Nothing Is Negotiable (16 page)

The underside of the spread was lined with white fabric. Without answering her, he pulled it back further. It looked normal so he pulled it back more, and more, until he got to the bottom, where he found what he was looking for. There were two red stains, each about the size of a quarter, soaked through to the cream-colored sheets. Cautiously, he touched it with the tip of his finger. It was mostly crusty, but a little sticky in the middle. He flipped it back over; the red stains disappeared on the red pattern. Red on red, they were impossible to see.

“Look,” he said with the red stains in view.

She leaned over. “What is that?”

“It looks like dried blood to me.” He knelt down to the floor, and with his face at ground level, he used the reflection of the light across the room to look for stains. “Here too,” he said, pointing to two other droplets in front of the bed. Now knowing what to look for, he went back through the living room and into the doctor’s office, pointing at more dark red spots. In front of the desk were two armchairs and in front of the one on the left he found a red smear the size of a credit card. It looked like someone had tried to wipe up a small puddle of blood.

“It looks like a trail of blood, from here all the way back to the bed,” Luke said. He followed the dried red spots back into the apartment and to the bed. He checked the runner behind the sofa and added, “But there’s none on the carpet. Either the person who was bleeding was avoiding the carpet runner. Or maybe being carried.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I’ve got to let the RCMP know about this.”

In a panic she said, “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone I let you in here.”

“Don’t worry, by law I’m not obligated to tell them how I got this information,” Luke said. He had no idea what the law was, actually, but he didn’t want Mitzi to panic. He wanted to keep her out of this, but he’d do anything he had to in order to find Bonnie.

She reset the alarm and they went out to the alley where she made Luke promise, one more time, that he wouldn’t tell anyone. He did and watched her drive away, now much more sober than she’d been when they got there half an hour earlier.

He started the Jeep and at the corner tried to decide what to do next. It was close to midnight and from previous experience he knew no one would be at the RCMP office at this hour. Neither Paul nor Ernest would come out unless it was an emergency. He knew they wouldn’t do anything tonight. He would get some sleep and contact Paul first thing in the morning and tell him about this new evidence. They’d have to keep the case open. It was obvious that something was going on at the clinic.

He turned right and headed for the bunkhouse.

Luke held his hand under the faucet in the shower waiting for the water to heat up, but it didn’t. Naked, he walked into the kitchen where he found the water heater. The pilot light was out. Using a book of matches lying beside it, he lit the unit, but at the same time decided there wasn’t time to let the water heat up.

The first thing he learned was that tap water in Canada was nothing like it was in Texas. There was no doubt in his mind that the water he was standing under was being delivered directly from a glacier.

It was one of the fastest showers he’d ever taken, and when he was fully dressed he was still shivering.

He found his backpack with the rest of the hiking gear and threw in a travel guide for Alberta, binoculars, maps, a hunting knife, a notepad and pens. When he pulled open the front door to leave, the dogs greeted him, tails wagging.

“Sorry boy,” he said as he walked past Buddy who followed him with a stick in his mouth. “No time today.”

When he cranked up the Jeep, the bright lights on the dashboard came to life telling him it was six-thirty. Elvis watched from the porch as he pulled away from the bunkhouse and Buddy ran alongside until he reached the highway.

The streets in Cardston were deserted as he drove through town to the RCMP office. There he found the same officer he’d met a few days earlier.

“Paul’s in Calgary this morning,” he said, rocking back and forth in a squeaky desk chair while he stirred his coffee. “And Ernest won’t get here until about eight.”

Luke had forgotten that Paul was going to Calgary to interview the bus driver. Dealing with Ernest was not going to be pleasant.
Ernest will probably go ballistic when I refuse to tell him how I got into the apartment
, Luke thought.

“I’m going to the diner to eat, but I’ll be back at eight,” Luke said as he walked back toward the door. “If Ernest comes in, tell him where I am, okay?”

“Yes sir, I will.”

The diner had just opened and a small group of men who looked like farmers sat at a long table in the middle of the dining room. When he entered, they glanced over and gave him that ‘who are you?’ look.

He ordered coffee and was going through a menu when Sonny stepped in the front door.

“Mind if I join you?”

“No, have a seat.”

Sonny pulled out a cigarette. “You mind?”

Luke did, but said, “No.”

“I didn’t know you came to work this early,” Luke stated.

“I don’t, but I’ve got to get some stuff done because I’m leaving town today,” Sonny said. He rubbed his eyes. “How are things going? Any news?”

Luke filled him in on his conversation last night with Ernest and Paul.

“So, what are you going to do?” Sonny asked.

“I’ve found something at the clinic that’s pretty interesting.”

“The clinic? What do you mean?”

“Next door to the clinic, Dr. Duncan has an apartment. There’s a door from his office that goes into the apartment. I found what looks like blood on the bedspread and a trail of blood on the floor leading back to his office.”

“How’d you get into his apartment?”

“It wasn’t easy, but I did.” For the next minute he spelled out his suspicions.

“Aw, come on.” Sonny grinned and leaned closer. “You think someone had Bonnie rolled up in that blanket?”

“That was the last place anyone saw her,” Luke said as he pointed toward the clinic half a mile away. “If she walked out of that clinic voluntarily, she’d be here right now.”

“Are you saying you think Dr. Duncan’s involved in this?”

“No, not at all. I’m saying there are some things down there that don’t add up.”

“Does Ernest know about this blood you found?”

Breakfast arrived and as Luke spread jelly on a piece of toast, he looked at Sonny, “Not yet, but when he gets to work I’m going to go tell him about it.”

“Good luck. It sounds like you’ve really made some progress,” Sonny said. He pushed the coffee cup away, stood, and dropped a couple of bills on the table. “I need to get going. I’ll talk to you later.”

Luke nodded as he dug into the eggs.

***

Luke got back to the detachment at eight but Ernest still hadn’t made it to work. The receptionist said they expected him soon. After waiting for almost an hour, the receptionist hung up the phone and said, “That was the chief and he’s on his way.”

“What’s taking him so long?”

“His daughter teaches at Lethbridge High School. Someone called and said she was in an accident and on her way to the hospital.”

“Is she okay?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, she’s fine. There was no accident, it was some kind of prank,” she said. “He couldn’t even find out who called the police. He’ll be here in about an hour.”

Luke dropped heavily into a chair and pushed back his cap. He had no choice but to wait.

It was after ten by the time Ernest got there. The receptionist led Luke back to his office and it was obvious he wasn’t in a sociable mood.

“Okay, what now?” Ernest said, looking over his glasses.

“I told you the last place Bonnie was seen was in the clinic and no one really remembers seeing her leave. I have a source who told me there is blood on the floor in Dr. Duncan’s office and droplets of blood on the floor in his apartment that leads to his bed. There is blood on the bedspread and sheets. The big Indian blanket that is usually on the bed is missing. I spoke to Marinel Hayes, who said she saw some men carrying what looked like a large, rolled-up carpet out of the back door of the apartment on Tuesday just after noon. I think there’s a good chance that the blood could be Bonnie’s. And I think it’s possible that what Marinel saw was someone carrying the Indian blanket with Bonnie rolled up inside it.”

“That’s the biggest bunch of baloney I’ve ever heard. Doc Duncan is at least seventy-five years old, for God’s sake. What in the world would he want with your wife?”

“I’m not accusing him. All I’m saying is that the clinic was the last place Bonnie was seen and it needs to be checked out.”

“How do you know this?”

“I’ve got a source at the clinic who told me in strict confidence. They said they’d get fired if I exposed them,” Luke said. “But I really wish you’d check it out.”

Ernest sighed deeply and shook his head. “Okay. Let me call Doc Duncan and see if he’ll let us in. Wait for me out front.”

Twenty minutes later, Luke followed Ernest and two officers to the clinic. They all entered through the front door and went back where Dr. Duncan was waiting for them in his office. Luke waited just outside the office while Ernest talked to him.

“You said this was about that woman who disappeared. What does this have to do with me, Ernest?”

“Doc, I know you’ve talked to Luke Wakefield. The last place anyone saw his wife was here in the clinic. Now someone said they saw blood on the floor here in your office and in your apartment. Do you mind if we check them out?”

“Blood in here? Who said that?”

“I don’t know,” he said, glancing at Luke. “But if we could just check it out, I’m sure we can clear this whole thing up before it goes any further.”

“That’s fine. Just do what you have to.”

“Okay.” Turning to Luke, he said, “Come in here and show me where this blood is supposed to be.”

Luke stepped into the office and stopped in front of the leather armchair where the red smear had been the night before. He couldn’t see it so he leaned down to examine the floor more closely. But the floor was clean. Everything he’d seen the night before was gone.

He pointed at the floor, encircling an area as big as a basketball. “It was right around here.” Not seeing anything, he walked over to the door on the opposite wall and pointed. “And over here.”

Ernest and one of the officers pulled out their flashlights and bent over so they were a couple of feet above the floor. They moved along the path slowly following Luke until they got to the door.

“I don’t see any blood.”

“On TV I’ve seen them spray something on the floor that makes the blood more visible,” said Luke.

“That’s on TV, not here,” Ernest said. “What about the other stuff you told me about?”

“The bedspread was in the apartment.” Luke looked at the doctor who watched from behind his desk and said, “Can we take a look inside your apartment, Doc? It won’t take but a minute.”

The doctor went to the filing cabinet and got the key. He walked over and unlocked the door. As the door swung open, Luke stepped inside and walked slowly toward the bedroom, his eyes searched the floor for the drops of blood he had seen the night before, but saw none. His heart sank when he noticed a brown bedspread now covered the bed. And across the foot of the bed was a beautiful handmade Indian blanket.

“Is this the bedspread where the blood is?”

“No, the bedspread was red. It’s been changed?”

“Doc, have you changed the bedspread lately?” Ernest asked the doctor.

“No. I don’t think anyone’s been in here for at least three months, maybe more.”

“Do you have a red bedspread?”

“I might, but I don’t pay attention to those kinds of things, Ernest. It’s been years since I’ve slept in this bed.”

Ernest walked over and picked up one corner of the blanket. “Is this the Indian blanket you’ve always had here?”

“Mrs. Aponi gave me that back in 1986. Been on this bed ever since.”

“Ever send it out to be cleaned?”

“No reason to. It just lays on the foot of the bed.”

Before he spoke Ernest gave the other cop and Luke a look that told them they were done. “Doc, I’m sorry about all this. Don’t know where we got such mixed-up information. Thanks for letting us barge in on you like this.”

After they got back outside, Ernest turned to Luke and said, “Are you satisfied now?”

“No, because that’s not the way it was yesterday.”

“How do you know it wasn’t?”

“I just know,” Luke said adamantly. He’d seen the blood with his own eyes but it was gone today. The bedspread was changed and the Indian blanket was back. Even if he gave up Mitzi, who could confirm his story and admit they were in the apartment less than eight hours earlier, it wouldn’t help. They had no proof.

“Darnit, Luke. You’ve got to tell me how you know this if you want me to believe you.”

Luke looked at the ground and shook his head. He came up with an outstretched hand. “Can you get that stuff and come back and check to see if blood had been on the floor?”

“Listen to me son,” Ernest said as he stepped over and stood nose to nose with Luke. “Doc Duncan is a friend of mine. I’ve known him for over fifty years. He didn’t have to let us in there because we didn’t have a search warrant. There is no way I’m going to humiliate myself by doing something that asinine when you won’t even tell me how you got your information.”

Luke stepped away and shook his head. “Something’s not right here, because I know that blood was there yesterday.”

“How do you know? If you can prove it, then prove it,” Ernest seemed to have lost his patience. “Otherwise, you got nothing. Understand? Nothing.”

As Ernest got in his cruiser his cell phone rang. He answered and listened for half a minute, then said, “That was Paul. The bus driver confirmed it was your wife. Said she was wearing sunglasses and remembers seeing a brace on her arm.”

“There’s something wrong here.”
Someone is trying to make it look like she’s not missing. Why?

“Luke, go home,” Ernest said as he started the car. “There’s nothing else we can do for you. We have no evidence of foul play. Everything we have says she’s left on her own.”

“What about Willy? Have you asked him about the earring?”

“No, and I’m not going to.”

Ernest backed out and pulled away, leaving Luke standing alone across from the clinic.

Luke open the door of the Jeep, but remained standing, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Again, what appeared to be solid evidence turned into a disaster. Someone had obviously cleaned up the scene. The question was, who?

It had to be Mitzi.

He closed the door of the Jeep and ran back into the clinic.

“I need to talk to Mitzi,” he told the receptionist.

“She’s running late today, but I expect her any minute now. Do you want to wait?”

Without answering, he left and ran to the Jeep. Her apartment was only blocks away. As he rounded the corner he saw her getting into her Miata. The Jeep skidded to a stop behind her car. When he jumped out of the Jeep he saw her look back over her shoulder.

He stomped up beside her. “Who did you tell about what we found last night?”

“No one,” she said. “Why?” She appeared puzzled by his irate tone.

“I just left your office. The cops went down there to check out the blood we found, but guess what?”

“What?” she asked, confusion in her voice.

“The blood that was on the floor last night is gone. The bedspread’s been changed, and even that Indian blanket you said was missing is back. Right where’s it’s supposed to be. Somebody found out about it. Who’d you tell?”

“No one,” she said defensively. “You saw me go home and as soon as I got in bed, I passed out and didn’t wake up until an hour ago. I over slept and the only one I’ve talked to is Monica, the receptionist, and all I told her is that I was going to be late.”

“Then how’d they find out?”

“How would I know?” Her response was defensive but sincere. “Really, I don’t. I’ve got to get to work right now. You didn’t tell them I let you in, did you?”

“No, I didn’t tell anyone anything.”

“Good. Could you move your Jeep? I’ve got to get to work? I’m late... but check with me later and I’ll let you know what I hear down at the office.”

As Luke drove away, his mind was reeling. How did anyone find out they went down there? But there was no one else who knew.

Then it hit him.

Sonny. He told him everything at breakfast.
And Sonny drives a van, a silver van.

His thoughts flashed back to the confrontation Bonnie and Sonny had in his camera store in St. Mary. Sonny had a good reason to be mad at Bonnie; she had cost him a three thousand dollar sale. But, surely not mad enough to go to this length.