Lightning at 200 Durham Street

by Ron Finch

  “We’re not noticed unless we want to be,” he’d concluded. “However, it seems an involuntary signal is broadcast when a terrible event occurs. That signal goes out and those of us nearby pick it up. That’s why I told you I know what happened in the bush. When that murder occurred, the person was so anguished and betrayed that a signal was emitted.”

  JAY, GEORGIE, SYLVIA and I were debating how we were going to celebrate the end of the school year and tossing ideas around during our walks back and forth from the school.

  While returning from school on Wednesday, Georgie made yet another suggestion.

  “Here’s an idea,” she said. “I’m almost afraid to say it, and the rest of you might not think it’s a good idea, but here goes: July 1st weekend is coming up. From what I’ve heard my mom and dad say, everything in town is going to be closed down. There’s going to be a celebration in front of the town hall at one o’clock and fireworks at nine in the park. There are some other local events planned, too. But I’m wondering if the four of us can make our own plans and have a picnic. I’m afraid to tell you the location, but my curiosity is almost overwhelming.”

  She came to a stop and the rest of us turned and looked at her.

  “I’m talking about a picnic near the cabin in the woods,” she said.

  “Are you crazy?” I said. “That’s a crime scene. I don’t think that’s going to be possible.”

  “My cousins near Goshawk said that the chief of police told the farmers around there that he was finished with his investigation at the cabin,” said Georgie. “Though, he also told them he wasn’t finished interviewing.”

  “We’ve heard you guys talk about the woods and that cabin so much that we’d like to go and see it ourselves,” said Sylvia.

  “I think it’s a good idea,” I admitted. “I just don’t know whether it’s possible.”

  “I’m glad to go along,” said Jay, chiming in.

  Now we were excited about the idea, though we all agreed it would be a difficult thing to set up.

  “I think the first big step is to get permission from our parents,” said Georgie.

  “I think it will be a lot easier for us to make this happen if we work on the curiosity of our parents,” said Sylvia. “I’m sure they’re almost as curious as we are. I think we should consider the possibility of at least one set of parents going as chaperones. I think we should include that idea in our approach to them.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement. What had seemed highly unlikely only minutes ago suddenly seemed feasible.

  “If our parents are in favour of the trip, it is going to be a lot easier to talk to the chief of police and the property owner,” I said.

  We all agreed to talk to our parents that evening.

  DR. WHITTLES HEARD from Dr. Whitehead in Toronto that week but the report was not what Dr. Whittles had hoped for.

  Dr. Whitehead had said that he, with the help of another forensic doctor, had ruled out the most common poisons but that they were still at a loss as to the specific cause of death. They were convinced, however, that it was a poisoning. Dr. Whitehead had said that, regretfully, he and his associate were currently involved in a number of additional cases with the Toronto police. He apologized and informed Dr. Whittles that they would not be able to spend a lot of time on a hunt for a specific poison, but that, as time permitted, they would check for other less likely poisons that may have been used.

  Dr. Whittles reported this conversation to the chief of police.

  “To sum up,” said Dr. Whittles, “in our opinion, a murder has been committed, and the murder was committed by use of a poison. At this time, however, the specific poison has not been identified.”

  Friday, June 8

  FRIDAY MORNING STARTED at 9 o’clock, with Chief Petrovic, Det. O’Neill, Cst. Smith, and Cst. Herman once again seated in the chief’s office.

  “It looks like another roundtable meeting of the Knights of Chaseford,” quipped Cst. Smith.

  “Except,” Cst. Herman rejoined, “this table isn’t round.”

  Realizing by the look on the chief’s face that levity wasn’t, perhaps, appropriate, Cst. Herman apologized.

  “Sorry, sir. Cst. Smith and I are just well rested after the weekend.”

  “Do we need Sherry Simpson to record?” inquired Cst. Smith, changing the subject.

  “Not at this time,” answered the chief. “It’s been a productive week, though, and we need to take a look at the new information that has come to us. But first, I’d like to welcome Det. O’Neill back.”

  The constables looked at the chief, puzzled.

  “The London police force originally provided us with Det. O’Neill’s services for two weeks,” Chief Petrovic explained. “The two-week period ended this past Wednesday. But thanks to our Mayor, Det. O’Neill will be able to help us for at least another month, if necessary.”

  That news produced big smiles on the faces of the two constables.

  “I’m going to give you copies of the notes that Sherry made from our previous meeting,” the chief continued. “The first item was ‘mystery cabin’. Well, we certainly cleared that up. It’s definitely not a mystery cabin. From our interviews with Alice Chalmers and the Derrigans, and from the work that Cst. Smith did chatting with the farmers in the area, I’m tempted to say the only people that didn’t know about the cabin were us. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but in that area it was very well known. If we were to take the gossip Cst. Smith uncovered as the gospel truth, you might even suppose some illegal activities have taken place there. He’s quite an investigator. His friendly, smiling face and air of innocence allowed him to gain a measure of trust. The illegal activities that his investigation revealed are no longer illegal, however, with the appeal of prohibition last year in Ontario.”

  The light went on in Cst. Herman’s head. “You mean the cabin was a good place to get a drink.”

  The chief nodded. “Let’s move on to item two on the agenda. It was about Bella. I received a phone call from Assistant Chief Rutherford last night. He gave me a report on his interview with Ruth Carter, though he told me it was more like a conversation. He said she’s a very open person. According to Ruth, she and Bella never had a conversation about Bella being allowed to say whatever she wished in the interview we conducted with her. Mrs. Carter added that perhaps Bella just understood that that would be the case. Mrs. Carter says she has nothing to hide and that Bella would know that. Rutherford’s interpretation was that Mrs. Carter was trying to be kind and speaking in Bella’s defence. Rutherford also reported that Mrs. Carter had had no idea that Bella knew her son Proctor. After his report on the interview, Assistant Chief Rutherford and I talked for a few minutes about Bella. We agreed that while we find her manipulative and perhaps not trustworthy, we can see no motivation behind her actions. So, for the time being, she won’t be interviewed by Rutherford.

  “Item three, you’ll remember, was an investigation of the businesses being operated by Amos and Proctor Carter. Once again, thanks to the Ottawa police department, in particular Assistant Chief Rutherford, we received a fairly detailed report on each business and on each man. Amos Carter’s survey business is legitimate it is apparently well-run and is in good standing with the bank. Amos Carter has no police record of any kind. I’ll turn to Proctor next.

  “From our previous discussion, you know that he operates three lumberyards. According to the bank he currently does business with, he is struggling to meet his obligations. They took him on as a customer after the bank he dealt with previously called Proctor on his loan. The only reason his current bank accepted him as a customer was because his brother Amos is a valued customer of the bank. Amos Carter sits on the Bank’s Board of Directors and he agreed to provide surety for his brother.”

  “Things don’t look good in Proctor Carter’s life,” said Det. O’Neill.

  “There’s more,” the chief continued. “Proctor Carter has had three run-ins with the Ottawa police. In each case
it was a drunk and disorderly. In addition, in one of those instances, he was involved in a fight. The other party, the loser of the fight, declined to press charges. All of these disturbances have taken place either inside or just outside the door of Ottawa’s most unsavoury bar, ‘The Tin Cup.’ Based on the owners and clientele, that bar is watched carefully by the Ottawa police. The police are convinced that it’s a front for illegal gambling, loan sharking, and prostitution. In Assistant Chief Rutherford’s opinion, Proctor Carter either has a direct or indirect involvement in some aspect of those activities.

  “We are making some progress in this investigation,” Chief Petrovic concluded. “We certainly don’t have all the answers yet. But we’ve come a long way from an unknown body at an isolated cabin. Some big questions are still in front of us. The major one is motive. The other major problem is the exact cause of death. But I’m certain we’ll have answers to those two questions before a lot more time has passed.”

  THE FAMILIES OF JOEL, Jay, Georgie, and Sylvia had thought it would be a good idea to get together for a meeting. It was just to be the four teenagers and their parents; other relatives had been enlisted to babysit the younger children. Joel’s mom had suggested the meeting after a conversation with Jay’s mom, who’d come to the store for groceries on Thursday morning.

  Joel’s mom was very concerned. She knew that Joel had worked very hard at school this year, and she was proud of his latest achievement: Joel and Jay had received a 96% on their trigonometry assignment. This was a major accomplishment because everyone knew that Mr. Graf was not an easy marker. Joel had also worked very hard during the year at his parents’ grocery store. His mother appreciated that, and she was also aware that he had been feeling a little different this last week or so. Joel never complained, but she knew he wasn’t quite as easygoing as he used to be. If you took into account the murdered woman that he and Jay had found in the cabin, and added to that being struck by lightning during that terrifying storm, it seemed to Joel’s mom that he deserved some kind of reward.

  The meeting was taking place at Jay’s parents’, who had a large private rear yard. It was a beautiful yard and Friday night turned out to be a beautiful evening. It was a very pleasant place to be. Jay’s mom obviously took great pride in her flowers and shrubbery.

  Jay started the meeting by stating the case for the four teens.

  “Joel and I often think about the cabin,” he said, speaking soberly for his years. “And we always remember it with the body inside.” He paused, feeling his way forward. “We don’t have nightmares, exactly, but we sure don’t have pleasant memories, either.” The adults nodded their heads sympathetically. “We think that if we went back there for a picnic, we would remember the cabin in a different light. We would have good times to think about instead.”

  It was short and sweet, but it was a powerful argument and you could see the impact it had had on their parents, and on the parents of the other two teens.

  “I’m a little concerned about going,” said Joel’s dad finally. “But I think we should do it.”

  “I don’t disagree with you,” said Sylvia’s mother, “but I don’t know how you’re going to convince the chief of police.”

  “If I can get everybody’s agreement, then I ask that you give me two weeks to see what I can do,” said Joel’s dad.

  He asked for a show of hands and was pleased to see that everyone agreed with the plan.

  “Just remember, you have to give us enough time to get ready for the picnic,” said Georgie’s mom.

  Everyone laughed.

  “I guess the formal meeting is over, then,” said Joel’s dad. “Let’s dig into the snacks.”

  Everyone agreed to that, too.

  Wednesday, June 13 and Thursday, June 14 - Ottawa

  ASSISTANT CHIEF RUTHERFORD, who had many other duties, assigned one of his detectives to the Louise Carter murder investigation. He had discussed this assignment with Chief Petrovic and it had been approved by the Ottawa chief of police. He selected Det. Jean LeBlanc, who was very experienced in murder investigations. Det. LeBlanc would report directly to Assistant Chief Rutherford. Rutherford, in turn, would inform Chief Petrovic of any developments.

  Det. LeBlanc had an interview set up with Proctor Carter at 10 o’clock in the morning, on Wednesday, June 13. He would not be unprepared for this interview. Det. LeBlanc had dropped into ‘The Tin Cup’ late Tuesday afternoon for an informal discussion with the owner, Pierre Montage. LeBlanc and Montage knew one another from a previous murder investigation: LeBlanc had caught the murderer but had been unable to connect him to Montage. Naturally, they had a mutual disregard for each other.

  “You know, the police are always on the lookout for criminal activity,” Det. LeBlanc said to Mr. Montage, surveying his clientele.

  “Then why are you here?” replied Mr. Montage. “You should be at a crime site.”

  “You have quite a sense of humour,” said Det. LeBlanc. “You know, we’re keeping an eye on this bar. We believe it’s a location where some criminal activity may be occurring.”

  Mr. Montage appeared to be outraged. “You have no proof of any wrongdoing at this location.”

  “Not at the moment,” said Det. LeBlanc with a shrug. “That’s not why I’m here.”

  “Why are you here bothering me, then?” asked Mr. Montage.

  “I’m here to inquire about one of your patrons,” the detective responded. “In particular, I want to ask you about Proctor Carter. Does Mr. Carter have any ownership in your business?”

  Mr. Montage roared with laughter. “You’re making a joke. Mr. Carter owes me a lot of money.”

  “How much?” Det. LeBlanc asked.

  “I don’t have to tell you, and I will not,” said Mr. Montage.

  “I hope you’re charging a reasonable rate of interest,” said Det. LeBlanc.

  “But certainly,” answered Mr. Montage. “I would not dream of breaking the law by charging an unreasonable rate. That would be criminal. That would be loan sharking.” Mr. Montage paused. “Mr. Carter does come here with his lady friend, but that is no crime.”

  Det. LeBlanc thought for a moment. “Describe this woman to me,” he said.

  “For her age, she is an attractive woman,” said Mr. Montage. “She’s a brunette. A little taller than most of the women that visit my establishment. I would guess her age to be about 50. I have heard Proctor call her ‘Belle’. I don’t know if that’s her name or if he just thinks she’s beautiful.”

  “Are you aware of any gambling or prostitution that may be taking place in your establishment?” said Det. LeBlanc. “Are you aware if people are meeting here to make arrangements for these purposes?”

  Mr. Montage once more appeared to be affronted. “Not at all, not at all. I run a legitimate establishment.”

  Seeing that he would get no further, Det. LeBlanc left.

  Later in the day, the detective reported the details of his informal interview to Assistant Chief Rutherford. He also speculated that his visit would put a damper on some of the activities at The Tin Cup for a little while. He was sure they would now be watching for anyone who looked like a member of the Ottawa police in or near their establishment.

  “Sir, I’m ready for tomorrow’s interview with Proctor Carter,” said Det. LeBlanc. “I believe I should also set up an interview with Bella Frankel. Since she’s the good friend of Proctor Carter and the nurse caregiver to Ruth Carter, she is, I believe, certainly connected to what has gone on.”

  Assistant Chief Rutherford agreed. He instructed Det. LeBlanc to set up the interview with Bella Frankel for 2 o’clock, Wednesday afternoon. Rutherford then reiterated: “Keep me informed of what’s going on.”

  PROCTOR CARTER ARRIVED at the interview room in the Ottawa police station with his lawyer at 10 o’clock Wednesday morning.

  Before Det. LeBlanc could say anything, Proctor Carter said: “I can’t keep coming to interviews while I’m trying to run a business.”

&
nbsp; “Well then,” replied Det. LeBlanc, “let’s complete this interview as quickly as we can. Who knows: if you answer all the questions to my satisfaction, we may not need another interview.”

  Proctor and his lawyer seated themselves.

  “So, Mr. Carter,” said the detective,” I hear that you owe a great deal of money to Mr. Pierre Montage. I hope you understand that he is a dangerous man to do business with. I was recently involved in a murder investigation that I think Mr. Montage may have been connected to. We did arrest and convict the man who committed the murder, but, unfortunately, we were not able to get enough evidence to try Mr. Montage. Which means he remains free and dangerous.”

  Proctor made no response.

  “I requested this interview for a number of reasons,” Det. LeBlanc continued. “They are as follows: your prior charges concerning intoxication; the request for police assistance in stopping an altercation in front of The Tin Cup, where the police, when they arrived, had to pull you off a man you were beating; and the fact that you are involved in a deal with a person like Mr. Montage, whose character we’ve already established. This type of behaviour makes you a person of interest in the death of your sister.”

  “That’s preposterous!” shouted Proctor, getting to his feet.

  Proctor’s lawyer and Det. LeBlanc both told him to calm down and sit down.

  “I wouldn’t hurt my sister,” Proctor exclaimed somewhat less violently.

  “I read the report from your first interview,” said Det. LeBlanc. “From that interview, we were led to believe that you’ve had nothing to do with your sister or mother for many years and that you haven’t spoken to them since shortly after the death of your father. I would say that lack of communication indicated a pretty substantial degree of dislike. Have you had anything to do with your sister since your father’s death? Give me an honest answer. I have ways of checking.”