Hound

by Ken Ogilvie

  Tony laughed heartily. “Cool it, bro. Mario’s toast. Those are my guys. I told them to give him the news, then haul his ass over to me. As for his job, it’s mine already. He’s buggered things up big time and the New York boys are upset. They’re moving in to clean up the mess. They trust me, so I’ll be calling the shots around here for the time being. Just keep your head low for a few days and you’ll be fine. See you soon.” Tony cut the call.

  Kingsley slid to the floor. Perhaps the best thing would be to stay at the restaurant for now, despite his sorry state, and see how things played out. If Tony was right, he was back in business. Once more, the world had realigned in his favour. Maybe he was destined to succeed. But his elation only lasted for a fleeting moment, to be replaced by an image of Jackie. He cowered against the wall of the men’s room.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007

  Sykes returned to the cave just in time to witness Rebecca charge Lily Caldwell with the murder of Steven Bradley. She looked downcast.

  Slipping in behind Sykes, Hound gaped.

  Sykes hurried over to Rebecca. “What’s this all about?”

  “Lily Caldwell has just confessed to the murder of Steven Bradley,” she said dully. “She killed him on the Trans-Canada Highway north of Conroy more than two decades ago. He had raped her daughter, Jackie.” Her voice caught. “It just keeps getting worse.”

  “That’s the way of things at times,” Sykes muttered.

  Hound watched Lily closely, and saw the despair behind the vacant look. She was a complex woman with an extraordinary but sick daughter, and she’d led a tragic life. Hound’s gaze softened. He felt sorry for Lily and what she must be going through.

  Sykes said to Rebecca, “Take Mrs. Caldwell to Cora Simon’s house, then escort her to Orillia. Hound can go with you and continue from there. He’ll have to be available for a formal interrogation. He claims he’s done with chasing after Jackie.” Sykes shot him a scornful look. “I’ll continue to direct the search from here.” Then he hesitated. “I, er, strongly recommend that you take a month off, Rebecca. When you return, I’ll assign you to a new case. This one’s off-limits. I’m sure you understand.” She sighed and walked from the cave.

  * * *

  After lingering for a while, Hound hurried after Rebecca and caught up with her just inside the forest. She turned and looked up at him.

  “What do I do now, Hound? Every time I learn something new about my family, it’s worse than what went before. I’m becoming afraid to find out anything more about my mother. I’m even beginning to suspect that my father was involved with Sarah’s death in some way. Maybe that’s why he’s refused to talk about it to me all these years.”

  Hound stood helplessly in front of Rebecca, desperate to take her into his arms and comfort her. But supposing she didn’t want that? He loved her, but he knew she didn’t return the feeling. And he had no idea how to help her with her family troubles. He gazed stupidly at her, unable to speak.

  Rebecca looked up at him and took his hands in hers — a doll’s hands holding bear paws. His heart melted. He’d risked his life to save her when Jackie was about to kill her, and he would do it again, a thousand times over. She knew it, he could tell.

  “It’s alright, Hound.” She released his hands and headed back to the cave.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007

  Kingsley had to trust Tony. He no longer had a choice. He decided to confront Mario head on. If what Tony had said was true, Mario no longer presented a threat to him. And Kingsley had a score to settle with the jerk. He realized he would look like the proverbial ninety pound weakling with his ‘big brother’ standing behind him, but so what? He was tired of being pushed around.

  When Kingsley exited the men’s room, he saw Mario slumped face down on the table. Kingsley took the chair across from him. The syndicate men were shuffling their feet about as though they didn’t know what to do. Ignoring them, Kingsley rapped his knuckles on the table, stifling a wince. Must get those fingers seen to. Mario raised his head. His fists clenched. He made a lunge for Kingsley, but before he could grab hold of him the syndicate men yanked him back into his seat.

  “Stay put, Mr. Daglioni,” the larger one said harshly.

  Looking confused, Mario peered up at the man. Kingsley shot him a malicious grin, though just in case, he pushed his chair back out of range. He nodded at the guards.

  * * *

  DI Sykes and the search team left the cave and picked up Jackie’s trail at the spot Hound had taken them to earlier. Her footprints were easy to follow, so Sykes decided not to wait for the search dogs to arrive. Anyway, they wouldn’t be much help unless there was something with a fresh enough scent on it to guide them. The helicopter would be invaluable, though, especially if they could get close enough to track Jackie with a thermal imaging camera. Sykes figured she had already outdistanced them by a considerable margin. Their best hope now was the highway patrols that might spot her on her way north — her trail made it clear she was fleeing in that direction, although not in a straight line. It was impossible to predict with any accuracy where she might cross the nearest road.

  When dusk began to fall, Sykes called off the search. It took two trips in the helicopter before they were all regrouped at a roadside motel about ten miles north of the cave. It looked like Jackie would evade them again. Sykes was exhausted, and even the ERT men looked weary. The only good news was that the two surviving syndicate men had turned themselves in and had offered to cooperate with the police.

  Hadi approached Sykes, who was standing alone in the parking lot, gazing up at the starlit sky. “Sir, we need to start thinking differently about this woman. Chasing her never seems to work. We have to out-think her.” Sykes said nothing. Right now he was fresh out of ideas, and frustrated beyond measure that Hound had refused to help. There was no doubt in his mind that Hound could find Jackie if he wanted to. If only he had accepted Hound’s initial offer to assist with the search, Jackie might be behind bars by now. It occurred to him that his determination to be the one who caught Jackie might be part, if not the whole of the problem. Maybe it was time to step back and let someone else take the reins. Though too much in awe of him, Hadi was an intelligent and accomplished detective. He could do it.

  “Hadi, I apologize for not seeking enough of your advice and that of others on the team. I was so certain of capturing Jackie Caldwell that I didn’t draw enough upon the talented people all around me.”

  “There is nothing to forgive, sir. It’s an honour to work with you, and I know I speak for the other detectives when I say that. We’ve learned a lot, and there’s more to learn.”

  Sykes smiled wanly. “Thank you for that, but I’m tired now. That woman is unlike any other criminal I’ve dealt with in my entire career. Her strength and cunning defy description. But maybe we’re attributing too much power to her. So what do we do now, Hadi? What else can we try, beyond scouring the forest and hoping to bump into her?” He suddenly declared, “I’m taking myself off the case. New ideas are what’s needed, and the energy of younger people like you and Chad.” He turned away.

  “Please, sir. Don’t do that. Stay on and guide us.” Sykes could hear the alarm in Hadi’s voice. It was flattering, but his mind was made up.

  “I’d like to, Hadi, but I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now. I’m putting you in charge of the search team. It might make Chad resentful, so I’ll talk to him later this evening. When I return to Orillia, I’ll ask Superintendent Cartwright to appoint you Acting DI. I’ll apply for a leave of absence and go somewhere no one has heard of Jackie Caldwell, though, if any ideas occur to me that might be of use to you, I’ll call.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007

  Hound accompanied Rebecca to Cora Simon’s place, where he climbed into his Bentley and drove home. As soon as he arrived, he went to the basement library to think. Had he
been too hasty in his claim that Jackie Caldwell was no longer a menace to Rebecca?

  When he had thought about this for a while, he went upstairs to bed. Late in the evening, he heard someone knocking on the front door and he got up to see who it was. When he opened the door, Matthew Simon barged in.

  “Matthew, what are you doing here?”

  “Picking you up, of course.”

  Hound stared uncomprehendingly at him. “For what?”

  “To catch Jackie Caldwell.”

  Hound stepped back a pace. “Are you nuts?” He raised his hands in the air. “I’m done with going after her. She’s not my concern anymore.”

  “You remember that I called her an Odaki?” Hound shrugged. “Then we can’t leave her free, can we?” Matthew said. “She’ll kill again.”

  “I don’t think so,” Hound replied. “Unless someone threatens her.”

  “You’re not listening, Hound. I said she’s an Odaki. She can’t stop herself. We have to capture her and take her to the police. It’s for her own good too. She may not survive the winter without help, and in any case she’ll need plenty of provisions, which she’ll have to steal. If we don’t bring her in she’ll kill again, or the police will find her and kill her, but not without losing some of their people.” He stepped up to Hound and placed a hand on his arm. “You know I’m right. We have to go after her now, before she does more damage.”

  Hound was beset with indecision but in the end he was forced to agree with Matthew. He groaned. “Okay, Matthew. I’ll go with you. But not tonight. Tomorrow morning I have to meet a few friends at Duffy’s Doughnuts. I’m assuming you have a good idea of where we’ll find our Odaki.”

  Matthew grinned. “Of course.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Nine months now and still no progress on the McBride case. DI Cartwright’s almost done with his senior management training and it’s common knowledge that he’ll take over as Superintendent when he returns. That will be good for me. I feel the McBride case growing closer every day. I’ve read the CIB files and done some independent research, and I’m ready to ask Cartwright for the case when he’s back. I’m sure he’ll agree, if he knows I really want it.

  — From the diary of Rebecca Sarah Bradley (March 25, 2007)

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007

  On the trip to Orillia, Lily Caldwell sat quietly beside a constable in the back seat of the squad car. She should have been handcuffed, but no one had the heart to put them on after they’d seen her dismay at being told that the coroner would decide what to do with the body.

  Upon their arrival at the OPP complex, she was taken away to be fingerprinted and locked up. Rebecca watched her leave, and then plodded to her desk and typed her report on what had transpired at the cave. Even though Steven Bradley had been her grandfather, she didn’t feel regret at what had happened to him, only at what he’d done to Jackie. She prayed the courts would treat Lily with compassion. Her mood darkened further. She was now almost certain that her father knew who had killed her mother. She just had to find a way to make him tell her the truth, no matter how devastating it might be.

  Report done and the file saved on her computer, Rebecca sat back in her chair to think. DI Sykes had had ample cause to pull her off the hunt for Jackie, although if Hound’s claim was to be believed, she was no longer a threat. But was Hound right? It was a stunning assertion. Surely, Jackie was a cold-blooded killer who had to be caught and locked up for life. Wasn’t she? Sykes’s recommendation to take a month off rather appealed to her. It would give her time to have serious talks with Maggie and Archie. Then she would head to Prospect to confront her father again. If necessary, she would stay in a hotel. Most of the townsfolk would keep their mouths shut, but maybe someone would have the guts to speak up. There must be plenty who held a grudge against her father. Perhaps he wasn’t as all-powerful as he appeared.

  Having made up her mind, Rebecca went to the admin office to fill out the forms for a month’s leave of absence. She headed for the exit, but never made it out. Superintendent Cartwright intercepted her.

  * * *

  She followed him to his office, cursing under her breath. "Take a seat, Constable Bradley.” Cartwright aimed a finger at a grey metal chair in front of his vast oak desk. Not a single sheet of paper sullied the gleaming surface, and Rebecca wondered how he could work that way. Cartwright wasn’t a slacker, though. He put in long hours and kept abreast of a vast range of issues. He was clever, cunning and, in some ways, resourceful. But, as O’Reilly had said, he was a stuffed shirt.

  She knew that Cartwright resented her transfer to the Criminal Investigation Branch. She was aware of his loathing of Sykes, and he clearly disliked the idea of her becoming a detective — he still insisted on calling her ‘constable.’ At least he’d given up trying to persuade her to get back together with him — for the time being. But she didn’t think this would last.

  An imposing figure in his large and slightly elevated Superintendent’s chair, Cartwright stared down upon Rebecca as though from a dais. She stared straight back until the silent treatment began to annoy her. She felt her cheeks growing hot.

  “What’s the problem, sir?”

  Finally, he leaned over his desk. “I understand that Lily Caldwell’s been found, and she’s confessed to murdering Steven Bradley.” He spat out the words, his lips quivering.

  So that was it. The McBride case had come back to haunt him again. He often referred to it as his ‘single’ failure, although he’d muffed several that she knew of. And he would have failed at a lot more too, if Sykes hadn’t solved them for him. And now Steven Bradley’s murder had been cracked while Sykes was leading the CIB. It was yet another twist of the knife in the open wound of the McBride case.

  “Is this meeting about her confession, sir?”

  Cartwright turned to look out the window. “No. Nothing to do with it.”

  “Then what is it for, sir?”

  Cartwright swung back to face her. “I hear you’re taking time off.”

  “Correct, sir. DI Sykes recommended it. He’s taken me off the search for Jackie Caldwell.” She wondered how Cartwright could possibly have heard about her leave of absence so soon. Someone on the admin staff must’ve called him.

  “Quite right. I approve,” Cartwright stated tersely.

  “Thank you, sir.” The alarm bells ringing in Rebecca’s head were getting louder by the second.

  At last, he came out with it. “Constable Bradley, you should know that your father, George Bradley, has made a serious allegation against DI Sykes. It’s my job to investigate and report on it to the Commissioner.”

  “I don’t understand. What is he alleging?” Rebecca went cold all over. Her father didn’t do malicious things without a reason.

  Cartwright could barely conceal his childish delight. “It would seem that DI Sykes has reopened the investigation into your mother’s murder. This is a cold case. He has done this without informing either me or the Commissioner, thus exceeding his authority.”

  Rebecca was dumbstruck. Why hadn’t he told her? And why did Cartwright seem so pleased?

  Then he played his trump card.

  “The information your father gave us raises the possibility that Sykes was implicated in your mother’s death. He could be trying to protect himself.” Cartwright shot to his feet, and proclaimed, “Sykes was your mother’s lover!”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  I’m baffled about many things, especially my father’s refusal to talk about my mother, or my grandfather’s unsolved murder. I have the uneasy feeling that Abigail McBride’s death might be linked to my family somehow. I may be off base, but I have to follow my instincts. At least Cartwright is back in Orillia — he’s Superintendent Cartwright now. I called to congratulate him, and despite my misgivings, went to dinner with him. After a few drinks, I asked to meet him in his office next weekend. He agreed, but looked wary. I know he wants the McBride case solved, but not by Sykes, who’s been
promoted to head up the CIB. Sykes won’t give me the time of day, so I’ll go around him if I can.

  — From the diary of Rebecca Sarah Bradley (June 28, 2007)

  Thursday, October 4, 2007

  At 9:00 am on Thursday morning, four people occupied a corner booth at Duffy’s Doughnuts, all looking very somber. Rebecca sat next to O’Reilly, across the table from Sykes. Hound was wedged into the booth beside Sykes with his body twisted sideways so he could stick his long legs out into the aisle.

  “This is quite a fix we’ve gotten ourselves into,” Rebecca muttered. “Apart from Constable O’Reilly, of course.”

  O’Reilly snorted. “Don’t count on it. Cartwright’s threatening to get rid of me again. What a bastard.”

  “You’re the only one of us remaining on the search team for Jackie Caldwell.” Rebecca cast him a sidelong glance. “Lucky you.”

  “Yeah,” he grunted. “Another chance to get my eyeballs shot out.”

  “At least you’ve got a job,” Sykes said. “I’ve been suspended, pending an investigation into my now widely broadcast relationship with Rebecca’s mother. Cartwright’s leading the inquisition with undisguised zeal. I had planned to take some time off in any case. The suspension just made sure I did.”

  Rebecca patted Sykes’s hand. “Everything will turn out fine, sir, you’ll see.” Actually, things looked pretty grim for him right now. “Anyway, you should’ve seen the look on Cartwright’s face when I told him I already knew about your affair with Sarah. It was like I’d stolen candy from a baby.” She laughed. Strangely enough, the affair didn’t make her feel the slightest bit awkward.

  “I hope you’re right.” Sykes peered out the window. “I’m not afraid of Cartwright, but your father is another matter. I don’t understand why he told Cartwright about me and Sarah. And what puzzles me most is that Cartwright’s investigation is bound to uncover some of your father’s own questionable doings, which aren’t pretty, I can tell you. On the other hand, he’s had it in for me for a long time. Maybe he just decided to go for a knockout blow.” He stared at Rebecca.