“Dianne and I had been seeing each other.”
“You mean having an affair,” Scottie said.
“Yes, if that makes you happy,” he replied with a snarky tone. He glimpsed over to his attorney. Lester had lowered his head and was staring at the floor.
Scottie’s cell rang. She looked at the screen and left the room.
“Go on,” Gibson encouraged.
“Dianne said she had something important to tell me. We had stopped the affair weeks before, so I was reluctant to talk to her.” He paused. “We never said much at work, in case someone caught us. I agreed to meet her down by the pier that night.” Jackson swallowed with difficulty. “I was stunned when she told me she was pregnant. I had been very cautious. I didn’t believe it was mine. I told her that, too. That started a yelling match. Then, she went nuts and pulled out a knife. I was shocked. I didn’t know what was going on. Then, she started to brandish it around. I tried to calm her down, but she wasn’t having it. I really thought she was going to stab me, so I ran and got the hell out of there. But I swear she was alive when I left.” He broke off.
Scottie quietly returned and sat down. She gave Gibson a nod.
“We ran your DNA against the blood found on the murder weapon—”
“No way.” Jackson jumped out of his chair.
“It wasn’t a match. We know you didn’t kill Dianne. But all of this begs the question of who was driving your car?”
A silence came over them. Jackson sat back down and glanced at his lawyer.
“It wasn’t you. You would have no reason to harm Ryder. Isn’t that true?” Gibson said. He already knew the answer to this, after having spoken with Paula. She had only assumed it was Jackson driving the BMW and admitted she hadn’t seen the driver. She only knew it was his car, and that had been enough to convince her of his guilt and point the finger at him.
The quietness grew deeper.
Scottie spoke up. “There is only one other person who had access to your vehicle.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jackson replied.
“Come off it.”
“Maybe someone took it for a joy ride.”
“Oh, really. Get real. Your wife was driving the car,” Scottie barked.
“I didn’t know.”
“Of course, you did.” Scottie slammed the table.
Gibson held up his hand. “We have arrested your wife,” he said solemnly.
“What?” Jackson glanced at his lawyer again.
Lester shook his head.
“I’m sure it was just an accident,” Jackson said, still in denial of what was happening.
“We’ve arrested her for the murder of Dianne Meadows.”
“Lori? She’s been arrested for murder?” Jackson placed his head in his hands and moaned. He looked up at the detective. “She knew about us? I mean, Dianne and me.”
“Apparently so,” Gibson agreed. People made him so mad. Was that all he cared about? Getting caught cheating. What about Ryder? What was his life worth?
“How many times?” Scottie asked.
“What?” Jackson turned to her.
“How many times did you cheat on your wife? How many different women?”
Jackson’s face contorted, his lips quivered. It was the face of a man who realized he had pushed his wife over the edge.
“I guess Lori finally reached her tolerance threshold,” Scottie sneered.
“What will happen to me now?”
“You are free to go. But Lori won’t be seeing the light of day anytime soon. You better get her a lawyer.” Gibson gestured to Scottie. She pushed the recorder off.
Jackson opened his mouth, but no words came out. Just a whoosh of air.
Lester gathered his papers together quickly and swung open the door. They could hear a commotion coming from the cell area.
“You bastard! You’ve ruined my life. Couldn’t keep it in your pants, could you?” Lori screamed. “Can you hear me, Jackson? I should have killed you instead.”
Jackson glanced back at Gibson momentarily before he sprinted down the hallway to the front entrance with Lester on his heels.
Gibson shut the door to muffle the increasingly ear-splitting and obnoxious rant coming from the enraged woman. They sat for a while before he spoke.
“So we got Lori on the security camera tape heading toward the pier. That’s good,” Gibson said. “Tell me Gunner found the dress she was wearing.”
“Yeah, he found it straight away. The large floral pattern was quite distinct. It was hanging in the laundry room. It had been washed, but we all know there will be traces of blood on it still.”
Gibson nodded his head in agreement.
“Jocko is working on the dress as we speak.”
“What about the blood on the knife? Do we know if it’s Lori’s DNA?”
“Well, Grant arrested Lori after we went into the interview room just as we had arranged with him. He got a DNA sample from her and sent it over to the lab immediately. We should get that any minute now.”
As if the gods were listening, Scottie’s cell phone rang. She hung up after a few minutes.
“Well?”
“Jocko used the rapid DNA testing and has confirmed it’s Lori’s blood lodged in the hilt of the knife.”
“Great. That’s the evidence we need.”
“Yup.”
“So Lori followed her husband to the pier, although he left before she could confront him. But unfortunately, Dianne was still there,” Gibson said.
“That is the logical sequence of events.”
“Lori would have been seeing red by then.”
“Oh, yeah,” Scottie said.
“I suppose she had known that Jackson was the cheating husband all along and finally cracked.” Gibson drew in a deep breath. “We’ll get the full story in time. At least, Lori’s version of the truth. But I think the ladies got into a scuffle and Dianne came out the loser.”
“Why did Dianne take the knife with her? She would still be alive if she hadn’t,” Scottie said.
“Maybe she was afraid of going down there at night. Remember she told Constable Grant that she suspected the street kids were involved in the robberies. And, the pier is close to the hostel.” Gibson shrugged and let out a sigh.
“I guess, we’ll never really know.”
“It was a stupid thing to do,” Gibson added.
“Lori must have been relieved when we picked up Ryder, thinking she was home free,” Scottie said, then frowned. “But Gibson, why did she run him over?”
“She probably heard the confrontation on the terrace between her husband and Ryder. Then the kid runs to me. In her mind, she may have thought that Jackson was going to go down for the murder. The jig was up. She couldn’t let that happen. I think Lori’s worst fear was losing her status, the security of wealth and all it entails.”
“I get it. Lori wasn’t going to let anything destroy her life. Her cushy life with the big house, fancy jewels and all that,” Scottie said. “The kid was just another obstacle.”
“Yeah. That’s about it.”
“We’ll get all the particulars when we interview her tomorrow. One thing I know for sure, she’s going to be behind bars for a long time.”
“Let’s get out of here,” Gibson said. He had one more thing to do before heading home.
Chapter 40
Gibson stood by the window in his office. The Olympic Mountains gleamed white on their rugged peaks. Even in summer, the snow persisted. It was a sight he never tired of. The water in the straits below was shrouded in a low fog—autumn was getting ready to rush in as the days got shorter. He watched the horizon as oranges and reds crept across the indigo sky before the sun plunged below the hills. The coppery hues gave way to twilight, where Gibson had been living for the past year. Now that was over; he had made his decision.
The efficient hum of diesel engines of a cruise ship reverberated in the windless air. Then a thousand lights several
storeys high came into view. Gibson returned to his desk and slumped into the lush leather. He drew open the top drawer and pulled out the letter he had written weeks before. It felt like a long time ago. So much had happened since. So many terrible things. He set those thoughts aside and tried to think of the good. There was his son, Anatoe, who had come into his life unexpectedly. He was a kind and thoughtful man born from a long-gone love in another lifetime. Paula had lost her only son, but she would find solace in the blossoming friendship with Anatoe. Although he and Katherine suffered a loss too, they had each other. Better than ever before. Gibson had ultimately realized their connection was strong.
He heard footsteps tapping across the marble floors and swivelled toward the doorway. Scottie stood on the threshold and gazed at the letter on the desk. She walked to the window and watched a ship pull into the port. Ropes were thrown onto the dock and quickly whipped around large metal cleats bolted through the massive timbers.
“Is this it, then?” Scottie asked as she twisted round to face him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
“Does Katherine know?”
“I haven’t told her, but she knows.”
“Yes, she would. She knows you too well,” Scottie said. She crossed the room and sat in the chair across from Gibson.
“I’ll miss you.”
“You know where I live.”
“Who will be our boss now?”
“I don’t know, Scottie.” Gibson picked up the letter and struck it on the desk. “I wanted to tell you before submitting my resignation officially.”
“What will you do?” She stared into his grey eyes.
“I plan to hang out with Katherine first,” he answered. “Then, it is possible Anatoe will need some help in his garage.”
“Really?” Scottie laughed, heartier than ever.
“Katherine said I was skilled with a wrench.” Gibson smirked.
“She only sees the best in you.”
“That’s undeniably true.” Gibson lowered his head just for one moment, for the wrongs he had done. All of that was in the past. Katherine had probably suspected, but... He let that thought pass. He would wholly live his life from now on.
Scottie reached over the desk. They shook hands firmly.
“I’ll catch you later. I have an appointment.” Gibson wasn’t certain if Rex would be surprised or not. The police chief’s ability to see through people was uncanny. He stood up slowly. At the door, he twisted round and took a final look at his office.
“Good luck, Gibson.” Scottie laughed. She had finally gotten in the last word.
Other formats for the Inspector William Gibson series
All three of these books are available separately with Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.
BOOK 1: MURDER ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
Inspector Gibson cuts short a jaunt in his beloved kayak to attend a murder inquiry. The investigation soon meets a brick wall, but he suspects the victim’s co-workers are involved. He must act quickly before the case, like the weather, goes cold.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Q3WRQLZ/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q3WRQLZ/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07Q3WRQLZ/
BOOK 2: MURDER AT LAKE ONTARIO
The veteran detective is flown out to the east of the country to help set up a major crimes task force. He soon has a murder on his hands when a local shopkeeper is found dead on the beach. Estranged from his melancholic wife, Gibson’s loyalties become divided.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07R891TBM/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R891TBM/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07R891TBM/
BOOK 3: MURDER ON THE SAANICH PENINSULA
When a woman is found murdered near Sidney Pier, Inspector William Gibson immediately suspects her husband is responsible. His junior partner is not so sure. But as the truth emerges it has a knock-on effect that will change the detective’s life forever. And not in a good way.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083F1J33T/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B083F1J33T/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B083F1J33T/
Kathy Garthwaite’s new series
THE ALLEY
A gunshot rings out through a small Vancouver Island town. A man is dead in the jewelry store. Detective Marlowe Flint must work out if it was a robbery gone wrong, or an organized hit. But witnesses are reluctant to come forward, and when another man is beaten to within an inch of his life, the killer may slip through the detective’s grasp.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GKWN7XW/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GKWN7XW/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08GKWN7XW/
THE STUDY
The heir to an estate is found dead in his study during an event in which the contents of a forty-year-old time capsule are to be revealed. Sergeant Flint must work out who killed him. What was contained in the capsule that could drive someone to murder? And is it possible that, so soon after the incident with the fire chief, that her new boyfriend, the mayor, could be responsible?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B091B53GNQ/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B091B53GNQ/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B091B53GNQ/
Other titles of interest
If you enjoyed MURDER ON THE SAANICH PENINSULA, why not try out these other titles published by The Book Folks?
SMALL TOWN MURDERS by Anne Crosse
A traditional whodunnit series laced with dark humour, set in a small town in semi-rural Ireland.
That’s reluctant detective Robert Carroll’s destination when a judge is found dead in the courthouse in DEATH IN MAGNERSTOWN. A bit too fond of a tipple, DI Carroll is also easily distracted by the fanciable Maggie, whose local newspaper seems to beat him to every lead in the case. In THE MYSTERY OF SUNDAY’S WELL, DI Carroll’s ailing love life and growing dependency on the bottle, jeopardise the investigation of a double murder. Thankfully, his bright spark sidekick James Sayder picks up the reins. In MEAT IS MURDER Sayder is in full swing, but will the more cynical Carroll have anything at all to offer an investigation into nicely packaged human body parts that turn up in a bin?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B094JZJCZT/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B094JZJCZT/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B094JZJCZT/
CAT AND MOUSE by Denver Murphy
Three books, two detectives, and one epic manhunt for a killer who knows all the police’s moves.
Ex police chief DSI Brandt has gone rogue. He’s stabbed a woman, and he wants to do it again. DCI Stella Johnson must track him down and nip his murderous spree in the bud. He is waiting for just that… In ONE STEP AHEAD, Johnson must identify him. In HIDE AND SEEK she must evade the traps laid for her, and in SMOKE AND MIRRORS we face the final showdown.
Who will win this battle of wits?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089QGQ5TP/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B089QGQ5TP/
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B089QGQ5TP/
FREE BOOKS IN YOUR INBOX
As a thank-you to our readers, we regularly run free book promotions and discounted deals for a limited time. To hear about these and about new fiction releases, just sign up to our newsletter:
www.thebookfolks.com/newsletter/
STORM ROLL: a Canadian murder mystery series Page 51
