Outside Forces

by R E Swirsky

CHAPTER 41

  Tuesday 11:43 Near Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

  Richard had never seen Michelle run so fast. She sprinted up the steps and burst into the kitchen, out of breath and waving a folder in the air.

  “You are not going to believe this, Richard! I knew I saw that man before.”

  Michael and Tawnie were seated at the kitchen table. Tawnie still hadn’t warmed to Michelle, but she appeared to be extending her tolerance over the past few days. He suspected that her lengthy sleep-ins each morning was meant to reduce her exposure to Michelle. At least they weren’t bickering.

  “You found him?” Michael asked.

  “Did I ever!” she said and placed the papers she carried with her onto the table and quickly pulled her cell phone from her purse. “Do you remember those two we saw up at the golf course on Friday?”

  He frowned. “The Senator?”

  “Yes, exactly. And I said that I knew who the other man at the table was?”

  “The one you thought you knew but couldn’t put your finger on?”

  She spread the photos out on the table so everyone could see the images and then quickly brought a photo onto the screen of her cell phone before placing it atop the pile of photos. She pointed to the image she took on the patio at Silvertip golf course. “It’s the same man, Richard.”

  He shot a short glance at her, as if she was now the crazy one. “You didn’t take any pictures, remember? I made sure of that.”

  “Well, actually, I did.”

  “No you didn’t. I made you put your phone back in your purse.”

  She smiled at him sweetly.

  “When could you have taken a picture?”

  “When you went to the bar to pay the bill. I took two photos. Take a look.” She pointed at the image on her screen again. “That’s him. It’s the same guy.”

  It didn’t really surprise him that she snapped the photo when he wasn’t looking. “Do we know his name?” he asked.

  Michelle’s excitement continued to flourish, causing Michael and Tawnie to lean in to study the image on her cell phone and compare it to the many photos on the table.

  “Jerry at the office recognized this guy right off. He’s runs AltaCan Pump and sits on the board of a few other companies. His name is Kaito Hui.”

  “Kaito Hui?” Michael repeated. “Never heard of him.”

  “He’s well known in oil and gas. And he’s loaded. But here’s the best part.…” She shuffled through the photos until she found the ones from the basketball team. “You’ll like this, Michael.” She dropped the headshot photo of one of the basketball players in front of Michael. “Is that Johnny?”

  He studied the photo. “Could be,” Michael replied.

  “It is. That is Kaito Hui’s son,” she said. “His name is Takahiro Hui. He was on the basketball team and was also on the mogul ski team.”

  “Was?” Richard asked.

  “Was,” she replied. “It seems this Takahiro has a temper and foul mouth. He was cut by the ski team almost immediately after verbally abusing some of his teammates. He lasted longer on the basketball court, only because he had real talent. He was cut after problems developed between him and two other players.”

  Michael leaned back in his chair. He looked almost happy, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

  “Then it’s true what Michael has been saying,” Tawnie said.

  Michael grinned at her. “You doubted me?”

  “No, but.…”

  “But what, then?”

  “This is so bizarre,” Tawnie replied. “Johnny lied about who he is. It’s so creepy. What kind of a guy does that?”

  Michael teared up, and he wiped at his eyes. “Yeah. She didn’t fall off the mountain. Lucy was taken up there and thrown off, and we are the only ones who know the truth.”

  “Not really,” Richard said. “Metcalf knows and so does this Takahiro-Johnny fellow. Michelle, did you happen to find out where he lives?”

  She shook her head. “Just that he’s from Calgary.”

  Michael looked up at his dad. “So what do we do now?”

  “I don’t really know. Michelle?”

  She shrugged. “Why ask me? It was all you who wanted to pursue this.”

  Michael twitched and rubbed the heel of his palm up and down the side of his head vigorously. His eyes watered again.

  “You okay, Michael?” Richard asked.

  Michael quickly dropped his arm down to his side. “I’m fine. I miss her, that’s all.” He sniffed and dropped his chin down to his chest.

  “We should do something,” Richard said.

  Michelle pointed her finger up at Richard. “You know, Richard, I did hear those two say something while you were in paying the bill.”

  “Which two?”

  “Senator Diamond and Kaito Hui. Up on the patio, they said something that I never thought mattered until now. Kaito said something about a body being discovered, and there was something about a plane.”

  “A body?”

  “You do remember they were talking about a mountain—down the valley. Heart Mountain was down the valley.”

  Richard had forgotten all about the conversation they overheard. “You’re suggesting the Senator had something to do with this?”

  “Put it all together, Richard. You remember them talking. You even said yourself that they were up to something.”

  “Yeah, I did, but.…” He rubbed the stubble on his chin as he tried to recall the conversation.

  “You said it was creepy.”

  Richard laughed lightly. “Creepy. It’s still creepy. But the Senator? Really, Michelle? Now who’s stretching things?”

  “That Senator flew all the way out here to sort something out with Kaito Hui. We heard him say that. Oh.…” Her eyes lit up. “Murder. He also said something about murdering someone or not murdering someone.”

  “You think he was out here trying to stop it?”

  “Either that or to make sure it happened.”

  Richard sighed. Tawnie was still in her nightgown and Michael was in sweats and a T-shirt. “Look, everyone, it’s noon already. Let’s all stop, have lunch, and then decide what we’re going to do about all of this.”

  Michelle shook her head. “There’s nothing to eat, Richard. We took everything camping.”

  It was true. They hadn’t gone shopping since before the weekend camping trip and hadn’t expected both Michael and Tawnie to be home when they were back.

  “How about you and I zip out and pick up a few items,” he said to Michelle. “And you two get showered up and dressed while we’re gone. We should be back in less than an hour. We’ll figure out what to do about all of this once we get back.”

  “Get some ham,” Tawnie said. “I haven’t had ham in ages.”

  “And some bacon,” Michael added.

  Both Richard and Michelle laughed. It was nice to have both of his kids back in the house, even under these circumstances.