Rooted in Lies

by Kasia Chojecki

"Give Odessa a call," Nick suggested. "Her cousin Jimmy is a realtor. He can help you find something."

  "Good idea," she smiled. "I was going to check out some areas over the next few days to see what appeals to me. There are some open houses tomorrow I might stop by, too."

  As they debated the pros and cons of different neighbourhoods, they missed a dark sedan slowly driving by. The diver, hidden behind the tinted glass, gave them a nasty look. They were getting too close to finding the truth.

  ***

  After meeting with Elizabeth Northam, Tyler felt like he was very close to finally getting a break. He couldn't quite pinpoint what that break would be, but he was sure that he was close.

  Tyler looked over the information Ava and Nick uncovered about Studio 416 and the man known as Antonio DiPalma. Sharon and DiPalma knew each other. They indeed appeared very friendly in the pictures. Was he the mysterious man Sharon's ex thought she was seeing? Did he have something to do with Sharon's death? How did he end up in the Halifax harbour so far from here?

  Tyler made several inquiries with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada's national police service, regarding DiPalma/Lowell, Gallery 416 and anything related to its operations and personnel. The RCMP had more extensive resources and specialized in investigating financial crimes as well as any criminal activity related to national security.

  Initially, he assumed the key found with Sharon's remains belonged to her, and whoever dumped her body simply missed it. But searches for lockers and safety deposit boxes in Sharon's name or a combination of anyone in her family came up with nothing. Ava later confirmed his suspicion that the key wasn't Sharon's.

  Tyler searched again using the names Antonio DiPalma and Anthony Lowell. He cast a Canada-wide net, but so far, there were no hits. He suspected there was more to this story than they were led to believe, and Sharon Novak was at the centre of it. He was pacing in his office when the call came.

  "Bonjour, Detective Burnett," the voice on the other end said. "My name is Camille Pasteur, and I'm calling from Revenu Québec. I think I have something you are looking for."

  Whatever break he was hoping for, a call from the provincial revenue ministry wasn't something he expected. But as the saying went, he wasn't going to look a gifted horse in the mouth.

  "You have me at a disadvantage," he said.

  "We have a safety deposit box in our possession that matches the name you were searching for," she paused. "Antonio DiPalma."

  "Are you sure?" Tyler asked as his heart pounded with excitement. He didn't expect to get a hit on the name when he

  "Absolutely," she confirmed.

  "I'm not going to lie," he told her. "But I never expected to hear from your organization. How did the contents of this safety deposit box end up with your province's revenue agency?"

  "It's not as uncommon as you think, Detective," she said. "There are literally hundreds of safety deposit boxes that go unclaimed in our province every year. What do you think happens to these safety deposit boxes when the banks can't find the owners?"

  "They send them to you?" Tyler guessed.

  "Well, we try to look up the owners, but sometimes, especially when they are out of province or dead, it's hard to track them down," Camille told him. "We do have an online registry where we list names and last known addresses of the owners, but sometimes even that doesn't always guarantee that we find these people. You'd have to know who you were looking for. It's not like you can pick a name and then call us to claim ownership."

  "I take it that if someone has a safety deposit box and they keep it a secret from their family, that family won't know to come and look for it."

  "Precisely," she confirmed. "You'd be surprised how many people forget that they even have a safety deposit box. It's strange, but it happens."

  "You learn something new every day," he said. "Tell me, what types of things do you find in these safety deposit boxes?"

  Camille laughed. It was a hearty laugh that he didn't expect.

  "Oh, you'd be surprised," she said. "We find anything from love letters, heirlooms, and jewellery to cash and collectables. Occasionally, we even find gold."

  "No kidding," he said. "Is that what's in DiPalma's box?"

  There was a slow pause on the other end.

  "Not exactly," Camille said. "There are several documents that might mean something to you and another smaller box. However, it is missing a key. It looked important, so we didn't try to open it."

  "I think that I might have something here that can," Tyler said as he reached for the evidence bag with the key found with Sharon's body. Could the box be what the key opened?

  "Okay, then," she said. "Let's talk about how we can get all of this to you."

  They made arrangements that covered the necessary requirements on both ends. By the time the conversation ended, Tyler was sure he was one step closer to finding out who killed Sharon.

  As Camille made arrangements to courier the contents to Toronto, Tyler sat back at his computer. There were several more leads to follow up on, but he was getting closer.

  Chapter 17

  It was one of those gorgeous Saturdays that were made for a wedding. Nick flicked off the tiny specs of fluff off his shoulder as he inspected his reflection in the mirror. He spent the morning getting ready, fussing with his hair. The black suit fit him like a glove. Although he preferred his jeans and t-shirts, he didn't mind dressing up, especially when he had a hot date lined up.

  He sprayed on some cologne and glanced at his watch. If he left now, he'd have enough time to pick up Diana and get to the reception at a reasonable time. With one last look in the mirror, he went downstairs, grabbed his keys, wallet and phone. He texted Diana to let her know he was on his way.

  Outside he bumped into Ava.

  "Oh, hey," she said as she looked him up and down. "You clean up nice."

  "You gotta stop giving me all these compliments," Nick flashed her one of his smiles. "It's all gonna go to my head."

  "As if your head could get any bigger," she laughed. "This is your cousin's wedding? I can't remember."

  "My friend, John's," he reminded her. "I have a date with his cousin Diana."

  "Well, you kids have fun," Ava said as he started to walk away. "I'm going to check out some open houses."

  "Don't forget the panic button," Nick called out to her as he got into his car.

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

  Ava waved as he drove off. Since her parents had tickets to the opera that evening and Stan was busy with his friend across the street, maybe it was time for her to find herself a hot date. With that in mind, she went inside and grabbed her purse. First, she has some properties to see.

  After hitting some open houses, Ava decided that maybe getting a house wasn't what she wanted. Too much maintenance and a lot of space for one person. Perhaps she should look into lofts and condominiums instead? There was a lot to think about. She texted Odessa's cousin Jimmy and set up a meeting with him later in the week. All she had to come up with was a list of what she was looking for and a budget she was comfortable spending. Easy enough, she thought.

  Ava decided to head downtown. It's been a while since she visited the waterfront and just enjoyed the city. She jumped on the subway and headed west to Yonge and Bloor. There she changed trains and headed south.

  She got off at Union Station and made her way up to street level. During the week, this place was filled with people rushing to and from work to catch their commuter trains home. There were tourists with cameras, suitcases and maps walking around, trying to find their way around.

  On game nights, this whole area was filled with sports fans sporting jerseys of whatever home team was playing that day. It was all so typical. So ordinary.

  Ava headed down Front Street past the cab drivers lined up waiting for fares and just kept walking. Nobody paid any attention to her as they walked by, engrossed in their own lives.

  There was something comforting about the anonymity the city provided
. Here, at this moment, she wasn't Sharon Novak's daughter to be pitied or whispered about. She was just an ordinary woman walking around downtown.

  It was another beautiful day in the city. The warm days of summer still lingered, but the humidity was gone. Ava made her way, passing the CN Tower, Toronto's signature icon standing above the city like a blade. It made her smile, just like it did every time she saw it. Whether Ava wanted to admit it or not, Toronto was her home. It's always been home, no matter where she lived. That's probably why she made the decision to get a place here.

  The waterfront was busy as usual as people flocked to the water. The city created a little beach here filled with umbrellas that attracted young and old. Ava made her way past the busy bike lanes along Queens Quey and headed for the park overlooking Lake Ontario. She opted to sit on a bench under the tree. It gave her a great view of the beach and the Toronto Islands across the water.

  She got her phone out and opened the dating app Lori told her to try. She downloaded it a few days ago but didn't yet have a chance to set it up. No better time like the present. It's been a while since she tried online dating. Ava forgot how many questions they asked. After spending a lot longer than she intended answering personal questions, she gave up.

  Ava got up from the bench. Maybe walking would help her think. The boardwalk along the harbourfront was still busy. She navigated between couples, children and joggers, trying to decide whether she should grab some dinner or head back home.

  "Ava," the sound of a familiar voice made her turn around.

  "Oh, hey," she smiled.

  ***

  "Gorgeous evening," Kevin said as he gave her a quick hug. "What are you doing in this area?"

  "Oh, you know, just enjoying the evening," she told him. "I've been looking at open houses all day, and I'm exhausted."

  "Are you thinking of buying a house then?"

  "I'm thinking about it," she said. "My grandfather is thinking of selling the house, so I will need a place of my own."

  "Oh yeah," he nodded. "Having your own palace is very freeing. Are you heading back, or do you maybe want to grab a drink?

  Ava thought about it for a moment. She didn't have that many friends in town, and with Nick and Odessa at the wedding, she didn't have anyone else to hang out with.

  "Sure," she smiled at him. "As long as I'm not intruding on your plans."

  "Oh, not at all," he shrugged. "This is a little embarrassing. I was supposed to meet this girl for a drink, but she never showed up."

  "Oh, that's terrible," Ava said sympathetically. "Maybe she's just running late?"

  "Nah," Kevin said as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "We were supposed to meet an hour ago. When she didn't show, I texted her, and she blew me off."

  "Ouch," she said. "I've been hesitating to sign up for those online dating apps again. The last time I did, it wasn't great."

  "You just wait till I tell you some of the stories," he smiled at her. "Let's get some drinks first."

  They chose a bar with a patio that overlooked the water. They talked about simple things. The weather, books, latest movies and shows. It reminded Ava that there was more to life than living in the past. Kevin did indeed entertain her with some wild stories and dates from hell. She realized that she was having more fun than she expected.

  "So tell me," he said as they split an order of nachos. "Why the apps? I would have thought someone like you would have guys all over her."

  "Come now," she laughed. "I'm not exactly great at relationships. A lot of guys get put off by what I do."

  "They do? Well, their loss then," he said between bites. "I think what you do is fascinating."

  "Well, you might be a bit biased," she teased. "But my work is not always conducive to healthy relationships."

  She felt a bit weird and excused herself to the bathroom. She must have had too much cheese, Ava thought. It always did a number on her stomach. In the bathroom, she felt a bit queasy. Nausea came on fast, and it was ugly.

  After she threw up, Ava splashed some water on her face and felt a little bit better.

  "Everything okay?" Kevin asked when she got back to the table.

  "Yes, I just need some water," after several sips, she felt her stomach settle a bit. She was done with the nachos.

  "I saw online that you've made some progress with Sharon's case?"

  "Yes and no," she said. "Sharon kept copies of documents that we think prove there was something illegal going on at the place she worked. We put the information out there to see if it generates some leads."

  "Oh? What did you uncover?"

  "There was definitely something shady going on at the gallery," she thought about it for a moment. "Maybe it would make sense to do another meetup? Just about Sharon's case."

  "You want to do a meetup?"

  "Yes, I think showing people what we have and what was really going on there would help clear Sharon and bring her killer to justice."

  "Are you okay?" he asked.

  "Huh?" Suddenly everything started to look a bit fuzzy, and she began to feel dizzy. "I don't feel good."

  "Let me give you a ride," Kevin got up and put his arm around her, then guided her out of the bar. He was strong. A lot stronger than she anticipated. Something wasn't right. Ava's head started spinning even more then everything went black.

  "I'm sorry it had to come to this," he said as he pushed her into the trunk of his car and shut it.

  Something was definitely wrong, Ava thought. She couldn't keep her eyes open. Kevin. He did something to her. With her strength fading, Ava tried to reach the panic button she fastened to her necklace. She could barely move her fingers. How many times was she supposed to tap it? She tapped it with all the willpower she had as she slipped into unconsciousness.

  ***

  The wedding was in full swing. Nick went through the motions without feeling a lot of enthusiasm. The speeches, the toasts, the cake cutting, the dancing. There were a couple hundred guests in attendance, and he knew most of them. Yet, he was bored.

  Steve sat down beside him and set down his glass on the table.

  "Why aren't you out on the dance floor?" he asked. "Diana is looking mighty good these days."

  Nick looked over at his date. She looked stunning in her sleek backless dress, her hair trailing down her bare back in fancy curls. They got their own party started when he went to pick her up, and there was a lot more where that came from. Diana was a looker, and in theory, she was perfect. Yet, she bored him to death.

  "She always looks great," Nick said. "In and out of the clothes."

  "So why aren't you over there with her right now?" Steve laughed as he slapped Nick's back. "What happened to easy and uncomplicated?"

  "Nothing happened," Nick told him. "Been there, done that."

  "Bro, you don't know what the hell you want," Steve shook his head in disbelief. "Want another drink?"

  "Can't. I'm driving."

  "Sucks to be you," he laughed. "Take that stick out of your ass and come on the dance floor. The girls are waving at us."

  Nick got up and followed his cousin on the dance floor. Odessa and Diana were already there, surrounded by their friends. The music was loud, and the crowd made it even louder. He should've gotten a ride. At least then, he would have been able to drink.

  "Hey you," Diana skillfully wrapped herself around him. Her tongue trailed along his neck up to his ear. She described several colourful suggestions for their own afterparty as someone accidentally bumped into them.

  "Nick," Odessa gave him a big smile. "You finally came on the dance floor."

  Nick smiled at her as Diana's grip on him loosened. "I did."

  "I put Ava in touch with my cousin Jimmy," she yelled into his ear. "I'm sure he'll be able to help her find something."

  "I'm sure he will."

  Odessa danced to the music as several other women joined in. Diana joined them in singing as well.

  "Are you still going to work for her?" Odessa asked
.

  "What?"

  "Ava," she yelled again. "Are you going to keep working for her?"

  "I don't know," Nick yelled back. The truth was he didn't know what was going to happen. Their arrangement was temporary. Would she want him around? Better yet, would he want to keep working for her? It wasn't something he was going to wonder about right now.

  The music switched to a slow number, and the dance floor filled with couples. He pulled Diana closer to him as she put her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they swayed to the music.

  "You know," she said. "We could get out of here and go back to my place. Finish up what we started."

  "We could," he said. Maybe that would take his mind off things. "I don't have anywhere to be tomorrow."

  "Hmmm," she lifted her mouth to his and kissed him slowly. "Neither do I."

  She slid her arms down his chest and under his jacket. "Is this your phone vibrating?"

  Nick reached inside in his jacket pocket. He left it unbuttoned and forgot the phone was there. When he looked at the screen, his heart skipped a beat. It was an alert activated by Ava's panic button. It came in almost an hour ago.

  "Shit," he said. "I'll be right back."

  Nick ran out to the hallway, trying to call Ava on his way. There was no answer. He tried again.

  "Steve," he called out to his cousin, who was getting a drink from the bar. "I have to go. It's an emergency. Can you make sure Diana gets home okay?"

  "Sure," Steve said. "What's happened?"

  "It's Ava," Nick told him. "I think she's in trouble."

  As he ran to his car, Nick called Detective Burnett.

  ***

  Ava drifted in and out of consciousness. Dizzy and confused, she tried to move, but every attempt to open her eyes sent her back into oblivion. She could hear voices, familiar ones that sounded as if she was hearing them underwater. Everything hurt, but she couldn't move. Couldn't make the pain go away.

  She tried to speak, but it came out more like a groan. An incoherent sound that couldn't possibly be her. Was it? Why couldn't she move?

  "Wake up, sleepyhead," the voice said.