by Amber Boffin
Maggie guessed Barrie had had a relationship with this woman and wondered why he still seemed to want to protect her. Why would he have let her stay with him otherwise? That woman must have a strong power over men to get her exes to help her out, even though it sounded like she had treated them badly. Maggie shared with him how they had discovered the body and that she had always suspected there had been another person, a woman in that cabin. She described the backpack she had seen, not having a picture of it.
Barrie finished his pretzel and attacked another one. If Heidi had left the stand next to him, he would have eaten all twenty of them without even noticing it. He hadn’t said a word and gestured for her to keep talking. She was reaching the end of her story when she thought of the illegal logging they had encountered.
“Maybe it has something to do with the illegal logging? We came across a whole swath of forest that was cleared—sad, really sad. Maybe she was frightened. She knew too much being with such a boyfriend, and maybe she was involved in uncovering the operation. That’s why she fled the scene.”
Barrie scratched his beard. “That could be. But it doesn’t add up to what she told me. If that was the case, she could’ve gone to the police.”
“Her boyfriend, Ben Fearon, is known to use unconventional and even illegal means to get what he wants. That might have played a role.”
“That would explain part of it, but not the mushrooms. She accused a woman of wanting to poison them and that she could’ve died.”
“What, another woman? Who?”
“She didn’t say. The only person I can think of who gives advice on mushrooms in Foxton is Tina. It doesn’t make sense to me that Tina would want to harm them.” Barrie shook his head. “She also talked about noises at the cabin. I know that place is known to be haunted, and she isn’t the first to complain about that, without it having anything to do with the logging operation.”
“Really? Maybe they didn’t want happy hikers to become too curious.”
“Yes, but the loggers only arrived last year, I know that because that’s when this Andy appeared. And you can ask Heidi about the haunted cabin stories. They started before that.”
“Andy?”
“You can’t miss the guy. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed him in town. All the women seem to like his muscle-on-bone look. That is if you’re into mullets.”
“I know who you mean!” Maggie said, putting down her cup.
“You see? I told ya.”
“No, it’s not what you think, but he’s the guy I saw at the back of the quad at the cabin. He has to be. He seemed friendly to me. I didn’t like the friend he was with, though.”
“That must be James. I had a couple of beers with them when they first arrived in the area. Tough guys, they had good jokes. I didn’t even dislike Andy at first…Kate screwed it all up…”
“Kate?”
“Yes, that’s her name. Kate Bingham. It’s funny, because I met her at the same time as they appeared, come to think of it.”
Maggie put an affectionate hand on Barrie’s shoulder. “Barrie, you have to tell all this to Raj.” She tried to piece together a picture of the relationships. “But first, if you know where she could have gone, I would tell them that. It seems that she is the missing link.”
Heidi approached. “Another one?” She pointed to the coffees.
“No, thanks, not for me. Heidi, do you remember a woman with a light blue, turquoise coat, long hair—”
“She knows her,” Barrie interrupted. “Kate. A year ago, I brought her here a couple of times.” Heidi stared at Barrie, sucking the end of one branch of her glasses. “You even warned me to watch out. That she might not be the person I thought she was. You were right about that, by the way.”
“Oh yes, I remember, a long face, with very long hair. Not the kind of hair I can have in the kitchen. I wouldn’t be able to guarantee that the tip of the braid wouldn’t dip into my sauces…” Heidi fiddled with her own hair, tucking a lock under her red bandana. “Charming girl. She left Foxton a while back. Her smile reminds me of someone…”
“What was it like?”
“A bit gummy. That’s it. Of course, silly me. Brigit, the emergency doctor.” Heidi smiled. “I always thought they were sisters but never asked.”
“Brigit?” Maggie asked. “I thought she was new to the area? I’ve only just met her.”
Heidi wiped a glass clean and checked for fingermarks under the bar’s spotlight. “Yes, she is. She came here a few times with the helicopter team. A nice woman.” She tightened her lips. “Unlike Kate.”
Maggie felt slight relief at the thought Adam had not yet come to Heidi’s with her. It could only mean that their relationship was very recent or not that serious. He had told her once that although he didn’t like restaurants, Heidi’s café was an exception. Perhaps she could be a perfect match for Barrie, if she weren’t that tall…who knows, maybe he likes tall women. Why not? Maggie nervously poked at the hole in her jeans.
“Has Kate been here recently?” Barrie asked. Heidi shook her head. “She’s in town. Not even with a red-haired man, Ben Fearon the activist? They must have come here before heading out.”
Heidi shook her head again.
“Why are you asking that?” Maggie asked Barrie.
“’Cause she likes this place and would’ve wanted to show off to the guy, unless she didn’t want to be recognized.”
Heidi stared at Barrie, agape. Maggie and Barrie asked in unison, “Do you remember something?”
“I–I only now make the link—the activist and the portrait…” Heidi put her hand on her mouth, the other on Maggie’s arm. “This has to be Kate.” She picked up the poster she had kept under the bar.
“Why didn’t you recognize her before?” asked Maggie.
“It isn’t a good likeness of her at all. And I thought if this was a result of a three-person description, it was likely it would be accurate. At least that’s what Raj said.”
“Who described her?”
“I think it was the loggers.” Heidi placed the glass upside down into its slot above the bar.
“Maybe that was the problem.” Maggie propped herself onto her barstool with excitement. “This could mean that the one who really knew her deliberately wanted her to be unrecognizable and therefore knew the search for her was pointless.”
As she spoke, Maggie thought of who would benefit from her not being recognized. Someone who wanted to protect himself, if he had colluded with her to kill Ben Fearon. Maybe Kate was on the loggers’ side all the time, and perhaps still with Andy.
Maggie hunched her back and rested her face on her hand. She was confused again. Barrie had talked about another woman who wanted to harm her. Who was she? Perhaps Ben Fearon’s girlfriend seeking revenge? A woman who really looked like the portrait…Brigit?
Her desire to have a match between Kate and the portrait made Maggie seek similarities where there weren’t any. That would be terrible but could make sense. She sighed. She was being unfair again about Brigit, or was it that her affection for Adam was stronger than she had ever admitted to herself?
She had to watch out. She didn’t want to fall into the same trap she had fallen into ten years ago, when she was madly in love with the head of the research lab where she was working. It had been more of an obsession, and she had known it was impossible because he hadn’t felt the same for her and was married. She couldn’t help herself and had been spellbound. She had been miserable and ignored the advances of a charming friend.
With hindsight, she liked him very much, but her infatuation with her colleague had blinded her to the point of losing her friend. His last words still resonated, and once her obsession was over, she fully understood what he meant. “You are in love with the man, but you don’t love him.”
There was such a difference between being in love with someone, and its sensations, and loving someone for who they really were. The former was often short-lived and painful, while the latt
er could flourish into a long-lasting relationship. Thankfully, Barrie interrupted her train of thought.
“Unless he’s like me. I’m not good at remembering faces.”
“Come on, Barrie, you aren’t that bad. If a woman interests you, I’ve heard you describe her very well…”
“Why did Kate mention another woman then?” asked Barrie.
Heidi polished the bar with her cloth, stopping midway to ask, “What did Kate tell you about that woman? Any description?”
“No, only that she had had a fight with her. Although it was a bit unclear, I understood Ben Fearon was arguing with her when they went mushroom-picking together.”
“Mushroom-picking?” Heidi asked.
“A course of some kind.”
“That sounds like they went on Tina’s course. And it fits with Tina complaining about a couple.”
“Tina?” Maggie asked. “It’s easy to get into an argument with her, and she can get you into trouble.” Tina had once tried to incriminate her in the death of a local realtor. “I can’t see her poisoning anyone. Although she did seem to know Ben Fearon, at least from a journalistic perspective.”
Maggie was careful to avoid suggesting Tina might have a grudge against Ben Fearon, although it appeared that way. She would have to tread carefully and be wary of her own bias.
Barrie broke the silence. “Kate must have been referring to someone other than Tina.” He tapped at the poster with his finger. “And this person doesn’t look like Kate. I can see that!”
Maggie put her hands to her ears at the screeching coming from Barrie’s stool legs on the tiled floor.
“Sorry.” Barrie picked up the stool. “This discussion psyched me up. I’m going to talk to Raj now. I need to get this Kate business off my chest for good.” He turned to Maggie. “Thanks for listening.”
Soon after Barrie left, Maggie rushed out. She had to clean up her photo studio before her meeting with the logger. Perhaps she could get some information out of him about the logging operation, including what she and Adam had stumbled upon. For a start, she was curious to see who would turn up.
Chapter Fourteen
Raj followed Barrie out of the interview room. Thankfully, Sergeant Humphries and the other constable on duty had been busy with the search team that had gathered in the station, awaiting instructions. Digesting all the information Barrie had divulged, Raj was looking down at his feet when Barrie, who had come to a full stop, squeezed his arm.
A woman with puffy, reddened eyes and a stern face was looking at Barrie. Not a word was uttered, but it was clear they knew each other, judging by Barrie’s hands clenched into a ball and the lack of blinking as she stared at him. It was intense.
The woman pushed past Barrie and addressed Raj. “I’m here to clear up a huge misunderstanding that this man might have instigated. I need to speak to Sergeant Humphries now.”
Chin forward and lips pinched, Barrie raised his hands menacingly. “Kate, you little…”
Raj jumped between the pair. “Hey, calm down, calm down. You know each other?” he asked with one hand on Barrie’s chest.
Kate hid behind Raj. “Please, Constable, protect me from this man.” She began to weep loudly.
Having just heard Barrie’s account of his relationship with Kate, Raj was in no mood to be softened by her, and yet he had to be an objective officer. “Barrie, calm down. Why don’t you go to your garage now? You don’t want to cause any trouble, do you?”
“What’s going on?” Sergeant Humphries, surrounded by police officers, appeared at the back of the room. “Did I hear fighting?”
Raj stood in front of Barrie. “No, sir, everything is fine, Barrie was on his way out.” He trod on Barrie’s foot for emphasis. “And I was helping the lady here—”
“You must be Sergeant Humphries.” Kate walked toward the reception desk. “I have to speak to you, I—”
“The constable will help you. I’m in the middle of an important meeting.”
“But sir…?”
The sergeant ushered his colleagues into the meeting room as more heads had appeared through the door to see what the fuss was about.
Barrie had taken his cue and was at the door when he said in Kate’s direction, “I told them everything.”
Kate burst into tears. “I knew he would come to you, and I wanted to give you my version of the story. He must’ve said that I’m the missing person. But I’ve never gone missing.”
Raj sensed he’d better stay quiet and listen. Some people had the urge to talk. She wiped her tears with the tissue Raj handed her, after sitting in a chair opposite his desk. “I’m Kate Bingham. I was going to be Kate Fearon.” She cried again. “Until I saw the news.” She threw a copy of the Daily Stumble on the table with the portrait of Ben Fearon and the caption “Death in the woods: Did he go too far?” on its front page.
With one glance, Raj knew its contents: Tina’s account of Ben Fearon’s death. “Calm down. Let me get you a glass of water, and then you can tell me what happened.”
“But I’m here for you to tell me what happened. The last time I saw Ben was after we went on this horrible mushroom tour with that woman.” She poked her nail at Tina’s picture.
Raj stopped pouring the water. “Let me clarify, you’re Ben Fearon’s girlfriend?” She nodded. “You were with him at the cabin?”
“No, I wasn’t. I only got here two nights ago, and that’s why I went to Barrie’s place, because I had no news from Ben and didn’t know where else to stay in this godforsaken place.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“I…I thought Ben was having an affair.”
Raj’s jaw dropped. He hadn’t expected this answer. Kate’s voice was composed. “I was going to break up with him. And then when I heard on the news about the death and the search for a missing woman, I couldn’t believe they were referring to Ben. I knew he had to be back in Foxton today because he had an online meeting. I had to see for myself and speak with him. That’s when I saw the posters of the woman everywhere.”
“You recognized yourself and wanted to clear up the confusion?”
“What? No, that doesn’t look like me.” She walked to the missing person poster and stood next to the police sketch. “Look at it, no resemblance whatsoever.”
Raj bobbed his head. “I can see…”
“I’m here now, and I want to know how Ben died. Can I see him one last time?”
“Hang on a minute.” Raj took out his notepad and pen. “Where were you three nights ago between 7:00 p.m. and two o’clock in the morning?”
“Is that the time he died? I can tell you that. I was with a friend at his place an hour from here.”
“I need his name and address to verify this, you understand?”
Kate gathered her long, straight hair and flicked it behind her shoulders. She whispered, “I understand, but you see, I can’t tell you. It would really compromise him, if you see what I mean.”
“No, enlighten me.”
“Well, I was also seeing someone, and if his wife knew, she would be upset.”
“As you wish. This means that you don’t have an alibi for the time of his death.”
“Why would I need one?” Kate asked, crossing her legs.
“We’re looking at all possibilities. He had many enemies, I understand.”
“That’s for sure. You just need to look at his blog, at the comments section—all over the world. Big corporations.”
Raj opted to question her later in an indirect way about her whereabouts. He had looked at her head to toe and had not identified any item of clothing that looked like what both Barrie and Maggie had described. “Tell me more about Ben Fearon. What was he like?”
“He was a smooth talker but liked hearing himself talking more than anything else. Charismatic, and when he was sober, he could make me laugh.”
“Did he drink a lot?”
“You can say that.” Kate pulled up her sleeve and showed Raj brui
ses on her arm. “Now you see why I let him go on his own on his camping trip.”
“On his own?” Raj wondered what had happened to the mysterious other woman she had suggested existed earlier.
“Yes. I dropped him off at the start of the trail and left Foxton. That was the last I time I saw him.”
Raj opted for a new approach. “Why did you come to Barrie Brown after you found your way out of the forest, and not straight to the police?”
Her lip quivered. “I don’t know what Barrie told you. You clearly don’t know he is a mythomaniac. Can’t be trusted. That’s why I left him.”
“Oh, really? He didn’t come across like that to me.”
“That’s because you didn’t spend time with him.” Her hand frequently combing through her hair irritated him.
“Well, I did. He is a fri…” Raj didn’t finish his sentence.
Kate stood up and pushed her chair back loudly. “That’s exactly what I was afraid of. I want to speak to someone unbiased. You won’t get another word out of me. I only came here because I didn’t want people to keep searching for me. I am here. I won’t believe Ben is dead until I see him. It can be another of his tricks. I know what he’s capable of.”
Raj was taken aback by the thought that Ben Fearon would feign death. What would be his motive? He had looked dead when Raj saw him, and the pathologist’s report wouldn’t lie. Although this time the procedure hadn’t followed the strict rules, and his body had been flown out by the emergency rescue team. What if someone in that team was an accomplice? “Mr. Ben Fearon’s body isn’t in Foxton.”
The pathology lab wasn’t their usual one, where Maggie’s friend Amy worked. The mushroom story Barrie had shared with him suddenly made sense. He could deliberately have eaten a plant or mushroom to fake his death and use that to accuse…who? Could Fearon be after the logging operation or wanting to get rid of Kate?
Raj looked at her. She was a difficult individual. Barrie had suffered a lot under her spell. Why would she lie about not having been to the trapper’s cabin? Had Barrie misunderstood her story? Had she lied to Barrie and was telling him the truth? Raj raised his head, feeling the unmistakable stare of another being. It chilled him to the bone. Her stony face melted into a troubled expression.
