Читать книгу Stonechild and Rouleau Mysteries 5-Book Bundle - Brenda Chapman - Страница 32

Friday, December 30, 2:40 p.m.

This time, Susan Halliday was the one who answered the door. She’d made an attempt to fix her hair and had applied make up that gave an artificial rosiness to her cheeks and lips. A bright red mohair sweater hung loosely on her thin frame, topping tight black pants. Kala was impressed with Susan’s natural grace although she doubted Susan was aware of her beauty. Women approaching sixty were made to feel unattractive because of their lined faces and aging skin. There was an apologetic air about Susan as if she was afraid of offending by her very presence. However, it wasn’t enough to extinguish the inner light when her tawny eyes found Kala’s. A self-effacing smile spread across Susan’s face.

“I know why you’ve come, but I’m fine. I’m embarrassed for causing so much trouble. Clinton has made me promise not to go anywhere again unless I first check the gas level.”

“Speaking of your husband, is he home?” asked Kala.

“No, he’s gone to get his hair cut and to pick up a few things for supper. I expect him back in a few hours.”

Kala glanced at Bennett and he nodded.

“I’ll just go make those calls if you don’t mind me in your kitchen. That way I won’t disturb you,” said Bennett.

“Of course,” said Susan. “Help yourself to tea. I just made a pot and it’s on the stove.” She looked at Kala. “Would you like some?”

“Tea would be lovely.”

A few minutes later, they were sitting across from each other with mugs of tea in hand as if they were girlfriends having a chat. Susan tucked her feet under her.

“So you’re feeling better?” Kala asked.

“Yes. My hands and feet are fine. I wasn’t in the woods long enough for any lasting damage. I was very lucky that ranger came along when he did.”

“Have you recalled any details of that afternoon?”

Susan shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Did you find the credit card receipt for your last gas purchase?”

“I was mistaken. I paid cash the last time I bought gas.”

“Do you normally pay cash?”

“Not as a rule, but I’m very sloppy about my record-keeping I’m afraid. I remembered after leaving the hospital that I paid cash because I’d forgotten my credit card at home. I just got careless about keeping track. I was driving more than usual, getting ready for Christmas, and then I became distracted with Tom Underwood’s death.”

“Any receipt of the cash payment?”

“No. I must have tossed it.” She laughed lightly. “You must wonder how I’ve managed to survive this long.”

“On the contrary. Has Clinton shared with you where he was that day that you went into the Gatineau Hills?”

“He left the base in Trenton mid-morning and was on his way home. He wanted to surprise me.”

“We checked and he left close to seven thirty. It’s a four hour drive so he would have been home before noon. You told us that you set out for the park after one o’clock.”

Susan took a sip of tea. Her hand shook slightly when she lowered the mug but her voice was firm. “He stopped for breakfast in Gananoque. He told me that service was slow because a tour bus arrived just before he ordered. Really, officer, I know what you’re getting at, but you are completely mistaken.”

“Mrs. Halliday, I need to ask, how are things between you and your husband? Has he ever been violent with you?”

Susan forcefully shook her head. “He would never have done this to me. Never. I was just careless.”

“If not your husband, perhaps you know of someone else? They may be the person who murdered Tom Underwood.”

“I don’t know of anyone. Tom had to have been killed by a stranger or someone from his work life. I don’t know which would be worse.” She drew her fist up to her mouth and closed her eyes.

Kala studied her. Should she continue to push? Susan was shielding someone and her money was on Clinton. She reached into her pocket. “I’m going to give you my cellphone number. You can call me anytime, day or night, and I’ll come. If you feel like talking, I’m a good listener. I want to help you.”

Susan opened her eyes. They were filled with pain but also resolve. “Thank you, officer, but I’m certain I’ll be fine.” She took the card and tucked it into her pocket. “Now, if that is all, I would like to rest. It’s been a long, tiring week.”

“Of course. Please contact me if you remember anything else. I’m just a phone call away.”

Kala left Bennett at the station and trudged through the snow to the Y. She was ready to spend the rest of the day sleeping. Her legs and arms felt weighted down with cement. Fatigue had settled into her brain like cotton batting. Her cell vibrated inside her pocket just as she pressed the elevator button in the lobby. She got the phone to her ear before the caller hung up. She hadn’t recognized the number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Kala Stonechild?”

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

“It’s Maya from the mission. How are you doing, child?”

Kala smiled. “Good. I’m good.” The tiredness lifted for the moment. “You have news?”

“I saw that young girl, Dawn, last night. She came in with another woman, not your cousin, but the homeless woman the police are looking for. Anyhow, I called the other officer who asked me to keep an eye out for her but the girls had both gone before the police arrived. I would have called you sooner, but I’d misplaced your card.”

“What’s the name of the homeless woman?”

“Annie Littlewolf. She’s five foot nothing, about forty years old. An Ojibway from out west. I hadn’t seen her around since her friend was found dead in that alley. Poor soul.”

“Did the little girl, Dawn, did she look okay? She wasn’t with this woman against her will?”

“As far as I could tell, they were friendly with each other. They got some food and disappeared before I could get to them.”

“And they haven’t been back?”

“No, but now that I’ve found your card, I’ll call you right away the next time I see either of them.”

“I’d appreciate that, Maya.”

“No problem, child. You take care.”

“You too … and thanks.”

Kala rode the elevator to her floor. She unlocked the door to her room and stepped inside. The air was stale and dry. She crossed to the window before she remembered that it was sealed shut. She was going to have to hope that the heat shut off soon since she also didn’t have a thermostat control in her room. She dropped her clothes on the floor and climbed naked under the sheets. The throbbing in her shoulder reminded her that she needed to take another painkiller. She sighed and got up again to rummage through her bag. It was an effort to walk back to her bed and lower herself onto the mattress. She had a voicemail message from Shannon that she’d meant to return before going to sleep, but it wasn’t going to happen. Whatever Shannon wanted to tell her would keep until morning. Kala stretched her aching legs and rolled onto her side, careful to protect her bandaged shoulder. Ten seconds later, she was sound asleep. She didn’t stir until dawn.

Benny sat on Max’s desk, one leg crossed over the other at the knee, a burning cigarette in his hand. Max leaned back in his desk chair, his head at crotch level but his eyes on Benny’s face. Benny’s blue eyes reminded him of sparkling aquamarine stones. They were his best feature by far. Max absentmindedly reached over and rubbed his fingers lightly along the crease in Benny’s pant leg.

“It’s getting harder to put up with this domestic crap, Benny. I never thought it would be this exhausting. At least the kid should keep her occupied.”

“You’re a trooper. Just keep your eye on the money.”

“I don’t know anymore. When you cooked up this scheme, it felt like a sure thing, but the longer it goes on, the less good I feel about deceiving Geraldine. She’s going to cotton on if she hasn’t already.”

“That’s why you have to start investing more time in keeping her happy. You have to make it look like you really want to be married to her.” Bennie took one last puff and dabbed the cigarette in the ashtray next to him on the desk. “We knew going in this was going to take time.”

“Why was I the one who had to get married again?”

“Because you’re better looking and you have way more charm.”

“I’ll bet you say that to all the guys.” Max’s fingers moved lightly up Benny’s leg. “It’s just not as easy to keep up the pretence as time goes by. Believe it or not, I feel sorry for Geraldine.”

“Well, use your empathy to start treating her better. We’re too close to the jackpot for you to grow a conscience now.”

“You always could talk me into … stuff.”

“We’re going to have to be careful about meeting for a while. With the cops poking around, it could get dicey. After this evening, you need to spend more time at home. Act like you and the missus and your kid are one happy family.”

“Great. For how long?”

“After they stop investigating Tom’s death, we’ll start moving money again. If all goes well, you can extricate yourself by summer. We’ll winter somewhere warm. What do you think about next Christmas in Cuba?”

Max nodded slowly and looked at this man who’d had a hold on him since high school. Benny was too short and slender and his black hair too bristly to be called handsome, but it was the blue eyes that won him over — that and Benny’s wild side. Benny took chances that maybe bordered on reckless. When they first met, Benny had needed someone to dominate and Max had been happy to oblige. A Bonnie to his Clyde. What had he let this obsession lead him into?

“I’ll hold you to that,” Max said. His fingers had reached Benny’s zipper. “So this could be it for a while?”

“Sadly, we have to be careful,” Benny said. His face changed and he held up a hand. “Did you hear that noise?”

“What noise?”

“I thought we were the only two in the building.” Benny jumped off the desk and crossed to the partially open door. He pushed it all the way open and looked both ways down the hall. He shut and locked it, then walked slowly back to Max. “I guess I’m just getting jumpy.” He leaned against the desk and cupped Max’s chin in his hand. “You really are a delicious-looking man, you know that Maxy? And if we stick together, you’ll soon be a rich and single delicious-looking man.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t blow it.” Max looked up at Bennie and batted his eyes. “Although you are another matter.” He growled deep in his throat and they both laughed.

Max placed his hand on Benny’s thigh. “If this is going to be it for a while, let’s stop wasting time.”