“So?” Ed was not liking the sound of this. What were they getting at?
“We’re going to put the hog barn construction on hold for a while,” Hugh said.
“You’re what?” Ed felt his jaw drop. He’d considered every other possibility except this one.
“The hog barn is on hold,” Ed repeated.
“After all I’ve been through, now you want to terminate it?” Ed could feel his anger rising. They were willing to keep moving ahead on the deal when he was being subjected to the manure and phone calls, and now that the worst was over, they wanted to pull the plug.
“We didn’t say terminate it,” Frances said. “We just said that the Western Hog Corporation’s board has decided to discontinue work on the place for now. Until hog prices start to rise again.”
“Hog prices have been low for quite a while.” What were they trying to feed him? “You’ve just bought this land.”
“We were trying to maintain a five year plan we had set up, which we’ve also had to put on hold. But it’s just temporary. The global pork industry has expanded in the past few years,” Hugh said. “And with rising wages, population growth and urbanization in developing countries, that will continue. China is the largest and fastest growing pork consuming country in the world and they will be importing from us soon.”
“The corporation’s board members have been looking at other businesses that have faced similar problems and how they dealt with them,” Frances added. “And we are also waiting to see what the hog industry comes up with in the way of strategy planning to change things around.”
This wasn’t that bad, then.
“I need a cigarette,” Frances said, standing abruptly.
The two men followed her outside where she lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. They began to walk down the street.
“Do you know when you will restart your plans?” Ed asked.
“It could be a year or more,” Hugh said.
“What?” He angrily turned to face them. “A year? What am I supposed to do until then? I’ve turned down other projects to work on this one.”
“You have been paid handsomely for your time to date and we will honour our contract with you when we resume.”
“That’s all you have to say.” He couldn’t believe they could dismiss him so easily.
“Sorry, but as our contract says: we have the right to delay any work due to what we deem as unexpected circumstances.”
* * * *
In the Tracker Elizabeth picked up the newspaper. She quickly scanned the columns under the headlines, but there was nothing new.
She took one last look at Indian Battle Park and Fort Whoop-Up as she drove through the coulee again, leaving Lethbridge and heading back to Fort Macleod.
In town Elizabeth tried to remember where she had seen the Ace Developers sign in the real estate agency. She knew it was somewhere on 24th Street. She drove until she spied the small sign beside the doorway into Boni’s Real Estate Agency. There was a noticeable increase in the number of vehicles on the streets, many of them RVs. People were arriving for the fair.
As she looked for a parking spot, three people came out of the door. She recognized them all: Ed Bowman and Hugh and Frances Etherington. Elizabeth’s investigative nose immediately began to twitch. What were they doing together?
She pulled up against the curb and watched the three of them walk down the sidewalk. They were speaking rapidly and at one time Ed and Hugh seemed to be arguing. She wished she could overhear their conversation.
At the end of the block, Hugh and Frances climbed into their car and drove away. Ed looked mad as he trudged back to the real estate agency. She got out of her vehicle and crossed the street, though she wasn’t sure what she was going to ask him.
She paused for a moment to look at some of the real estate pictures that were posted beside the doorway before going in. More photographs of houses, retail buildings, and open land covered four large boards on the right wall. Along the left wall were three doors, all of which were closed. On the last one she saw the sign Ace Developers.
“May I help you?” the receptionist asked.
“I’m looking for Ed Bowman.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Not exactly. My name is Elizabeth Oliver. I am a travel writer working on a story about the Crowsnest Highway.” She smiled. That sounded so official.
The receptionist got up and went to his door, knocking before she entered. She returned shortly and said Elizabeth could go in.
Ed was removing folders from the top drawer of a filing cabinet when she walked in. He looked at her as he set them in a box on his desk. She held out her hand to him. “Elizabeth Oliver. You probably don’t remember seeing me on Saturday when the skeleton was found.”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t.” He shook her hand then turned back to the cabinet. “How may I help you?”
“Well, I’m writing a story about Septic Stan,” she said. He frowned at the name. “And I would like to ask you some questions.”
“I thought it was about the Crowsnest Highway?”
“This happened in a place along the highway.” She was getting better at fabricating the truth.
“I’m very busy right now, and I’ve already spoken to enough reporters.”
“I’m a writer.” He hadn’t asked her to sit so she remained standing.
“What’s the difference?” he asked gruffly.
She was stymied. She wanted to write a story for a magazine. They wrote for a newspaper. Not much, she guessed. She tried another approach.
“I saw you with Hugh and Frances Etherington.”
“So?” Ed began taking papers from the desk drawers and piling them in the box.
“I’m staying at the same bed and breakfast as they are. Are they associated with Ace Developers or the Western Hog Corporation?”
He looked up at her. “Why don’t you ask them?”
Which probably meant they were. She tried another tack. “Do you think the skeleton was put in the tank by the people who belong to CRAP in order to halt the hog barn?”
“It doesn’t really matter now. If you will excuse me, I have things to do.” He picked up his telephone and began to dial a number.
“Are you leaving the area?” she asked.
He ignored her and began talking into the phone.
As she left his office she saw Corporal Hildebrandt standing at the reception desk. He had a piece of paper in his hand and he entered Ed’s office without being announced and closed the door behind him. Something’s going on, thought Elizabeth. She decided to hang around, at least until he came out. Maybe she’d overhear something. As she lingered by the photographs of houses for sale on the wall, one caught her eye. It was the house on the acreage that had been used as a garage. Below it were the words: FREE. Removal must be immediate.
That was a good idea. It would save them the time of demolishing it and carting away the debris. She didn’t have to wait long for the door to open and Hildebrandt to come out, still holding the paper.
Ed stood in the doorway. “The Etheringtons are staying at the Prairie B&B,” he said. “You can give it to them there.”
“Well, whether you are still involved with the hog barn or not, a crew will be out there tomorrow,” Hildebrandt said, as he left.
Well, that seemed to confirm an Ace–Etherington connection. Itching with curiosity, Elizabeth headed to her vehicle wishing again that she’d been able to hear the conversation she’d seen earlier on the street.
As she drove by Peggy’s former acreage, she noticed a single car sitting in front. The septic tank had started to lose its appeal and there were fewer people stopping by now. She slowed to pass the car and recognized it as belonging to the Etheringtons. They were the last people she would have thought to get a thrill from any sensationalism. She was now doubly sure they had something to do with the hog barn.
She saw Hugh and Frances standing beside the old house. They were deep
in conversation and didn’t notice her.
A police car was just pulling out of the yard when Elizabeth got to the B&B. While she waited for them to work their way around the reporters, she could see that it was Constables Branson and Martin. Martin, who was driving, nodded at her as they went by.
Shirley, Al, and Peggy were sitting at the empty table when Elizabeth and Chevy went in. Stormie immediately found the ball and she and Chevy went outside.
“How long did it take you to teach him to fetch a ball?” Al asked.
“I think it was more of how long it took him to teach me to throw it,” Elizabeth said.
Their laughter was a bit forced.
“What did the police want?” Elizabeth asked.
“They’ve dated the bones,” Peggy said. “They belong to a man in his early to mid-fifties.”
Well, that eliminated Mike and Julia. “And?”
“Harry was fifty-four when he disappeared,” Shirley said.
“Do they think it’s him?”
“They did insinuate it. They’re still waiting for a sketch artist to finish the drawing of what the face would look like based on the shape of the skull. They asked for a picture of him to compare it to.”
“And you had one?” It was the last thing Elizabeth would have thought Shirley to have of her father. But then again, there was that picture on Peggy’s dresser.
“Just one from when I was quite small. I still loved my Dad then,” Shirley said, quietly.
“Of course, I’m sorry,” Elizabeth murmured, chastened. “This must be so hard on you. Did the police say how long it would take for the sketch to be completed?”
Shirley shook her head. “They indicated that they would be back in the next couple of days. They told Mom not to leave the area.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. This was sounding serious.
“And then they received a call from the station and wanted to know where the Etheringtons were,” Peggy added.
“I saw them at the acreage, so if they’re still there, the police will see them when they go by,” Elizabeth said, thinking again of the paper in Hildebrandt’s hand. This whole mystery was getting more and more fascinating.
Chapter 14
The Etheringtons and Sinclairs were at their tables when Elizabeth came down to breakfast. The sideboard was laden with food again, including pancakes, and she smiled when she saw the jar of peanut butter.
Frances Etherington had her cup of black coffee and Hugh had a big plateful of food. Elizabeth was tempted to mention that she had seen them at Ace Developers and at the acreage, but she sensed they wanted to keep their association quiet.
Brian was silent and Cindy was sullen. Today her hair was streaked red to match her red sleeveless sweater. Again it was Peggy who acted as hostess. However, she didn’t try to keep a conversation going. She just made sure the platters of food were always topped up.
Elizabeth was amazed that Al and Shirley had kept the B&B open during the past week. With what was happening she had expected them to ask everyone to leave and to close it up. But, when you’re in business, she supposed, you have to keep going.
Elizabeth didn’t like the silence so she asked Brian. “Where are you and Cindy going today?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”
“If you head west you can take an underground mine tour at Bellevue and visit the Hillcrest Cemetery. You could drive through the Frank Slide, too.” She was beginning to sound like a tour guide.
“Thank you, I’ll think about it.”
“If you’d rather see something else, go northwest to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump or east to see Fort Whoop-Up at Lethbridge.”
“Thank you.”
He seemed a little testy. Was the holiday not going as he’d hoped? Cindy didn’t seem to be very enthusiastic.
As soon as Hugh finished eating the Etheringtons left. They always seemed to be in a hurry to go someplace. Brian and Cindy were not too far behind. Maybe they were anxious to see some of the places she’d mentioned.
Just as Al and Shirley came in to help Peggy clear away the dishes, Reverend Raymond came down the stairs. They paused in their work.
“Yes, I’d like some breakfast,” he said, as if reading their minds.
They put the platters of food back down and Raymond picked up a plate. “Do you think the bones are Harry’s?” he asked, as he spooned some scrambled eggs onto his plate.
“No,” Peggy said, immediately.
“So when do you think he will appear?”
“What do you mean?”
Raymond stopped and looked at her. “Well, you maintain that the bones don’t belong to him, even though the police now know that they are from a man about his age. So you must think he’s still alive. When do you expect him to show up?”
“Why would he?” Al asked, through clenched teeth.
“I’ve heard that there is a lot of money at stake here.” Raymond sat down at Elizabeth’s table.
“That belongs to Mom,” Shirley said, emphatically.
“I doubt that Harry will think that way. And as we all know, Harry has always managed to get what he wanted.”
“Have you found another place to stay?” Al demanded.
“I’m looking,” Raymond said.
“Don’t take too long or I will throw you out and you can sleep in your car.”
Al, Shirley, and Peggy began clearing off the sideboard again not waiting to see if Raymond wanted seconds.
“Why did you come here?” Elizabeth asked him, when they had left the room.
Raymond chewed a mouthful of toast. When he swallowed he said. “I guess I wanted to see if Harry had finally received what he deserved. And because this whole thing is my fault.”
She wasn’t sure what to make of this man. “Your fault? How?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but instead he just looked down at his half eaten breakfast, shook his head, and left.
Most of the sideboard had been cleaned off. Elizabeth picked Raymond’s plate and carried it into the kitchen. She didn’t have much to do except wait to see if anything new developed.
* * * *
“So what famous place are we going to visit today?” Cindy asked, as they sat in their car in front of the B&B.
“I’d like to go to the library but it doesn’t open until twelve o’clock.”
“The library?” Cindy almost screeched. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. I’d like to look at some of their history books.”
“Since when did you become a history nut?”
“I just want to learn more about this place.” He was lying to her again and he hated it. He wished he could tell her the truth.
“Well, what am I supposed to do? I’m getting tired of sitting in the car all day.”
“You could look around town.”
“Yippee, that sounds like fun.”
Brian sighed. “How about we go to the museum and watch the Musical Ride first?” He had the morning to do something with Cindy. He didn’t want a rebellion on his hands.
“The museum? That’s not much better.”
“They have a lot of memorabilia about the RCMP in it.”
“Why would I want to learn about them?”
“They are the ones who keep the law in this country.”
“So?”
“Okay,” Brian could not keep the exasperation out of his voice. “What do you want to do?”
“Go home.”
“Well, we can’t. We’ve booked the room for a week.” He couldn’t explain his feelings but he wanted to stay at the B&B. He was pretty certain Shirley hadn’t recognized him so he would have to decide what he was going to say to her. Would she be glad to see him or angry that he had left her so easily? And he wanted to find out about their baby. He thought she may have given it up for adoption since he hadn’t seen anyone of the right age around. He still wondered if it was a girl or boy and if someday he or she would come looking for him.
> “Dad. I said you could un-book it.”
Brian was brought back to the present. “I’m not going to.”
It was Cindy’s turn to sigh. “Okay. Let’s do the museum. I can hardly wait to get to school and tell everyone what I did over the summer holidays.”
* * * *
The front door bell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Elizabeth said.
“If it’s a reporter, tell them to get off our property,” Shirley said.
Dick Pearson stood at the door. “I’d like to see Peggy,” he said, politely.
“Do you mind waiting while I see if she’s available?” Elizabeth asked.
He nodded.
“Peggy, Dick Pearson would like to see you,” she said, when she got back to the kitchen.
Peggy ran a hand over her hair and left.
Elizabeth began to help Shirley with the dishes. “I think Dick is in love with your mother,” she said.
“Yes, he has been since they were young.”
“And she never loved him?”
“I don’t know. From what she told me they dated for a while, but then Harry moved into town. Harry was tall and handsome and every girl’s dream. He ate at the restaurant where Mom worked and flirted with her all the time. Mom says she always thought she and Dick were just friends so when Harry asked her on a date she accepted. But I guess Dick figured they had a more permanent relationship and he told Harry to stay away from her. Of course, Harry took that as a challenge and he continued inviting her out. When Dick spoke to Mom about it, she said she was in love with Harry and told Dick to leave her alone. It must have hurt Dick because he began drinking and was the town drunk for a few years.”
“And your mother ended up marrying Harry.”
“Yes, making the worst mistake of her life.” Shirley put the pots and pans in the sink and ran water over them.
Elizabeth had heard that before. “Dick seems to have done well, though.”
“His father told him that he would make him a partner in his business if he quit drinking. After a few months of thinking about it, Dick accepted. He took over the business when his father died.”
The Travelling Detective: Boxed Set Page 17
