Fire Angel

by Susanne Matthews

  Standing, she picked up the document, scanned it, then slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. She collected their garbage and tossed it in the trash. Coming back, she sat beside him once more.

  “I wondered if your people had looked into the regulars at that poker game. You just mentioned Wally played. I’m not a big card player, but three seems like an odd number for poker.”

  “There wasn’t a set group exactly. Frank wasn’t a regular, but he’d been in games with as many as six at one time. It was an open game and for the twenty-dollar buy in, anyone could play. There were three regulars—Duffy, his brother-in-law, Leo Preston, and Angus Carothers. Frank was supposed to play that night but couldn’t. He was doing some work for Minette and hurt himself. He did manage to bring the canteen there which was a huge help. It’s the only way the guys fighting the fire got a break. Andrew was there in his capacity as coroner. Sandy Duffy collapsed. She’s pregnant. That’ll be her third kid. Hard to raise a family that size without a husband.”

  “There will be insurance, right?”

  He nodded. “Yes, as long as we don’t discover she’s responsible for the fire, she’ll be set for life.”

  “Why wasn’t Carothers there?”

  “The guy was in the hospital. His son was one of the people I spoke to. Apparently Leroy and Jethro had done some work on his roof last spring, and the thing was still leaking. Instead of waiting for someone else to fix it, the old man decided to do the job himself and fell off. He broke a couple of vertebra in his neck and back. It was a miracle he didn’t die right away. He seemed to be doing fine, but a week after the accident, he had an embolism and passed away. I know what you’re thinking, but he died in his sleep—no foul play there.”

  “None that you can prove, you mean,” she countered. “Did Leroy and Jethro do a lot of roofing work?”

  “More than they should’ve. There were at least a half a dozen suits filed against them in small claims court for defective roofs.”

  She nodded, appeared to digest his words, and then frowned.

  “Why wasn’t young Carothers up there helping his father?’

  “He was at work. He’s a teacher. He was sure his father was supposed to have help, but the old man was so stubborn, he probably decided to do it even when his buddy couldn’t.”

  “Do you know who the friend was?”

  “I don’t and neither does his son. His dad had a lot of them. None of the neighbors saw anything. I know where you’re coming from. The Fire Angel wanted a seat at the table, found out what Angus was up to, and pushed him off the roof. It’s a stretch, but it’s plausible. His son came home and found him lying in the driveway.” He scratched his head. “Even if there had been foul play, I don’t know how we could prove it. The body’s been cremated. Fire Angel could’ve gotten in on the game just by coughing up the buy-in.”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences.” Alexis answered. “You’re sure he shot Nate so he could have free access to the cabin. I’m sure he had something to do with this to get into the game. What did Angus do for a living?”

  Jake’s blood ran cold. “He was a chemistry teacher at the high school.”

  “I haven’t been to the second scene yet, but from what I read, chemistry might have a lot to do with that fire, meaning it’s quite possible the man didn’t fall off that roof, especially if he’d answered questions about Molotov cocktails. Our killer probably expected him to die immediately, and when he didn’t, he took matters into his own hands. I’m not a doctor but injecting 300 ccs of air into someone’s I.V. tube might cause an embolism. This guy certainly makes sure there are no witnesses, no one to implicate him. Didn’t you call him a ghost? Who can move around a hospital and not be noticed? Doctors, nurses, paramedics. If he shot at us, which is out of his comfort zone since it doesn’t involve fire, shoving a man off a roof is definitely possible.”

  “Maybe, but you can’t prove it, which gives us another dead end,” he said huffing out a breath. “I’ll add to the confusion. Angus Junior teaches science, too, but he works in North Bay. I’ve known him my whole life. The man would not kill his father. No way.”

  Two officers came into the breakroom.

  “Let’s finish in your office,” Alexis said.

  “After you.”

  “Don’t leave on our account,” Pierre Leduc said. “We don’t often get to take our breaks with a pretty lady.”

  “Sorry, Pierre. Maybe another time,” he said, surprised by the jealousy the man’s words had generated. “Will you be going with Alexis to the house tomorrow?”

  “Not tomorrow. The fire marshal hasn’t signed off on it yet. When he does, we’ll be there.”

  Jake nodded. Standing, he followed Alexis back to his office.

  * * *

  Alexis pulled up a chair and sat across from Jake. She was still upset about her uncle’s note and wanted to forget about it. The easiest way to do that would be to immerse herself in the case.

  “Is there anyone who’s a regular at those poker games that you suspect? To me, someone who should’ve been there and wasn’t might hold the answers.”

  “Lamont Kirby’s stood out the night of the fire, but I’ve cleared him.”

  “Why?” She leaned forward in her chair.

  “He drives for the fuel company that supplied Duffy’s Garage. Apparently, he and Duffy had a dust-up a few weeks ago when Kirby accused him of cheating. We questioned him. The night of the fire, he was home sick with a cold. His girlfriend confirmed his alibi.” He shrugged.

  “Women in love have been known to lie to protect their men. Is he a candidate for the other two fires? Do you know him well?”

  “I wouldn’t have known him before I questioned him if I’d tripped over him,” Jake admitted. “Paradise isn’t a big place, but I haven’t exactly spent my time here making friends.”

  Alexis frowned. Then it couldn’t be him. Fire Angel knew Jake—knew him well enough to know that losing would upset him. That could easily put Jake on the potential victims list. Maybe hiring private security was a good thing and not just for her and his family.

  “So he lives in town?”

  Jake nodded. “He moved in with his girlfriend about three months ago.” He put up his hand. “I know. That’s around the time the first fire with a fatality occurred, but he had an alibi for that one, too. He and the girlfriend were in Toronto to attend Fan Expo. They’re both big Walking Dead fans.”

  “Another alibi from the girlfriend. Convenient.” Alexis stretched. “What about the night of the fire at the house? Was she his alibi then, too?”

  “No. He was in the bar with a bunch of other guys celebrating someone’s loss of independence and was one of the last to leave. The bartender doesn’t remember seeing him leave early and come back either. Despite the flimsy alibi, I couldn’t find anything to tie him to the drug dealer or Leroy and Jethro specifically. Like I said, he’s a stranger to me, and he doesn’t have a record. On top of that, the man’s a fitness buff, doesn’t hunt or fish, and I couldn’t find a gun registered to him. He came in third in the North Bay Charity Marathon in June. They live in an apartment over on Grand across from Providence House. I can bring him in for questioning again if you want me to.”

  What would be the point?

  “No, I’m sure you did a thorough job, and too many things don’t work,” she answered trying to hide her disappointment. “I doubt he smokes, not if he’s the ‘my body is a temple’ kind. Anybody else?”

  He nodded. “I’m still looking into things, but Clint Jones is a possibility. Again, not everything we think we know fits, but...” He shrugged. “The fact he wasn’t playing that night and was a semi-regular makes him a suspect, especially when he has no alibi. He claims he fell asleep watching the hockey game. But Clint had a definite beef with Leroy. He got into a fist fight with him about six months ago. Apparently, the men built a shed for him that wasn’t up to code and caught fire, damaging the neighbor’s garage. He sued, and Clint
had to pay damages as well as a hefty fine. He tried to charge Leroy with negligence but lost the case since there wasn’t any physical evidence. After that, Clint made it harder for the guys to get the permits they needed to do the work they were hired to do. I don’t have a link to Slaney or the drugs, and he was a good friend of Duffy’s, but the man’s an avid hunter, and yesterday was his day off. I didn’t see him at the inn on Sunday, so he could’ve followed you. He knows the area well.” He cleared his throat. “One more thing. He was fined five hundred dollars for having a fire during the burn band last summer and his office has a few stuffed animals in it. If he didn’t do them himself, he obviously knows someone who does.”

  “How well do you know him?” She moved to the edge of her chair.

  “Why does that matter?” Jake asked.

  His confused frown reminded her once more that not sharing everything was hampering his ability to do his job.

  “No reason, but if you know someone well, you might interpret their actions differently.” That was reaching. “As far as not having a connection to the drug dealer, don’t forget using drugs, even marijuana, isn’t exactly something people might brag about. Your government may be legalizing it, but for many that won’t make it any more acceptable than it was. Like alcohol, it can be used and abused and hidden from others.”

  Jake nodded. “We were in school together, but he’s David’s age and as you put it earlier, we didn’t move in the same circles. I know him to say hello. I’ve dealt with him a few times when renewing permits for the inn.” He ran his hand through his hair and then opened the file he’d brought back from the breakroom with him. “Questioning him prematurely could cost him his job. Paradise is a small town after all, and the minute we start bringing people in, especially people who work as public servants, the news will spread like wild fire, even without Ralph Willard to fan the flames. I don’t want to ruin the man. As far as Angus goes, he never taught Clint.”

  “How can you be so sure?” she asked, curious because of the depth of his conviction.

  “Because that was the year his wife had cancer—the year he and David would’ve been in his class. We raised a ton of money for treatment. Angus Junior lived with us while his father stayed in Ottawa with his wife.”

  “Did she make it?”

  “For a short time, maybe six months and then she died. The next year, Angus was back teaching, but the man was never the same.”

  She nodded. “Let’s leave Clint on the list for now. We’re looking at charging a man with as many as a dozen charges of murder. I don’t want to see an innocent man ruined either, but if the moon does factor in this somehow, we’re running out of time.”

  “I know, and it’s eating me alive.”

  Alexis nodded, her own guilt festering inside. Sooner or later she would have to come clean or the Fire Angel was going to get away with murder—hopefully not her own.

  * * *

  Jake couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was sure Alexis was holding out on him. Why would she do that? This wasn’t a contest. He didn’t give a damn one way or another if she figured out who the Fire Angel was first. He just wanted the monster stopped.

  He lifted a sheet out of the folder. “If we consider people who weren’t part of the game,” Jake continued, “it’s a very short list. I started by identifying all the things we definitely know about him and those we suspect based on your examination of the cabin yesterday. I’m going to add easy access to the hospital to the list. So far, I haven’t found anyone who meets all of the conditions, but I’m open to your opinion and ideas.”

  Maybe that would help her open up.

  She nodded. “We both agree Fire Angel is one man, but considering all the conflicting information we have, we may need to consider the possibility that he has an accomplice, an acolyte he controls, someone who’ll help him out in other ways, such as shooting at us, so that he can be where he needs to be. The history books are full of charismatic people, serial killers, who convince others to do their bidding. Think of Kirby’s girlfriend. She might not even realize she’s helping a killer—that is if she is. If we can’t tick off all the boxes for one person, that could be the reason.” She stood and walked over to the board covered in pictures. “I’m not saying that’s what’s going on here, and I haven’t got a shred of evidence to back it up, but I’m throwing it out there. If someone fits most of the profile and has means and motive, we can’t dismiss him. Based on that possibility, who’s your strongest candidate?”

  Jake pursed his lips and frowned. An accomplice? That thought had crossed his mind and he’d dismissed it.

  “The only person I’ve fleshed out and can link, albeit loosely, to all three fires is Andrew Shillingham. You saw him at the restaurant the night you arrived. He got there maybe half an hour before you did. I don’t for a minute believe he has anything to do with this, but when I look at the list of things I know about Fire Angel, and new things you’ve asked me, his name keeps popping up.”

  “Share what you know. Maybe a set of unbiased eyes and ears will help.”

  “Okay. Andrew spent his summers here as a kid. His grandparents had a cottage along the river not far from the Simmons cabin, so he knows the area well, including the old logging road. He and I are good friends—since that seems to matter to you—and play chess regularly, although I win nine out of ten games. He was in the restaurant the night you arrived, but as I told you he was late, claiming he’d been in Ottawa, but that hasn’t been confirmed. While I can’t link him directly to Slaney, his five-year-old daughter was killed in a drive by shooting between rival gangs in Montreal about six years ago. He was up here when it happened. He and his wife hadn’t been getting along ... His wife blamed him for not getting there sooner, but Duffy had been working on his car, taking far longer than he should, and by the time the doctor made it back, the child had died. His wife sued him for divorce shortly after.”

  “That gives him motive to kill both Slaney and Duffy. Having the drug dealer move into the area could’ve been a trigger, especially if he was part of the same syndicate. If the dealer’s arrival triggered a psychotic break, then he could blame Duffy for keeping him away from his family when they needed him. Do you know if he has a dog?”

  “He does, just got himself a brand-new pup. His old dog was killed last year. Some jackass driving too fast hit it and took off.”

  Alexis’s eyes grew large. “Did he have a beef with Leroy and Jethro, too?”

  He nodded. “Yes, a poorly insulated roof. The court made the boys pay for the new roof put on by a company from North Bay.”

  “Has he been to the fire scenes?” She’d stopped pacing, as if rooted to the spot in her excitement.

  “Yes. All three of those with fatalities. He’s currently the coroner while Fitz is on vacation.”

  “Have you questioned him?” Her voice indicated she thought this might be a viable lead.

  “Not yet.” He ran his hand through his hair. “This man’s my friend. This just doesn’t fit with the person I know.”

  “I understand, Jake, but if he’s going through some kind of psychotic break ... Pyromania is a mental illness and could only be a small part of his problem.”

  Jake nodded. “True, but I haven’t seen any signs that he enjoys fire that way. Yes, there was bad blood between him and Leroy, but since he refused to recommend their work, they had more of a motive for wanting him dead than he did.”

  “While that’s true, you have to look at what does fit—I know it’s circumstantial at best—but we don’t have the luxury of giving anyone a free pass.” She stood next to him and touched his arm. “As a doctor, Andrew has access to Flunitrazepam—that’s the fancy name for Rohypnol. It’s still available to treat severe cases of insomnia that don’t respond to other drugs. From what I understand of the drug, the stuff they can get isn’t as soluble and comes in lower doses.”

  “I know, and I’ve already considered the fact that he could probably find a way to liqui
fy it. He’s got a medical degree, I’m sure he understands chemistry.”

  “So why are you hesitating?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  “Because of what doesn’t fit. He doesn’t smoke and while he might’ve visited the area as a kid, he’s only lived here since his wife left him and he moved his medical practice. You saw him in the restaurant. He’s not exactly the outdoorsy kind. The only thing he shoots is a golf ball and he’s a card-carrying member of PETA.”

  “Which means he probably wasn’t the one shooting at us.” She pursed her lips. “What’s his specialty?”

  “Here in Paradise, he’s doing general medicine, but in Montreal he was a top-notch plastic surgeon. I know what you’re thinking, the stitching on the owl, but Andrew’s just a couple of years older than we are. He couldn’t have done it. By the way, he was on duty at the clinic yesterday afternoon. I called the office to check. Now that you’ve brought Angus into the equation, he certainly had access to the man and would know how to create an embolism. There’s something else to consider. We still don’t know where Slaney was living, so we don’t know where his drugs are or were. Just because he specialized in cannabis, doesn’t mean he couldn’t have branched out. Putting Andrew at the top of the list because he’s a doctor doesn’t sit right with me.”

  Alexis scrunched up her face. “If it isn’t the doctor, then who’s next on your list?”

  “I’ve already mentioned Ansel Curtis. He was conspicuous by his absence the day you arrived. He was also having an affair with Duffy’s sister-in-law. They probably got together while her husband was playing cards. That gives him a motive for wanting Leo dead. From what I’ve learned neither Leo nor Duffy were stellar individuals. Pierre said he’d been called over to their places more than once for a domestic disturbance call, but neither wife would press charges. If that was the case, taking out either man would be a public service. I just can’t see him killing Father Martin or the kid, but he wouldn’t be the first man to kill others to hide the real target. We all know love is a powerful force. He’s also a hunter and a skeet shooting champion. As a vet, he may even be able to get the drug somewhere. He would certainly know how it works. I wanted to talk to him this afternoon, but he’s in Ottawa for a couple of days.”