Tumbled Graves

by Brenda Chapman

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning, Kala drove into work early, stopping at the Tim Hortons drive-through to pick up a bagel and large coffee. She took a second to enjoy the sun rising over the strip mall — looked like another nice day was shaping up, and she was sorry to be spending it indoors. She carried on to the station and ate at her desk while she checked her email. The most urgent answered, she printed the list of adoption agencies that she’d saved in a file the day before. As soon as the clock struck nine, she began calling.

  Her limited French seemed enough to get by, especially since most of the people who answered the phone switched to English as soon as she began speaking French. By twelve o’clock, she’d gone through the entire list of agencies without learning anything of use. Nobody had placed a baby with Adele Dufour in the time period provided. She doodled on a notepad while considering next steps. Woodhouse would tell her to bark up another tree. She looked across at Gundersund who was talking on the phone. They were alone in the office. Bennett and Woodhouse were spending the day at Ivo Delaney’s bank, interviewing his coworkers.

  She stood up and stretched and started toward Rouleau’s office. The door was open but he wasn’t inside. Gundersund called to her.

  “Vera came and got Rouleau an hour ago. He and Heath went back downtown for another news conference.”

  She turned. He’d hung up the phone and was leaning back in his chair watching her. “I was hoping to speak with him.” She walked back to her desk and sat down. “What’re you working on?”

  “Tracking down Delaney’s mother. I just spoke to her.”

  “And?”

  “If I had to guess, I’d say she’s one bible-thumping, God-fearing woman. She talked a lot about sin and judgment day.”

  “Man. Just what Ivo Delaney must have needed growing up after his sister drowned.”

  “She said that her husband never forgave Ivo, although she did after years of going to church. Still, her husband cut off contact with Ivo and she feels that she has to respect his wishes even in death.”

  “See, I don’t get that. People who play the forgiveness card but don’t act on it. Where I come from, we call that hypocrisy.”

  Gundersund grinned. “Where I come from too. Say, you want to get some lunch? I can fill you in on what Mrs. Delaney said about Ivo over a sandwich.”

  “When’s Rouleau due back?”

  “He figured by one-thirty if all goes well.”

  “We could text him to meet us at the Merchant.”

  “I like how you think, Stonechild. I’ll send him a text now and we can be on our way.”

  They snagged what had become their regular table in the smaller room to the right of the entrance. Gundersund checked his messages and Kala read the menu. Gundersund talked while reading. “Rouleau has to head back to the station. He says he’ll meet us there later.”

  “Did he say how the press conference went?”

  “Not really. He didn’t have much to report so I imagine not that great.”

  The waitress came over and they ordered drinks and cheeseburger platters. When she left Kala asked, “So what did Mrs. Delaney have to tell you about Ivo?”

  “She said that he was a loner, never any friends to speak of. From what she said I gathered that their daughter Olive was the shining star. She was popular and pretty and did well in school. The Delaneys pinned all their hopes and dreams on her. Olive and Ivo were close until she began high school and started hanging around with a new group of friends. Mrs. Delaney said that Ivo was jealous. She calls him Egor, by the way. The name she gave him at birth. She said that the day of the drowning, Olive was planning to leave the lake and go to an overnight party with some girlfriends. Ivo sulked about it all morning but seemed to rally toward lunchtime. He talked her into going for the boat ride around the bay later in the afternoon. They had no proof that it wasn’t an accident as Ivo said, but Mrs. Delaney and her husband always believed that he’d done something that caused her death. She suggested that he’d left Olive in the middle of the lake and took the boat back to shore where he waited until she was gone. Olive wasn’t a strong swimmer.”

  “If Ivo didn’t admit to anything all those years ago, I don’t think we’ll get him talking now.”

  “No. I wonder if Adele was planning on leaving him. If she was, that could have triggered the same reaction as when he felt that Olive was ditching him for her new friends.”

  “Didn’t Adele’s sister say that Adele wanted to visit with Violet the weekend before they went missing?”

  “That’s right. Adele was disappointed that she had to wait another week because Leanne was busy.”

  Kala tried to piece it together. “So Adele was not close to Leanne, but all of a sudden she couldn’t wait to visit her. A week later, Adele and Violet are dead. Tell me that’s just a coincidence.”

  Gundersund didn’t respond while the waitress set down their drinks and plates of food. “Ketchup?” he offered Kala before loading up his French fries. He took a bite of his burger. “So, maybe Adele Delaney was trying to take a vacation from Ivo.”

  “Or maybe she was going to use her sister’s place as a launching pad to get away from Ivo permanently.” Kala picked up her burger. “This smells good. I didn’t realize how hungry I am.”

  “Don’t let it get cold.”

  They dug into their food, putting the case on hold by silent agreement. Gundersund finished eating before she did. He took a swallow of beer before asking, “How’d your interview go with Dawn’s teacher?”

  “Good.” She dropped the French fry she’d been holding back onto her plate and pushed it away. She could feel his gaze upon her. She raised her head and looked across at him. “Okay, not good. Dawn isn’t fitting in and some girl said that Dawn stole her iPhone.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I wish I was. When I tried to talk to her about it last evening, she brushed me off. She said she didn’t steal it and she wasn’t apologizing.”

  “What did you say?”

  “That I’d back her up. I know she’s not a thief.”

  Gundersund looked thoughtful. After a few moments, he shook his head. “No way she took an iPhone. Half the time she doesn’t remember to charge her own phone and told me that she’s not a big fan. Besides that, she’s a good kid.”

  Kala leaned forward. “So what do I do, Gundersund? I have no experience with this shit.”

  “It was another girl who accused her?”

  “Yeah, backed up by some girlfriends.”

  “Could be this girl is trying to control the group. Maybe she feels threatened. Let me talk to Dawn and see if I can get anything more out of her.”

  “I’d appreciate that. Why can’t life ever be easy?”

  “I wish I knew. The important thing is that she knows you believe in her.”

  “I one hundred percent back her up, but I can’t help worrying that with all she’s been through with her parents … well let’s just say that they weren’t the best role models. I have the tiniest, niggling doubt in the worried part of my brain that she did steal the phone and it’s a cry for help. I’ve called her shrink for a one-on-one. Just waiting for a call back.”

  “It’s good not to be blind where kids are concerned. I think you’re going about this the right way, if my opinion counts for anything.”

  “Did you have a normal family growing up?”

  “I did. Two parents, a brother, and dog.”

  She felt her face burn remembering that he’d told Dawn his brother had died in a car crash. She tried to keep her voice light. “Well, I might need you to tell me what normal is now and then.” She smiled and pretended not to see the sadness that came and went in his eyes.

  “No family’s perfect, Stonechild, but I should be able to draw on my parents’ example. They�
�re good people and solid. I might take you to meet them some day.”

  “I think I’d like that.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Rouleau arrived back at the station with Heath after the press conference. Heath was in a jovial mood. He’d liked the questions from the media, which had been benign at best. Marci Stokes had been conspicuous by her absence.

  “Still some national media attention kicking around.” He ran a hand through his greying curls. “We should be able to hold their attention a few more days until the arrest. I hope my promise to them that we’re close to charging someone won’t be misplaced.”

  “The team is being thorough. It’s prudent to wait until we’ve gathered as much evidence as possible before we charge Delaney. So far, most is circumstantial. Forensics came up empty, as you know.”

  They stopped walking at Vera’s desk. She smiled at Rouleau. Her long blond hair was clipped back with blue sparkly combs in the shape of butterflies. Her amber eyes regarded them both as she handed a folder to Heath. “Your wife called half an hour ago. She wonders if you’ll be home for dinner.”

  Heath’s smile faded. “Thanks. I’ll give her a call.” He took the folder. “Let me know when you’re ready to make that arrest,” he said to Rouleau and headed into his office, shutting the door behind him.

  Vera shook her head. “He’s got to make a decision,” was all she said.

  Rouleau chose not to respond since Heath’s affair with Laney Masterson was none of his business. The fact that Laney was Vera’s cousin gave her a stake in the outcome and maybe the right to an opinion. “See you later, Vera. I’ll be in my office if needed.”

  He spent the afternoon reviewing the forensics and reports on the Delaney file. Nothing new popped out at him except the feeling that Ivo Delaney was looking more and more guilty. He also confirmed to himself that they didn’t have enough evidence to charge him. He pondered a strategy for getting Delaney to confess. Gundersund had said that Delaney seemed to connect with Kala Stonechild. Perhaps this could be exploited. His door was open and he looked into the outer office. Gundersund and Stonechild were busy at their desks. Woodhouse and Bennett had come and gone. He looked at his watch. Going on five and time to call it a day. As he watched, Gundersund grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. Stonechild stood and put on her jacket too but instead of heading for the door, she crossed the floor to his office.

  “Do you have a minute, sir?”

  “Of course. Come and take a seat.”

  “This won’t take long.” She settled herself in the chair across from him. “I just got a call from a possible source in Montreal. She’s a waitress at Chez Louis. I think it’s one of the older ones who was watching me quite closely when we were there. Anyhow, she didn’t want to give her name or talk on the phone. Her English and my French aren’t great. I convinced her to meet me in Ottawa tomorrow around ten and was hoping you could go with me, you know, to help with the translation.”

  “Seems like a long way to go for dubious information.”

  “I know, but she said that she had something we might find of interest.”

  Rouleau thought it over. He knew from past cases that Stonechild had good instincts. He also knew that she’d go her own way if she believed she was onto something no matter what he said. Gundersund had to hang around for a court call back. Bennett’s French was weak, and Woodhouse … well, Woodhouse would balk at a trip to Ottawa and make Stonechild’s life miserable.

  “I guess we could take a run in the morning. Where are you meeting her?”

  “She’s driving so we agreed to meet in the east end at St. Laurent shopping centre at the A&W in the food court. She said that she may as well make it a shopping trip while she’s there. I could pick you up around seven thirty.”

  “Okay. I’ll meet you out front of my building at seven thirty.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  He watched her leave while he thought about a trip to Ottawa. He could use the time to strategize with her about how to approach Ivo Delaney with the objective of getting him to confide in her. Besides being a chance to brainstorm with Stonechild and plan next steps, a short road trip would get him out of the office for a few hours and feel part of a spring day. It seemed like a win-win.

  Dawn was sitting outside on the bottom step of the deck in her backyard when Gundersund rounded the corner. She held a ball in her hand that she threw across the expanse of lawn. Minny and Taiku chased each other across the yard and Taiku let Minny get to it first. As they bounded back toward Dawn, Taiku spotted Gundersund and both dogs changed course to greet him. He gave them each a good rub on their sides with both hands before joining Dawn on the step.

  “Hey,” he said, sitting down.

  “Hey,” she replied. She took the ball from Minny’s mouth and the dogs cavorted around the lawn in front of her waiting for another throw.

  He tried to read her mood but could not. Her hair hung in two long braids but her bangs were long enough to hide her eyes as she hunched over and bounced the ball on the flagstone under her feet.

  “Kala said to tell you that she’s not far behind me. She had to talk to Rouleau for a few minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  “How was school today?”

  She turned and looked sideways at him. “Have you been talking to Kala?”

  He held up a hand. “Guilty as charged. She’s worried about you.”

  “I can handle it.”

  “But the question is, handle what?”

  “Handle the girls in my class.” She heaved the ball across the lawn and the dogs galloped after it.

  “Is there anything Kala or I can do to help?”

  “No.”

  Gundersund tried to think of a new approach but he was coming up empty. “We’re here, you know. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re getting good at the short answers.” He smiled at her. “If you need to talk and figure out how to handle these girls, I’m here for you.”

  “Good to know.” She smiled back at him. “Really, everything is okay.”

  “So you say.”

  They watched the dogs racing toward them. Taiku had the ball this time and dropped it at Dawn’s feet. She picked it up and bounced it on the flagstone while the dogs waited. This time she stood and threw it toward the end of the property.

  “You have a good arm.”

  She looked down at him. “I play baseball at school during recess.” She looked ready to say something else but stopped. She looked toward the side of the house. “I hear Kala’s truck.”

  He looked in the same direction. The sound of an engine and tires on the pavement abruptly stopped. “Well, I’m going to take Minny and head home. Thanks again for taking care of her after school.”

  “I like doing it.”

  He waited until Stonechild walked around the corner and had her moment being greeted by the dogs. She kept walking toward them and looked at Gundersund with a question in her eyes. He shook his head ever so slightly. They’d agreed that he’d come ahead to see if Dawn would open up to him.

  “Stay for supper, Gundersund?” she asked without giving anything away.

  “No, I have to head home, but thanks.”

  “Another time. Rouleau and I are heading to Ottawa first thing to interview a waitress from Chez Louis, so I won’t be in the station until one or so.”

  “I’ve been called back to court so might not see you at all tomorrow.” He whistled for Minny and started toward the side of the house. He would have liked to stay but Fiona was coming by on his request. He wanted to start the paperwork to make their separation official and knew it wasn’t going to be an easy discussion. But it was a discussion they needed to have.

  She was late … again.

  Piss m
e off, Woodhouse thought. He checked his phone again for messages before signalling to the barmaid for another rum and Coke. For the third time, he swivelled his head to look around the Holiday Inn bar. Nobody he knew had entered since his last check, for which he gave thanks. He reminded himself that he’d picked this meeting place precisely because nobody from work ever came here.

  Did she think he had all night to hang around waiting for her to show?

  Seconds after his drink arrived, she walked in the door looking as unkempt as usual. Her copper hair was half in and half out of a ponytail and her blue cotton shirt looked as wrinkled as the linen blazer that topped it. She dropped her oversized straw bag onto a vacant chair and sat down in the one opposite him.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Her breath came out in a rush. “I was interviewing someone and couldn’t find a way to end it.”

  “No problem. It’s not like I haven’t put in a long enough day already.”

  The waitress appeared with a glass of clear liquid with lemon wedged onto the top and set it in front of Marci Stokes, who looked steadily at Woodhouse until the waitress left.

  “I took the liberty,” he said. “It’s not like you’ve ever ordered anything but vodka soda.”

  “Am I that easy to predict?” She picked up the glass and tipped it in his direction. “Cheers.”

  “Yeah, cheers.” He didn’t bother to drink.

  She settled in like a little bird worming into a nest. Well, maybe a big bird. She wasn’t exactly a fragile-looking woman. He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the television over the bar. They had it locked on the golf channel. He wasn’t a big fan of golf. Too slow and boring. Old men walking around a big lawn hitting a ball at a flag. What was the excitement in that?

  Marci rattled the ice cubes in her glass and set it down. “So why have you brought me here when I could be back in my hotel catching up on my sleep?”

  “I was hoping you had something for me tonight.”

  “Nope. My day has been uninformative at best.”