Final Act (29 page)

Once she was seated on the small couch in her office, she asked him to put on a pot of coffee and cover her with the winter parka that was hanging on the back of the door.
  She was cold, shivering.  Shock was setting in. 

She
hit the speed dial on her cell phone.  She hoped to hell Kate was still at her desk.  Shirley answered.  Hanya told her where she was and that someone took a shot at her.
Too weak to say any more, she hung up.
 

Her grip was so strong on the cup that the spoon rattled in the saucer.  Her face burned and
her bloodied knuckles pained.
She saw herself hurling to the pavement, felt the impact slam through her body, and heard the sound of the bullet bouncing off the car.  Six feet – no wonder I ache, six feet of rolling on asphalt.  She could feel specks of gravel in her hair, on her face, in her hands. 

She must have faded out for the next thing she knew, paramedics were charging through the doorway.  Kate and Shirley stood over her. 
S
he burst into tears.

“
I
ts
okay, Hanya.  You’re safe now”, Kate said. “No one can hurt you. 
The medics are here to check you over.”

“I’m okay.  I’m scraped, that’s all.  I don’t need them.  Send them away.”  She knew she wasn’t making sense but couldn’t seem to stop the rambling.
 
She felt a hand on her pulse; saw the machine.  Vitals, they’re checking my vitals.  Her body jerked at the sound made by the release catch on the stretcher.

“I
’m
scared Kate.”

“I know.
I’ll stay with you.  I’m not going anywhere except in the ambulance with you.”

She heard the instructions she gave to Shirley. 

“You’re in charge. Take a statement from the
student. 
Keep any civilians away until the crime scene is blocked off.
It’s vital that both the parking lot and treed area are taped off and searched.
Call Withers and a
sk him to rustle up a couple of extra bodies for us. Call me on my cell if anything interesting turns up.
”

Hanya
’s eyes were heavy.  Her last thought before the voices around her faded away wa
s
that John wasn’t such a pain in the tutu after all.

As Kate entered Emergency, it was déjà vu all over again.  First, Roger; now Hanya.
Who
’s
next?
Too many people she cared about were getting hurt. More than hurt, both came close to being killed.  She could feel the rush of blood to her face
.
  If she gave
her thoughts
free rein, she would self-destruct.
 

She paced outside the examining room unable to sit or stand still.  For such minimal injuries, they sure were taking a long time. 
She didn’t feel hungry but could hear her belly rumble.  She had just placed her order when Shirley called her on the cell.  She ran back to the precinct, all tiredness gone. 

Changing the direction of her pace, she was heading down the corridor when her cell buzzed.

“Kate,
its Shirley.  We have the gun,
found it in the wooded area by the parking lot.  I can’t understand why the perp would leave it behind, but why look a gift horse in mouth look.  Crime Scene guys found the bullet twenty feet beyond Hanya’s car.  Funny the shooter missed her.  I wonder if it was intentional.  Maybe it was a warning to back off.”

“
I highly doubt that. 
Hanya’s still in the examining room but as soon as she’s sprung, I’ll take her statement then head for the precinct.  See you there.”

“Good.  I’m on my way now with the bagged gun and bullet.  If you want,
drop the statement off tomorrow morning.
I’ll brief the
night
crew
and they can start the ball rolling.  We both need to catch some sleep.
”

“Good idea.  Thanks, s
ee you tomorrow.”
 

Kate
punched her
cell. 

“
Susan, hi.  It’s Kate.  Listen, I have a big favour to ask of you.”

“I dispense favours faster than a bubble gum machine for the likes of you.  How can I be of service?”

Kate smiled.  “I knew I could depend on you.  I’m at the hospital.  Hanya has had a bit of a rough time.” 

“Is she alright?” 

“A bit shaken, but she’ll be fine.  I don’t want her spending the night alone and
I still have some work to do. 
So, I ....”

“Of course she can stay the night.  We’ll be waiting.”

“Thanks Susan.”  She hung up the phone
,
headed back to
wards
the examining room
and saw shaken, bruised Hanya standing outside the door looking forlorn.

“So what’s the report?”

“I’m fine, will be stiff and sore for a bit that’s all.  Can you give me a lift to my digs?”

“I’ll give you a lift but not to your place.  If you’re a good friend and care about my welfare, you will spend the night where two good people are expecting you.  If you, then it’s on your conscience if I’m killed in the line of duty tomorrow because I couldn’t get any sleep because I was worried about you being alone.  Savvy?”

“Savvy, Kate, take me where you will.”

***

Early the next morning, Kate and Shirley sat the two metal chairs in Gordon’s cramped office, sipped coffee, discussing the events of last evening.

“So, we have an attempted murder on our hands.
Any news yet?”

“Forensics is still working the scene
”, Shirley said, “
Should hear something on the gun by this afternoon.
”

“
It’s connected to Camira’s murder”
, Kate said.

“Do you have evidence it’s connected?”

“No, not yet
.
”

“
Then w
hat makes you think there will be
, Kate”, Gordon asked.   Makes no sense,
I mean, modus operandi is different, no poison, no
drugs
.  Maybe somebody didn’t like her last homily or one of h
er
students didn’t like their mark.
”

Kate told him about Hanya’s plan.

“Da
ms
those civilians who think they can play with killers.
Why didn’t I hear about this Kate?”

“I should have told you but I didn’t think she’d go through with it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s over and
it’s most likely linked.
You and Shirley will supervise.  I’ve got more bodies on board, so delegate, hear? 
And what about the Reverend
?  Reckon she’d agree to protective custody in case the wacko tries again?”

“I suggested a long visit with her grandmother.  She didn’t like it when I presented it to her this morning but has agreed
.
The reserve is 100 miles or so from the city, anyone new trying to get on the reserve would be as noticeable as a whale in a pond
.”

“
Right
. 
The girls and the pedophile connection – any progress?”

“We have two persons from the sex crimes unit on it.  Shirley gave the photos of the two girls, fingers crossed they’ll come up with a match.”

“Good.  Now for my news.”  He brought the two detectives up to date on Roger’s conversation with the homeless woman.

“Sent officers out ten minutes ago to round u
p the thugs that jumped Roger.  Here’s hoping they can give us the woman in the red wig.  We can wrap up the attack on Roger in one swoop.”

“Where’s Roger”, Kate asked.

“At home watching the races, I assume.”

Shirley passed a copy
of her report on
her interview at G&M with the Production Manager
and waited until they had finished reading.

“So, Brenda,
Stone’s
protégé
, is married to
a Jim Parsons,
the Plant Manager.  Now that’s an interesting fact.  
And this husband of hers says
there is no way anyone can gain access to
the drug that was used to poison Stone,
r
ight?”

“Yes, that’s what he said. 
O
n the surface, the place looks impenetrable
, u
nderneath the surface,
there’s a beehive of activity.  T
he plant’s executives can bring their wives, kids or what not through the plant on tours as long as they book with Brenda’s
husband
in advance. 
I
believe the perp got a hold of the drug at the plant on one of these tours.  I’m recommending we get a
warrant to seize the company’s visitor log – they refused to voluntarily hand it over -
look at the dates
,
names,
times,
and
hopefully we can zero in on our murderer.”

“Good
, get on the warrant and
get on the phone to the CEO, the other’s one’s husband,
the cold looking broad, ah, Eleanor,
and arrange an interview
with him
.  Grill them, Shirley, make them feel the heat.

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay.  That’s it for now.
 
Kate, stay behind for a few minutes. 
I need to talk to you.
”

Once the door closed, Gordon cleared his throat, put both hands on the table and leaned towards her.

“I was at a media conference
with the Commissioner the other day.
Got talking with this freelance photographer, tall, good looking black man.
Enjoys sports, car racing being his favourite.  He had an interesting story to tell.
Gave a good description of a woman who accosted him, roughed him up, accused him of stealing his own briefcase. 
Should I go any further or would you like to fill in the blanks
?”

“I made a mistake.  I assumed he was carrying Roger’s briefcase.  I searched
Roger’s
office after the attack and didn’t
find
it.  I
had no idea
it was locked away.  My behaviour was unacceptable, inappropriate.  It’s haunted me
ever
since
.
”

“Is that it?  Is that all you have to say. 
It was a mistake
.
 
During those haunted moments, did you give a thought at all to
the
colleague who was with you?”

“Yes, I knew that if it ever came to light, she would be implicated as well.”

“Your damn rights she would have been.  Not only did you terrify a law abiding citizen, you put a colleague’s career at risk.  A woman who has the stuff it takes to be a good police officer, who worked hard to get where she is, who has two children she plans on sending to university in a few more years.”

“I’m not proud of what I did, Gordon
. I ta
ke full responsibility for my actions and accept any disciplinary action you think appropriate.  But does Shirley have to be brought down as well.  Can you leave her out of it?”