Beneath the Bleak New Moon

by Debra Purdy Kong

  Casey remembered all too well how it felt to be close to finding answers, to be convinced that all it would take was a little more digging.

  “I need someone to watch Harvey Haberkorn’s house while I watch the Wings’ place,” Danielle said. “Please?”

  Casey spotted Lara practically leaning into the aisle, presumably to eavesdrop. “You don’t know for sure there’s another race, right?”

  “Actually, I do.” Danielle leaned closer to her. “Harvey writes a blog under the name Hellhound. By what he says, I’m convinced that he’s on the A team.”

  Casey noticed the twins drinking cans of pop. They didn’t usually bring drinks on board.

  Danielle also turned to the twins, who returned her stare. “Why do you keep glancing at those girls, and why are they so interested in you?”

  “I can’t go into that. Did Harvey mention the hit and runs on his blog?”

  “No, which is suspicious, seeing as how everyone else on the Net is talking about them.” Danielle glanced at the twins. “I’ve posted comments to Hellhound hoping he’ll respond. I’m pretending to be an Alberta racer.”

  Lara pulled a cigarette out of her pocket and smirked at Casey. Casey kept her expression impassive as she said, “I told Denver about Harvey and the Wings. They already knew a fair bit.”

  “Yet the races still go on.”

  “I think the police know more than they’re saying, Danielle. If something’s going down tonight, odds are they know about it. There’s no reason for us to be there.”

  “Hey, Deputy Dog,” Lara called out. “Who’s your friend?”

  Casey cringed. The last thing she needed was a scene.

  “Maybe she’s the deputy’s deputy.” Paige stuffed wrappers into her bag, then wiped her greasy hand on the back of the seat. “A doggy wannabe.”

  “Wow, you meet the nicest people here,” Danielle remarked to Casey. “I can’t imagine why you’d ever want to leave security work.”

  “I don’t interfere with your job,” Casey murmured. “Don’t interfere with mine.”

  “Only if you promise to help with surveillance.”

  “You have a car now?”

  “My dad’s.”

  “He doesn’t mind?”

  “He rarely goes out since Ben died.” Danielle looked out the window. Two more blocks passed before she said, “Dad used to coach Ben’s soccer team, run marathons, and even ski.”

  The M7 approached the twins’ stop. Lara pulled out a lighter and winked at Casey. Man, that girl was begging for a confrontation. “Was Ben the active type too?”

  “Totally,” Danielle answered, with the flicker of a smile. “He never stopped moving. Used to take me skateboarding, kayaking, you name it.”

  The recorded voice announced the next stop. Lara stood, snatched the empty bags, and threw Casey a nasty sneer as she slipped the cigarette between her lips. Paige held the full bag as she slid to the edge of the seat, then stopped a moment to fiddle with something. Greg eased the bus to the stop. When he opened the doors, Paige jumped up and hurried after her sister.

  “Uh, Casey?” Danielle said, nodding toward the empty seat. “They left a mess.”

  Casey spotted a brown puddle on the seat, a pop can on its side. The puddle was seeping into a three-inch cut in the padded vinyl.

  “That’s it! Danielle, I need you to move.” Casey stood as Greg started to pull out. “Stop the bus!” She headed for the back exit.

  Greg braked, then turned in his chair. “What are you doing?”

  “They’ve slashed the seat and spilled pop everywhere,” she called out. “Don’t bother waiting, I’ll catch the next bus.”

  Noting the time, Casey stepped onto the sidewalk. As soon as she had a moment, she’d record the incident in her notebook. The girls needed to be held accountable. By the time she reached the intersection, the twins had already crossed Granville and Seventieth Avenue and were heading west down Seventieth on the north side of the street. The yellow light turned red. Crap. She stepped back and started down the south side of Seventieth.

  “Better start running, or you’ll lose them,” Danielle said, joining her.

  “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “I still need an answer about the stakeout.” She looked down Seventieth. “What are you planning to do with the delinquents?”

  “Find out where they live so we can contact the parents.”

  “You have jurisdiction to do that?”

  Probably not, but Danielle didn’t need to know that. “The family doesn’t have a working phone, so Stan will need an address.”

  The damp night cooled her flaming cheeks and penetrated her open jacket. The farther Casey walked the less angry she became and the less confident she felt about approaching the house. All she wanted to do was jot down the address without anyone noticing.

  The twins were a full block ahead. She hurried past a side street called Cornish. By the time she reached a second street, the girls were turning right at the next block. Casey jogged across the street and followed the twins onto a short, narrow road. Bungalows occupied the right side of the street. Clusters of weeds and bushes hid the rail tracks on the left.

  The twins entered a property midway down the road. Casey jogged ahead and reached a broken gate just as the girls stepped inside a single-story clapboard house that had seen better days. Lights inside illuminated two green sheets covering the picture window. A bare bulb shone next to a door with peeling paint.

  “Wait here,” Casey said. “I can’t see the house number.”

  She tried to be quiet, but gravel crunched beneath her feet as she approached the door. The sheets parted and someone peered out. Casey stopped. When the face disappeared, Casey memorized the house number. She started to leave when the door opened and Paige stepped onto the stoop.

  “What the hell?”

  “I need your address, and you were too far ahead to ask.” Not that Paige would have told her.

  “Who’s there?” Lara poked her head out the door. When she saw Casey her eyes blazed. “You bitch!”

  “My supervisor will need your address. You two have broken rules four times and have now vandalized private property. Your parents will have to be notified regarding possible fines.”

  “You can’t.” Paige sounded anxious. “Look, we promise we won’t do it again.”

  “I’ve already given you more than enough chances.”

  “We’re not paying any fine,” Lara blurted.

  An obese woman with disheveled hair shoved between the girls and stepped onto the stoop. Her head shook slightly, as did the beer can she was holding. “What in holy shit’s goin’ on?” It sounded as if her larynx was lined with sandpaper.

  “Nothing,” Paige replied.

  “They ain’t social workers, are they?” the woman asked.

  “Just people from work,” Paige replied. “Go finish supper, Mom. We’ll be right in.”

  Casey noticed that Lara hadn’t said a word in her mother’s presence. The second the mother had appeared, Lara had lowered her head. She hugged herself and kept her feet pressed together, as if attempting to make herself inconspicuous.

  “Stop yakking and get your butts inside. Lara, light me a smoke,” the mother said.

  Lara followed her back into the house, while Paige glared at Casey. “Get off our property.” She too headed back inside and shut the door.

  “Wow.” Danielle gave a low whistle and trailed Casey out of the yard. “They may be rude little shits, but part of me feels sorry for them. I could see their mom shaking from here, like she’s going through withdrawal or something. Do you know if there’s a father?”

  “No idea.” Somehow, she doubted it.

  “If you’re off duty now, we should head for Richmond right away.”

  For reasons Casey didn’t quite understand, helping Danielle for a short while didn’t sound so bad. If she could learn who Danielle’s source was, Denver would be pleased. Besides, Lou was busy moving in s
ome of his belongings tonight, and Summer had her friend Jacob over. It wasn’t as if she’d be greatly missed. “I can only help for a couple of hours.”

  “Where’s your car?” Danielle asked.

  “Near Broadway and Granville.”

  “Can you record on your phone?”

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure how much will be visible in the dark.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Sooner or later, one of those guys will make a big mistake,” Danielle said. “And I want to be there when it happens.”

  If the street racers made a big mistake, Casey didn’t want to be anywhere near them when it happened.

  ELEVEN

  CASEY FLEXED HER COLD GLOVED fingers and shifted her weight behind the steering wheel. With any luck, Danielle’s plan wouldn’t be a complete waste of time. Recording faces and license plates at the start of a race while trying not to attract attention would be interesting, if not dangerous. Casey doubted she could pull it off. And keeping up with Harvey Haberkorn’s Camry in this old Tercel wasn’t going to happen, if he even bothered leaving his house tonight.

  Casey had been parked in front of the Haberkorn residence for a half hour and was tempted to go home, until she remembered telling Denver she’d do what she could to keep Danielle out of trouble. She kind of liked the junior journalist and wasn’t about to let Danielle get hurt searching for answers.

  For the umpteenth time, Casey studied the Haberkorns’ modest two-story home for signs of movement. Sheer drapes covered the large picture window in an illuminated room that seemed unoccupied. Two smaller windows above the double-car garage had been dark since she arrived. Harvey’s purple Camry was parked on the street, in front of the house. Presumably, the garage and driveway were reserved for his parents’ vehicles.

  Casey hoped she could go home soon. It was nearly ten. She should check in to make sure Jacob had left. When she called an hour ago, Summer and he were still doing homework. Even though Lou had met Jacob at the Halloween party, all he’d said was that Jacob was an interesting kid. Summer had described him as artistic, smart, and not a total “jerk-face.” Since neither was a glowing endorsement, Casey really wanted to meet Jacob.

  A vehicle cruised toward her. She’d seen only two cars come and go since she’d been here, as well as a man walking his dog. A black Lexus turned into the Haberkorns’ driveway. Was it the same Lexus that had been racing the night Beatrice Dunning was killed?

  Casey grabbed her binoculars and zeroed in on the plate number. The vehicle eased into the garage. A man stepped out, carrying a briefcase. Garage lights revealed a bald head fringed with gray; not the right age for a street racer. Had Harvey used his dad’s car that night? The man entered the house. A light went on in one of the rooms above the garage.

  A tap on her window made Casey flinch. She spotted a long mouth set in a heavily lined face. Wisps of hair stuck out from under a hat. She rolled her window down a little.

  “Is everything okay?” the man asked. “You’ve been here a while.” He shone a flashlight on her backseat. “I’m from neighborhood watch.”

  “I’m fine, thanks. A friend asked me to meet her in front of Harvey’s house, but she hasn’t shown up and I’m trying to find out where she is.” Casey tapped her Bluetooth.

  “You can’t stay here long. People will call the police.”

  A call came in. “Eagle’s making his move!” Danielle shouted in her ear. “He lives ten minutes from Harvey. If a gold Mitsubishi shows up, duck.”

  The man wandered off about the same time the front door of the Haberkorns’ house opened. “Wait a sec,” Casey said. Floodlights sprang on, giving her a clear view of Harvey, who was wearing the glasses and ball cap she’d seen on Saturday. “Harvey’s heading out too.”

  “Stay with him, and don’t let him see you.”

  Right, sure. No frigging problem. Casey leaned over until the handbrake dug into her ribs. When the Camry pulled away, she started after it. Man, the kid drove fast.

  After a couple of minutes, Danielle yelled, “Where are you?”

  “I don’t know, and stop shouting.” She followed Harvey onto a busy commercial street lined with strip malls. The Camry was in the slow lane, four cars ahead of her. “Where’s your guy?”

  “Half a block ahead of me, heading west,” Danielle answered. “I don’t know the street name.”

  “Oh man, he’s making a left-hand turn at the speed of light,” Casey said, hearing Harvey’s tires screech. Did the guy know she was following?

  “Don’t lose him!”

  “Then shut up and let me concentrate.”

  The steady stream of traffic made turning left impossible. She was going to lose the Camry. From above her came the loud rumble of a low-flying jet preparing to land at nearby Vancouver International Airport. Traffic swooshed past her as the light turned yellow. Since she was in the middle of the intersection, Casey floored it.

  “Shit, I can’t see the Camry . . . Wait.” She sped through another yellow light at the next block.

  “Eagle’s pulled into a place called Winnie’s Donuts,” Danielle said.

  “Harvey’s turning right at the next street.” Casey zipped into the right lane, unaware she’d cut someone off until she heard a horn blast. “Sorry, buddy.”

  “Whoa, the Camry just showed up too!” Danielle said.

  “Where’s the donut place?”

  As Danielle gave her a street name, Casey spotted a neon donut perched on a roof. The shop was located on a corner lot with several parking stalls at the front of the building as well as four down the side. A black BMW was parked in one of the side stalls, the Camry and Mitsubishi in front. The upper half of each of the shop’s walls was clear glass, making it easy to see patrons, and for them to see the street.

  After Casey parallel parked in front of the shop’s entrance, she spotted Harvey and a short guy with black hair inside, standing at the counter, their backs to the entrance. The short guy had to be Eagle. An elderly couple sat at a table by the entrance. Another guy with hair the color of straw sat in a corner of the shop, watching Eagle and Harvey.

  Someone darted in front of her car and for two panicky seconds Casey forgot to breathe, until she recognized Danielle. Casey unlocked the passenger door.

  “Where’s your car?” she asked, as Danielle climbed inside.

  “Across from you.”

  Casey spotted a white Ford Taurus with a dented fender.

  “I can’t tell what’s going on.” Danielle stared at the donut shop. “I’m going in.”

  “Don’t you dare. If Eagle was driving that Jaguar at the fitness center, he probably saw both of us.”

  “But wouldn’t you love a coffee and donut?”

  Casey took the binoculars from Danielle, who’d nearly sat on them when she climbed in. “You’ve probably got enough treats in that huge bag to open your own bakery. You can see plenty with these.”

  “Thanks.” Danielle zeroed in on the group, then handed the binoculars back to Casey. “See if Eagle is the guy you talked to outside the cemetery. He’s sitting down, facing us.”

  Casey focused on the group and recognized him right away. “Yeah, he’s the one.”

  “I knew it! This is great.”

  Casey’s eyes widened at the sight of a shiny Dodge Neon cruising into the shop’s lot.

  “Oh my god!” Danielle’s dark eyes sparkled. “That’s the car you saw at the Regency, isn’t it?”

  “Looks like it. So, have we stumbled onto a pre-race craving for fat and sugar?”

  “Probably a last-minute meeting about the route.” As a powerful red Subaru Impreza roared into the lot, Danielle grabbed the binoculars from Casey. Every head in the shop turned and looked. “Awesome! I think the A team’s fifth and final member just arrived.”

  “What on god’s earth has he got under that hood, a rocket engine?”

  “Could be nitrous oxide. It gives engines a real boost for a bit. It’s dangerous shit.” Danielle studied the Imp
reza. “Some morons have even tried jet fuel. It’s like driving around with a firebomb waiting to explode.”

  A man with cropped hair, a goatee, and a mustache stepped out of the Neon. As he headed inside, he looked over his shoulder at the South Asian guy emerging from the Impreza.

  Danielle grinned. “We need everyone’s plate number.”

  She started to open the door when Casey clamped her hand on Danielle’s arm. “Stay here. I’ll do it.” She stepped out of the car before Danielle could respond.

  Hoping to appear relaxed and unhurried, Casey strolled down the sidewalk, then bent down and pretended to tie her shoe. She jotted down the Impreza’s and Neon’s plate numbers, then stood and continued on. After she’d put some distance between herself and the shop, she turned and started to head back, when Danielle, now wearing a bright green tuque, stepped out of the car. Damn it! Why wouldn’t that stupid girl listen? Casey picked up the pace. By the time she reached the Tercel, Danielle was already inside, talking to the clerk behind the counter.

  “Idiot!” Casey slid behind the wheel and grabbed the binoculars. Danielle was wandering through the place while searching for something in that giant bag of hers.

  The man with the goatee turned in his chair to look at Danielle as she disappeared down a hallway. Great. Just great. At least the others were too focused on their conversation to notice her. They were leaning forward in their chairs, ignoring their beverages and donuts. No one looked happy, including Goatee Man, who’d turned his attention back to the guys.

  A blue Mazda pulled into the lot. Despite its expensive appearance, the vehicle didn’t sound as powerful as the others. A big guy stepped out. Tall. Dark curls. Familiar.

  “Oh, crap.” Casey lowered the binoculars. What was Liam MacKenna doing here, and in street clothes?

  She phoned Danielle, who answered with a sharp, “What?”

  “Liam MacKenna just walked in.”

  “Why am I not surprised? Can you see him?”

  “He’s approaching the racers. Are you in the bathroom?”

  “Yeah. If I open the door and look down the hall I can see their table.”