by K T Brodland
“Of course.”
“And what do you intend to do with all this information you think you have about me?”
“Not a damn thing. It’s not a crime to change your identity, as long as you aren’t doing so for illegal reasons.”
Olivia chewed on her bottom lip as she took in that statement. Cat was right about one thing— she hadn’t changed her name so she could conduct illegal activities. However, some of her activities since the day she became Olivia Jeffries were an entirely different story.
Okay, Alison, now what do I do? Trust Cat or throw her out of the house and never have anything to do with her again?
Well, that would certainly be one way to convince her there is more to you than you are letting on, now, wouldn’t it? Trust your instincts, girl. Trust your instincts.
Olivia blew out her cheeks. “Okay, what do you want in exchange for us working together?”
Cat nodded as if confirming what she hoped Olivia would say. Then she grinned.
“Easy. You come and work for me. In return, we’ll see what we can do to track down the McIntyre’s’ killers. There’s also a little matter of the money Steven allegedly stole.”
“Hm. You drive a hard bargain.” Olivia huffed. “Fine. You’ve got a deal.”
Cat nodded. “Right answer.” She glanced around the kitchen, nodded in the direction of the cardboard boxes. “What do you need me to do in the meantime?”
“Not so fast, Cat. I want your word that you will never do another search on me. I prefer my past to stay in the past. Otherwise, you might as well walk out that door right now.”
“You have my word. In fact, I’ll draw up two non-disclosure agreements, one for each of us. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good.” Olivia held out her hand. “Since we’re going to be working together, shall we shake on it?”
A slow smile spread on Cat’s face as she took Olivia’s hand. “Works for me. Partner.
“Okay,” Olivia said. “Now that’s taken care of, have you had breakfast yet?”
“Nope.” Cat cast a quick glance around the kitchen. “Why don’t you relax, finish your coffee and I’ll fix breakfast for us?”
Olivia blinked, opened her mouth to protest, then changed her mind. Cat was a far better cook than she was any day of the week. “Fine, make yourself at home.”
Cat proceeded to do just that and in short order had bacon, eggs, and toast on the table. She even brewed a fresh pot of coffee.
Olivia finally pushed her empty plate away. “Thanks, that was great.”
Cat smiled. “You’re welcome. Nice to have someone to cook for once in a while. I guess you’re eager to get this show on the road.” she added, hands on her hips.
Olivia nodded and busied herself clearing the table after shooing Cat out of the way. The kitchen was too small for her and the much taller woman to maneuver around in at the same time.
Once she was finished, she tucked a couple of the flattened boxes under her arm and crossed to the mobile. Cat was hard on her heels, carrying the remainder of the boxes. Olivia stood inside the kitchen for a moment or two, feeling a renewed sense of loss at Barbara and Abe’s absence. Running her fingers along the edge of the big pine table where the McIntyres had shared so many meals, she exhaled softly, then turned to Cat. When she finally found her voice, she managed to ask Cat if she would mind starting on the master bedroom and packing up Abe’s clothes.
Making her way to the rear of the mobile, she took a quick look around Steven’s room and shook her head at the mess the intruders had left behind. The RCMP hadn’t been overly careful either during their search for evidence. In the process of removing the few garments remaining in the closet, she happened to lean forward to take a closer look at the floorboards.
“Find something interesting?”
Olivia glanced over her shoulder. “Not sure. There appears to be some loose boards in here.”
She straightened, moved to the hall. “Be right back, I want to get something.”
In the kitchen, she removed a pair of rubber gloves from under the sink and a flat chisel from Abe’s toolbox then headed back to the bedroom. She opened the closet door and knelt down on the floor so she had better access to the loose boards. A few minutes work and she had one of the boards out. She set it to one side and then went to work on the rest. When the final board was out, she looked inside the space beneath the floor and found a large, flat box hidden inside. She put the gloves on and lifted the box out and set it on what was left of the bed. Two metal catches held the lid closed. Using the chisel, she popped them open and then sat there gaping at the amount of money she could see.
Well, well, well, whose piggy bank did you rob, Stevie?
Lifting the cash with the end of the chisel, she found a passport. What was even more disconcerting was the clear plastic zippered bag containing a white substance nestled next to the money. From the size of it, whatever drug was in the package had to be worth a substantial amount of money on the streets.
Cat let out a low whistle when she got a good look at the contents of the box.
Olivia sat back on her haunches and looked up at her. “Whoever searched this room didn’t notice the loose floorboards covering a false bottom in his closet.”
Cat squatted next to her. “How much is in there?”
“I don’t know yet. The bills appear to be different denominations so it’s hard to tell. If I had to guess, though, I’d say there was at least forty or fifty grand in there. The big question, of course, is what do I do with the money and the drugs? I certainly don’t want the Alphas coming back here to try and collect it.”
“The obvious answer is to turn it in to the police,” Cat said, shifting her position. “That fellow whose ribs you were trying to puncture with the end of your shotgun insisted Steven had stolen the money. I wonder if he knew about the drugs and the passport?”
“Probably not. We should turn this in to the local RCMP detachment as soon as possible.”
“Okay. Do we need to do it right this minute though? I really need to finish up in here.”
Cat massaged her jaw. “Hm. Do you have a secure safe where you could store it? If not, I have one in my office.”
Olivia gave Cat the I’m peering across the top of my glasses at you look. “A safe is just one of the items I have in my office.” She tapped the box with the end of the chisel. “Trust me, this will be perfectly safe there.” She flipped the chisel around in her fingers. “Or are you suggesting you don’t trust me with all that money?”
“Oh, I trust you all right. It’s the people who are connected to it that I don’t trust.”
“Why, Cat Harris, I do believe you are concerned for my safety.”
Cat growled. “Damn right I am.” She tapped Olivia on the shoulder. “And after the other night, don’t you dare ask why.”
Placing her hand on Cat’s shoulder, Olivia adopted a conciliatory tone. “Wouldn’t dream of it. In any case, I appreciate the concern. It’s been a long time since anyone worried about me the way you do.”
She used the edge of the bed frame to push upright, groaning as her leg muscles protested the position she’d been in for too long.
Cat made a face as she too stood upright. “I am either getting too old to be squatting like that, or I’m out of practice.”
Massaging her thigh muscles, Olivia nodded in agreement. “I hear you. Okay now,” she said, as she gathered the metal box up in a pillowcase and cradled it in her arms. “Let’s get this tucked away, then finish up in here.”
“Good idea. I’ll contact Jean later, arrange to drop that box off with her.”
It was four o’clock by the time they finished sorting through the McIntyre’s personal effects. After stacking the now-filled boxes in the mobile’s living room, Olivia suggested they take a break and they strolled across the driveway to the back porch. She disappeared into the kitchen long enough to retrieve Cokes from the fridge and handed one to Cat. Once settled she he
ld the can, beaded with condensation, against her forehead. After taking a long swallow of her soda, Olivia shoved her damp hair back from her face and imagined a nice long cool shower. When she slapped her hands on her thighs, about to head inside, where there was at least some air conditioning, Cat laid a gentle restraining hand on her arm. “Don’t rush off. I don’t get too many chances to sit and visit with you.”
“Sorry about that but sitting here isn’t going to get the work done.”
“It’s a lot more likely to get done if you aren’t in the ER.” She gave Olivia’s arm a friendly squeeze, then went inside, returning shortly with two more cans. She handed one to Olivia, then sat in the chair beside her. She chugged half the soda before resting the can on her knee and propping her feet on the railing.
“Mind if I ask how you ended up here in the first place?”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to pry. I was only trying to make friendly conversation,” Cat said, when Olivia remained silent, gazing off into the distance.
“I know you were. I’m just not used to talking about myself all that much.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“I’m sure you have.”
Olivia lapsed into silence again for a few seconds. “It was early spring when I showed up on Alison’s doorstep. I’d fled whatever city I’d been in at the time and was living pretty rough. The nights were cold, and I holed up in the hay loft in her barn. When I got up, intending to go and ask for a cup of coffee and the use of the bathroom I found myself confronted by this little old lady in baggy jeans, heavy work shoes, and a gray sweater with leather patches on the elbows. Her dog was parked next to her, watching me intently. I had the distinct impression that if I so much as twitched he would be on me in a flash. What really held my attention though was the double-barreled twelve-gauge shotgun she had aimed at my gut.” She cast a sidelong glance in Cat’s direction. “That was the same one you saw me wielding the other night, by the way. Anyway, by the time she lowered the shotgun and said, ‘For heaven’s sake, child, come inside and get warm,’ I’d discovered I didn’t need the bathroom anymore.”
“Go ahead and laugh. It sounds funny even to me after all these years,” Olivia said, when Cat clapped her hand on her mouth to hold back the laughter threatening to erupt.
Cat shook her head at the mental images Olivia had conjured. “I can imagine. What happened next?”
Olivia’s shoulders rose and fell. “I must have been standing downwind from the old lady and her dog because it wasn’t until I was about to enter the house that she suddenly wrinkled her nose. ‘You need a bath, girl. Upstairs, first door on the right.’
She handed me a laundry basket and told me to put my dirty clothes in it. She didn’t get any argument from me. Even I could tell I was getting pretty ripe. So, I marched myself upstairs, found the bathroom and an old-fashioned claw foot tub. While I was soaking away the grime, she found an old pair of pajamas for me that just barely fit and whisked my clothes off to be washed. She had an old-fashioned wringer washing machine and a clothesline out back. I must say my clothes smelled much better by the time they were dry.”
“I’ll bet they did.”
“Anyway, to make a long story short, after I’d been there for a couple of days and made myself useful, she asked me if I would like to stay on. She wasn’t getting any younger and would enjoy having someone around the place. I said, sure, why not? The next thing I knew I was being whisked off to the nearest department store and told to pick out clothes for myself. And that’s pretty much how it was for the next fifteen years.”
Olivia drained the last of her soda. “And that’s the end of the bedtime stories for today.”
“Fair enough. I’m looking forward to hearing more of them, though. In the meantime, why don’t you freshen up and I’ll pick you up around seven and treat you to dinner? How does that sound?”
“You’ll get a lot more done if you’re rested than you will if you’re so tired you can barely move,” Cat said, when Olivia hesitated. “I know you’re eager to get on with the work, but trust me, it will get done.”
“Twist my arm a little harder. I think I’m about ready to give in.”
Promptly at seven, Cat pulled up in front of the house. Olivia emerged from the kitchen and blushed to the roots of her hair when Cat whistled. She had spent what she considered an inordinate amount of time deciding what to wear. In the end she settled on a flowered silk blouse and white pants. She had brushed her hair and used a leather clip to hold part of it back behind her head.
Cat nodded approval. “My, you do clean up nice.”
Olivia looked her up and down, admiring the way Cat looked in a long-sleeved crisp white dress shirt tucked into charcoal trousers. Even her black wingtips were polished to a gleaming shine. “You look pretty sharp yourself.”
Cat offered Olivia her arm. “Now, what is your pleasure. dim sum or pad Thai?”
“Surprise me.”
Chapter Seventeen
O livia woke early the next morning and lay in bed gazing out the window at puffy clouds drifting across the sky. She was thinking about the previous evening. The Thai restaurant they had ended up at was an excellent choice and Cat was a charming dinner companion. She certainly knew her way around a Thai menu and had helped her with the odd-sounding names. By the end of the evening, she had decided Thai food was going to be her first choice in the future. Perhaps not the red and green curries, but she had really liked the satays. She couldn’t remember what else she’d had. A return visit was definitely in order though. She finally breathed out a happy sigh and kicked off the covers, then pulled on jeans and a tank top. Twisting her hair into a ponytail, she dashed down the stairs, eager to get on with her day.
Promptly at eight Cat showed up, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and smelling of shampoo and body wash. Olivia hailed her from the kitchen door. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving! Pad Thai is a bit like some Chinese food. Two hours later and you’re hungry again.”
“Well, we can’t have that.”
“No, we can’t. I actually ended up fixing a grilled cheese sandwich before I went to bed.”
Once Cat was settled at the kitchen table, a fresh coffee steaming in front of her, Olivia served up bacon and eggs and toast.
As soon as breakfast was finished, Olivia headed upstairs to her office and brought the cash box back and placed it on her kitchen table.
Cat pulled out her cell phone, dialed her friend’s number. Jean answered on the first ring.
“Staff Sergeant Gordon speaking. How may I help you?”
Cat gave her a brief rundown on the situation. Silence prevailed for a space. “I’m going to be here for the next couple of hours, so head straight for my office when you get here.”
When Cat relayed this message, Olivia went into the pantry, returning shortly with a brown cloth bag with the letters Jeffries Veggies stamped in green letters on one side. She put the cash box in the bag, careful to use the edge of the bag to avoid leaving fingerprints. Cat turned the bag around so she could see the lettering.
“Who came up with that idea?”
“Abe. He made up a few bags like this for me a few years ago. The name caught on and I’ve used it ever since. Which reminds me, I need to load a couple of bags of potatoes and carrots in the pickup and drop them off at the shelter after we see Jean. I haven’t been by for a while and they’re probably getting low on supplies.”
“Okay. I’ll give you a hand.”
“As long as you’re not claustrophobic. I have a root cellar under the shed.”
Cat shrugged. “I’ll survive.”
About to head off, Olivia stopped to look Cat up and down. “On second thought, given how low the ceiling is in there and how tall you are, I think we’ll do it my way this time.”
“Hey, now who is being over-protective?”
Olivia shrugged and grinned. “Why should you have all the fun?”
Without waiting for Cat’s rep
ly, Olivia made her way down the narrow wooden stairs into the root cellar. With only a single lightbulb to work by, she knew her way around well enough to use her gifts to shift the heavy bags of potatoes, carrots, and onions up to where Cat waited at the top of the stairs. When she joined Cat and ‘helped’ move the bags to the back of the pickup she stifled a grin at the way Cat kept shooting sidelong glances her way. Once they finished, she headed into town and the red brick building that held the main RCMP detachment, or local office. The parking lot was full, but Olivia still managed to find a slot near the entrance. Inside, Cat waved to the uniformed desk clerk. He looked up from his desk, smiled, waved back. “Hi, Sarge. Long-time no see.”
“Ah, Ben, you missed me.”
“Yeah, sure. Staff Sergeant Gordon said you would be along. Go on in.”
“Thanks, Ben.”
Olivia followed Cat down a hallway, past an open space filled with a cluster of desks, most of which were occupied by uniformed officers. One or two glanced up as they passed by, but she didn’t detect any recognition on their part. They reached the glass-fronted cubicle that housed the staff sergeant’s office and pushed the door open when Jean called out a welcome.
Cat entered first, Olivia close behind her, clutching the handles of the bag containing the cash box. Jean smiled a greeting and waved them to the visitors’ chairs in front of the wooden desk that took up the middle of the room. Framed certificates hung on the wall. A coffee maker was set up on a counter near the one window.
Olivia set the bag down on Jean’s desk, then retreated to the nearest chair. She was quite happy to let Cat take the lead here. Cat shared the details of how they found the box once again, then sat back while Jean pulled on a pair of gloves and removed the box from the bag. She flipped open the catches, examined the contents, hummed under her breath.
“Thanks for bringing this in. I’ll have my geeks check for fingerprints and test the contents of this bag of white powder and get back to you as soon as possible. I’m curious myself as to what young McIntyre was up to. He wasn’t high on our watch list, but we knew about him. Same for a couple of the hoods he used to hang out with.” She nodded in Cat’s direction. “Oh, we contacted Mrs. Wilkes. Turns out she had no idea the boys were missing. They aren’t close and weeks could go by before they were in touch.”
