To Keep a Secret (6 page)

“I am,” I said. I walked over to the desk. “Frannie Blair handed me a memory stick that I’d like to have a look at now. It might be important.”

“Sure. I’ll just save this and then we can bring it up.”

I looked over Nick’s shoulder. He’d been typing something in Italian. He quickly saved it and made the page disappear. I handed the memory stick to him and he inserted it into the laptop. A file popped up. Nick clicked on it and a video window opened, paused on a picture of Mandy Blair. Nick looked up at me. “This the girl who was murdered?”

“Yeah, and she’s about to speak from beyond the grave.” I pulled a chair around from the other side of the desk and sat down beside Nick. Then I clicked on play.

Mandy began by giving her name, age and date—she’d made the video four days before somebody killed her. Her voice was a deeper version of her sister Frannie’s. They had the same wide eyes, but Mandy’s were tougher, more defiant.

“The plan to blackmail married men trying to date girls was my idea,” Mandy began. “I talked Henry Price into helping me. He tried talking me out of it.” She smiled without humour. “I wish I had listened to him. If you are watching this video, I’m probably dead.”

Mandy paused for a moment, then continued. “I know I’m taking a chance confronting my uncle. Last time I did, he told me that he would do whatever it took to protect his reputation. I thought abusing me when I was twelve was the only time he’d abused anyone. He told me it was. The way he looks at Frannie, though, I know I have to stop him.” Mandy’s hand stretched toward the camera. She moved it closer to her face. “His big mistake was signing up on the dating website. He gave a different name and disguised himself a bit. But I knew. He’s still at it. This video is my insurance. I’m going to meet him alone. No Henry as back up. This one is personal.”

Mandy pulled back. Her voice changed to a mocking imitation. “I love you, Mandy. You mean everything to me. It’s all your fault that I’m doing these things to you. I have to leave to break free of you. This isn’t who I am.” She moved closer to the camera until her mouth filled the screen. “You are a liar, Uncle Ben,” she said. “You are a pervert and I’m going to make you pay.”

The video cut away to Ben Thompson’s photo on the married men dating site. He claimed to be Bob Smith, looking for a good time with no strings attached. He’d let dark stubble cover his cheeks and had slicked back his hair. But there was no mistaking the intensity in those piercing brown eyes. After twenty seconds of showing that picture, the video ended.

I sat still for a moment, trying to take in what Mandy had said. Nick stared straight ahead at the empty screen. Mandy’s words were shocking. But they explained her behaviour change at age twelve, her anger, and her idea to blackmail married men dating teenagers. Add that to her uncle moving away and returning last month—the ugly pieces were slotting into place. Reverend Ben Thompson was a child molester. He’d abused his own niece and very likely killed her.

“What are you going to do now?” Nick asked. His voice was quiet.

I had to work to control my breathing. My words came out harsh. “Take this to Jimmy, and then go with him to arrest Uncle Ben. Call me when he’s been picked up. Jada and Henry will be relieved to know they aren’t his targets anymore.”

“I’ll call you as soon as he’s been brought in.”

I was nearly at the door when Nick called my name. “Anna.”

I turned. “What?”

His eyes searched my face. “Nothing. I just . . . I’m just sorry for how this is turning out, that’s all.”

“Yeah. Solving this case has brought me no joy.” Nick’s voice when he called my name had been as soft as silk sheets. The concern in his eyes had almost made me stumble on the top step.

I straightened my shoulders and ran downstairs, pulling out my cellphone to call Jimmy.

“I
give Reverend Thompson ten more minutes before he asks for his lawyer,” Jimmy said.

“For a man who started out wanting to be helpful, he sure has turned nasty,” I said. Jimmy and I stood next to each other behind the two-way mirror. Shaw and another detective were taking turns asking Mandy’s uncle questions. We watched from the next room. They’d been at it a couple of hours. Shaw, naturally, was playing bad cop.

“For the last time, I deny everything,” Thompson said. He folded his arms across his chest and turned his unblinking brown eyes on Shaw. “Unless you have proof, I’d like to get back to my prayer group.”

This was the moment Shaw was waiting for. He turned his head sideways to glance at the mirror. He probably wanted to make sure we witnessed the next few moments. He signalled to Detective Billings and she reached under her chair for a laptop. She set it on the table on an angle so that we all had a good view. Then she pressed play.

Mandy’s face filled the screen. Her angry voice accusing her uncle of abuse filled the room. Thompson’s face went from confident to horrified as the video played. The final cut to his face on the dating website made his eyes bulge.

“I didn’t kill her.” Thompson’s voice rose to a scream. He tried to rise out of his chair.

“Sit down,” Shaw barked.

Thompson slowly lowered himself back into the seat. “I’ll take the lie detector test. I wasn’t the one who killed her. She meant everything to me. That’s why I moved away five years ago—Mandy was like a drug that I couldn’t deny. My sins are my burden, but I am not a killer. I wasn’t there.”

“Oh yeah?” Shaw said. “Sounds to me like you had a lot to lose,
Reverend.
All that respect–a–bility. Your standing in the community. Your family. Mandy was what? Twelve years old when it began? I’m no religion expert, but molesting a child is kind of a big sin, if you ask me.”

Shaw looked over at Detective Billings. “What’s that thing people like to say? Confession is good for the soul. Maybe our friend here should practise a bit of what he preaches.” He looked back at Thompson. His voice hardened. “Tell us how you killed her, Reverend Thompson.”

Thompson shook his head. He swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. His face was filled with such self-pity that I wanted to lunge at him.

Shaw signalled to Billings that it was time to leave. Thompson’s face turned desperate. He lifted the palms of both hands toward the ceiling as if asking for help. “I’ll tell you what I know,” he said. “I won’t bear this burden, too.” He closed his eyes and seemed to be gathering strength to go on.

“What an act,” I said. “He knows that he’s cornered.”

Thompson’s voice was resigned. “Mandy came to my office after school that day. But I’d gone to visit a dying woman at the Civic Hospital—to offer comfort. Iris was arranging flowers for the altar and brought Mandy into my office. Mandy threatened to expose me to the media. She was hysterical, screaming and out of control. My wife was wearing a scarf. She took it off and wrapped it around Mandy’s neck after she turned to leave. Iris told me that she barely remembers doing it. She pulled the scarf tighter and tighter. She just wanted to keep Mandy from ruining our lives.”

Shaw stepped closer to Thompson and looked down at him. “Oh, I’d say you managed that feat all by yourself. Had your wife known about your taste for young girls?”

“She knew that I had . . . weak moments. She had the strength to forgive me.”

“She probably didn’t have the strength to move a dead body into a dumpster. Did you help your wife move Mandy’s corpse?”

“I couldn’t let her . . . When she asked me what to do, I prayed. I couldn’t let my wife bear the weight alone.”

“Not sure if that’s a pun or symbolic. But helping move a body makes you an accomplice. I’m sure your wife will be happy to hear you didn’t leave her to take all the blame. Detective Billings, I will let you do the booking honours. Reverend, your wife will be joining you shortly.”

Jimmy and I looked at each other. “Never saw that coming,” Jimmy said.

I thought over Thompson’s sudden confession. Iris’s anger when she found me with Frannie. Mandy’s dislike of her mother, and Nicole Blair’s total collapse. “I believe Mandy’s mother knew about the abuse, too, but did nothing about it.”

Jimmy’s jaw tightened. “I’m beginning to hate these people,” he said.

Shaw entered our viewing room. He walked over to where Jimmy and I were standing. “Well, one good thing came out of this,” he said. “Sergeant Vine is in the clear. We may not like his dating habits, but they aren’t criminal. I thank our lucky stars that he doesn’t know we found him on that site.”

“And I was looking forward to showing him the video,” I said. “Although I’ve got to say, I’ll never look at the man the same way again.”

“Believe me, Vine might not be my favourite person, but it’s better this way.” Shaw started for the door. “Tell Henry to stop with the blackmail. I’m not going to take it any further unless he keeps it up.

“No fear of that,” I said. “Henry’s learned his lesson. Plus, Jada will have his head on a plate if he even thinks about doing it again.”

A
light sprinkle of snow was falling when I stepped outside the station on Elgin Street. I took a deep breath and tried to clear away the evil I’d just watched unfold. The walk to where my car was parked on a side street felt good in the fresh, cold air. My cell vibrated in my pocket as I was sliding into the front seat. I pulled it out and glanced at the number.
Jada.

I pressed the button and Jada’s voice filled my ear. “Nick told me you’d be calling. But I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“You and Henry are free to go home,” I said. I told her about Ben Thompson’s confession. I ended by telling her that Iris would soon be on her way to the station in handcuffs, too.

“Well, that’s a relief. I’d love to stay here in Nick’s town house, but I won’t miss being in hiding,” Jada said. “And I have a date tonight that I’ll now be able to make. He’s promised me lobster tails and cranberry martinis.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Friend of a friend. It’s our second date, so nothing serious. Where are you off to?”

“Dad’s.” It was time to find out about his cancer test results. I’d been half expecting him to call. The fact he hadn’t worried me. “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

“Perfect. I might be in closer to nine than seven.” She laughed and hung up.

I turned on my car and turned the heater to high. “And tomorrow I’m going to find out what makes you tick, Nick Roma,” I said aloud to the empty car.

• • • • • • • • • •

Cheri and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table. Dad was drinking a beer and Cheri had her usual glass of red wine. It would be an expensive French pinot noir with a hint of cherry and black currant. Or whatever else was expensive and on trend. She always brought her own wine, not trusting Dad’s taste, which ran to swill in a box.

I tried to read their faces. Cheri looked like she’d been crying. Fear kept me from saying anything. The big cabbage in my stomach had returned.

“Pull up a chair and join the party,” Dad said. “Maybe you can talk some sense into your sister.”

I looked from Dad to Cheri. “This isn’t about your test results?” I asked.

“Test results? Oh, that.” Dad waved a hand in the air. “I got the all clear. No, your sister is having second thoughts about being married and raising a kid. Thinks she needs to go find herself on the other side of the world.”

I sat down and looked at my sister. “Cheri? You can’t be serious. Tell me Dad is making this up.”

Cheri raised her wide blue eyes to mine. They sparkled with a fresh round of tears. She flipped back her long, blonde hair, buying time. “I’ve been offered a file that will take me to China. Just for a year, though. It’s not like I’m leaving for good. I’ll make a ton of money and will gain so much legal experience.”

“What about Evan? How could you be away from him that long? Not to mention leaving Jimmy.”

“My guys will be fine without me. Before they really miss me, I’ll be on my way home. This job is such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I thought you and Dad would be happy for me.”

Dad and I exchanged a glance. Cheri was living in a dream world of her own making. “What does Jimmy think about you going away for a year?”

Cheri took a long sip of wine.

Dad filled in the silence. “She’s telling him tonight. Right after she picks up Evan from the sitter’s.”

“You need to think this plan through, Cheri,” I said. “Your career is important, but don’t put it ahead of your family. We’re already proud of all you’ve done. You don’t need to prove anything to us.”

Cheri stood up and grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. She looked down at me and Dad. “I was hoping you both would understand. I should have known better.” She stomped out of the kitchen, down the hallway, and out the front door.

Dad and I sat at the table without moving. I didn’t know whether to go after my sister or give her space. Cheri was never known for putting others first, but going away for a year was extreme even for her.

At last Dad got to his feet. “Think I’ll pour a big shot of whiskey and head to bed,” he said. “I’ll leave you to lock up, Anna. Suddenly, I’m very tired.”

I
sat at the kitchen table for a while after Dad went to bed, nursing my own whiskey and soda. At quarter to ten, I decided it was time for me to get some sleep too. I drained the last of my drink and stood. My phone beeped where I’d set it on the table. This time, it was a text from a number I didn’t recognize. I clicked on it.

Somebody’s after me. Henry.

I started typing.

Who? Where are you?

I headed down the hallway to the front door, waiting for Henry’s next text. I’d already put on my jacket and shoes and was out the door when my cell beeped again.

Sgt Vine. He got on front of my bus & I got off back. Chasing me. Am cutting through Rideau Centre to Market.

I typed quickly.

On my way. 15 minutes. Send updates on location.

I jumped into my car and backed out of the driveway. I crossed over to Bank Street and headed north toward downtown. At the first set of lights, I pressed Jimmy’s number on my phone. It went to voicemail. I hit another number. Nick Roma picked up on the first ring.