The Frailty of Flesh (33 page)

“True. I’m afraid you’re missing out on bed for nothing.”

“The pleasure of your company makes up for it, even if it means we missed out on dinner.”

She turned and looked at him. “I think I should tell you, I’m involved with someone.”

“It’s serious?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Huh. Isn’t it always?”

“A few days ago it actually seemed pretty simple, in a good way.”

“That’s who the message was from?”

Ashlyn nodded.

“And that’s this Craig guy, the one your sergeant was asking about?”

She hesitated.

“Hey, if it wasn’t Tain, it had to be him, right? No chance it was Luke.” Liam smiled. “He’s in some hot water right now?”

“Not exactly. It’s…”

“Complicated.”

Neither of them tried to break the silence until it was half an hour until the drop.

“They should be leaving any time,” Liam said.

Ashlyn nodded. She had her cell phone in her hand and could feel her heart pounding. After all this time, she just wanted to feel they’d made some progress.

And for things to go well, so that she wouldn’t have to second-guess her decision to handle the money exchange this way.

“You made the right call, you know. We had grounds for a warrant, but if the people involved aren’t in that house it might have blown the whole thing.”

“Still could. They said no cops.”

“We both know nobody was going to play it that way,” Liam said.

“Still, it’s a risk.”

“That’s part of the job. And part of the uncertainty.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not the part I like.”

“Ah. You like the challenge but not the responsibility.”

She thought about it. “I guess you could say that. This case has been tough. A dead child always is, but right before Christmas. It gets to you.”

“Must really get to your partner.”

Her head snapped up then. “What are you talking about?”

“See, after you left this morning I checked you out. Plenty to work with, because of the shooting last summer. I guess you stopped at the front page when you saw how your old boss had been smeared in the press today. You had to dig deeper to see your partner’s name in print today.”

Ashlyn was about to ask what the hell he was talking about when her cell rang. “Constable Hart.”

“We’ve got movement,” Tain said.

“We’ve got nothing.”

“What are you going to do?”

Ashlyn glanced at Liam. “Move someone else to our position and head to the park. The house isn’t going anywhere, and apparently neither is anyone inside.”

She hung up as Liam radioed for a car to replace them.

Tain snapped the phone shut. He’d already ordered everyone to hold their positions.

“There she is,” Sims said.

In the bottom corner of the screen, Tracy Reimer had entered the picture. It was the first time Tain had really seen her on her own, independent of a hovering husband or the family lawyer. She was as skittish as a newborn foal. One hand compulsively twisted the knapsack’s strap as she cradled the bag with the other, holding it tight against her chest. Tracy Reimer glanced over her left shoulder, then right, and back over her left again. Her foot snagged on a branch as she turned and backed toward the spot on the concrete where she’d been told to leave the money. Her one arm flailed wildly until she regained her balance.

“Two minutes until the drop,” Sims said as Tracy looked at the watch on her wrist, then cautiously set the bag down. “You’d think there was a bomb in there, the way she carried that bag.”

“She showed more affection for that bag than she’s shown for her own son in the last five days,” Tain said.

“It probably isn’t the bag. It’s the money.”

Tain grinned. “We’ll make a cynic out of you yet, Sims.”

“One o’clock. What’s she waiting for?”

Tracy Reimer smoothed her sleeves, looked at her watch, turned slowly and looked at her watch again. She stiffened and stared off into the darkness, toward the trails through the woods on the other side of the playground.

After a minute Sims asked, “Are you going to radio for a visual?”

“If anyone spots something they’re supposed to call it in.” Tain frowned. “I don’t like this.”

As he reached for his radio Sims said, “Hold on. She’s leaving.”

Tracy Reimer went back the way she came, this time moving with more confidence. Her arms were wrapped tight around her body, and she didn’t hesitate or look back even once.

“I thought she was going to blow it,” Sims said.

They spent the next ten minutes watching the bag. The only call they received confirmed Mrs. Reimer had returned to the vehicle she’d arrived in.

Someone knocked at the van door, and Sims checked before opening it.

“Nothing?” Ashlyn asked as she climbed inside.

Tain barely took note of Liam following her in. “Not so far.” Then he noticed movement on the screen that displayed the wider shot. It was still in the edges, where it was dark. “Okay, I think we have something.”

“Why aren’t they radioing in?” Ashlyn asked.

“You can ask yourself after I kick their asses,” Tain muttered. Then he whistled as the figure came into view. “Well, well.”

He radioed for some of the teams to hold their positions and then followed Liam and Ashlyn out of the van.

“How—” he started. Ashlyn held up her hand.

“This is your show, your call.”

He gestured for her and Liam to approach from the other side of the washrooms, and radioed for two officers positioned near the beach to approach with caution.

Once he got to the corner of the building he took a quick look. Matt Lewis was almost at the bag. He hadn’t even tried to disguise himself with a hoodie or a hat, and he wasn’t looking over his shoulder.

Tain edged along the building and then moved forward decisively. “Police! Stop and put your hands in the air slowly.”

From the corner of his eye he could see Ashlyn moving in from her side, Liam beside her. Matt froze for a moment and started to raise his hands. Then he started to run.

“Hold your fire,” Tain called into the radio. He raced after the boy. The darkness worked against Matt, and he couldn’t see he was running straight toward one of the officers near the playground. The officer jumped out and Matt tried to change course, but the hesitation was enough for Tain to tackle him.

After he got to his feet and pulled the teenager off the ground, Tain said, “Matthew Lewis, you’re under arrest.”

Once he’d determined Matt was unarmed and had handcuffed him, Tain escorted Matt to the parking lot. Ashlyn had the bag of money.

Sims had driven over and slid open the side door of the van. “Nothing so far.”

“Stay on it, Sims,” Ashlyn said. “Just in case.” She turned to Matt Lewis. “Looks like we need to have a little chat.”

“Walking in the park isn’t a crime.”

“Aw. And they say the youth of today are completely self-absorbed and unaware. I’m truly impressed by your legal knowledge, but extortion is a crime. And, of course, there’s the little matter of hindering a criminal investigation.” Ashlyn walked right up to Matt. “We gave you a chance to tell us where Shannon was. Instead, you tried to swindle her parents out of a million dollars.”

“Wh-what?” Matt shrieked. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come off it, Matt. You really expect me to believe you just happened to come to this particular park, in the middle of the night, for a stroll? On the same night that your girlfriend’s mother had been instructed to leave a bag filled with money at the spot where her son was murdered?”

“Wh-why…” Matt looked at Tain, then back at Ashlyn. “Why would Mrs. Reimer do that?”

“The callers claimed to have Shannon.” Ashlyn unzipped the bag and pulled out a bundle of bills. “They wanted a million dollars in exchange for her safe return. At least, that’s what they said. Personally I’m not convinced that’s what they really wanted the money for.” She looked at Tain.

“I agree. I don’t think Shannon was kidnapped. I think she wanted the money to run away.”

Ashlyn snapped her fingers. “You know, someone told us Shannon planned to run away. And they said they had no idea where she was. But then someone who knows the family and has Mr. Reimer’s private cell number starts making calls, demanding a ransom payment. And look who shows up to collect.” Ashlyn paused for a moment, her expression serious. “You better talk, Matt, because I’m in no mood to be jerked around. We’re taking you back to the station and if you don’t cooperate you’ll be charged.”

There was movement behind Ashlyn and Tain turned just as Tracy Reimer rushed up to Matt. “Where is she? Where’s my daughter? Where’s Shannon?”

She grabbed Matt’s jacket, pulling at it frantically, and screamed the words over and over, even as Tain pried her off Matt and another officer grabbed her from behind.

“Control your client or I’ll have her arrested,” Ashlyn snapped at Byron Smythe, who’d appeared out of the shadows.

“She’s clearly distraught—”

Ashlyn put up her hand. “Save it, Smythe. Here’s your client’s money.”

He took the bag from her. “Do you want us at the station?”

“It would be a good idea. We may have information we need to confirm with the family if we’re going to find Shannon.”

“I only brought Mrs. Reimer.”

Tain and Ashlyn exchanged a glance. “Where’s Christopher?”

“With his dad. They were going to the house to pick up some things.”

Tain exchanged a glance with Ashlyn before taking Matt to a cruiser to be transported to the station.

* * *

Ashlyn turned to Smythe. “Okay, you take Mrs. Reimer to the station and stay there. First call Richard’s cell and find out where he is.”

Smythe set the bag down and pulled out his phone with his one good hand. He was no longer on crutches, she noticed, but hobbling along independently. Tain had mentioned earlier that the knee injury wasn’t as serious as initially thought, and she felt a mix of relief and regret about that.

After a moment he shook his head. “No answer.”

Ashlyn held out her hand. “Give me the phone.”

“I will not.”

“You will, or so help me I’ll charge you with assault for what you did to me the other night.” Her voice was low, but she let her loathing for Smythe come through. Then she snapped her fingers at the officer holding Tracy Reimer. “Check her for a phone.”

He did, then shook his head. “She’s clean.”

“Okay. Take these two to the station, put them in an interview room together and don’t let them speak to anyone.”

“You better have a damn good reason for this,” Smythe said as he glared at her.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you your face would freeze that way?”

Ashlyn turned to Liam as the officer took Smythe and Mrs. Reimer to his cruiser.

“What do you need from me?” he asked.

“I need to question Matt, but I also need to know who’s in that house.”

Liam nodded. “Consider it done.”

She turned to follow Tain, but Liam stopped her and squeezed her arm. “Hey…keep in touch, okay?”

Ashlyn nodded.

He offered a small grin, and she allowed herself a fleeting smile and a quick nod before she turned and walked away.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

On the drive to the station Tain and Ashlyn had sat with Matt Lewis between them and hadn’t said a word. With two officers in the front, as well as them sitting with Matt in the back, words weren’t necessary. Ashlyn could see the sheen of sweat on the boy’s face. At first, he’d appeared confused and uncertain, but when they pulled into the station his eyes widened with fear. By the time he was seated in an interview room he looked like he was about to cry.

“How do you want to play this?” Tain asked Ashlyn as they watched Matt through the glass.

“No games. Go at him hard.”

Tain nodded. “He looks scared spitless.”

“He should be. These are serious crimes.” She glanced at her watch. “Before we do this…”

“You want to follow up at the Reimer house.”

“Don’t we have someone watching it still?”

Tain shook his head. “Pulled off for this tonight. Zidani had it handed over to Port Moody police.”

“Shit shit shit.”

“Come on.” Tain ordered an officer to stay and watch Matt Lewis. “Let’s go make sure everything’s okay.”

They didn’t talk on the drive over. Ashlyn knew it was unusual for them to walk away from a suspect, especially under the circumstances, but ever since Smythe had told her he’d only brought Mrs. Reimer with him she’d felt as though a trapdoor in her stomach had opened up and everything had fallen through.

Their headlights revealed the status of the surveillance on the Reimer house, as Parker and his partner blinked and rubbed their eyes.

“Ash,” Tain warned as he stopped their car.

She walked right up to driver’s side window. “Are Richard and Christopher Reimer still inside?”

Parker yawned and swore beneath his breath. Bennett rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, they’re still here.”

“Unless they left while you were sleeping,” she snapped.

Ashlyn marched past the Land Rover parked in the driveway and pounded on the door. The lights were on inside, but there was no sound of movement or sign of shadows. She rang the doorbell and then after a moment pounded again.

Tain pulled out his gun and nodded at Ashlyn. She reached for her gun first, then the door. It was unlocked.

“Mr. Reimer? It’s Constable Hart and Constable Tain from the RCMP. We need to speak with you.” She entered the house cautiously, doing a quick check to the left, into the living room.

“Oh God.” Ashlyn froze.

A pillow with a gaping hole lay on the floor, the feathers scattered in the blood. Tain walked around, approaching from the other side where there wasn’t as much seepage, and knelt by the body. He checked for a pulse and shook his head. “He’s still warm,” he said, then pulled his cell phone out and called it in. They checked the rest of the house. It was empty, and so was the garage and driveway.

“I guess we have access to the whole house now,” Tain said.

“Small consolation.” Ashlyn walked over to the gun. “We’ll have to check and see if it belonged to the family.”

It only took a few moments for more officers to arrive. Ashlyn snapped a photo on her cell phone and they handed the scene over to one of the secondary officers who’d worked the ransom drop with them.

“Make sure you have every room dusted,” Ashlyn said. “This is tied to another murder, so we want every print identified. I know it’s a lot…”

The officer nodded. “We’ll get it done.”

Ashlyn walked outside. For a moment she stood silent, staring at the PoMo police car. Then she started to march down the driveway.

“We have to get back to the station,” Tain said in a low voice.

“Not before I kick his ass.”

Parker was out of the cruiser, leaning against it, grinning as he chatted with his partner and someone else.

“You no good son of a bitch.” Ashlyn stopped right in front of him. “You can’t even babysit a fucking house properly.”

That cocky smile was gone in a heartbeat. “You’re such a sanctimonious little bitch.”

“I’m impressed, Parker. You used a word with more than three syllables. And when you write up your report we’ll all get to find out if you know how to spell it.”

He straightened up then and glared down at her. “I’d back off if I were you.”

“Why? Big tough guy might take a swing at me?” She poked his chest. “Probably all you’re good for, since we know how you rate at doing your job.”

Parker shoved her back, and she felt Tain catch her and fluidly step in between. Parker was still moving forward, fists clenched, but he stopped cold as Tain looked him in the eye.

“That’s the second time you’ve shown us you know how to push a woman around.”

“She wants to play with the boys she has to take it. Equal rights means no special treatment.”

“And I don’t expect any,” Ashlyn said as she got between him and Tain, clocked Parker on the jaw and kneed him in the stomach as he went down.

Tain grabbed her and pulled her back as Bennett went to help his partner.

“I’m not done with him.” She struggled against Tain’s grip. The surge of anger inside her was matched by the heat in her face.

Tain pulled her back, grabbed her forearms, and looked her in the eyes. “You are for now. We have to talk to Matt.”

They drove back to the station in silence, except for Ashlyn’s quick call to Zidani to fill him in, made once she’d calmed down enough to keep her voice level.

When they got to the interview room where Matt was waiting Ashlyn paused and looked up at Tain. “I could have throttled him.”

“Ash, as a result of his incompetence a man is dead and a second child is missing. He’s not going to walk away from that. Zidani seemed to take it well.”

“It’s when Zidani isn’t yelling that I start to worry,” Ashlyn said.

“Who’s going to tell Smythe?”

She shook her head. “I assume we are. But first, we’re going to see what Matt can tell us.”

They entered the room and both remained standing. Tain moved closer to Matt, towering over him. “What have you got to say for yourself?”

“I—” Matt’s voice squeaked like a prepubescent boy’s would. “I don’t know anything about a kidnapping!”

“Fine,” Ashlyn said as she walked up to the table, put her hands down on it and leaned toward the boy. “Then let’s talk about murder.”

“Murder? Who— What— I-I don’t know nothin’ about a murder.”

“Come on, Matt,” Ashlyn said. “You knew Shannon was running away. We know the calls to Shannon’s parents, demanding money, came from a house in New Westminster owned by Nurani Patel’s family. And you showed up at the park right after the drop. You’re in serious trouble here.”

“But I-I-I didn’t kill anyone! They just asked me to go to the park and pick up a bag. They said where it would be and when to go. That’s it. I swear.” He closed his eyes. “I thought…I thought…”

“You thought what?” Ashlyn asked.

He opened his eyes and looked right at her. “I thought it was clothes and stuff. I didn’t know what was in the bag until you showed me.”

“Who wanted you to go get it?” Tain asked.

Matt was shaking. He looked up at Tain. “Nurani.”

“Where’s Shannon?” Ashlyn demanded.

Matt moved his head from side to side, slowly at first, then at an almost frenzied pace. “I swear I don’t know. You have to believe me.”

“If you want me to believe you, Matt, you better tell me everything,” Ashlyn said.

“I have! Nurani asked me to go to the park and pick up a black knapsack. She said to wait until about quarter, twenty after one.”

Ashlyn frowned. “How did Nurani ask you?”

“Wh-what do you mean how?”

“Did she talk to you, phone you?”

“She called me.”

“From her house or her cell?”

“Uh, her cell. Why?”

“What were you supposed to do with the bag?” Tain asked.

“Take it to some house.”

“What’s the address?” Ashlyn asked.

“It’s on the paper in my coat pocket.”

Tain checked the coat and removed the slip. “It’s the house in New Westminster. The one Nurani’s family owns.”

“Well, that all fits, doesn’t it?” Ashlyn said. “That makes our friend Matt an accomplice to extortion.”

Tain nodded. “And murder.”

“I didn’t have nothin’ to do with Jeffrey’s murder! You’ve gotta believe me!”

“Oh, we’re not talking about Jeffrey.” Ashlyn pulled out her cell phone and found the picture she’d taken. “We’re talking about this murder.”

She turned the phone around so that Matt could see the photo. He’d seemed pale before, but his face went a pasty white and then he heaved and retched all over the table. Ashlyn had just enough time to pull herself back and avoid the spray.

Once his stomach was empty Matt sat there, sweat trickling down his face along with the tears. His voice was low and calm when he finally spoke.

“I didn’t know. But I guess now Nurani knew more than I did. If anyone knows where Shannon is, it’s her, but I swear I haven’t talked to her since she disappeared.”

“We’ll get someone in here to clean this up, and get you some fresh clothes and something to drink,” Tain said. “And we want to run a test.”

“What kind of test?”

“One that will prove you didn’t shoot Richard Reimer.”

“Okay, sure, fine.”

Ashlyn was already at the door and turned to open it.

“Where are you going?” Matt asked.

“To talk to Nurani.”

“Sh-sh-sh-she’ll kn-know I told you.”

Ashlyn glanced at Tain. “Matt, I think that’s the least of your worries.”

“But what if she killed Shannon’s dad?”

“Then she’ll go to prison,” Tain said.

It only took a minute to give an officer instructions about Matt. As they walked down the hall the sound of shouting grew, and when they turned a corner Byron Smythe was getting in an officer’s face, demanding answers.

Smythe looked up as Tain and Ashlyn approached.

“You! You’ve kept us waiting here for hours. This is ridiculous. I’m taking my client home.”

Ashlyn folded her arms across her chest. “So you can get her killed too?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Why didn’t you bring Richard and Christopher with you tonight? You’ve kept the family together for everything else. Tracy and Christopher didn’t need to be at your office for days as we waited for a phone call from the alleged kidnappers—”

“Alleged? You’ve got the guy in an interview room!”

“Shannon’s boyfriend. He hasn’t seen her since she disappeared. And if you’d cooperated with us from the beginning, Smythe, it’s likely we’d already have Shannon, so don’t you whine to me about having to wait here for a few hours.” Ashlyn started to walk past him.

Smythe grabbed her left arm with his left hand and pushed her up against the wall. “I’m sick of your attitude.”

“Get your hands off me.”

She heard Zidani before she saw him. “Let go of her right now.” Smythe was pressing hard, and she could feel the pressure of his weight pushing into her body. Then he let go and backed away as he turned to Zidani.

“I want to take my client home right now!”

He shook his head. “You two aren’t going anywhere.”

“This is outrageous! This”—he pointed at Ashlyn—“officer confiscated my cell phone and will not allow me to contact Mrs. Reimer’s family.”

“You can’t call them.” Ashlyn practically spat the words out. “Thanks to you, Richard’s dead and Christopher’s missing.”

“Ashlyn,” Zidani warned.

Smythe froze and turned pale. “What are you talking about?”

She stepped up to him. “Every second of this investigation you haven’t let a single member of this family out of your sight, but tonight you leave Richard Reimer and his son alone. Now we’ve got two missing kids and two murder victims. This’ll do wonders for your reputation. I’m sure everyone will want to hire a lawyer who lets his clients get killed.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.” Zidani stepped between her and the lawyer, who’d raised a fist, his face burning and eyes flashing with anger.

“Come on, Ash,” Tain said. “He’s not worth it.”

She felt her partner’s fingers on her arm, took a step back as Zidani stepped forward and handed her some papers.

“Search warrants. You’ve got full access to the Patel house and a team waiting.” He paused and looked at Smythe. “And full access to the residence of Byron Smythe, where the Reimer family was staying since Jeffrey’s murder. Mr. Smythe and Mrs. Reimer won’t be going anywhere. New West PD are holding for another half an hour, then they’re going in.”

Ashlyn reached into her pocket and pulled out Smythe’s cell phone. She gave it to Zidani without a word and walked away.

When they got in the car Tain turned to Ashlyn before he started the engine.

“Don’t start.” Her words sounded flat and hollow. Somewhere between the confrontation in the hallway and their arrival in the parking lot all her anger had seeped out. “I feel like I’ve spent the last few days trying to control my temper, or bawling like a baby, and I’m frustrated.”