Al tapped the table with a spoon. “You said Nuala sent you a message on Ivy’s email.”
Jamie nodded. “She put one over on me. I’d been in touch with Ivy. I asked her some questions about Nuala, who may have had access to the emails of everyone at the branch. The message from Ivy today said she had something to show me. And that she’d be alone at the branch for an hour or two.”
I broke open a cookie. “You are almost there,” it said. Almost? The events of the day flashed through my mind. The trip across the lakes on the snowmobile, the bikers and meeting up with Nuala. I felt drained. What more did the day hold?
“You’d better stay at the rectory with us tonight,” I said to Jamie and Al. “The bikers might come by the farm.”
“Just let them try,” Al said.
“You really want to chance it?” I asked.
She gave me a wicked grin. “We’ll be right as rain. We got the rifle.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Bruce answered the door at the rectory, and I found Farah and Celia watching The Highlands Tonight in the kitchen.
“Anything on about Nuala?” I asked.
“Not a thing.” Celia turned down the volume. “The lovely Mara Nowak wasn’t on the ball tonight.”
I took her car keys out of my pocket. “I pulled your Hyundai up to the end of the drive. If the bikers see it, they’ll know Tommy and I are here.”
She turned to Bruce who was standing beside me. “Would you put my car in the garage?”
He nodded, and I handed him the keys.
“Where’s Tommy?” I asked.
“In Father’s bed,” Celia said. “My guess is he’s fast asleep. If he heard you come in, he’d be down for a good-night hug.”
I sighed. “I’ll spend some time with him when everything’s cleared up.”
“What did Jamie have to say?” Celia asked.
I pulled up a chair and repeated what Jamie had told us in the restaurant. Bruce slipped back into the kitchen and took another straight-backed chair.
Celia stared at me. “I can’t believe Nuala would…But there was something about her that wasn’t right. She wouldn’t tell us where she grew up.”
She was interrupted by sound of the front door knocker. She scrambled to her feet. “Come with me, Bruce.”
They hurried out of the kitchen. I was close behind them, and Farah was right behind me.
“You think those guys—” Farah said.
“Who is it?” Celia called out at the door.
“Kerry Gallant, your neighbor at Black Bear Lake.”
Celia motioned for Bruce to open the door. Farah had a big smile on her face.
“What are you doing here, Kerry?” I asked when he stepped into the hall.
He pulled off his tuque. “Wanted to see how you people are doing.” He turned to Celia. “Pat told me about the trouble she had today.”
“We’re doing quite well,” Celia said.
“Wendy called when I got back,” Kerry said. “She wants you to stay at the house.”
Farah’s face lit up.
“We’re fine here,” I said.
“But, Wendy—”
“We’re here for the night, Kerry,” I said. “Tommy’s already in bed.”
“You’ve gone out of your way to rescue us,” Celia said, “so the least we can do is offer you a cup of tea.”
He grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
We were half-way down the hall when pounding sounded on the door again. “Who’s there?” Celia called out.
“Kerry Gallant here?” a male voice said.
I froze, recognizing the voice of the biker I’d been calling Leather Vest.
Kerry edged past me to the door. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Who is it?” Celia asked.
“A friend,” Kerry said. “Do you mind if I—”
Celia nodded. “Go ahead.”
“No!” I lunged for the door, but Kerry held me back with one arm and opened it. Leather Vest and a man with gray hair drawn back into a ponytail stepped inside. Kerry scowled at them.
“What are you doing here?” Celia cried.
“Hey, man,” Leather Vest said to Kerry. “Been callin’ you for the last hour. Saw yer Jeep out front here. Caught a case of religion?”
Bruce moved toward the visitors, and Celia placed a hand on his arm.
“Kerry,” she said, “I don’t care for these friends of yours. Tell them to leave.”
“Leave?” Leather Vest bellowed. “We’re not going anywhere just yet, are we, Kerry?”
“Kerry?” Farah said.
Kerry shook his head in anger. “You idiots!”
“We’re the ones out there drumming up business while you—” Then Leather Vest saw me. “Blondie here and that dyke Al nearly killed Weasel today. He’s in the hospital.”
Ponytail crossed the hallway in a couple of strides and pinned my arms behind my back. “You’re the bitch been causin’ all the trouble.”
Farah gasped.
“Take your hands off her,” Celia cried.
“You heard the Sister. Let Ms. Tierney go,” Kerry ordered.
“I don’t think so,” Leather Vest said.
I struggled to shake Ponytail off, but he was too powerful for me. The sadist twisted the skin on my wrists. I wanted to scream—or cry—but I was determined not to give him the satisfaction.
“Kerry! Bruce! Stop him!” Celia said.
Bruce moved toward me. Leather Vest pulled a handgun from his jacket and cracked it against Bruce’s skull. Bruce slumped to the floor.
Celia rushed to Bruce’s side.
Leather Vest pointed the gun at me. “It’s got outta hand. Cops’ll make Weasel talk.”
Kerry held up a hand. “Chill, guys. There’s nothing he can tell them.”
Ponytail pulled me toward the door. “She’s goin’ with us.”
“Mrs. T,” a voice called from the top of the stairs. Tommy stood there, rubbing his eyes.
“Tommy, get back to bed.” I yanked myself free of Ponytail, ran up the stairs and folded the boy into my arms.
He peered over my shoulder, then looked back at me, his eyes wide. “The bad guys are here. And Kerry—”
“Join the party, little man,” Leather Vest said.
“Tommy’s going back to bed,” I said.
“Get the kid down here. Now.” Leather Vest waved his gun at us.
I felt Tommy shaking as I carried him down the stairs. “Everything will be okay,” I whispered.
He blinked his tear-filled eyes and nodded.
“Let’s go into the kitchen, shall we?” Kerry said.
“I’m staying here with Bruce,” Celia said.
“You’d better come with us, Sister.” Kerry waited until she got to her feet and pointed to the hall.
I sat down with Tommy on the kitchen sofa. A subdued Farah sat on Tommy’s other side. Kerry, Ponytail and the gun-wielding Leather Vest took chairs in front of us.
“What am I going to do with all of you?” Kerry said. “My cover’s been blown.”
“Cover?” I said. “You make it sound like you’re a secret agent. You’re just a cheap crook.”
He drew himself up in the chair. “I’m an artist. My work hangs in Bay Street offices.”
I snorted. “Thanks to Wendy Wilcox.”
“Wendy introduced me to the financial types who were eager to purchase what I offered.”
“And not just your paintings.”
“Correct.”
“I can’t believe someone of Wendy’s standing would be part of this.”
“She isn’t. Wendy knows nothing about my other work.”
Leather Vest had grown impatient. “We got unfinished business with those dykes. Let’s get movin’.”
“Yeah,” Ponytail chimed in.
“Wait,” Kerry said. “Tommy’s grandmother will pay handsomely for his safe return.” He looked at me. “Yes, Wendy told me who Tommy is.”
&nbs
p; I held the boy close.
Leather Vest turned to Kerry. “Let’s get going…with Blondie and the kid.”
“Give me that.” Kerry eyed the gun that was now pointed at him. It went off, the sound of the gunshot deafening in the room.
I stifled a scream and turned Tommy’s face to my chest.
Kerry toppled to the floor, the front of his shirt red with blood.
“Lord have mercy.” Celia knelt beside Kerry. She whipped off her sweater and pressed it against his chest.
Leather Vest stared at them. “I…I didn’t mean…”
“Jesus!” Ponytail slapped Leather Vest’s arm and the gun fell to the floor. “Shit’s gonna fly.”
“Kerry needs an ambulance,” Celia said.
I eased Tommy onto Farah’s lap. “Cover his eyes,” I whispered to her.
Leather Vest gave Ponytail an angry shove. Ponytail lunged at him, sending them both sprawling to the floor.
I sprang from the sofa and scooped up the gun.
“Freeze!” I yelled. I had both hands on the gun and pointed it at the bikers, just as I’d seen the police do on TV shows. The bikers looked at me in surprise.
“Get up!” I motioned with the gun. “Very slowly.”
They eased themselves onto their feet, glared at each other, then at me.
“Now what, Blondie?” Leather Vest growled.
“Hands up, real slow,” I said.
They did as I directed, their eyes fixed on me.
Ponytail laughed. “Do you know how hokey you sound? Freeze? Hands up?” He laughed again. “I bet you never fired a gun in your life.” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t have the nerve.”
I swallowed hard. “Try me,” I said with as much bravado as I could muster.
Ponytail lunged at me. I pointed the gun lower and pulled the trigger. He cried out in pain and crumpled to the floor, clutching his right leg. Blood oozed through his fingers.
I staggered from the recoil but regained my balance as Leather Vest dropped his arms and seemed poised to jump at me.
I swung the gun up and pointed it at him. He slowly raised his arms.
“Tommy.” I kept my eyes and the gun trained on Leather Vest. “You okay?”
“Y-y-yes.”
“Get me a doctor for Chrissake,” Ponytail moaned.
“Kerry needs an ambulance,” Celia said. “Right now.”
“Farah, call 911.” Then I turned to Leather Vest. “If you’ve got any other weapons on you, slide them over.”
Leather Vest glowered, but fished a knife out of his jacket, dropped it to the floor and kicked it toward me.
“Now him.” I motioned the gun toward Ponytail.
Leather Vest bent over Ponytail and held up another knife.
“On the floor,” I said.
He placed the knife on the floor and slid it to me.
I waited for Farah to make her phone call. “Farah, get some towels,” I said when she was done. “Hurry.”
“Towels are in the cupboard beside the door,” Celia said.
When Farah was holding an armful of towels, I pointed at Kerry. “Toss some to Celia. And throw a few to the boys.”
“For your buddy,” I said as Leather Vest caught the towels. “Try to stop the bleeding.”
Bruce staggered into the kitchen, holding a hand to his head.
“Sit down beside Farah, Bruce,” I said.
Sirens sounded outside. I looked over at Celia. “Kerry’s hanging on,” she said.
I turned the lock on the kitchen door. Foster burst into the room, glanced around and shook his head. He came up to me, holding out his hand for the gun. I gave it to him.
Two uniformed officers handcuffed Leather Vest and took him out the kitchen door. Medics got Kerry and Ponytail onto stretchers.
“This one doesn’t look good,” a medic said as he wheeled Kerry out the door.
I went over to Tommy and wrapped my arms around him. He started to cry.
“Hush,” I whispered. “It’s all right.”
But I wondered if it was. Would he be traumatized by what he’d seen?
“The bad men are gone?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said softly. “They’re gone.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Celia traveled to the hospital in the ambulance. Farah, Tommy and I got in a police cruiser and we were taken to the detachment. I wondered when this day would end.
By the time I had given the police my second statement of the evening, I was beyond tired. Farah and Tommy had fallen asleep in the waiting room. We all needed hot baths and beds, but the rectory was no longer an option—it was sealed off as a crime scene.
I sat down beside Tommy and lowered my head into my hands.
“Ms. Tierney, are you all right?”
I looked up.
Foster, concern written on his face, stood over me. “Anything I can do?” he asked.
Tears spilled from my eyes. “I’m wiped, and I don’t know where we can spend the night.”
He sat beside me, and I told him my concerns about the house at the lake. And that I was worried about Maxie and Cleo.
Then I remembered Kerry and Bruce, and I asked him how they were doing.
“You’re a real mother hen looking after your chicks,” Foster said.
I smiled. “Mother bear, please.” I couldn’t picture myself flapping around a chicken coop.
“Mother bear, then.” Foster stood up. “Give me a few minutes.”
Beside me, Tommy stirred and opened his eyes. “Can we go home now, Mrs. T?”
“To Black Bear Lake?”
He shook his head.
“To Toronto?”
He nodded.
“Sorry, sweetie, but we can’t go back just yet.”
His face fell. “Why not?”
“Well, it’s late and—”
“We need your help,” Foster said to Tommy. “We want to make sure we’ve got all the bad guys put away. You wouldn’t want them still out there, would you?”
“N-n-no.” Tommy eyed him warily. “But how will you know you’ve got them all?”
“Young man, we’re working on it right now, but we need you and Ms. Tierney to give us a hand. Will you help us?” Foster extended a hand. “Deal?”
Tommy shook his hand. “Deal.”
“Good.” Foster turned to me. “Ms. Tierney, two officers will go out to Black Bear Lake and look in on your pets. Feed them, whatever.”
I gave him a nod of thanks and told him where they would find a key. “How is Bruce?” I asked.
“He’ll stay in the hospital tonight and he should be released in the morning. Sister Celia is on her way over here.”
“And Kerry?” I was afraid to hear his answer.
“Kerry Gallant lost a lot of blood and is in serious condition.” He paused. “I phoned the Dominion Hotel and they have two rooms available, each with a double bed. I’ve reserved them for you, but I’m afraid we can’t pay for them.”
“Thank you. Norris Cassidy can foot the bill.”
Farah wouldn’t be happy with the arrangement, but I decided that she and Celia could share a bed. Tommy would bunk with me. I’d be right next to him if he had nightmares.
“Shall we, then?” Foster motioned us to the door.
“Let’s go,” I said.
I was asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow, but I found myself wide awake at three in the morning. Still dressed in his clothes, Tommy was snuggled up beside me, sleeping soundly.
My mind combed over the previous day’s events. Jamie had said a small woman could have set fire to Lyle’s garage. But how did Nuala know that Lyle was away from home and when he would return?
I fell back into a fitful sleep, and was roused by the hotel’s wake-up call at seven. Pulling the covers over Tommy, I eased myself out of bed and called Tracy.
“You and Jamie could have been killed by that woman,” she cried.
“It’s over, honey. We’re fine.” I didn’t tel
l her what had gone on later at the rectory.
“When will Jamie be back?” she asked.
“Pretty soon, I’d say. She’ll spend some time with the police today, but she should be back in Toronto on the weekend.”
An hour later, Tommy and I joined Celia and Farah in the hotel dining room.
“I just called the hospital,” Celia said, pouring coffee from the carafe on the table. “Kerry is stable.”
I put an arm around Tommy. “Kerry’s going to be all right,” I told him.
I asked Celia if I could borrow her car again. “I have to go out to the house.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” she asked.
“I’ll take a chance.”
“Be careful.” She handed me her keys. “The car’s in the rectory’s garage.”
I couldn’t see Wendy’s house from the highway, but sadness washed over me as I passed her drive. Kerry and Wendy were an unconventional couple, but they seemed to care for each other. He may have been the great love of her life.
I got out of the car in front of our house and took a deep breath before I approached the door. I glanced at the long driveway before I entered the house. Then I locked the door behind me.
Maxie and Cleo greeted me in the hall. They’d apparently become friends in our absence. I let Maxie out on the deck while I went upstairs, changed into a pantsuit, and packed clothes for Tommy and Farah. I put food into Maxie and Cleo’s bowls, and watched while they ate.
Then I attached the leash to Maxie’s collar. Her tail waved in anticipation of a walk.
“You’re in charge here,” I told Cleo.
On the way back to town, I stopped at Tim Hortons for a box of donuts. I returned the Hyundai to the rectory garage. And I dropped off Maxie and the clothes in the church basement where Celia had set up shop while the forensics team was in the rectory.
At the branch, I found Soupy behind the reception desk with Ivy. “Your office and Nuala’s office are being treated as crime scenes,” Soupy said. “You can take my office.”
“I’ll use the office in the basement,” I told him.
“Tell us what happened, Pat,” Ivy said.
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