Dan Sharp Mysteries 4-Book Bundle (90 page)

R
ouleau
was picking up the folder for his meeting when the phone on his desk rang. He glanced at the number before picking up. He heard his voice lighten when he said, “Laney, how are you?”

“Good. I received a message to call you? Was the latest listing not suitable?”

“No, it's actually a great spot, but I've decided to put the house hunting on hold for the time being. My father just had heart surgery and I'm going to stay with him for the next month or so.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.” She paused and he heard the sharp clicks of a mouse across the telephone wire. “You know, Jacques, a condo has come up in your father's building. Ah, here it is. A two bedroom a few floors down from your father, but it also faces the lake. I could show it to you tomorrow if you have time.”

He hadn't considered a condo. When he'd been married to Frances, they'd bought a fixer-upper in Westboro, a neighbourhood in Ottawa, that he'd never gotten around to doing much work on. He still liked the idea of a house though. Maybe one in better condition with a backyard big enough for a barbecue and lawn chair and a place to garden. He liked flowers and figured it was a pastime he could take up.

“Won't hurt to have a look,” he said. “Any chance of just renting it for a year?”

“I can check. Meet you there around five tomorrow afternoon? It's number 405.”

“Perfect.”

He hung up the phone. Renting in his father's building for a year might be the solution for keeping an eye on his dad while giving them both some privacy. He smiled. It also wouldn't hurt to take the opportunity to see Laney again. He might never ask her out, but that wouldn't preclude enjoying her company when their paths crossed.

Heath held up a finger and finished his phone conversation while Rouleau waited. He was wearing his full police uniform and his round face beamed with boyish exuberance. After ending his call, he strode around the desk and shook Rouleau's hand, pounding him on the shoulder.

“I'm heading to the downstairs meeting room for the news briefing. I've invited a Queen's professor who's an expert on these honour crime cases and she's arrived. I don't have to tell you how good this looks on the department to have solved this one. We were starting to take a hit in the media for the number of unsolved cases we're carrying. Well done to the team.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“We've got that Chalmers retirement party Friday night. Will Stonechild be out of the hospital by then?”

“From what I hear, she's out now. Gundersund is driving her back to Kingston. I told him to take her home so she can rest.”

Heath's forehead creased. “So soon? How about the other girl?” He looked down at the notes on his desk. “Nadirah Shahan.”

“Nadirah will be spending the night in the Brockville Hospital for observation more than anything. She's conscious and stable.”

“Well, good that they're making such full recoveries so quickly. Of course, I won't share anything of a medical nature with the press except to say that they are expected to make full recoveries. Privacy laws and all that.”

Rouleau checked his watch. “You'll be on the six o'clock news.”

“CTV and CBC are covering my news conference. Sure you don't want to be part of it?”

“That's alright. I've got a bit of work to finish up.”

“Well, don't burn any midnight oil. Today is a time to celebrate. God knows we get little enough reason most days.”

Rouleau checked in with Vera to confirm the new hire was starting Monday before he headed back to the office. Woodhouse glanced up from his computer. He raised an arm in the air and motioned Rouleau over.

“I've just come across something odd.” Woodhouse's tone and expression were puzzled.

“Oh?”

“This Ghazi Shahan who tried to drown Stonechild and his sister, he's got the same name as the man I saw coming out of Della Munroe's house this morning. Can there be two of them with the same name?”

“How did you get the name of her visitor?”

Woodhouse held up a form. “I had a check run on his licence plate and it came out Ghazi Shahan. I thought I was hallucinating when I heard his name again in relation to Leah Sampson and the attempted drownings today.”

Rouleau took the piece of paper and studied it. Then he studied Woodhouse to see if he was trying to get a piece of the day's glory. He had the hopeful look of a man who might have landed on a good idea after a long drought.

“You're sure this fellow was in Della Munroe's house this morning?” Rouleau asked.

“Ghazi Shahan's black Nissan four-door was parked across the street from Della Munroe's house and he definitely came out her back yard and down her driveway. He was at her residence for approximately fifteen minutes.”

Rouleau slapped the paper against his hand and smiled. “Brilliant work, Woodhouse. You've just possibly given us the connection that could put Della Munroe away.”

Woodhouse grinned and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He swung his legs onto the desk and crossed them at the ankles. “All in a day's work, boss. All in a day's work.”

The clock turned over to nine o'clock when Gundersund eased Stonechild's truck into her driveway. The adrenaline rush from the arrests was long gone and Gundersund felt weariness weighing him down. He turned off the engine and looked across at Stonechild. She'd leaned her head against the headrest and hadn't spoken since they left Brockville. In the half-darkness, he couldn't tell if she was asleep or unconscious. A flashback to her limp body in the water sent a shudder through him. He reached over and touched her shoulder.

“We're home, Stonechild,” he said. “Time to wake up.” Relief filled him when she stirred. He slowly let out his breath.

She turned her head sideways and looked at him. Her eyes were black pools in the shadowy light. “Thanks for … everything. I'll see you tomorrow.” She pulled the handle and swung the door open.

“You're not getting rid of me that easy.” He pushed his door open too. “The doctor would only let you come home if I promised not to leave you alone overnight.”

She looked across at him before stepping out of her truck. “I'm releasing you of your promise. I'm fine. All I'm going to do is get some sleep.”

“Sorry. That's not on.”

He followed her up the driveway and onto the back deck. She stopped at the top of the steps and looked down at him. “Seriously, Gundersund. I don't need a babysitter. Go home and spend some quality time with your wife.”

“She's not there, so I'm all yours tonight.”

“What about your dog? She must be due for an outing by now.”

“Once I get you settled, I'll take Taiku and pick up Minny. The four of us will have a sleepover.”

He listened to her grumbling as she unlocked the door. She stepped inside and let the door shut behind her. He caught it before it clicked shut. She was standing a few feet away from the door, watching him and shaking her head.

“I'm too tired to argue with you,” she said, bending down to rub Taiku's head. “Could you let him out? He'll walk with you to your place if you call him when you go outside.”

She'd disappeared down the hall by the time Gundersund shut the door and he followed her into the living room. The lights were off but he could see the outline of her sitting on the couch from the light through the window. He turned on a lamp, then crouched next to her and undid her shoes, slipping each one off and swinging her legs onto the couch. “Pillow?” he asked.

“Upstairs in my bedroom at the end of the hall.”

He returned with a pillow and blanket and helped her to get comfortable. “Are you hungry? I make some mean scrambled eggs.”

“You're fussing, Gundersund. I hate when people fuss.”

“Actually, I'm hungry. If I make you something, I can make extra for myself.”

“Well, you're in luck. I stopped at the store yesterday so you'll find bread, milk, eggs, and cheese. Cook away.”

He turned the radio on low and hummed along to golden oldies as he worked. Cooking was something he enjoyed in his down time even though he joked that he was bad at it. Pasta and seafood dishes were his specialties. Fiona had said the fact he knew his way around the kitchen was one of his better features. He prepared a tray for Stonechild and filled a second plate for himself. As he was about to bring the food to her, he heard a scratching at the door. He let Taiku in and filled his bowl with dry dog food that he'd found in the cupboard, then proceeded to the living room. Stonechild was awake. She propped herself up and accepted the tray.

“It's good,” she said with her mouth full. “I didn't think I was hungry, but all of a sudden, I'm starving.”

Gundersund sat across from her in the recliner and began eating.

“When will Meeza and Dalal get to see Nadirah?” Stonechild asked.

“Wolf and Claire are taking them over first thing in the morning.”

“You trust Wolf with your fancy Camero?”

“It's just a car. He offered to drive the Shahan girls back tomorrow, and since you insisted on leaving, I took him up on his offer.” He smiled at her and speared another forkful of eggs.

She put her fork down and sighed. “Do you ever get weary of it all, Gundersund? All the awful things people do to each other?”

He took his time answering. “I focus on the good we do and don't try to spend much time on the nastiness. For every bad person, there are thousands of people trying to do the right thing. We're making a difference in their lives. That's what gets me through the shit.”

“It's just hard to deal with sometimes.”

He waited until she met his eyes and kept her gaze. “If we stop feeling, we stop being good at our jobs. You saved a life today, Kala. Maybe three lives, when you count Nadirah's sisters. Wolf says he's going to take them in until they get on their feet. There are details to be worked out, but they're going to do okay. He told me that he can offer counselling in his home, basically a residential setting. He's also taking in Gail Pankhurst when she gets out of the hospital. He's a decent guy. He's one of many decent guys out there.”

“Yeah, I guess. Thanks.”

He knew she was thanking him for more than his words of wisdom. “You're welcome. Are you done with that?”

She handed over her plate. “I can't eat anymore.”

He ate the rest of her meal while she watched. Her eyes closed a few times and he knew she was fighting sleep. He stood and picked up the dishes.

“I'm heading over to get Minny but I won't be gone long. See if you can sleep.”

She stopped him at the doorway. “Gundersund, I'm not going to stay around Kingston much longer. I haven't told Rouleau yet but thought you should know since you're my partner.”

“And I felt like we were just getting started.” He said the words lightly to cover his disappointment. “I'll be sorry to see you leave.”

“Maybe not too sorry after today.” She shot him a quick smile.

He took their dishes into the kitchen. On his way to the back door, he stopped in front of the sliding patio door and looked at his reflection in the glass.

He could still hear the shrill screams of Mrs. Shahan as he chased her down the beach, leaving Wolf with Nadirah and Stonechild once he knew help was on the way. She'd switched to screaming in English when he'd finally caught up with her in the woods. Her hijab had slowed her down. He'd tackled her, pinned her arms behind her back, and cuffed her. The evil in her words had shaken him: “My daughters are better off dead than bringing shame on our heads. They do not deserve to live. I wish they had never been born. I should have cut off their heads when I had the chance.”

The local police had caught up with Ghazi in his car outside of Brockville.

He heard a cellphone ringing and Stonechild saying hello. He moved back down the hallway and listened in case the call concerned the case. By the time he realized it was a personal call, he'd overheard Stonechild say that she would drop everything to help. Gundersund moved back down the hall and stepped outside onto the deck.

R
ouleau
bought two pints of Guinness and handed one to Gundersund. They clinked glasses and wandered over to the table where Ed Chalmers was holding court. They took up positions at the ledge nearby. It was Saturday night in the Merchant and the retirement party had moved over from the dinner and speeches at the hall. A local band was belting out cover songs on the raised stage in the corner. The place was crowded with patrons standing in groups around the bar. The noise level was high.

“Looks like he's having one drink for every year of service,” Gundersund observed. The table was filled with empty glasses, the steady pitchers of beer supplied by the team.

“He's trained for this day his entire career,” Rouleau said.

“Any word on Della Munroe?” Gundersund asked.

“The Crown is laying murder charges in the morning. First degree.”

“I thought as much after the Shahan kid admitted to helping her fake the rape. Why do you think he admitted to that?”

Rouleau shrugged. “We might have suggested that he helped her kill her husband. He wanted to make it clear that he hadn't.”

“Do you believe him?”

“I have no doubt he killed Leah Sampson but I don't think he killed Brian Munroe. Della Munroe accomplished that all by herself.”

“What about his parents?”

“Their involvement will be harder to prove. The mother was certainly part of the attempted murders. We have nothing on the father.”

“Will the daughters move back with him?”

“I doubt it. Nadirah intends to look after her sisters. Even if we can't charge their father, the girls know what went on. They might be convinced to talk.”

“Good evening, gentlemen.”

Rouleau turned. Heath had appeared at his shoulder and they shook hands. Rouleau looked past him and nodded at Laney Masterson. She was stunning in a cream silk blouse, tight blue jeans, and knee-high boots. The light picked out red highlights in her hair, which tumbled loose on her shoulders. She smiled at him before turning her face and saying something into Heath's ear. Heath nodded and she slipped past him on her way to the washrooms.

“Laney had to work late and missed dinner but was up for a nightcap.” Heath looked around. “This place is hopping.”

“A typical weekend at the Merchant,” Gundersund said, raising his glass.

Heath signalled the waitress and ordered two glasses of wine. He turned back to Rouleau. “So the new man starts Monday? Bennett, is it?”

“Bennett, yes.”

“Vera tells me he's from the Ottawa force.”

“He is. He was a uniformed officer and helped us with a murder investigation. He wanted to get into Criminal Investigations and applied. He's young and ambitious.”

Heath nodded toward Woodhouse, who was sitting next to Chalmers. “That'll make for a nice change. What about Stonechild? Is she staying on?”

“She's taken some time to attend to a personal matter.” Rouleau didn't add that she hadn't made any commitment to return.

The wine and Laney arrived at the same time. Heath took her by the arm and nodded toward Chalmers. “We'll just head over and have a word with the man of the hour. See you lads later.”

They weaved through the crowd to join those surrounding the Chalmers's table. Rouleau watched as Woodhouse stood and gave Laney his seat. She sat next to Chalmers and angled her chair to watch the band. Rouleau felt like he was nineteen again, watching the pretty girl he liked with another guy.

Gundersund caught his eye. “I thought they were finished. His wife must be out of town.”

“Heath's married?”

“Didn't I tell you? His wife comes from a long line of money. They tied the knot about five years ago after a quick courtship. Get you another beer?”

“Yeah.” Rouleau watched Heath bend down and say something to Laney. She looked up at him and laughed. “On second thought, I think I'll switch to Scotch. It feels like that kind of night.”

Gundersund lifted an arm and signalled for the waitress. “Then I'll join you. It feels like that kind of week.”

The woman across from Kala shuffled a stack of papers until she found the form she was looking for. Her nails were painted a deep blue, complimenting the streaks in her spiked pink hair. Kala placed her close to forty. She had to be a lifelong smoker judging by the network of lines around her mouth and the stale smell of nicotine around her desk. The hardness in her features was softened by the compassion in her brown eyes. She cleared her throat.

“I've been in touch with social services in Kingston and they'll be assigning a worker for Dawn. You will be living at the address you provided?”

A loaded question. Kala knew this woman wouldn't release Dawn to her care if she knew Kala was between jobs with no fixed address. Deciding whether to keep moving or commit to Rouleau's team was out of her hands if she was to keep her promise to Lily. Such were the mysterious workings of the universe.

“I'll be at that address. As you know, I'm with Criminal Investigations on the Kingston force.”

“Her mother asked that she live with you and based on your file, I believe this is the best place for Dawn at this time.” The woman stamped and signed the form. She flipped it around to Kala and handed her the pen. “If you agree to being her guardian, sign here.”

And if I don't?

“Will I be able to see her mother before we leave?”

The woman shuffled the papers as if buying some time to come up with an answer. She gave a sideways smile that bonded them in some kind of off-colour joke. “The thing is … she doesn't want to see you.”

Lily can't look me in the eye but wants me to take on her kid.
The whole setup was lunacy.

Kala stood with the woman and shook her hand. “I guess I'll be hearing how her trial goes.”

“Of course, although I don't expect she'll be out for some time, given it was armed robbery and she was caught on film. She'll be tried in Ottawa where the crime took place. Her partner as well. He'll be arriving from Calgary tomorrow and they'll both be transported to lock up in Ottawa this week sometime.”

“My cousin never did things the easy way.”

Kala followed the woman down the hallway to collect the twelve-year-old girl who was now her responsibility. Instant substitute parent to an almost-teenager — life was about to get a lot more complicated and she had absolutely no idea if she was up to the challenge.