Читать книгу Death in October - Lowell Inc. Green - Страница 22

When they were married, a crisis of virtually any magnitude had usually resulted in an emotion-charged fight. Now, during this, the greatest crisis of their lives, Grant and Carol Henry found themselves looking to each other for comfort and support. Whatever they felt about each other, whatever their differences, they shared the common link of love for their child, and a terrible fear for her safety.

Hearing their daughter’s plaintive plea for help had shattered their reserve with each other. Carol, on the verge of hysteria, began sobbing uncontrollably in the lab, and Grant found himself with his arms around her, cradling her like a child, wiping away her tears, trying to reassure her, and himself, that Lee would be found unharmed.

They were back in the “chateau” now, seated side by side in the screened-in porch, overlooking the broad, swiftly flowing Gatineau River. It was here where, a million years or so ago they had all spent so many happy times. It had always been one of Lee’s favourite places. As a little girl she often dragged a blanket down in the evening and pleaded to be allowed to sleep there so she could hear the peeper frogs in the spring and the birds and squirrels of summer.

Now, as the late afternoon sun drew long shadows across the lawn, her parents sat enveloped in silence, drawn deeply down into their own private thoughts. An observer would have thought them a loving couple, facing middle age at peace with each other and the world.

They were far from being at peace, but some of the tension had dissipated when they learned, shortly after arriving back from the lab, that Sandra Beale had been contacted in the Bahamas and has given her approval to air the recording on the entire network. In fact, Superintendent Charron was at that moment making the arrangements to have the lab run off a dub to be delivered to the station in plenty of time for the eight pm deadline. From there it would be fed to all network stations.

It was Charron as well who brought them up to date on the investigation. As they suspected, no strange fingerprints had been found. The blood on the cloth was animal, presumably Niki’s. The lab was still running tests on Lee’s hair and the sweepings from her room. The licence plate had not revealed anything, although they were following up on the type and make of paint used to cover the numbers. Essentially, to this point at least, they were at a dead end. Madame Gratton had been questioned extensively again, but was unable to reveal anything new. There was absolutely no suspicion that she had anything to do with the abduction, or was withholding any information. Whoever was responsible had been well prepared and professional. How they had escaped the roadblocks was still a mystery.

“We aren’t standing still on this though,” Charron tried to assure the Henry’s. “Already several people, mostly former members of the FLQ, have been rounded up across the province and are being questioned.”

When Grant and Carol returned from the lab, they found that Jake had prepared lunch. It was the first food of the day for all of them and Grant was surprised to find himself hungry. Carol, still badly shaken, was able to eat only a few mouthfuls, bursting into tears at one point and shivering perceptibly.

The phone’s sudden ring startled her. She let out a small scream. Everyone’s heart jumped, but it was the Ottawa General Hospital calling for Jake. His mother had fallen in her kitchen and injured her back. She was asking for him. Apologizing for leaving them alone with the two detectives, Jake hurriedly left for the hospital, clearly very concerned.