by H. P. Bayne
“You’ve got him under protection, right?” Dez asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Ed said. “Until I’ve gotten to the bottom of all of this, I can’t risk taking the chance. Thing is, given he cut off our 9-1-1 comms operator to call you, it seems obvious there’s a connection. How well do you know Forbes’s wife, Greta?”
A larger can of worms Ed couldn’t have found. “Not well,” Dez said. The statement wasn’t altogether untrue. “I mean, I’ve met her and everything. Why?”
“No sense sitting on it. The supper-hour news was carrying it. Duncan sent a couple of his investigators to the scene of a house explosion earlier today. Scene was too hot to get inside, but it looks like a couple of bodies in there. Two more DBs found outside, both dead of GSW. We’ve run their prints, and they’ve both got serious records in other provinces. A call to one police service revealed at least one of them is a suspected hitman, the sort who will take money for kill jobs. Matter’s still under investigation, and will be for some time, no doubt, but so far signs point to a murder-suicide involving that guy and his partner.”
Dez kept up the play-dumb approach. “What’s it got to do with Greta?”
“A vehicle found at the scene was registered to a Rhona Dule, and we found a bag containing Greta’s identification inside,” Duncan said. “Forbes told me in early November his wife ran from her drug rehab centre and disappeared. Rhona Dule was her birth mother. We suspect a couple of bodies we can see inside the house belong to them. Any idea what Greta and her mother would be doing hanging around with suspected hitmen? We’re working with a theory they were taken there by force, but we can’t rule out the possibility they were working some sort of deal with these guys.”
“You’re aware of Greta’s past, right?” Dez asked.
“About the whole arson thing when she was a kid? Yeah, we know. She’s no stranger to homicide. But Forbes has always sworn she turned herself around.”
“You’re not convinced,” Lachlan said.
Duncan shook his head. “Guess I’ve been in this job too long. I haven’t met a lot of people who’ve truly changed. Easier said than done.”
Dez couldn’t disagree. Sure, Forbes believed in Greta, but love was blind. Dez knew better. Greta had put Sully through hell, had tried to kill him more than once. No matter what Forbes thought, nothing could erase that truth.
Not that he could share it with these guys.
“It’s possible she was involved in something dark,” Dez said. “Maybe it involved her birth family. Nothing I can tell you about that. Sorry.”
He’d worded his answer carefully, avoiding a lie. Unfortunately, it seemed he was about as good at half-truths as full-on fibs.
Ed, fixing Dez in his sights, leaned forward, his posture registering interest. “There’s something you’re not telling us,” he said. “Something important.”
Dez resisted looking to Lachlan for guidance, not wanting to come over as nervous as he felt. Thankfully, Lachlan took up the call anyway.
“Listen, fellows,” Lachlan said. “You’re right. There’s some stuff we haven’t filled you in on—yet. We will. I promise. But there are some pretty big gears grinding in the background, and if we aren’t careful in how we handle things, innocent lives could be taken. You want my advice—”
“I don’t,” Duncan said.
Ed patted his colleague on the shoulder to quiet him. “What were you going to say, Lachlan?”
Lachlan trained a patient smile first on Duncan, then on Ed. “If you want my advice, you’ll start by taking a DNA sample from whatever’s underneath Thackeray Schuster’s fingernails.”
“We’ve taken those samples,” Duncan said. “DNA request is in.”
“Nowhere LOBRA can touch it?”
“That was Forbes’s request,” Duncan said. “He didn’t really explain why.”
“We believe someone connected with LOBRA is involved in the murders of several people, Thackeray among them. If anyone from that company is allowed access to your exhibits, tampering or destruction is a very real possibility.”
“Forbes said the same thing. Don’t worry. No one’s getting at the items. We’re sending everything to the national lab. We’ve used LOBRA for a few pressing matters in the past in terms of toxicology and the like, but never for DNA. Won’t be starting now.”
That came as a relief. With the nail clippings in the national police lab, no way Lowell could get at them. It was only a matter of time before the results came back, pointing the finger of blame squarely at Lowell.
Time, unfortunately, was not something they had.
Lachlan continued where he’d left off, focusing his comments on Ed.
“I’d also advise you to start questioning people from the list we gave you of various Circle members. Ask them what they know about Lisoway’s activities, and start asking about Gerhardt and the Lockwood experiments.”
“You think the Lockwood scandal is connected?”
“Without knowing Lisoway’s motives, I have no definitive proof,” Lachlan said. “But there’s a solid chance everything involving the Circle is connected in some way. Make your inquiry big. Involve as many members as possible. If you don’t, if you limit it to just one or two, members of the Circle might think they can target your investigators to keep them from digging further. That’s what happened to Raynor. In the meantime, we’ll keep working this from our end. Once we’ve got more to share, we will.”
“This is a criminal investigation now,” Duncan said. “You can’t be involved.”
“Problem is, if you want this sorted out, you need us involved,” Lachlan said. “Think of us as confidential informants for the time being, even independent contractors. Really, we’re working for you, trying to get you what you need to solve the investigation of the century. Believe me when I tell you, you can’t do it alone. Give us the space we need, and we’ll have a lot more for you in very short order. But get in our way, and it’s highly likely more innocent people will suffer for it.”
Duncan looked to his boss. “We can’t condone this. It’s our investigation. I’ve got one member in hospital in serious condition and another in custody on allegations she tried to kill him. My unit’s already involved in a major way. Whatever Fields has, I need.”
“One night,” Lachlan said. “That’s all I’m asking. Just give me one night. First thing in the morning, I’ll give you a call. Whether or not we’ve got what we need, I’ll fill you in on the rest.”
Ed met Duncan’s eye. “Seems like a fair deal to me.”
“Chief—”
Ed cut in, tone the sharpest Dez had ever heard it. “Lachlan’s a solid investigator, best I’ve ever worked with. What’s more, I trust him. So should you. Let’s do what he says. Cue up your team for an all-nighter and see about getting some of the folks from the Organized Crime Task Force involved as well. Start interviewing our members with alleged involvement in the Circle and move out from there.”
“Hit up the bit players first,” Lachlan suggested. “The older, more established members won’t fall as easily, not until they sense the ground shifting. It might be I can get you a major player before the night is out. And for God’s sake, don’t underestimate this group. Believe me when I say they’ve been involved in more than one murder—if not by ordering them, by covering them up. They’ve got a lot to hide, and there aren’t many lengths they won’t go to in order to keep their secrets. Like I said, make sure your members make it clear from the start this is a major investigation involving numerous detectives. Strength and safety in numbers.”
Duncan’s eyes shifted from Lachlan to Dez. “You know what’s interesting? One of the names on the list you provided is Lowell Braddock. If we start moving on this, who’s to say we don’t find out he’s in it deep? Some pretty serious drugs were found inside Lockwood—one in particular linked to after-dark experiments on patients we haven’t been able to identify. We suspect the only lab in the area with the ability to produce something of th
at nature is LOBRA. Braddock has sworn up and down he knows nothing about it, but this list makes me wonder. Might be he should be first on our list of people to talk to.”
The single word snapped from Dez’s mouth before he could stop himself. “Don’t.”
Duncan’s stare was like a boulder, pinning Dez in place. “Why not? Because he’s your uncle?”
Dez couldn’t help it. His gaze shifted to Lachlan, looking for help there.
Lachlan gave him a tight smile, then turned the same expression on the two men on the sofa. “I’d advise you to quit poking. I’ve asked you for the night and you’ve agreed to give it to me.”
“Why?” Duncan asked. “So you can come up with a way to shield Lowell Braddock? I know how close he and Deputy Chief Braddock were. I’d expect nephew and uncle are pretty tight too.”
“We used to be,” Dez said. “Not anymore.” If there had been any doubt as to his loyalties to Lowell, he expected the growl in which he spoke would remove any false notions. “I don’t want to shield him. I want to burn him.”
“So there’s a personal vendetta in this for you,” Duncan concluded. He turned back to Ed. “We can’t allow this, Chief. We can’t. If he messes up this investigation—”
“He won’t,” Lachlan said. “I’m with him, and I know very well how far I can let him run with it. Believe me, if things start going someplace I don’t think he can handle, I’ll rein him in.”
“Seems to me he needs it now.”
A smile slid over Lachlan’s face, the kind that suggested a snide comment wasn’t far behind. “And it seems to me you’re scared to colour a little outside the lines, just like always.”
Duncan’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’ve played things by the book your whole career, McPhee. And that’s great. Really. But sometimes, good police work needs you to read a different book. Hell, every big undercover assignment is based on that. I’m not talking about going cowboy here. I’m talking about using our strengths to get to the bottom of this. Now Braddock and I have been working on this Circle thing for some time, and we’re making solid progress. We’ve got info and contacts you don’t, and we’ve got ways of doing things you can’t, by law, do.
“Desmond works for me, and I can tell you he’s got a good head on his shoulders for investigation and action. He can handle this. What’s more, you need him to handle it. You can get the bit players easily enough, especially the ones within your own department. But Lowell Braddock’s going to take something more. He’s in this deep. Before the night is done, we’ll be able to tell you exactly how deep. With luck, we’ll even be able to hand him over to you with all the evidence you need to lay charges—with or without a confession from him.”
Duncan looked to be of a mind to argue, but Ed wasn’t having it. “Duncan, let’s go. We’ve got a long night ahead of us, and I’d like to start getting our people cued up. And it doesn’t happen often, but I’m planning on pulling the all-nighter at your side. I want to ensure I’m aware of exactly what’s going on at all times.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ed stood and started for the door, Duncan dragging himself behind.
Lachlan took advantage of the few remaining seconds to further drive his point home. “I’ll be in touch. Make sure no one goes near Lowell or LOBRA, and wait on the big players until morning. There are some balls in the air here, and if they fall wrong, it could mean more people’s lives.”
“You know a lot more about this that we do,” Ed said. “I’m not happy about it, but we’ll take our cues from you until morning. Eight in the morning, Lachlan. After that, if I haven’t heard from you, we’re moving forward full steam.”
“I hear you,” Lachlan said. “Eight o’clock. I’ll contact you by then. If you haven’t heard from Desmond or me, it means something went seriously sideways, and we’re not in a position to call. Oh, and one other thing: I told you to involve a lot of people, but I’d appreciate you keeping it as quiet as possible tonight. Bring your members in and question them, but try to hold them on something if possible. And ask anyone involved in the questioning to keep it to themselves. I want to keep word from getting to the Circle as long as possible.”
Ed nodded and extended his hand to Lachlan to shake. That was Ed’s style, Dez thought, the old-school brand of honour so sorely missing these days, the kind that based even the largest of agreements on the strength of a handshake.
Dez waited until the men had gone, then turned back to Lachlan. “Thanks, man. I didn’t know what to do anymore.”
“No problem. McPhee’s a stubborn dick, but one thing I can say about him: He’s a damn good cop. We can count on him to see this through to convictions once we hand it fully over to him. Sure, I ride him for being overcautious, but his weakness is also his strength. It means less chance of cases falling apart in the courtroom. You’ll thank him for that when it comes time to see Lowell in the prisoner’s box.”
Dez nodded before turning his mind to the other nagging detail. “Ed’s giving us until eight. Is that enough time for us to get to the bottom of this thing?”
Lachlan grinned, and for one of the first times since Dez had started working with the man, he found he was grateful for the cockiness in the expression. For Lachlan, cocky meant confident, the kind of confident he knew he could back with action. Dez needed that now, and badly.
“I don’t know about you, Braddock,” Lachlan said. “But I’m not planning on starting a new day in a world where Lowell is still in charge. One night. One night and I swear to all things holy we’ll have your kid back to you safe and sound.”
16
Eva paced the bedroom, a caged animal in a tiny zoo pen.
Sully had pleaded with her several times to sit down, but he was well aware sitting must feel too much like doing nothing. And nothing, he reminded himself for the hundredth time, was exactly what they were doing.
He’d tried. Repeatedly. He’d sent his thoughts out to his dad, hoping he’d hear, hoping he’d come. With ever-increasing certainty, Sully knew Flynn—and therefore Aiden too—was with Kayleigh. Sully had hoped to connect with his father, have him show him exactly where Lowell and Kindra had holed up with the little girl.
But Flynn and Aiden hadn’t come. He couldn’t even get a sense of them. Nor could he draw Lucky to him.
It wasn’t doing anything for Sully’s emotional state. And it definitely wasn’t helping Eva’s.
“We need to find her,” she said as she completed another frantic circle around the room. “We need to find her now.”
“Eva—”
“I can’t do this anymore. I need to get out of here. We need to—”
Sully snagged her hand as she passed by, drawing her to a halt. “Eva, stop. Please.”
She could have pulled away easily enough; she looked like she wanted to. The light from the bedside lamp reflected within her eyes, revealing the sheen of tears covering them. But she didn’t pull away. Instead, she settled next to him, allowing him to bundle her into a hug.
Marc and Raiya, who had been sitting quietly in a pair of chairs next to a table by the window, chose that moment to exit the room, leaving Sully and Eva alone.
Once Marc closed the door, Sully settled fully into Eva’s pain. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Evie.”
Any words she might have said got caught up in a sob. He held her, his own eyes strangely dry as he rubbed her quaking back and shoulders, listening to the choked and muffled sounds she made into the safe haven between his shoulder and neck.
He didn’t talk, didn’t offer any sort of consolation, no sentiments of, “It’ll be okay” or “She’s fine.” Eva deserved better than false platitudes, and he wasn’t capable of them. Not tonight.
Long minutes ticked past. Sully imagined Dez and Lachlan were still talking to the two cops, who hopefully would agree to leave without anyone in tow. If everything went as it should, Sully could tap into a greater consciousness t
hat could go places and see things they, as mortal human beings, could not. Despite everything that had—or rather hadn’t—happened so far, Sully held out hope their father or Aiden could yet lead them to Kayleigh. But Sully suspected it would take all of them to save her when the time came. If the police insisted on immediate in-depth statements from Lachlan and Dez, they’d be screwed. Sully needed them—Dez particularly—if for no other reason than to keep his increasingly messed-up head screwed on straight.
He returned his attention fully to Eva as she pulled partially out of his embrace. She didn’t go far, though—not yet—leaning her forehead into his chest and balling up his long-sleeve T-shirt within clenched fingers.
“I don’t know how I’m going to survive if anything happens—”
Sully cut into the thought before Eva could finish. “Nothing’s going to happen. We’ll find her.”
“You can’t get through to anyone who can help.” She pulled back, far enough to meet his eye. “Why won’t they help?”
“It could be they’re rooted to her side and don’t want their attention divided,” Sully said. “I don’t know. I really thought I’d be able to reach them.”
“I keep thinking about Aiden,” she said. “He was younger than Kayleigh, and Lowell thought nothing of killing him. She’s just a little girl. If he—”
“He won’t. He doesn’t get anything out of it if he hurts her. Aiden’s death was meant to protect Lowell and the rest of the Circle. Taking Kayleigh is all about Lowell protecting himself. If he does anything to her, all bets are off. Dez said Lowell told him he’d call at some point and let you talk to her, right? He’ll know you’ll insist on it. He needs to be able to put her on the phone, and he needs her to be in a state where she won’t be scared or upset. He’ll know anything else will be like poking two bears with sticks. Three, counting me.”
Eva released a long, shaky sigh before letting go of Sully’s shirt. She stood and made her way to the tissue box on the opposite bedside table and gave her nose a couple of blows. That done, she took another deep breath and straightened to her full height. Sully watched in awe as emotion left her face, replaced by the determination and stoicism he so admired about her.