*
"Mom, slow down, what did you say?" Pepper said into his phone, barely able to hear his mother over the sounds of chattering people behind her.
"I said, have you seen or heard from Shauna? This event we're catering is supposed to start in less than fifteen minutes, and she's not here. I've tried calling her cell phone, but it goes straight to voicemail."
Pepper checked his watch-it was just past seven forty-five. "Maybe she just got delayed with something, she'll probably turn up any second," he said, trying to calm his mother, although he felt himself starting to get anxious. It wasn't in Shauna's character for this kind of thing to happen.
"I know I'm a worrier, but it's not like her to be late, or at least call."
"Where are you, is this the thing for the hospital people at the Convention Centre?"
"It's at the Convention Centre, but it's an end of term faculty cocktail party for Western."
Alarm bells started to go off in Pepper's head. "Western faculty? What department?"
"Uh, just a second, let me check again," Joanie said, pausing on the other end of the phone. "Philosophy and Sociology."
Sociology?..shit, thought Pepper, his heart starting to pound. "What room are you in?" He was already reaching for his coat and making his way to his car.
"Uh, the Palladium Room on the second floor."
"I'll be right there. Call me on my cell if she shows up."
The tires squealed as Pepper backed the Mini out of his garage. He spun the wheel as he hit the main laneway of the complex, pulling out onto Sunningdale and heading downtown. It was a Thursday evening and he was glad the traffic was light, making good time as he felt the Mini hug the road like glue as he took every turn considerably faster than normal. He took his phone out to make sure it was working as he sped down Richmond, catching the lights at Fanshawe and Windermere. He was praying that his mother would call, letting him know Shauna had arrived.
He took a left on Oxford and within minutes pulled across the driveway of her house on Cartwright Street-her car wasn't there. He shot forward, racing to York Street and heading west, pulling into the access lane at the front of the Convention Centre. He pulled the car to the curb, popped on his hazard lights and ran inside. He bolted up the escalator, jostling his way past a number of well-dressed patrons attending the function. He spotted the entrance to the Palladium room and rushed inside, quickly finding the entrance to the staff area to the side. He pushed through the door, scanning the room for his mother.
"Scot." Joanie waved to her son and walked over to him, a concerned look on her face.
"She still hasn't called?" Pepper asked, breathing heavily.
"No. I don't understand it. She's never been a minute late for anything before. I'm worried about her."
"Maybe she had a flat tire or something. Where did they tell you guys to park?"
"In the lot right across the street. They asked us to park near the back so the guests could have the ones near the front."
"Is that the parking lot that backs onto the railroad tracks?" Pepper said, feeling his stomach lurch, remembering the same set of tracks were next to The Roundhouse restaurant, where they'd found Yvonne Redmond.
"Yes. After your grandmother and I unloaded, we put our car back against the fence there."
"Okay. Now, you said this event is for faculty members of the philosophy and sociology departments at the university?"
"Yes, I had to check when you called, but that's what it says on the paperwork."
"Do you know who you've been dealing with on their end? Is there somebody here I can talk to?"
"We've been dealing with Maggie Dunnigan from Western." Joanie walked over to the door leading from the service area to the main banquet room. "That's her, that blonde woman over there by the door in the black dress."
"Okay, Mom, thanks. I'm going to speak with her for a minute, and then I'm going to go look for Shauna. If she shows up or phones, call me right away, okay?"
"Okay," Joanie said, wringing her hands together.
The room was crowded, the event fully underway at this point, white-shirted bow-tied servers moving silently amongst the gathered guests. Pepper made his way quickly across the room to the woman his mother had pointed out. The tall woman stood next to the main entry doors, speaking with another woman.
"Excuse me, are you Maggie?"
"Yes, I am."
Not wanting to spook the woman by showing his badge, Pepper went with a different approach. "This event is for the faculty members in the philosophy and sociology departments, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I'm just wondering if an old friend of mine is on the guest list tonight-Robert Drummond."
"I think Professor Drummond is supposed to be here," she said. "Let me check my list." She opened the leather folio she had in her hand, Pepper looking over her shoulder at a long list of names, nearly all of them with checkmarks next to them. She reached forward with her index finger and pointed to a name. "Robert Drummond's on the list, but it looks like he hasn't arrived yet. Yes, come to think of it, I don't recall seeing him yet tonight. I've been standing at the door here checking people off as they come in."
"Thanks," Pepper said, already on his way out the door. He ran down the escalator and out the front door, deciding to take a quick look in the parking lot across the street before deciding what to do next. His car darted across the street and he drove to the back, turning along the row of cars against the back fence. He spotted his mother's car first, and then next to it, the distinctive boxy shape of Shauna's red Mini. He angled his car towards hers, lighting up the whole back end with his headlights. He jumped out of the car and over to hers, finding the doors unlocked. He saw something through the back window and opened the trunk, spotting the two containers inside. He closed the back door and stepped back, his chest heaving, his heart pounding. He went back to his car and was about to get inside when he noticed something on the ground beneath the back of Shauna's car. He ran back and got down on his knees and reached under the car, his hand coming in contact with something smooth and soft. He stood up and held the object towards the headlights of his car, his eyes alighting on Shauna's purse. His phone rang and he quickly pulled it out of his pocket. "Pepper," he barked into the phone, the purse still clutched in his hand.
"Tee, it's Ian," he heard McTavish say, the man's voice almost a whisper. "I'm out at Drummond's. Something's up. He came home a short time ago and he was acting all fidgety. He couldn't get his garage door to close, and he looked almost frantic. He kept looking at his car and was almost pounding on the button for the automatic closer. He finally pulled the manual rope-release and closed it by hand. He was acting really-hold on?just a second," McTavish said, his voice getting even quieter.
Pepper stood still and waited, his heart hammering away in his chest. Finally, he heard McTavish's voice, "Wait?wha-" McTavish's words were cut short by a loud thud and then the sound like someone dropping a bag of cement-and then nothing. Pepper looked at the phone in his hand, and then at Shauna's purse. He jumped back in his car, throwing the purse on the passenger seat. The tires squealed angrily as he spun the car around and pulled out of the parking lot, heading west on York Street. He took it all the way over to Wharncliffe Road and then continued west on Riverside Drive, the road following the curving branch of the Thames River right out to Drummond's house. His mind was reeling as he sped closer and closer to his destination, the little Mini screaming around the curves in the road as he pushed it to the limit, taking his chances with oncoming traffic as he passed a number of cars along the way. He couldn't get the image of Shauna lying dead on Janssen's lab table out of his mind. Images of arrows, whips, and burning cigars circled round and round his brain like a skipping record.
He took a left on Hyde Park Road, the dead end road leading to the subdivision by the river where Drummond's house was. As he came up to the turn onto Hampton Crescent, his headlights picked up the dead end extension McTavish had talke
d about, where he said he parked his car. Pepper swung the Mini around the corner, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down. He drove past Drummond's house and pulled to the curb, taking his gun out of the holster on his hip as he stepped quietly towards the house. He saw the white light from the basement window at the front of the house as he moved closer, hugging the hedge along that side. The wind had come up and was whistling through the branches of the big trees surrounding the house, making him think he was hearing things. He breathed deeply again, willing himself to calm down and concentrate.
He circled around to the back, seeing the white light coming from the two basement windows there as well. He leaned down and listened closely, but could hear nothing above the sounds of the wind and the gurgling river below him. He hugged the back wall as he moved to the other side of the house. Peeking around the corner, he saw that the side door to the garage was open. He crept quietly along the garage wall towards the open door, his gun up and ready. He crouched down as he neared the edge of the door, and leaned sideways to try and look inside. He couldn't see a thing. He pulled out his tiny flashlight and flicked it on, holding it up near the side of his head as he slowly pivoted towards the side of the open door, the narrow beam of light illuminating the area in front of Drummond's silver car.
"Good evening, Detective."
The voice came from behind him, and as he turned, he felt a solid whump on the back of his head. The gun dropped out of his hand as he fell.
Every Breath You Take Page 68