by Alex MacLean
Cranbrook, October 30
6:34 p.m.
George Plischka adjusted his glasses and leaned his elbows on the counter. His crinkled eyes narrowed as he carefully studied the composite sketch in his hands.
“Who’s this supposed to be again?” he asked.
“That’s what we’re asking you,” Allan said. “Does he look familiar? Someone who might’ve booked a room here recently?”
George made a face. “Nobody’s coming to mind.”
“How about Jacob Stark?” Logan asked.
George’s head perked up. “Ah, Mr. Stark. It was one of you who must’ve called earlier and had me check all those names.”
Denis said, “That was me.”
Audra asked, “How well do you remember Mr. Stark?”
“Quite well, actually,” George said. “He’s stayed here a few times. Nice guy.”
“We’re interested in his last stay here.”
George nodded. “Three nights. He checked in Thursday afternoon, the twenty-first. Checked out Sunday morning, the twenty-fourth.”
Allan pointed to the sketch. “Is that him?”
George lifted his eyebrows, puffed his cheeks. “Doesn’t really look like him. He does have a dimpled chin like this guy. Can’t see his ears or hair with that hood in the way.”
“What color is his hair?” Audra asked.
“Brown.”
“Short? Long?”
“Short. Well-groomed.”
“Clean-shaven?”
“Yes.”
“Age?”
“I’d guess he’s in his thirties.”
“What about body type?” Allan said. “Skinny, fat, tall, short, average height?”
George laid the composite on the counter. “A little taller than you. A little broader. I think he’s physically fit.”
“Why do you think that?”
“He likes to jog. At least he does when he’s here.”
Allan lifted his chin. “Where at?”
“Through our bird sanctuary out back.”
“What days?”
George drew a breath. “The Friday morning after his arrival. I came in early to check on our new building—you saw it?”
Allan nodded.
“That’s when I saw him jogging the paths,” George continued. “He did that when he stayed here before.”
“What about Saturday, the twenty-third?”
“I wasn’t in. I was off juicing apples from our orchard.”
“Who manned the office?”
“Mila. But she wouldn’t know Mr. Stark.”
“Back to Friday, then,” Allan said. “Did you see him go anywhere?”
George gave another nod. “He left shortly after his jog. Was gone for the day.”
“Do you know where?”
“Work, I imagine. He wore a suit and tie. Carried a briefcase.”
Audra asked, “Do you know what he does?”
“He’s a business advisor. Tells companies how to tighten their belts. He told me they usually end up choosing layoffs over lean accounting. But he makes good money advising them, whether they take his advice or not.”
Allan said, “He travels a lot, then?”
“The whole country, from what I understand.”
Allan paused, feeling a quiver in his belly. He locked eyes with Audra, and he could see the same thoughts at work in her brain: they might just be on to something here.
He tried to rein in his optimism. “Do you know where he’s from?”
“Ontario.”
Denis stepped closer. “Ontario, you say? Where in Ontario?”
George shrugged. “Don’t think he ever told me. I only remember Ontario.”
Allan asked, “Did he arrive by cab, or did he have his own vehicle?”
George straightened up and folded his arms. “His own.”
“A rental,” Logan said.
Allan looked at him. “I saw some rental-car companies at the airport.”
“There are three there,” George said. “Budget, National, and Enterprise.”
Logan said, “It would make sense to rent one there.”
“What’s Mr. Stark done?” George asked.
Allan turned out his palms. “We’re not sure he’s done anything.”
Logan took out his notebook. “Mr. Plischka, would you have the numbers of those rental companies on hand?”
It took George a moment to find them.
“Thank you.” Logan set his card on the counter. “If anything else comes to mind, please call me.”
As they all walked back to the Suburban, Denis said, “This Stark fella is looking mighty suspicious.”
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves,” Audra warned.
“He fits the profile,” Denis argued. “He jogs. He’s employed in a job that involves travel. We talked about this.”
Allan leaned against the Suburban, his hands on the hood. “I agree with Detective Price. We need to make a few more steps.” He looked over at Logan. “Let’s call these rental companies first. Find out which one he went with. They’ll have a photocopy of his driver’s license on file.”
Audra nodded. “Then we’ll know exactly where he lives.”
“Not only that,” Allan said. “A lot of those companies use telematics in case their vehicles are ever stolen. They’re able to locate them.”
Denis said, “So they might be able to tell us where Mr. Stark went during his stay here. If he went to Kimberley last Saturday.”
“Exactly,” Allan said.
Logan said, “We’re going to need a warrant.”
Audra checked her watch. “Can you get one by morning?”
“I think so.”
“Then let’s do it.”
37
Burlington, October 30
10:35 p.m.
This time it feels different.
There’s no excitement or anticipation. No adrenaline stoking my body. I doubt this kill will awaken the pleasure centers in my brain.
My heart still races, though.
I gently close the kitchen door behind me. The house is dark, quiet. Everyone’s in bed.
Slipping off my shoes, I tiptoe across the floor. I leave the lights off; I don’t want to alert anyone that I’m here.
I reach the hallway and turn to the bedrooms. Through the duskiness, I can see the door to the girls’ room is closed; the one to the master bedroom is open, the inside dark.
With catlike feet, I creep forward. The blood roars in my ears.
I pause at the threshold of the master bedroom. I hear the susurrus of breathing. A sliver of moonlight falls across the bed, highlighting the profile of Heidi fast asleep. She lies on her back with her arms up around the pillow.
I couldn’t have wished for a better position.
Slipping the piece of rope from my coat pocket, I slowly approach the bed. My footsteps make no sound.
Ten feet, then five.
Heidi’s features become clearer.
I stand at the bedside, staring down at her. One swift loop of the rope around the back of her neck, and it’s all over. Eight years of marriage have come to this.
A sudden bump in the house jolts my body. I turn my head, listening. It’s hard to hear anything over the pounding in my chest.
Seconds later, the bump comes again, and it’s accompanied by whispers and giggles. The girls’ room. They’re awake.
I slide a nervous glance to Heidi. She’s still flaked out.
“Mommy,” Jade hollers, shattering the quiet.
Heidi stirs, her breathing pattern changes. When I hear the door to the girls’ room open, I pocket the rope and rush out to the hallway.
Seeing me, Jade stops and jerks her head back. Through the murky darkness, I watch her eyes widening, her mouth falling open.
I say, “Honey, it’s me.”
“Daddy?”
“Yes.”
I hear Heidi getting up. At once, I scoop Jade off the floor.
&
nbsp; “When’d you get home?” she asks.
“Just got in.”
“Where were you?”
“Do you remember the park we went to last summer? The one with the little cabin?”
Jade nods.
“I went there for a couple of days.”
“Why?”
Her question gives me pause. How exactly do you tell your daughter you left because of her mother’s attitude, her baseless suspicions? Do Jade and Jaleesa register the conflict going on between us? I have a gut feeling they do. Children are like little Geiger counters, picking up signs we never think they do.
“I needed a vacation,” I say at last.
I don’t bother mentioning Almonte. The girls know nothing of my hometown or their grandparents who live there. There would be too much explaining to do, and I’m not in the mood to answer a million questions.
Carrying Jade into the bedroom, I switch on the light. Jaleesa looks up from her bed, blinking at the sudden brightness.
“Daddy,” she says.
“Hi, honey.”
“Where did you go?”
“Pennsylvania,” I tell her. “To that park we were at last summer. Remember it?”
“Yeah.” She frowns. “Why did you go there?”
“Oh, to see the turning leaves. To have a little vacation.”
I put Jade down on her bed, and she pulls the blankets over herself.
“You never called us,” she says.
“I’m sorry about that. I wanted to, but I had no cell coverage.”
Heidi appears in the doorway.
Jade perks up. “Mommy, Daddy’s home.”
“Hmm, I see that.”
I detect the flat tone in her voice. When I look over my shoulder at her, she avoids eye contact. I imagine she probably thinks I was off with my phantom mistress or something stupid like that.
She asks Jade, “What did you wake me up for?”
“Jaleesa said there was a monster under my bed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Jaleesa,” Heidi says sternly. “Stop scaring your sister.”
“There are no monsters,” I tell Jade.
Heidi finally looks at me. “Jaleesa was teasing her earlier. Probably because Halloween’s tomorrow.”
“Yeah, Daddy,” Jade says, excited. “You can take us trick-or-treating now.”
I pause before giving her a weak smile. “Of course I will.”
I’m not a fan of Halloween, even though I enjoyed it as a kid. I don’t consider myself a helicopter parent; some parents are too overprotective. I just don’t like the girls wolfing down loads of unhealthy sugar.
Then there’s the safety issue.
Two years ago, a woman here in the city found a Tylenol capsule in a box of Smarties her daughter had picked up at someone’s house. Just last Halloween, another parent found a capsule filled with brown powder inside a grab bag.
I never did hear what the substance tested out to be. Maybe it was brown sugar, maybe it was poison. Every year it seems you hear about parents finding tampered candy in their kids’ treat bags.
“Well,” Heidi says, “I’m going back to bed. You girls get to sleep.” She glances at me. “I’ll get your blankets out of the closet.”
“Daddy can sleep in here,” Jade says, moving over in her bed. “He can sleep beside me.”
Heidi looks at her then at me. I can tell by the cold pitch in her eyes she doesn’t approve.
I smile at Jade. “If you want me to.”
She gives a big nod. “Yes, Daddy.”
Heidi tosses her arms up. “Whatever. I’m going to bed.”
“Night, Mom,” the girls call to her.
“Night,” she calls back.
I remove my coat and hang it off the doorknob.
When I reach for the light switch, Jade says, “Stop.”
I turn to her. “What?”
“Check under my bed.”
On the other side of the room, Jaleesa giggles.
“And what am I checking for?”
“Monsters.”
“Right,” I say, kneeling down. “Nope, I don’t see any.”
I shut off the light and climb on top of the blankets next to Jade. She moves close, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Sure, Daddy?”
“I’m sure, honey.” I kiss the top of her head. “There’s no such thing as monsters.”
But as I lie there thinking of Heidi, I realize that’s not entirely true.
There are monsters. The world is full of them. And the scariest ones have friendly faces.
38
Cranbrook, October 31
9:45 a.m.
Audra’s gaze bounced back and forth between the face in the composite sketch and the face in the photocopied driver’s license.
Not even close, she determined. Both men had cleft chins, but that was where the similarities ended. The man in the driver’s license had a softer, rounded face when compared to the strong bone structure the man in the sketch had. Their eyes and noses were different shapes. Their eyebrows differed as well, in both arch and thickness.
“No real likeness, is there?” Allan said, looking over her shoulder.
Audra shook her head. “Might not be Jacob Stark who Liam Clattenburg saw that morning.”
“Never know. It’s hard describing a person’s face to begin with. Let alone someone you met in the span of a few seconds. We have to establish if Mr. Stark was even in Halifax on the dates in question.”
Audra glanced at Logan, who stood on the other side of the office, speaking in muted tones to Huey Nolan—the manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
“Stark lives in Burlington.” Audra turned to Denis. “How far is that from Huntsville?”
“About two hundred seventy-five klicks,” he said. “It’ll take you probably three hours to drive there, depending on which route you take.”
“Is there an airport in Burlington?”
Denis shook his head. “There’s one in Hamilton.”
“Do they have flights to Halifax?”
“Westjet does, as far as I know.”
“Is that airport closer than Toronto?”
“For this guy? A little bit, yeah.”
“We never even considered Hamilton,” Allan said. “We were too focused on Toronto.”
Denis said, “We had the right idea, though.”
Audra nudged Allan’s arm. “I’ll get Thorne on this.”
She stepped out of the office, punching in the captain’s number on her cell phone.
“Detective Price,” Thorne answered. “What can I do for you this early on a Sunday morning?”
“Did I get you up?”
“No.” He laughed. “Been up for a few minutes.”
“We need your help with something.”
“I’m listening.”
“Can you contact the Stanfield airport for us? We’re looking for a passenger named Jacob Stark. He might’ve flown in on Westjet from Hamilton.”
“Just a sec,” Thorne said. “Let me write this down.”
Audra heard the rustle of papers.
“Jacob Stark, did you say?”
“Yes,” Audra said.
Thorne breathed into the phone. “What dates are we looking at?”
“Before October seventeenth. Let’s say October tenth to the sixteenth. I can’t see him arriving earlier than that. If his name comes up on any of the flights, we need to know when he departed.”
“I’m guessing you’re hoping it’s after the seventeenth?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Oh, Captain,” Audra said.
“Go ahead.”
“We need them to check for Stark’s name on flights from last October as well. Same days.”
Thorne paused. “Mary Driscow.”
“Yes.”
“You guys got a lead out there.”
“We’re not sure,” A
udra said. “Maybe.”
“K. I’ll get back to you as soon as I find out something.”
“Thanks, Captain.”
As Audra hung up, Allan poked his head out the door.
“Mr. Nolan says he has GPS tracking on all of his vehicles,” he told her. “He’s going to bring up Stark’s route for us.”
Audra went inside. They all huddled around Huey Nolan as he took a seat at his computer and logged into the GPS tracking system.
The digital street map that appeared on the monitor resembled that of any GPS navigator out there. Several pin icons showed the locations of every vehicle Huey had in his fleet. Many were scattered all over the area. A few were grouped together at the airport.
Huey asked, “Would you prefer this map or the satellite view?”
Logan said, “That’s fine right there.”
“Mr. Stark rented the Corolla.” Huey moved the cursor over the icons until he found the one that represented the car. “This is it here. Right now I can tell the Corolla is located at Saint Mary’s Street in Fort Steele. It’s been idle for fifteen hours, thirty-seven minutes.”
Allan said, “We’re interested in the car’s movements on Saturday, the twenty-third of October. Can you pull that up for us, please?”
Huey nodded. “Sure can.”
He opened a menu on the screen and produced a calendar. Selecting the twenty-third, he clicked playback.
The pin icon moved out from a location in Cranbrook that Audra guessed was the Elizabeth Lake Lodge. With a sense of awe, she watched the icon move westward on Highway 95 then north on 95A, creeping toward Kimberley.
Logan leaned closer to the monitor as the icon traveled partway through the town and then hung a left onto St. Mary’s Lake Road.
“He’s driving right beside Kimberley Nature Park,” Logan said.
After a short distance, the icon stopped and then turned back in the same direction from which it came. Where it had stopped, a gray icon showed up.
Logan said, “Pause that for a second.”
Huey did.
Logan tapped his finger on the gray icon. “What’s that?”
Huey said, “It indicates the car had stopped there for a period of time.”
“How long?”
Huey moved the cursor over the icon, and a dialogue bubble popped up. “Idle for one hour, forty-one minutes.”
“Switch it to satellite view.”
As Huey did, Logan nodded. “Just what I thought.”
