UnCatholic Conduct

by Stevie Mikayne

  Jil whistled. “Wow, you weren’t kidding.”

  Buck shook his head. “If you’ll excuse me, I will take these to the office.”

  Jil trailed him down to the office, watched him speaking with Mary, the head secretary. Watched as, predictably, he insisted on giving Jessica the box himself. Watched Jess’s look of surprise when she lifted the lid and saw what was inside.

  Mission accomplished.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Friday night, at five o’clock, and Jil was already in her pajamas with a glass of wine in hand.

  She briefly wondered if she should have considered going out, maybe getting back in the game, but she was too damn tired, and the thought of hooking up with anyone else was just a bit too much at the moment.

  With a sigh, she logged onto FaithConnects and scrolled around until she found a place to create an account. If she couldn’t get into Alyssa’s account, she’d make one as close to hers as possible and hope that whoever she was talking to online would come after her next.

  She had a fake picture, bio, and backstory ready, and as each box asked her more information, she felt herself becoming a scared seventeen-year-old girl from St. Marguerite’s.

  How many identities would she need for this assignment? Today, she was AlleyCat, a timid high school senior. She hovered her mouse over the “Interested In” box. Boys? Girls? On a hunch, she clicked “Both.”

  Just as she was uploading a composite photograph Morgan had made her, the phone rang.

  She hurried from her office, down the stairs to the living room where she’d left Julia Kinness’s cell phone. “Hello?”

  “Hi, it’s Jess Blake.” She sounded distant—a little hesitant, maybe?

  “Hey.” Jil noticed that dusk had fallen. She reached up to close the drapes and went back to shut and lock the balcony door. It was jammed. First sign of winter coming on—everything metal within a fifty-kilometer radius gave her attitude. Heaving all her weight at it, she managed to get the door closed, and the deadbolt shut.

  “Do you still want that dog?”

  “Yes! Why?”

  “My friend Henri, the guy who runs the SPCA? He called back this afternoon. He’s got a two-year-old at the downtown location. He weighs something like a hundred and sixty pounds. He says he’s blue. I’m not sure what that means.”

  “It’s a type of coloring,” Jil replied. “It means he’s gray all over.”

  “Oh. Right. Anyway, he said he’d be happy to waive the adoption fee for him if you wanted to take him. He’s too big for the place, and they haven’t had anyone ask about him in the three months he’s been there. They’re really glad someone wants him.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Don’t know. Do you want to go see him?”

  “Sure. When did you want to go?”

  “Oh. Um. Tonight would be fine.”

  Jil realized that maybe Jess hadn’t intended to go with her. Oops. Too late now.

  “Okay. I’ll meet you there in about an hour.”

  She showered quickly, towel drying her uncooperative hair, and running a glob of gel through it. She even put on a little makeup before going back to the closet and trying to find something appropriate for the dog pound.

  She finally settled on dark jeans, a darted white blouse, and a brown leather jacket. Wow, this fancy clothes thing was really starting to rub off on her. She chose her dark brown leather boots, and gave her hair a final scrunch before heading out the door. On a normal day, she would have thrown her hair into a ponytail, put on a pair of ripped jeans, and not even bothered to look in the mirror. But on a normal day, she wouldn’t have been meeting her boss/target in the SPCA. She also wouldn’t have been trying to impress her boss/target for reasons she didn’t even want to admit out loud to herself.

  Jess was sitting in her car waiting when Jil pulled up behind her. They both alighted at the same time, Jil noticing that Jess did, in fact, own a pair of jeans. A nicely fitted pair.

  “Hi,” she said, suddenly shy.

  Jess put a hand to her hair. “Hey. Um. He’s waiting inside. I brought dog treats.”

  Jil realized just how unprepared she was for this beast. No food. No bowls. No leash. What happened if she needed to take him home tonight?

  As soon as they got inside, barks and yaps and deep belly woofs greeted them. A tall man with shaggy hair ambled toward them, and as he approached, he smiled, revealing perfect white teeth.

  “Hi, you must be Julia,” Henri said, extending his hand. Jil shook it and smiled. Henri kissed Jess and hugged her warmly. “How’re you doin’?” he murmured.

  She nodded, her eyes cast down, hiding the mistiness that clouded them. She seemed lost in his arms—his baggy sweater enveloping her, holding her together. Finally, she pulled away, seeming embarrassed.

  What was that about?

  “So, where’s Big Blue?” she asked, blinking a few times.

  Henri laughed. “Not a bad name for him. ‘Big Blue’ is named Zeus. And he’s right down here.”

  Jil began walking in the direction he pointed, wondering how exactly Henri and Jess had become friends.

  He led the way down a row of wire cages, where dogs yapped and wagged and threw themselves against the door. The aisle was narrow, and they had to walk in single file to the end.

  Jil found herself face-to-face with a massive canine head.

  “Woof!” thundered the dog, leaping up so that its enormous paws thwacked against the wire cage inches from Jil’s face. She laughed as Jess jumped back.

  “That’s no dog. It’s a hippo in disguise,” Jess said, standing back from the cage as Zeus came crashing down on all fours, his massive tail sweeping back and forth.

  “He hasn’t been cropped,” Jil remarked as Henri opened the cage. Zeus bunted him happily, slurping his hand and looking for biscuits.

  Jess handed Jil a handful of treats, maintaining her distance. “They’ll be like Tic Tacs to him,” she muttered as Jil smiled in thanks and followed Henri into the enclosure.

  Zeus immediately turned his attention to Jil, nosing her pocket with his great head. She laughed and fed him three treats from the flat of her hand—obviously these had been intended for a cocker spaniel or a pug—something about one tenth the size of this creature.

  “He’s a big boy for eighteen months old,” said Henri, standing back as Zeus and Jil got acquainted.

  She stroked his floppy ears and rubbed under his scruff, a puddle of drool forming in her hand. She wiped it on his gray silky coat. “Keep your spit to yourself.”

  Zeus made a noise like he was blowing out birthday candles—somewhere between a snuff and a half-hearted sneeze. He seemed to know they were going to be new friends. He was on his very best behavior. He gently licked the crumbs off her hand, and Jil reached for more biscuits. Jess handed them to her, staying well outside the cage.

  “Are you afraid of him?”

  “Jessie? Are you kidding?” Henri laughed. “She’s the biggest suck of them all. Don’t know what I woulda done if she and Mick hadn’t taken in so many of the sick ones.”

  Mick? “Did you used to foster?” Jil asked.

  Jess nodded, shooting a warning glance at Henri, who seemed not to see.

  “They were amazing. They fostered all the little puppies who were born here and caught one thing or another. They even had one Newf for like, a year, before we found a home.”

  “Nothing quite like this beast, though. And that was when I lived in the country,” Jess said. “I don’t do that anymore.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” Henri said, scratching Zeus’s head. “That’s only cuz what’s-her-name didn’t like dogs.”

  Jess tensed.

  Jil couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.

  “Could you just concentrate on Julia?” Jess said sharply.

  Henri seemed to realize his error, because he looked at his feet, color high in his cheeks. “Sure, sure. Sorry, Jessie. So what do you think, Julia?”
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  “I think he’s mine,” Jil replied, grinning.

  By now, Zeus had decided that Jil was his as well. When Henri closed the cage so that they could go sign papers, he whined—a deep, heart-wrenching sound—as his big hazel eyes searched her out. “Woof,” he barked dejectedly, then again, more frantically, as he watched one more potential friend walk away.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow to get you,” Jil promised him, reaching through the bars to scratch him again. “Just wait one more night, okay? I’ve got to get out to the pet store and get my loft ready for you. I’ll be back tomorrow. I promise.”

  “Loft?” Henri said, eyebrows raised.

  “I read up on it,” Jil replied, shrugging. “Apparently, Danes make great apartment dogs.”

  “Yeah, sure. They sleep about twenty-two hours a day. But watch out for the two they’re awake.”

  Jil smiled. “I’ll get him out. We’ll do a nice slow jog.”

  Zeus came down on all fours again, nuzzling his great head against her hand. He whined again piteously.

  “I’ll stay with him,” Jess offered, reaching through the cage to stroke his head. There was something expert about her movements, and Jil smiled as she followed Henri back to his office. Not an animal lover, huh?

  Just as they were getting inside, the phone rang. Henri sprang for the receiver like he’d been expecting the call for hours.

  “Hello?” he said. Almost immediately, his shoulders slumped. “Uh huh.” Then, even more slowly, “Uh huh. Okay. Thanks then. If that’s the best you can do, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Problems?” Jil asked.

  “Oh, nothing. My car’s not ready, that’s all.” Henri waved his hand.

  “You’re not still driving Old Yetta?” Jess asked, coming in as Henri handed Jil a stack of papers.

  “Yetta’s in the shop.” Henri shook his head. “Alternator’s kaput. I was hoping to have her by tonight, but the part didn’t come in, and they couldn’t quite get ’er done. Lucky for me, they’re open on Saturdays, so they said they’d get it done tomorrow.”

  “Do you need a ride?” Jess asked.

  “No, no. I’m okay for tonight. It’s tomorrow I’m worried about. Rockford Transport is striking at midnight. No buses. No streetcars. No way to come to work.”

  “Yeah, I heard that on the news tonight,” Jil replied. “Contract problems.”

  “I don’t know how I’m gonna get here,” Henri sighed. “It’s not like I can walk. And just try to get a cab.”

  “Well, I’d lend you my car, but then I’d have to sleep here with you,” Jess laughed.

  “Oh, I’ll take you home,” Jil offered.

  Henri’s eyes brightened.

  Jess hesitated for a minute.

  “Oh, hey, don’t worry about it,” Henri said quickly. “I’ll figure it out tomorrow. That’s a beaut of a Jeep you’ve got there anyway, Jessie. I wouldn’t feel right about drivin ’er.”

  “No, it’s not that,” Jess said quickly. “I’d trust you with my car in a heartbeat. It’s just that I live so far east that I don’t want to inconvenience Julia. We’re supposed to get twenty centimeters of snow.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Jil assured her. “I really don’t mind taking you home. You can lend Henri your car and we’ll come pick it up—and get Zeus—tomorrow. Okay?” Why don’t you mind your own business? Stop cozying up to the suspects!

  Jess and Henri both smiled. “Great,” they said at the same time. Jess handed over her keys and followed Jil out to the car.

  Outside, the snow had begun to fall lightly in the downtown core while the nightlife got underway. Fridays in downtown Rockford boomed with music and dancing, live theater and cocktails, restaurants and delicious appetizers at high-end bars.

  “It’s been forever since I was downtown on a weekend,” Jess said, shaking her head as they passed by the waterfront. That’s where all the action happened. Rockford had the glamour of Toronto and the beauty of Ottawa, and the nightlife that danced between them both.

  “Want a drink?” Jil asked, seeing her favorite restaurant up ahead.

  “Why not?” Jess replied. “It’s kind of sad to go home alone on a Friday night, isn’t it?”

  “That’s kind of what I was thinking.”

  Jil circled the block, looking for a parking spot—an art within itself. She got lucky when a young couple walking ahead of them got into a car. She swiftly pulled in as they pulled out, leaving the car behind her to circle the block again.

  “Nice work,” Jess said.

  “Now there’s a word I don’t want to hear again tonight.”

  Jess seemed to hesitate.

  “Julia…”

  “What’s up?”

  “It’s just…”

  “You’re wondering how unprofessional this is?”

  Jess nodded. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

  “What? Going out for drinks, or hanging out with me?”

  “Well…maybe both.”

  “Listen, I promise I won’t tell anyone what your beverage of choice is.”

  Jess smiled. “Yeah, okay. Though I think there are probably worse things about me you could tell.”

  Jil pushed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “Touché.”

  Bowties was a granite-countered, black-tiled affair with dim pendant lights hanging from the bar and private booths up and down both sides of the restaurant. “For two?” asked the server, a redhead clad in a strapless mini-dress. She grabbed two menus from the stack and held them to her chest. They were large enough to cover her entire dress, so as she stood there waiting, she suddenly looked naked. The same thought seemed to occur to Jess, because she exchanged a look with Jil.

  “Right this way, ladies,” the server said, smiling.

  As she led them to a table near the front of the restaurant, Jil leaned toward her. “Listen, there are some people we’re sort of trying to avoid.”

  “Oh. Well, there’s a booth in the back alcove if you like. Usually it’s for corporate dinners, but tonight it’s empty.”

  “That’d be great.”

  She set down menus and signaled to a well-dressed young busboy, who set down a crystal jug of water and some glasses.

  “Nice place,” Jess commented as she settled into the sheltered booth.

  “I used to come here a lot as an undergrad,” Jil answered.

  “Religious studies, right?”

  Careful, Jil reminded herself. Just because she was having a little social time didn’t mean she could blow her entire investigation. She was walking a pretty thin line as it was. “And philosophy.” That much was true.

  “Well, I know you’re not twenty-three, so what did you do in between school and teachers’ college?”

  Jil winked. “How do you know I’m not twenty-three?”

  Jess laughed. “Because if you were, we would definitely not be sitting here.”

  Jil took a drink of her water to stall. Somehow, took a Police Foundations certificate and spent five years at a PI agency didn’t seem right. “I traveled,” she said. She had. Some. “You?”

  “Math,” came the unexpected reply.

  “You’re a number junkie?”

  “Yep. I was going to be an engineer.”

  “What stopped you?”

  “My parents. They were traditional. Thought women should teach and men should build things.”

  “So?”

  “So…I graduated from McGill and went to teachers’ college.”

  “Then chucked tradition and became the youngest principal in the board?”

  Jess laughed. “Yeah, actually.”

  “At twenty-three?”

  “Um, no. Thirty-two.”

  Jil shook her head. Another naked server approached. “Can I get you ladies anything to drink?”

  “Whisky sour, please,” Jil answered.

  “Vodka martini, three olives,” said Jess.

  “Coming right up. Will you be having dinner?”<
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  Jess shook her head. “Not for me, thanks. I ate already.”

  “In that case,” said the server, “I recommend the three-dip bread appetizer. It’s light, but really good.”

  “Okay, sure,” Jess agreed.

  “Thanks.” Secretly, Jil liked this little reversal of roles. She would ignore the conflict of interest for the time being. Pretend she was actually going to investigate Jessica and this was an undercover dinner. She didn’t know how she’d figure this out, but she would. All she cared about right now was Jess’s intense green eyes following her—alight with secrets she wanted to uncover.

  “I still can’t believe you’re a math whiz.”

  “Yeah, well, we all have our guilty secrets.” At that, her face darkened for a second.

  The server returned with their drinks. After a few sips, Jess relaxed into the seat cushion, and sighed. “It’s nice to be out.”

  “You spend too much time alone.”

  Jess raised her eyebrows.

  “So who’s what’s-her-name?”

  Jess didn’t answer right away, but her eyes flashed before she turned her attention to her drink. “Henri shouldn’t have said that.”

  Jil knew she should take it back, tell Jess to forget she’d said anything. She shouldn’t know the answer to that question. No good could possibly come of it. But somehow she couldn’t bring herself to retract the words. She wanted to know everything there was to know about Jess Blake: her past, her inclinations, what made her tick, what made her cry. But in the same breath, she wanted to tell Jess to get up and walk out—not to say another word, because she had a job to do, a job that involved uncovering secrets about this woman for a reason that had nothing to do with simple curiosity. And her job had to come first, no matter what her feelings were.

  And yet, even knowing that finding out these answers would put her in a terrible and impossible position, she couldn’t resist staying quiet, letting Jess collect her thoughts. Listening, as she spoke.

  “Lily.”

  “That was her name? Was it her ring you lost?”

  “Did I tell you someone found it?”

  Jil just raised an eyebrow.