A Kayak for One

by K. L. McCluskey

  Charlene found the food source and bought a barbeque sausage on a bun from a smiling middle-aged man standing beside a woman wearing a "I'M WITH STUPID" tee shirt. He looked up from the barbeque at Charlene, saw her look to the woman and then to him, shrugged his shoulders and smiled, as if the arrow on her shirt was going to point his way no matter what he did or said.

  Charlene loaded the sausage up with ketchup and hot mustard and made her way back to the car. On the way she noticed a booth with information about the rare total eclipse of the moon happening in just a few days. It was going to be a rare event because it was also a harvest moon, the full moon closest to the fall equinox in the northern hemisphere. The dark red-brown colour of the eclipsed moon would be visible from around 9:00 o'clock until just after midnight. She tucked the brochure into her back pocket knowing she would forget all this info by the time she got home and Joe would be interested. What that had to do with art either she didn't know. Sky art? She smiled at the possibilities of such an art medium.

  It reminded her that she was hoping to have been with Joe on that night either sitting on a dock or on the pontoon boat floating out on the large part of the lake, blanket over them, hot drink in hand, watching the moon. Where was he? Where out of town did he go? Did Sarah's messages scare him off or did he go before she tried to reach him? Did he even go? She wondered. Would he be back in time for them to see the eclipse together? Her cell phone was vibrating in the car drink holder. She got in to answer it and closed her window against the festival din.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey Staff. Two things. I got a couple of pictures of Lori wearing glasses. Ashley had one of Greg and Lori sitting together at the pub table and neither of them looked happy. It almost looks like she and Greg just had words. As well, the professor had one and sent it to my phone too. I don't know why he had one of her alone, but it shows Lori perched by the bar wearing her glasses. In the photo he took though, she is looking radiant. I hate seeing the pictures of homicide victims in one way. I'm not sure why," Sarah said.

  "Maybe it brings the polar opposites to mind so clearly. It makes it so much more awful to see her dead and then seeing a picture of her so alive."

  Charlene felt she knew what emotions Sarah was struggling with. When she was a detective the pictures of victims were hard for her to look at too. She found it easier looking at what death had done to them in reality than looking at the photos families had of their loved ones around the house. She could deal with the death better than the depiction of a life that would never be again.

  "Yeah I guess. It makes me sick to my stomach whatever it is."

  "Number two?" asked Charlene.

  "I got through to Joe on his cell. He's in Hamilton. You're not going to like this. He's at his ex's house."

  Charlene felt her stomach clench and felt the tremors start in her knees and travel up her legs. Shaky knees were her body's way of telling her something was not right.

  It didn't take much to trigger her memory of driving a police cruiser in the first year as a patrol officer and involved in a high speed car chase along Barton Street in Hamilton. The suspect was wanted for robbery at gas stations using a rifle. Another officer saw a licence plate without a valid sticker and asked dispatch to check on the licence plate as he drove behind the car. Dispatch came back with the information that the owner of the car was a wanted man. The officer thought the driver matched that of the suspect and activated his roof lights and siren, and asked for back-up. Charlene was the officer in the next beat, so was in the area quickly. A car pulled out suddenly in front of the lead officer and Charlene was able to pull out ahead from a side street. She was now the lead car and the adrenaline coursed through her. It was going to be a fight not flight scenario, at least that's how she saw it since she was expected to know what to do, and call out to dispatch what was happening and take control of the chase. Her knees were shaking as she drove, so much so that her foot on the gas pedal was shaky too. At the next red light the suspect stopped. She remembered thinking that it was odd that he stopped. Her knees started to shake even more. She stopped behind and to the left of the car with the cruiser motor acting as a barrier. The second officer pulled his cruiser to the side and back and a third officer pulled out from the side parking lot at an angle. It was just as they practised at police college over and over again. All officers got out of their cruisers and knelt behind the car door, shielding themselves as much as possible. Charlene used her loud speaker and ordered the suspect to turn off the car engine and put both hands out the window to the roof of the car. All three officers had their guns out and pointed at the driver. She ordered him to keep his hands visible and open the car door using the handle on the outside. He complied and was kneeling on the road with legs spread and hands on his head when she approached from behind and told him to lie face down and told him she was going to handcuff him. She put her gun into her holster once he was on the ground with hands behind his back. The other officers had their guns pointed at the suspect, ready to shoot him if he made any move to reach into his pockets for a weapon, or reach for Charlene or her gun. Once handcuffed, the other officers put their guns away. Charlene searched his pockets and removed his socks and shoes, checking for knives or small blades. They were taught that a proper search before the suspect was put in the cruiser was the safest way to ensure no one would get hurt on route to the station or inside the custody area. Once searched, they pulled him to his feet and put him in Charlene's cruiser. It was only then that she noticed her knees were no longer shaking. The officer who started the chase followed her to central station so they could both take him into custody. It was always supposed to be two officers. Sometimes officers said they would do it alone, but Charlene always asked for another officer when transporting a prisoner to custody. She always planned on getting in her own car at the end of the shift and going home and didn't shortcut on officer safety.

  She started to think of another shaky knee experience on night shift when she pulled her cruiser into a dark parking lot in the north end and saw three people in a car. One man got out and walked toward her cruiser and her knees started to shake. It turned out he was wanted for a sexual assault on a young girl while she was in the bathroom alone at school. She shook off the memory.

  Jolted back to the present, Charlene had that same visceral feeling and it spread until she started to hear a humming in her ears and her vision went blurry with tears. What the hell was Joe doing? He was with a woman on the lake, possibly Lori, then her murder, and now Joe with his ex-wife? Shit, she was ashamed to feel that hearing about him being with his ex-wife was making her feel worse than the murder of Lori or wondering if Joe murdered Lori. Now she could understand how that poor woman in Hamilton felt when she told her that her husband was burned to a crisp in another woman's garage and that he was up on sexual assault charges against a young girl. She guessed that feelings just came as they came and to explain them was moot.

  "Charlene? Did you hear me?"

  "I heard you," she managed to say as she smoothed her hands over her knees.

  "He's going into the downtown police station in Hamilton and is going to give a video statement to a detective in Major Crimes. He's probably there now. He said he'd head right over. I'll talk to him when he's back as well after I've had a chance to look at the video. They said they'd courier it so I'd have it tomorrow.

  "Did he say why he was in Hamilton, never mind at his ex's house?" Charlene asked, not certain she was ready to hear Sarah's answer.

  "I didn't ask. You know Staff. It's better to not reveal much before the interview and that includes chit chat. Anyway, I stand by what I said. I don't buy it that Joe would be with another woman, as in having an affair or one-off, or be capable of murder. Besides no one, including you, saw anyone launch a boat at your landing that day. That's the only way onto the lake except for canoes or kayaks from the few steep backyards in Miner's Village. You can't get a fishing boat down those slopes easily without a lot of rigmarole and
without anyone noticing. We canvassed the whole village and anyone up at their cottage the days up to Lori's murder. No one saw a boat launch at your dock, or down the steep slopes of the yards that back onto the lake. So...if it was Joe how did he get his boat on the lake? The killer must be someone on the lake already."

  "Have you had a look at Joe's boat?"

  "No. His place is locked up and we have to wait. We don't have enough to get a search warrant either. You know that. Hey, where are you and why aren't you at the resort. Slagging off?"

  "That's number three, four and five. You said two things."

  "In other words you're saying it's none of my business. I get it. What happens when you resort people get some freedom and leave the property is anyone's guess. You're probably eating some junk food and sticking your tongue out at tourists. Don't go to Joe's place either Staff! I know you. Staff...Staff..."

  Charlene hung up and looked down at the last half of her sausage. She had lost her appetite. She got out of the car and walked over to the bear-proof garbage container next to the mail boxes. She put her hand under the handle, felt the latch give and opened the top and quickly threw the sausage in before any bees that were in the container could get out. That's all she needed was a bee sting to send her to the hospital. There was no way she was going to jab herself with the Epi pens she was supposed to have with her at all times. She'd been caught anyway. What kind of food was that to eat anyway? Comfort food, she thought, and she needed comforting, but from Joe and answers from Joe, not food.

  As she pulled up Joe's driveway, Mr. Blake from next door came running over. He'd been bent over in his large vegetable garden when she pulled up. Cripes he moved fast, she thought. Charlene couldn't remember his first name. Ned? Something like that. Yes Ned, she remembered. Joe always called him Mr. Blake, maybe so the Dr. Suess rhyme in the One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish book 'Hello my name is Ned...my head sticks out of bed...' won't stick in his mind all day. That should make Charlene smile, but not today.

  "Charlene! I have missed seeing you! I tell Joe to tell me when you are coming so I can show you my garden."

  "It's good to see you Mr. Blake. You know it's hard for me to leave the resort property when I have guests."

  "Oh good for you! You have guests still coming this late? Oh yes, the fall colour time. Did you happen to see how the art show was doing on your way?"

  "Yes the cars were lined up along the road into the village and it looks like another busy show, or festival or whatever it has turned out to be now."

  "I think I'll skip checking my mail box until it over then. Anyway, are you here to see Joe? I didn't see his truck early this morning. I was going to use my key later if I didn't see him come back in a few days. If you have guests I'd be happy to check on things so you don't have to worry about leaving the resort."

  Charlene put a smile on her face she hoped was convincing and said, "I was just passing by."

  She didn't want to tell him Joe hadn't asked her to come, nor did he tell her where he was going and for how long. Mr. Blake would wonder at what was going on between them. Though in his late 80s, he was spry and as active as any 60-year-old, and as curious as any three-year-old. He lived alone in a modest cedar-sided bungalow facing the waterfront on a two acre parcel of prime waterfront property. Many Americans who traveled to Manitoulin Island for the summer were itching to get their hands on it. They'd likely raze the house and build a super big monster home. Joe would hate that. Now Charlene would have to think of what to say to Joe when Mr. Blake told him she was there. It was a certainty he would tell Joe he spoke to her. Shit. Now how was she going to check to see if Joe's boat was at the dock?

  "I was sorry Joe had to cancel you coming a few days ago. I had some beets picked for you. I gave them to Stacy at the store. She's been having a hard time of it since Bill left. I can pick some for you if you have the time to wait," Mr. Blake said with enthusiasm hoping to keep Charlene there for a longer visit.

  Stacy and Bill Smith were the owners of the general store in the village. They bought the store for their retirement but just one year after they bought the store and a few months into the refurbishing the interior, Bill left and took all the money from their bank accounts with him. Stacy was running the store herself and though looking more haggard, Charlene noticed that after getting through a couple of months without Bill, she was coming back to her old self again. It was Stacy the customers preferred anyway, so the community rallied around her. Charlene realized it had been a few weeks since she had stopped in to see her. She better go in and see her on the way back.

  "I would love some beets, thanks. Yeah I was looking forward to some time with Joe. All my guests were taken care of and I had a bit of time."

  "He was working like the dickens to get that motor fixed. I went over to his shop for a chin wag and he told me you were coming for lunch. Too bad the motor didn't co-operate though and he had to cancel you and spend more time on getting the motor running for that lad. The poor guy was so upset he wouldn't be getting his boat on the lake for a go at fishing, he was practically crying. Anyway, it all worked out in the end. Now, I'll go get a basket and let's get you some beets."

  Charlene parked the car and walked to the garden.

  "So, I guess Joe got the motor fixed then?"

  "Hmm? No. He needed to slow down he said and take his time with it. That's why he let the young man borrow his motor. I would have thought you knew this. Have you not talked to Joe?"

  "We've both been busy Mr. Blake. Joe's been on the murder case and I've had a murder on my property and police there and guests and..."

  "Of course what was I thinking? You've had no time to yourselves never mind with each other!"

  "So Joe let the guy have his motor?"

  "Yup. Joe told the guy to just take his motor off his boat. The young fella could barely contain his delight. He backed his trailer up near the dock and hauled Joe's motor off the boat and onto his own boat faster than I've ever seen it done! He was a big strong man and it didn't look like he had to strain to dead lift the motor up and onto the dock."

  "What time was all this? Did the guy say what lake he was going fishing on?"

  "No I have no idea what time exactly, maybe before noon or so since I came up to the house to make lunch. I don't know what lake. I left while Joe was still talking to him. What's this, a quiz show Charlene?" Mr. Blake laughed at his own quip and picked more beets, pulling at the dark green of the tops with one hand and loosening the soil with the other.

  "When did he come back for his motor?" Charlene asked, feeling her heart bursting.

  "I'm not sure. I was working at the dock crib for the rest of the day so I'm not sure," he said as he looked up into the sky, then shook his head. "I'll have to think about that."

  "Anyway," he added, "That's the evening Joe had to go to your place for that poor girl. Joe told me there had been a murder when I saw him later looking dead on his feet. He said he was just home to try to get some sleep. Here you go. Those beets will be tasty for you."

  Charlene took the basket but not before giving Mr. Blake a kiss on the cheek and a big hug. She quickly went back to the car feeling better than she had for days.

  Chapter 47

  Charlene

  "Okay. Let me get this straight Staff. Joe's neighbour told you Joe lent his motor to a guy who was having motor trouble. This guy had Joe's motor on his boat out fishing on some lake some time the same day that Sam told you Joe was on this lake with a woman in his fishing boat, towing a yellow kayak. Correct?" Sarah asked as she sipped her tea in the office by the wood stove.

  "Correct. But, Sam didn't tell me he saw Joe, remember? He said he didn't see the man but said he knew the motor sound was Joe's motor. You know, that awful hiccup sound Joe's motor makes that he hasn't fixed yet."

  "There are a lot of lakes in the area for fishing. How do we know this guy came onto this lake? Besides, no one came on the lake that day remember?"

  "No one saw anyone
come on the lake you mean Sarah. We can't assume that because no one saw a boat launched, that it wasn't launched."

  "Yes, yes, I know what assuming does."

  "It makes an ass out of you and me," Sarah and Charlene said at the same time.

  They laughed and sat in silence drinking their tea. Sarah had come to the resort to get look at the canoe rack area again. She was worried about Lori's glasses and wanted them found. She and Officer Edwards went over every inch in cottage #2 again when she arrived, but other than finding an elastic hair bands under a dresser belonging to Ashley, they found nothing.

  "At least you can rule him out Sarah. Joe will know the guy's name since he was fixing his motor."

  "Yeah. Don't get your hopes up though Staff. There are a lot of lakes around here for good fishing and a lot of old motors on them. Hey don't roll your eyes at me."

  "This is serious Sarah. If it was that guy that Sam saw using Joe's motor, then it clears up a lot of stuff about Joe. Maybe Mr. Blake will remember Joe being in his shop working on the guy's motor the afternoon Lori was murdered."

  "If Joe's neighbour can give us the time frame that he saw Joe in his shop or at home for sure. You said he left while the guy was still talking to Joe. We need more information Staff. Maybe he will remember the guy bringing the motor back an hour later and that would still give Joe time to get on the lake."