Evil in Hockley (18 page)

Shelley’s lips quivered but she
managed,

“You couldn’t have known.”

“When we get home you’re going straight
into the hospital and we’ll see if we can’t get your sight
back.”

Shelley sniffled then said,

“You three are the best… No, the only
friends I’ve ever had. You three saved my life. You went all the
way to New Orleans to do that. I know you wanted information but
Karma told me you’d have settled for nothing as long as I pulled
through. Thank you Harry. Joe’s the thug: not you.”

There was a silence then she
continued,

“I honestly don’t know what I saw. I’ve
been over and over it all a thousand times in the last few days but
I don’t know Harry. I just don’t know.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Forget about it. If it
comes so be it. Give it a rest, Shelley.”

Karma quickly changed the subject and
said,

“Shelley, you know what I can’t get
used to about Canada. Your system of weights and measure. I mean on
my Ontario driver’s license they have my height in centimetres and
my weight in kilograms. I buy a magazine and they use feet for
height and pounds for weight. Which is it?”

“Both Karma. Magazines are usually
American so they use feet and inches and pounds for weight. If a
Canadian wrote a diet book he’d have to use both systems. Like my
dad says he buys lumber in feet and dental floss in metres. You
have to get used to it.”

Karma said,

“You also spell words different like
eye colour with an ‘ou’ rather than just an o. There’s a lot of
words like that. You’d think that two countries sharing the same
border could get together on the little things like language and
how much something weighs.”

Sandy added,

“It’s worse in Europe where some
countries are bordered by half a dozen others with different
languages.”

Karma then said,

“Another thing I noticed is that half
the year there’s construction everywhere. It’s like you have two
seasons, winter and construction season.”

Shelley added,

“Have you ever noticed when they pave a
road they tear it up again in some places. They redo the traffic
lights or put in an underground water main. You’d think they could
do all that before they paved it.”

Harry started to laugh. The survival
instincts of women: The way they band together in times of despair
and their relentless quest for humour in bad times was something
men lacked. He regretted bringing up the subject of Shelley’s
blindness even though it brought forth another small clue. It
wasn’t worth it. Was any of it worthwhile? The amount of death he’d
inadvertently brought about with his unrelenting probe into his
brother’s demise. It wouldn’t bring him back. He’d think about
dropping the issue and return to the Middle East and finish his
tour of duty. Would Joe Sharky drop the issue as well and leave
these women alone. He doubted it. Once Harry was out of the way
he’d wreak havoc on all three women. He was a sadist and if nothing
else Harry would have to kill him even at the cost of his own
life.

Chapter 33

Sandy and Harry spelled each other
until the long road home ended and his house was in sight. He
unlocked the door and started checking the house. Karma was at his
heels.

“What are you looking for
Harry?”

“Trying to determine if anyone has been
here. Maybe Joe set traps or poisoned the water.”

“No ones been here Harry.”

“How do you know?”

“I set up wards. Like invisible threads
and none have been broken.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes, Harry, I can. Trust me it’s as we
left it. Joe wants you, not your house. If he wanted it blown he’d
hire a guy who could use a rocket launcher.”

“Makes sense.”

Harry emptied the trunk while Sandy
vacuumed the car. He opened windows to air out the house. It was
noon so they all went to Orangeville for a meal; to Kelsey’s for a
feast. On the way home he stopped at the LCBO for a couple of litre
bottles of rum. Then he stopped for a case of cola for mixers.
Tonight was to be a night of celebration for the success of their
journey. Shelley was healed and tomorrow she’d be taken into the
hospital for an examination to determine if her sight could be
restored.

It was a wild night. Harry wondered how
he’d survived it. Sandy kept wanting to take off her clothes. She
wanted to show Harry she had breasts equal to Karma’s. They both
finally stripped and asked Harry to decide who had the nicest
bosoms. Harry told them it was a tie but they wouldn’t accept that
ruling.

Finally Shelley stripped as well and
entered the contest. Harry finally told them that Shelley had the
nicest nipples, Sandy the best all around shape, and Karma had the
largest set. They were content with his final ruling then
celebrated and toasted each other’s victories.

The following morning Harry vibrated
like a plucked guitar string. He went for a bath but Karma was
already in the tub. Shelley sat on the toilette, head in her hands.
He made his way to the downstairs toilette and when he went to pull
down his zipper found he wasn’t wearing a thing. He wondered what
had happened the night before but couldn’t remember anything after
the breast contest.

It took all of them until noon to bathe
and get dressed. They walked to the local donut shop for breakfast
which turned out to be lunch. They didn’t serve breakfast after
twelve noon. After the meal stayed down they decided it was time to
take Shelley in to the hospital.

Harry showed the duty nurse Shelley’s
health card and helped with the forms. He made up a story about an
accident she had in New Orleans. They couldn’t drive home
immediately because she contracted blood poisoning. The doctor who
examined her was suspicious and asked Harry and Karma more
questions. Her eyes were too precisely damaged he said. He looked
at the scars on her hands: Identical on both. Harry didn’t attempt
an explanation knowing he’d look guilty of something if he did. He
showed the doctor Shelley’s stamped passport. The doctor finally
concluded it was something that had happened in another country and
could not be investigated here.

Tests would have to be run so Shelley
was given a room. The nurses had to physically push Karma and Sandy
out of Shelley’s room.

“We’ll visit everyday,” said
Sandy.

“We’ll bring flowers,” said
Karma.

Harry drove because Sandy was in tears
all the way home.

Harry checked out his Hemi Cuda then
cranked it over. It started on the third turn after sitting idle
for over a week. He drove to Bloor street in Toronto and after
searching for an hour found a parking spot. His destination was
Stafford Rendal, a research firm where Jarrod had worked until his
death. At office security he showed his ID and gave the guard the
name of Jarrod’s former boss, Gary Underhill. Gary appeared in
minutes and invited Harry to his office.

“I’m sorry about Jarrod. He was a good
man and an irreplaceable worker. I had to hire two full timers to
do work Jarrod did in a twenty hour week. He was salaried of course
so was paid whether he worked or not. I know you didn’t come here
for condolences. What can I do for you?”

“I need to know if Jarrod had any close
friends that I could talk to. About his personal life. There are
questions I need answers to.”

“I don’t mean to pry, but in regards to
what? If I knew what you needed then maybe I could
help.”

“There are some of us who don’t believe
he had an accident, that he was killed.”

“Wow, the police don’t support that
theory.”

“I know, let’s just say it’s a strong
hunch and I’d like to check it out.”

“All right. If he was killed then that
needs to be dealt with. Brian Laciter was a close friend but even
closer was Barbara Helms. They dated until two years ago but often
lunched together. Brian would know guy things like Rock Concert
outings and Barbara might know his inner thoughts. She might talk
to you about personal things in his life.”

“Could I talk to Brian
first.”

“Sure you can use our conference room.
There are no meetings scheduled for today.”

Harry shook hands with Brian five
minutes later. He explained that although he had no evidence he
believed Jarrod was murdered. He made that statement to judge a
response.

“Oh no, Jarrod was as good as they get.
He’d never do anything to piss anyone off unless he was just
kidding with friends. When we went to concerts he always doled out
change for street people. Even talked to them. He had the patience
of an oyster.”

“I have information he was dating
someone weeks before he was killed.”

“Not that I know of but then he wasn’t
the kiss and tell type. He used to date Barb and none of us knew
for months. He’d never brag about scoring with a chick like guys
do.”

Brian knew Jarrod as well as one guy
ever knows another. It was a dead end but Harry was gratified to
learn his brother had such good friends.

Barbara Helms was quiet and reserved
just the type of woman he imagined Jarrod would date.

“Jarrod was the sweetest guy I ever
met. Sorry for your loss. He was a great loss to me and I’m sure
others in the office feel the same way.”

“Some of us in his home town believe he
was murdered.”

“Oh no. Who would do that?”

“I have an idea but no proof. I was
told he was seeing a woman for weeks before his death. Do you know
anything about that?”

Barbara sat as though trying to decide
how to answer his question.

“It’s important Barbara. The police
aren’t investigating. I need your help.”

Finally she shrugged and
said,

“We used to be a couple, Jarrod and I,
but he wasn’t ready to settle down and I was. So like an idiot I
gave him a final ultimatum. He said he could never fulfil his end
of a full time relationship at this time, so we parted. But we
remained close friends. I’m telling you this so you won’t think I
had anything to do with his death. I could never…”

She grabbed a handkerchief from her
purse and held it in front of her mouth.

“No, Barbara. I know you had nothing to
do with his death.”

She dabbed her eyes then
continued,

“I know he was seeing someone. Not that
he said so but his behaviour changed. It wasn’t a happy
relationship. He was almost sad at times which was not like him.
One day he asked me what I thought about drug addiction. He asked
whether I would supply someone with drugs. I told him no. There was
no sense two people getting in trouble over the addiction of one. I
told him I’d offer clinical help if it was a friend. I assumed his
new found friend or love was a user.”

“Did he ask anything else?”

“No he just thanked me.”

“When did this conversation take place?
How long before his death?”

“About three weeks.”

“Do you remember anything else. Even a
minor point or an opinion.”

“He finished his appointments and was
out of here like a shot on Friday afternoons. Always said he was
headed north. I assumed his new interest lay in that
direction.”

“No idea where?”

“No, other than north. Wait, he
mentioned his home village, Mono Mills, a couple of times. Whoever
it was must have lived near. I mean he never mentioned Collingwood
or anyplace like that. Our conversations were usually about things
in general like work, politics, or how fat a new movie star became.
He was into movies and Rock concerts and so was I.”

Harry thanked Barbara then found his
car and drove home. She’d confirmed that Jarrod was seeing a user,
nothing more. He was still nowhere.

Shelley was already home and sadness
filled the old house. Karma pulled Harry aside and said,

“They were quick to come to the
conclusion Shelley will never see again.”

“No chance at all?”

“They said if technology changes and
they can do a complete eye transplant in the future, not
today.”

Harry was developing tunnel vision and
saw only Joe Sharky in the sights of his Beretta.

Chapter 34

That night in a dream Harry saw Delphi
Crow, a know it all old woman in Hockley Village. Delphi really did
know it all: everyone’s business from Caledon East to Collingwood,
south to north, and Alliston to Orangeville, east to
west.

He decided he’d see her today. Delphi
wasn’t hard to find; she walked from one house to another gathering
information about anything and everyone. Harry caught her in Jim
parker’s front yard, an old friend of his father’s. he talked to
both for sometime then Jim’s wife called him in the house for
lunch.

Harry said,

“I’ll buy you lunch at the general
store.”

“You asking me out on a
date?”