meowed. He was a big, black and white male that her brother, Neil, had needed to find a home for a couple of years ago. She’d said she would take him temporarily, but the cat had grown on Brianna, and he was good company on the lonely nights, especially since Greg had left.

  Brianna put her groceries away and then warmed the chicken dinner in the microwave. She poured her wine while waiting. When the dinger went, she placed everything on a tray and headed for the living room and turned on the television. Sylvester joined her on the couch. When her meal was finished, she flipped through a few channels, but finding nothing of any real interest, Brianna shut the television off and went over to her computer. Sylvester followed, jumping up on the desk and stretching out in front of the monitor.

  “I’m going to have to get a monitor riser if you get any bigger, Sylvester,” Brianna giggled. Sylvester rolled over for a belly rub.

  Brianna clicked on her email and went to the in-box––five new emails. Three were junk mail; one was from her brother, and there was one that said ‘JUST FOR YOU’ in the subject line. She didn’t recognize the sender but didn’t delete it. She clicked on her brother’s and read through it quickly. Short and sweet––as always. He was backpacking around Europe for the summer and stopped at internet cafés every once in a while to update the family. She would call her sister tomorrow to give her the news. Her sister had three kids and no computer. Neil was doing well. He was in France now and would be heading to Italy in a couple of weeks. The hostels were not always the best, but they were a roof over one’s head, which was esp
ecially important if it was raining. Neil had put a smiley face beside that comment. Brianna pushed print to run a copy, and then she opened the last one.

  “What the…” Brianna sat in shock as she read her screen. “Dear Brianna: You are receiving this email because you have been very, very naughty. Do you know what happens to very naughty people? Think about it! When was the last time you ridiculed someone … ignored someone just because … blamed someone wrongfully? When was the last time you were nice to someone … really nice? When was the last time you helped someone … really helped? You are so pathetically naughty that I can’t stand it! Only you can turn this around and do something about it. I have given you the warning; now, it is up to you to seek reconciliation. If you don’t, maybe retribution will come your way… if you have any friends who are just like you, pass this on to them so they can get help too. For every friend you try to save, the retribution on yourself will be lessened. You know the drill: six to ten, maybe you won’t die … one to five, you will … signed: 666.”

  Brianna’s finger was shaking as she hit the delete key. “What a sicko!” she exclaimed. She looked at her watch. “Better get to bed, I have preschool yard duty in the morning.” She got into her pyjamas, brushed her teeth, and crawled under the covers. Sylvester curled up at her feet. Brianna was having a difficult time falling asleep, still thinking about the email, so she flicked on the television for the eleven o’clock news and pushed the sleep button for sixty minutes.

  “If anything can make me forget that nasty email, world disasters, wars, and murders should!” Brianna burrowed down into her comforter. Sylvester looked up for a second, then settled again. An hour later the television shut off. Brianna was breathing softly, sound asleep.

  ~

  Camden checked his computer before heading off to bed. He had set that email account up to show automatically when an email was received. He grinned when he saw one of them had been opened. Camden hoped Brianna had a good night’s sleep.

  Thursday, May 28, 2009

  T

  yler Acton had been annoyed leaving the gym Wednesday night. He’d actually been annoyed before he had even gone to the gym, and had thought he could improve his mood by pumping some iron. Pumping iron had felt good, and he was starting to feel some release, but then he had accidentally bumped into one of the gym workers in the washroom. He would have stayed to help him clean up the mess, but he was on a tight schedule and needed to finish his workout. The guy had looked really upset and Tyler had thought if looks could kill, he would be dead. Tyler remembered looking at his name tag, but couldn’t remember the guy’s name now.

  Then on the way out the front door, the guy had held the door open for him, but he was in such a hurry he hadn’t said thanks until the guy was way down the sidewalk. He’d thank him today if he saw him. Tyler had gone straight to work from the gym. He was on the night shift this week at his uncle’s machine shop. There wasn’t much work around, and he was thankful to have a job, but he had been late a few times and his uncle had warned that he couldn’t keep giving Tyler special privileges.

  When Tyler got home from work, he decided to check his email before heading off to bed for a few hours. He tapped his fingers impatiently as the computer loaded up. It was old and slow, like he felt sometimes. He would be thirty on his next birthday and didn’t have anything to show for it. He lived in a dingy little apartment; hadn’t had a steady job in six years; didn’t have a girlfriend now, and hadn’t had one since Veronica had left six months ago and she had only been around for seven months. He didn’t have anything in his bank account either because he had felt it was more important to have fun than to save for a rainy day.

  When the rainy days hit and he lost his job at the factory where he’d been doing assembly work for four years, he had no trade to fall back on. After a month, he had gone to his uncle and asked for a job––told his uncle he would do anything, even sweep the floor. Tyler remembered his uncle stroking his chin and looking at him with the condescending look he gave just before the big speech was released. And Tyler had listened. What choice did he have? He needed to pay the rent, and he needed to eat. He couldn’t keep sponging off his mum, who was on a limited income. He had sucked it up and taken the night-shift job from six p.m. to four a.m., cleaning the machines and sweeping up the shop and offices.

  When Tyler had read about the new gym opening and saw the price for membership, he had decided to get himself in shape again. That was the reason he had been late to work a couple of times because he had taken some extra time on a piece of equipment. “Three strikes and you’re out, Tyler,” his uncle had said. He had almost been late last night, just making it to the shop as the buzzer went off.

  Finally, the computer was booted up. Tyler clicked on his email. He deleted the usual pesky junk mails and then clicked on the one that said: JUST FOR YOU. “What the hell is this?” he shouted. “Dear Tyler: You are receiving this email because you have been very, very naughty. Do you know what happens to very naughty people? Think about it! When was the last time you ridiculed someone … ignored someone just because … blamed someone wrongfully? When was the last time you were nice to someone … really nice? When was the last time you helped someone … really helped? You are so pathetically naughty that I can’t stand it! Only you can turn this around and do something about it. I have given you the warning; now, it is up to you to seek reconciliation. If you don’t, maybe retribution will come your way … if you have any friends who are just like you, pass this on to them so they can get help too. For every friend you try to save, the retribution on yourself will be lessened. You know the drill: six to ten, maybe you won’t die … one to five, you will … signed: 666.”

  “Sick bugger! Who’d send this to someone!” Tyler grumbled angrily as he pushed the delete button. “I mean, I’ve had chain letter emails telling me if I didn’t forward it on something bad would happen, but they were silly things, like my hair falling out or…” Tyler mumbled as he shut the computer off.

  He went into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of milk, and looked in the cupboard for something quick to snack on before hitting the pillow. All he found was a box of crackers, and they were a bit stale. He would have to set his alarm earlier than normal so he could grab a few groceries before hitting the gym before work. Tyler headed to his bedroom, pulled the blinds, and crawled under the covers. The nasty email was already forgotten.

  ~

  The first thing Camden did when he woke in the morning was turn his computer on to check if Tyler had opened his email. He smiled when he saw the notice. Good.

  Camden wasn’t all bad. He might give them both a second chance. Nevertheless, his final decision would depend on how they behaved the next time he saw them. He turned off his computer, retrieved the baggie from under his pillow, and headed downstairs for breakfast. He could smell the bacon cooking. He was humming as he entered the kitchen.

  Emma looked up and smiled. “Do you mind grabbing the eggs from the fridge? The bacon is almost done.”

  Camden retrieved the eggs. “Where’s Duke?”

  “He wanted out. I think he’s agitated about Toby coming over so much.”

  “Toby comes over a lot? Thought I asked you not to get too close to that cat. He doesn’t like me, Emma.”

  “Don’t be silly, Cam. Toby is just an old cat, and he’s always out of here before you get home.” She paused. “Almost as though he doesn’t want to meet up with you,” she giggled.

  Going to the back door, Camden whistled for Duke, who came running immediately. “Good boy, Duke,” Camden patted the dog as he came through the door. “We don’t like big orange cats, do we?” Duke let out a muffled growl.

  Camden’s happy mood had been spoiled with the mention of the cat. He plunked himself in a chair and waited for Emma to serve the breakfast. He studied her back, wondering what was getting into her lately. She seemed to be changing, and Camden wasn’t sure if he liked the change. She had mentioned s
he was doing some reading and wanted to see a counsellor; how did he know for sure she wasn’t sneaking out to see someone while he was at work? It was a good thing they lived so close to the gym; he would start popping in to check on her during breaks and lunch hour. Camden made a mental note to call the house more often during the day.

  Emma noticed her brother’s mood change, as well.

  ~

  “Think I’ll invite Camden and his sister over for supper tomorrow night,” Jack mentioned during his and Toby’s usual morning ritual. “I’d like to meet his sister, and it will be our way of welcoming them to the neighbourhood.”

  “You already welcome him enough; you don’t need to have him sitting at our table with his dark looks daggering at me!” Toby sat up and glared at Jack. “But, it’d be good to have you meet Emma. That way I could get to see the interaction between the two of them and confirm what I’m thinking: that guy isn’t as wonderful as he portrays he is to his sister!” Toby jumped down and headed for the kitchen, his tail held high.

  “Where you going, old man? I thought you’d like that since I see you always going down to their house in the daytime. I think it’s time I met the sister.”

  “Don’t need to explain yourself, Jack. I’ll just hide if the guy gets too creepy. I have my corners where I can spy from.” Toby let out a meow and headed for his cat door.