“Yeah. I saw the photograph. They were all wrapped up together. The police officer who took the picture said it looked like they had one coat between them. Doesn’t make much sense to me. There’s no way they could have paddled a canoe or swum that way.”
Something he said nagged at her, but she couldn’t put her finger on what or why. “Probably it was an effort to share body heat. The fact the bodies didn’t sink and were found so soon has me wondering whether or not they were near shore when the canoe capsized. They might have been close enough to touch bottom and had been walking toward the shore when they died. If that’s the case. I’ll find signs of hypothermia—stage three.”
“That’s freezing to death, right?”
Michelle nodded, pleased to have someone listening to her who had some knowledge of the topic. It made her feel like less of a geek.
“Yes. Body temperature falls below, eighty-nine degrees Fahrenheit. They’d have been shivering prior to this point. Now, shivering stops, and they’d have trouble talking and thinking, and a sort of amnesia occurs. They become argumentative and disoriented. Muscle coordination all but disappears, and hands and feet are numb. They could have suddenly started walking back into the deeper water, or they could have stumbled and been unable to stand again. Pulse and respiration slow, but the heart rate increases as the major organs start to fail and eventually brain death occurs.”
“That sounds like it would have taken a while. Wouldn’t they call for help?”
“It’s difficult to say. They might have, but who would have heard them? I understand the weather was really bad Thursday night.”
“That’s true. Only a fool would have gone out on the lake in that kind of weather. I can’t understand why the professor would have sent them out in that.”
“I don’t either, but interviewing the professor is on my list of things to do. As far as the victims go, it’s even possible they made it safely to shore and died anyway—a sort of delayed reaction. Some people die of post rescue collapse, that’s the fourth stage, but since the heads were still immersed in the pictures I saw, I’ll focus on the first three stages. Now, if for some reason they were dead or near death when they went into the water, I’ll know that too. As I said earlier, nobody just drowns anymore.”
* * * *
Unable to tear his gaze away, Tony watched the mayor and his lady-friend as they ordered drinks—a bottle of chilled wine—and their food. She cleaned her plate as Ron did, and now they were just finishing a chocolate concoction. He observed the server pour tea. When Ron reached for the woman’s hand, a sudden pang of jealousy stabbed him, making him choke on the mouthful of beer he’d just swallowed.
She turned to get something out of her purse, and Tony saw her clearly for the first time. Anger unlike anything he’d ever felt before flooded him. He was as furious as he’d been the previous afternoon when he’d visualized strangling the mayor, more so. Now it was the woman he wanted in his grip. His heart pounded, and he felt his veins and arteries dilating as blood poured through them, heating his body beyond his comfort zone. His breathing increased, and if he hadn’t put down the mug, he was certain it would have exploded in his hand because of the strength of his grip on the glass.
Tomorrow afternoon. The Mohawk maiden had known the truth and had come to warn him. She might have been the one in his dreams, but she hadn’t been the one on the beach. That son of a bitch knew exactly who the mysterious woman Tony had been seeing on the beach was. The bastard was having lunch with her!
Ron and the woman seemed relaxed with one another, like old friends would be. Tony didn’t think she could be Ron’s wife. He hadn’t heard the mayor was married, but Ron was being far more attentive than Tony had seen his colleagues behave toward their wives. That attention proved she wasn’t his sister either. No; this was a luncheon date, one Tony intended to make Ron Davies regret and use as leverage to get the mayor to at least consider his findings. At least a dozen people had gone over there, talked to the mayor and the woman, and no one had acted strangely, so whoever she was, she didn’t set off any bells for anyone but himself. There was no way Ron could say she didn’t exist—too many people had seen her. A sudden thought crossed his mind. Could the whole damn island be in on the scam? Now, I’m just being paranoid.
Ever since talking to Jackson last night, the whole lack of an alibi ate at him. Now, just like that, his alibi sat across from Ron Davies. She might not look Mohawk, but he’d bet his last dollar she was. She’s as real as I am, not Joseph’s two-hundred-year-old ghost.
Tony wondered why the mayor was here in the first place. Why take a chance on being seen in public with her? Hadn’t he considered Tony might show up here? Why wasn’t he waiting for the provincial forensic pathologist who was supposed to be arriving today? It was true the weather hadn’t cleared—if anything, it was as nasty out there now as it had been. Something about a stalled weather front, but it wouldn’t be enough to delay the coroner’s arrival, would it?
Tony took another mouthful of beer to wash down the last of the burger he’d had for lunch and the anger and resentment blocking his throat. He watched Ron in earnest conversation with the woman. He heard her carefree laugh, and he seethed.
What are they plotting and scheming? Are they trying to figure out the best way to use me as a patsy? Ron said he needed to find a way to spin this—is it going to be at my expense?
The longer Tony stared at the couple, the more irate he became. How many people were in on the plan? Ron had seemed pretty chummy with most of the people he’d spoken to. Why did the man refuse to believe there could be serious drug problems on this island? Tony was sure some of the cornfields he’d seen would make perfect hiding spots for marijuana plants too.
Tony watched Ron laugh at something the woman had said, and the jealousy he’d felt earlier returned with a vengeance. Maybe he should just go over to the table and introduce himself. Since she’d been out on the beach Thursday night, she’d probably seen him come running out of his cabin. She was the corroborating evidence he needed to prove he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Was that what this date was all about? Was Ron making sure she wouldn’t tell the truth while he railroaded Tony into somehow taking the blame for the deaths of his students? Would he actually accuse him of killing them? Tony had to talk to the woman and get her to tell the truth—throw himself on her mercy. It was worth a try. That would throw a monkey wrench in whatever plans Ron was cooking up.
Ron wouldn’t be pleased to know he’d been caught in the act, and the jig was definitely up. If the woman had been hired to walk the beach and pretend to be a ghost to attract tourists, it was just wrong. It was as dishonest as seeding a gold mine. While some people liked to believe in ghosts and legends—they didn’t like being duped.
He stood, tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the bar to cover his lunch, and walked into the dining room. His emotions were raw, barely kept in check. He felt as if someone else had taken over his heart and soul. As he approached, he saw the woman’s face clearly. He knew every inch of it. He could describe the soft texture of her skin. He’d kissed every inch of it—in his dreams. Was that why the maiden had appeared in the kitchen? Was she as upset as he was that someone was impersonating her?
He knew the moment the mayor saw him. The ice in his eyes might have killed a lesser man than Tony. There was anger there and something else—jealousy? Tony blinked and all he saw was the man’s smug smile.
I’m going to wipe that smile of your face right now, you son of a bitch!
He walked right up to the table and stopped in front of the woman. He saw her confusion before it was replaced by the unmistakable look of recognition in her eyes. His breath caught in his throat. She was far more beautiful in person than in his dreams, and his body responded to her nearness—not something that pleased him. Her face was clear, devoid of the heavy makeup most women wore. He hadn’t imagined the side part and the bangs, but they suited her. She looked tired and he felt a tiny f
lash of guilt at putting her on the spot like this, but his life and reputation were at stake. No matter what, he had to find the source of the poisons, and the truth about what had happened to his students.
So she knows who I am. That’ll make it easier. Let’s see what she has to say for herself.
“Hello, we haven’t been introduced, but I’m Tony Steele. I’ve watched you walk up and down that beach for the last nine weeks. I know you’ve seen me too. I just saw it in your eyes. You recognized me. It’s a tough thing to hide. I’ve got to say, I don’t know what you and Ron are cooking up, but you’d almost made a believer out of me.”
The look of shock and disbelief on her face made him want to laugh and he chuckled.
“This morning, I was ready to buy into the whole ghost thing. Cindy Andrews, that tourist from Kingston who saw you last month, believes you were a ghost. Paddling the canoe was a nice touch. I actually think the woman will never have another glass of wine without seeing you on the lake. I’ve only seen you on the beach. You’ll have to show me your bolt hole. Now, we both know you’re not a ghost, you’re a fraud. I’m not sure what the two of you are up to, but it ends here. I need to know why you’re doing this and what you know about the break-in two weeks ago and the death of my students. And let’s have the truth this time, shall we?”
The look on the woman’s face was priceless. She was ghostly pale, stunned by his words and anger, no doubt. What did she expect? She seemed to be at a loss for words. Her puzzled reaction was so natural he had to give her credit for it.
She’s a hell of an actress.
He turned to Ron, about to say as much, when the man surprised him—Ron burst out laughing as if he’d just heard the world’s funniest joke.
“Michelle, this is the man we were just discussing. Let me introduce Professor Anthony Steele.” Ron wiped away at the tears in his eyes.
“What’s so damn funny? Why the hell were you discussing me?”
“Because, Professor, we were talking about the case. Please allow me to introduce Dr. Michelle Thomas from the Provincial Coroner’s Office. She’s been in Thunder Bay until two days ago. She arrived on the island,” he checked his watch, “just over three hours ago. I can guarantee you haven’t seen her walking on the beach.”
“That isn’t possible. She recognized me. I saw it in her eyes. She’s the woman I’ve seen. What the hell are you trying to pull?”
“I can assure you Dr. Steele, I’m not trying to pull anything.”
The words were barely audible, but the ice in her tone chilled him. What the hell was going on here? She reached into the pocket of her coat, pulled out her identification, and handed it to him. He looked at the gold badge and the picture identification. Son of a bitch! He’d just made a first-class fool out of himself. His anger vanished, and he was filled with shame and remorse. How the hell was he going to fix this? She’d never listen to him now. Once she’d started to speak, the woman’s annoyance took over.
“I recognized you from the profile my boss, Ontario Chief Coroner Dr. Colin Sanders gave me. Mayor Davies and I have been discussing the case among other things. Since they were your students, your name came up. I can assure you I have neither been paddling canoes nor walking along the beach here. As Ron has just said, I’ve spent the last three months working a murder case in Thunder Bay. You can check with the PCO if you don’t believe me. I’ll give you the number.”
Tony’s brain fought to make sense of things. Despite everything happening, his libido was convinced it was the woman he’d made love to, and in addition to everything else, he feared his rising to the occasion might be noticed. He stared into her brown eyes flecked with gold—the eyes he remembered and took a deep breath.
“My apologies, doctor. You bear a striking resemblance to the woman I’ve seen. Do you have a twin, a cousin, a sister in the area? Why would they send you here to look after this case if you’ve just gotten back from such a time-consuming one?”
She swallowed, and he could see she was making an effort to control her emotions.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but Liam Moorcroft and my employer have a history. They need the truth, and I’m the best there is at finding out what happened when someone has died due to immersion. Perhaps you and I can speak of this later.”
Tony stared at her. She was upset and doing her best to hide it.
Why wouldn’t she be upset? I accused her of being a fraud, for God’s sake.
She stood. In his mind, her clothes fell away, and she was naked once more. His fingers itched to undo her braid. What the hell is happening to me?
“Ron, I’d like to get back to my car now. I have work to do. Can we go?” Her voice was firm, but the underlying current of emotion remained.
Ron jumped up, as solicitous as Tony had seen him be all day. Of course he was being considerate. She was the bloody coroner. She would figure out what had happened. Obviously, Ron wanted her on his side, and Tony had just stepped in it big time.
“Of course, Michelle. I’ll go pay the bill.”
“I’ll meet you outside.”
She reached for her jacket and walked away from the table without giving Tony another look. He felt as if he’d just lost something of great importance—the way he’d felt when he’d seen the girl drown last night. What the hell do I do now?
* * * *
Michelle walked across the dining room as quickly as she could aware, each step of the way, of Tony’s gaze following her out of the room. She entered the woman’s washroom, went into a stall, closed and locked the stall door, and sat down on the toilet. She started to shake. She lowered her head between her knees praying she wouldn’t faint. What had just happened? She hadn’t recognized him at first. He’d cut his hair, but his aquamarine eyes, filled with anger and disdain, seared a path to her heart.
The accusations he’d levelled at her had stunned her. What the hell’s been going on here? It hadn’t been easy to control her emotions and answer his charges, especially with Ron watching their interplay so closely. There was definitely bad blood between the two men. So far, Ron had been nothing but a gentleman, while Professor Steele had acted like some kind of crazed maniac. If the man was unbalanced, he could easily be responsible for his students’ deaths.
One of these men was supposed to be her mate. Which one? Right now, Ron seemed like a much better proposition. How much could she count on The Three Sisters for help? The photograph of Tony Steele had reminded her more of her dream lover than Ron did, but with his hair cut short, the similarity vanished. What did they say? Close only counted in horseshoes and hand grenades? It counted here too. How would she get her mate’s help if she couldn’t figure out who he was? Don’t trust your senses. Trust your heart.
When Tony approached the table, the sudden jealousy and hatred in Ron’s eyes had shocked her. They’d been discussing the professor only moments before. Ron had suggested several ways Tony might be responsible for the deaths, and as much as he tried to discredit Tony, she wasn’t convinced any of his suppositions were true. Now, after that scene, she was more befuddled than ever. Tony Steele might be a lot of things—possibly even unhinged based on his recent performance—but…Seeing Tony unexpectedly and being verbally attacked by him like that had come as a shock. It certainly hadn’t been the way she’d expected their first meeting to go.
She unlocked the steel door. Still dazed and disoriented, confused by the accusations, she walked over to the basin, slashed water on her face. She was paler than usual. She pinched her cheeks for color, added lip gloss, and took a deep breath. She had a fifteen-minute ride back to her car, and Ron couldn’t know how upset she was. The headache she’d had earlier reasserted itself, and her temples throbbed. She pulled a paper cup from the dispenser, filled it and swallowed two analgesic tablets, praying they’d work quickly.
She’d ask Ron about the accusations Tony had made. She had to learn everything she could about the professor and this woman on the beach before she confront
ed him again. Her next move suddenly became clear. Rather than go to the resort and check-in as she’d planned, she’d go into Belleville and see the bodies. They should be out of rigor by now since they’d been found early Friday morning. She’d get blood and start the tox screens. She needed to listen to the spirits as soon as possible and figure out what had happened. A woman entered the bathroom forcing her back to the moment. She smiled and exited the restroom.
Michelle walked toward the exit where Ron was waiting for her. It had stopped raining, but the wind was brisk. Ron opened her door and ran around to get in on the driver’s side. Michelle got in, put on her seat belt, and stared straight ahead still lost in thought about what she’d do next.
Chapter Eight
Michelle barely noticed when the truck left the parking lot.
“I’m sorry about that little mess in there earlier. I hope it didn’t ruin lunch for you. Michelle? Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ron’s words reached her. She blinked, looked at him, and pasted what she hoped was a confident smile on her face even though every fiber of her being felt anything but assured.
“Sorry, I’m just tired. I guess I was lost in thought. I’ve never seen him angry like that.”
Ron frowned and looked at her strangely. “You’ve seen him before?”
There was accusation in Ron’s voice, which surprised her. “Do you know Dr. Steele? He didn’t seem to know you other than think you were the woman he’s been imagining running around the resort.”
There was something in his tone Michelle didn’t like.
“Since I think he’s involved, is the fact you know him going to be a problem? Should you send for someone else? Maybe the local M.E. can take care of things after all.”
“What are you asking?” Her voice was cold and angry. “Do I know him? Of course not. I’ve never met Doctor Steele, but I saw his picture yesterday, just as I saw yours. He looked quite different in it, pleasant in fact, not at all like the man I met today. I’m sorry if I seem distant. Lunch was wonderful, but I’ve had a couple of busy days. I feel as if I’ve been on the job twenty-four seven lately. I realize you think he may be to blame for their deaths, but from what I’ve read, he’s well-respected in his field.”
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