Gritty

by Colleen Baxter Sullivan

  “There are a lot of robberies in that part of town. It just possibly could be that!”

  “Marc, did you get the footage yet from Daryl House? If we can put a time frame on Peter’s visit with his mother, then we might be able to talk with him. Right now I don’t want to frighten him. The professionals can deal with him. Apparently they are going to tell him this morning about Lexus.”

  “You know Adam, he might have found the pendant on the ground. There could be all kinds of reasons for him having it. Let’s not be presumptuous; let’s get all the facts before we come to any conclusions.”

  “How long do you think it will take? In the meantime, there is a killer at large.”

  “The investigation has not stopped. The pendant is only one of many clues. Leave this with me. It’s my job and I know what I am doing.”

  “Okay, I’m going to pay Mr. Haze a visit. We never once brought up Peter. It is his grandson and you would think that he would ask about him.”

  “Or, it is possible that he does not know that he has a grandson?”

  “I never thought of that. Then I will have to approach the subject in an extremely sensitive manner. Now that I think of it, I bet Gritty never told him. Why would he though? It is not like they did Sunday dinners together. They were estranged from each other.”

  “Alright, see what you can find out. And please Adam report your findings back to me. We have an unusual relationship but this is still police business.”

  “I want to solve this and Marc I need your help.”

  * * * *

  “Well, do you have any news yet? I have been waiting for your call. I guess it is better that you came in person.”

  “Mr. Haze, we have to talk.”

  “Please sit down!”

  “You said that you followed and were aware of your son’s every move.”

  “That’s right. Why do you ask?”

  “Were you also aware of your grandson’s every move? You do know that you have a grandson, don’t you?” I thought that he was having an attack. He put his hand to his heart and started to cough in an appalling manner. The nurse ran to him and immediately asked me to leave. Part of me felt responsible for this outcome but the other part was pissed that I did not get the answer to my question. What was I to do now? I could only conclude from this that he knew about Peter. I hope that this would not lead to his death. I needed answers and he was willing to talk. I was detained by him and as long as I worked for Mr. Haze, I had complete access to the legal responsibility required to solve this case. As I sat in my car trying to piece together what just transpired, an ambulance pulled up to the door.

  Of course it would be and of course it was; Mr. Haze, along with nurse, were rushed off with emergency to the closest hospital. I was not one of those detectives that was quick to the chase but for some reason I was in pursuit of that ambulance. I must have broken every speed limit in town and if I should be stopped by a police patroller, I would tell them that I was following the ambulance because there was a family member inside. Luck was on my side though because I watched as the ambulance pulled into the Montreal General. I made it! I prided myself in the chase and could not wait to brag about it to Richard. For now, at least I knew his location. I was not going to wait for the authorities to inform me. There was an urgency to this knowledge … Peter’s outcome was at stake and as of now with the incriminating proof that we had against him … it could be detrimental. Peter’s fate was somehow, I felt, locked up with that old man. Please Mr. Haze, don’t die on me!

  * * * *

  “Oh my God, a chase! Wow, I wish I was there. That is the coolest thing that you have ever done.” I knew that Richard would get a kick out of my story. There was nothing like coming home after a shit day and telling the man you love all about it. How lonely it must be to not be able to share with someone. These cases were always so draining on our marriage. I was lucky to have a partner that understood the involvement that had to be put into my line of work. Now that he shared equal partnership in the firm, he would be even more understanding.

  “I thought that you would find amusement in that. Let’s just hope that Mr. Haze makes it out of that hospital in one piece. If he dies the case will be up in the air. I really feel that he has more to tell. He has provided me with a history of Gritty that makes me understand him just a little bit more. It goes to show you that money cannot buy happiness. All Gritty really wanted was a family. I can see though after speaking with Donald Haze where his son gets his stubbornness from. Neither of them would give in.”

  “Do you think that Lexus knew about Mr. Haze? If anyone could have brought father and son together, it would have been her. She was so compassionate. I bet she did not know about him. What do you think?”

  “That was where I was heading in my line of questioning. I was going to ask him about his grandson and then ask if he knew Lexus. God I hope he’s lives! I will contact Miss Prior tomorrow and see how he is.”

  “Who is Miss Prior?”

  “She is the administrator of the Manoir Westmount. She was my first contact, a bit of a snob but after talking with her she seemed to mellow. Hopefully she will be able to release information about Mr. Haze. Some establishments are not allowed to disclose stuff about their residents. Man, with your charm, I should put you in charge of finding out. She would melt with your Latino good looks.”

  “I’ll do it. Want me to call her now? Or would you prefer that I go and see her personally?”

  “No, but thanks anyway; I’ll go see her tomorrow on my way to the office.”

  “What’s going to happen to Lexus? Who is going to be in charge of her funeral?”

  “It will depend on the outcome of the next couple of days. I think the government will provide for a funeral. She has no living relatives that I know of.”

  “What about us? Shouldn’t we do something for her?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe… I will wait and see. I need time to digest and concentrate on the case. I went by and the house is all boarded up.”

  “What? And where are the residents?”

  “I guess they are gone. They would have no choice. Peter is being taken care of and actually there weren’t too many permanents living there. Of course there was Stewart and God only knows what happened to him. He was a tough son of a bitch. Always hovering around. Lexus said he was an ex-boxer who got into drugs and lost everything. I think she kept him near as a form of security. He really helped her around the house. He got paid and maybe he had enough savings to move somewhere else. He is the least of my concerns though.”

  “It’s really sad how life can change so quickly. I feel for Peter. He will become a ward of the state so to speak. I wonder if he ever put it all together… he must have known that Lexus was his mother. I cannot believe that he didn’t!”

  “I can’t figure it out Richard. Time will tell.”

  “And now on to a happier note; what about going to see the Christmas lights at the old port? The season is just around the corner, three weeks to be exact. What do you say?”

  I felt bad because I was ignoring us. We loved Christmas and here I was all caught up in this case. Richard was right. Life is not guaranteed and it can change in a moment’s notice. Our life should always come first. I answered my man. “How about we meet after work and have a wonderful supper and enjoy all the festivities. Do we have a date?”

  The look on Richard’s face said it all. “You bet! Now what to wear!”

  * * * *

  The next morning, I awoke to the sound of Christmas carols blasting from the stereo. It brought a smile to my face. It did not take much encouragement to excite Richard. He was truly a kid at heart and I would make sure this was the best Christmas ever. I had been working on a plan … a huge surprise for him. Hopefully with these new turn of events, being hired by Donald Haze, my plan would not be ruined. The huge retainer and fol
lowing payment that I would receive would provide me the means of putting my gift to Richard together. He would be blown away. After all the sacrifice he put in for me, he deserved it and I just thought that I might pull it off. I showered and could not wait to begin my day. Richard was waiting for me in the kitchen with a bounteous plate of French toast decorated with fruit. What a treat!

  “Meet you at the square, say around five?”

  “I’ll be there,” replied Richard.

  * * * *

  “Miss Prior. Hi, it’s Adam Garwood. I was wondering if you had any news about Mr. Haze. That’s great! He mentioned me? Yes, I would like to see him also! Are you certain it won’t be too much for him? Okay, if that’s what he wants. When can I meet him? Today! Are you sure? I’ll be there. Thanks.” I couldn’t believe it; he was back at the Manoir with a clean bill of health. Rapid heartbeat brought on the symptoms of a heart attack and at his age they did not take any chances. Luck was on my side. It sounded callus on my part but if Donald Haze had died, the case would most likely have taken on a new turn and delay was not an option for me. Now that Lexus was involved there was a new urgency to its outcome. I only hoped that the two murders were related. I was sure that they were; it was too much of a coincidence.

  He looked great. “Well hello Mr. Haze. It is such a relief to see you. I felt totally responsible for your being rushed off to the hospital. I did not mean to upset you.”

  “Sit down and continue where you left off. You said that I have a grandson! Where is he and how do I get in contact with him?”

  “I thought you knew everything about Grenville. I was sure he would have mentioned Peter to you.”

  “Peter, such a strong English name! Tell me more. Who is his mother? And how old is he?”

  “Mr. Haze, he is sick… mentally challenged. He is in his late twenties and a really nice guy. He suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID); coping with his screwed up life by using this tool, his phobia, for survival. Your son did a real number on him and from what I can piece together, he is not aware of his parents. He thinks he was an employee of his mother’s and his father was a friend.”

  “That’s sheer nonsense! I won’t have any of it. I want to meet with him and his caregiver and see what can be done. I always thought that my son liked men so I am flabbergasted to find out that he had a relationship with a woman. You did not answer my question… who is she?”

  “You mean who was she? She has also been murdered. We are working on a double murder, your son’s and hers. Her name is Lexus. She ran a sort of housing unit for wayward men. She was a great person and a great friend of mine.”

  “Cut the crap! You mean she ran a brothel. That part of the story rings a bell. I remember her name coming up when I was trying to locate my son. Now she is the mother of my grandson. Unbelievable! Mr. Garwood you have to help me get in touch with Peter. I am old and do not have many living years. I want to make up for lost time. What I didn’t do for my son; I can do for my grandson. Please, I need your help. Wait here I’ll be back in a minute. He rolled his wheelchair as quickly as he could and when he returned he handed me a check. I don’t think I have ever seen that much money.

  “I can’t take this. I have done nothing for you yet.”

  “Oh, but you will! Adam, may I call you that?”

  “Of course!”

  “I have done my homework and know that you lost it all a couple of years back. I am sure that check will help you re-establish yourself and what you lost. Adam do you gamble?”

  “No not really. Why do you ask?”

  “I did not become wealthy by pure luck. I have been able to read people and you are an easy read. I trust you Adam. Even if you work for me with no results, I will know that you gave it your all. That is what I mean by gambling. I don’t want that money back. It is yours to do with what you want.”

  I wanted to cry but held it back. This would make my Christmas gift to Richard come true. I knew at that moment that I would work as hard as I could to earn every cent of it. Donald Haze would definitely meet up with Peter and as far as solving Peter’s parents’ murders: I would just have to make that happen. I wanted to hug him but instead reached out my hand and bid him farewell. “I will call you first thing tomorrow. I don’t think that we will have any problems in you meeting Peter. And Mr. Haze, I am beyond words to thank you. With this gesture you have changed my life.”

  “Get out of here. I have a reputation to keep.”

  * * * *

  I had to work fast. I had a conditional offer on our previous condo. I found out that the people who bought it went bankrupt. It was all too good to be true, but I would find a way of making Richard’s dreams come true. I owed him that much. With this amount of money, financing would not be a problem. Business was good and with opening up the other office downtown, we were starting to attract a new set of clients. I decided rather than call I would go to 1000 rue de la Commune. Hopefully the office would still be open. My watch said 3:30 p.m. so I started to run. I knew they closed their doors at 5:00 p.m. I’m almost there!

  Sitting across from the sales manager was all consuming. I couldn’t believe my luck. He was just packing up his brief case as I walked in. The moment that he saw me, he knew something good was up.

  “Mr. Garwood, you are just in time. Your offer was running out and I had another couple interested in unit 203. I wasn’t too worried though because another unit came available last night.”

  I am sure I frightened him as I yelled, “No, I must have unit 203. Here is the down payment. I will go to the bank and have it certified by tomorrow. If that is okay with you. The bank has promised to finance the rest.”

  “I see no problem. I actually know who Donald Haze is. He bought the building next door as an investment. Small world isn’t it?”

  “So you are saying that unit 203 is ours?”

  He reached out his hand and said, “That’s what I am saying! I am sure we can move along with the paperwork and have it all wrapped up by next week. You can move in by Christmas.”

  I had to sit down across the street and get my breath for my heart was racing out of my chest. I looked over at L’Heritage du Vieux Port, our home, as my eyes filled with tears. It was now time for a good cry. Checking my cell phone I realized that I had missed two calls. Shit, Richard must be frantic. It was 5:30 and I did not call him about being late. I called him back and told him I would be there in 15 minutes. I would explain everything to him when I saw him. His tone was pissed but I knew that once he found out what I was up to he would be ecstatic. I checked to see who else called. “Hi Heather, you called. Is everything okay at the office? Who did she say she was? Well what did she look like? I don’t have any older tall black women as clients. Did you get her number? Thanks, I owe you big time. It will have to wait until tomorrow. I’ll call her then.”

  * * * *

  There he was sitting at the foot of the monument to Edward VII. I ran up to him but could see that he was mad. “How befitting of me to wait for you here. Where the hell have you been? Then looking up at the statue he said, “Didn’t our dear friend Edward die of pneumonia? If I get any colder I will follow in his footsteps.” I started to laugh but was quickly brought back to reality by his push to my arm.

  “No need for violence! Where do you want to eat? Want to walk down the hill to the port or are you too cold for that hike?”

  “No, I am sure the walk will make me warm. Let’s go,” he said abruptly.

  I knew that once he found out what I was up to he would literally melt. He would feel like such a fool for yelling at me. And I would milk this situation dry. As we started our walk down the hill it was if the sky emanated a display of colours directly over the old port area. Hues of vibrant red and greens with the occasional blue radiated off the windows of the old structures as if to celebrate the season. As we got closer our path was lined with trees adorned in
white lights giving an icicle effect, truly fitting for the time of year. “I have an idea. Let’s go to Burrocos. The ambiance is fitting for what I want to tell you.”

  He looked at me in disbelief. “Are you crazy? That place is pricey but then again oh so nice!” he said, mellowing with the walk.

  “Tonight my love is a time for celebration.”

  “What are we celebrating? Did you find the murderer?”

  “No, silly boy. We are celebrating us. Hurry up and I’ll tell you all about it. There! I see the restaurant now. As we entered from rue Saint Paul, through a black canape and inviting wood doorway, you couldn’t help but be drawn in by the warmth of the place. A friendly waitress greeted us and we asked to be placed by the fire. Luckily a seat for two was available with the big black bear looking over us nodding his approval. Century old brick walls embraced us as dimly lit candles adorned the tables. The atmosphere was truly inviting and it was the perfect place to present the love of my life with such happy news. “Now leave this up to me. I want to order for you and money is not an object.”

  “Alright, I am too tired and hungry to argue. I need a drink though.”

  “How about we start with a cocktail, say the one called Passion & Dreams. I’ll read what’s in it to you but we’re getting it no matter. There is Brandy, Bacardi with passion fruits, and homemade vanilla syrup with a touch of lime. Sounds powerful but just right for the occasion.” I eyed the waitress and soon we were drinking the most delectable drink accompanied with a plate of Noyan cheese. I continued to order a bottle of Balbas wine to drink with the meal. Then I thought we would try their famous beef short ribs seasoned in maple and balsamic, with celery root and truffle puree all slowly cooked for 12 hours. Richard, I could tell was beside himself. He started to fidget.

  “Are you crazy Adam? This meal is going to be a monetary week’s worth of food. I can’t stand the wait. Tell me; what are you hiding from me?”

  I did not care who was looking as I reached over and held his hand. Tears started to stream down my cheeks. Richard started to get concerned. “You’re not sick or anything like that, are you?”