Last lullaby

by Alice Walsh

  “No, I don’t imagine it is,” Emma said, recalling how Mitch had bolted when they spotted him in St. John’s. “Does Claire know?”

  Lauren tightened her lips. “Oh, she knows.”

  “She should have told us,” Emma said.

  Lauren agreed. “Mitch could be subpoenaed if the case goes to trial.”

  “That could be embarrassing,” Emma said.

  “It was the strangest thing, seeing him this morning.”

  Emma shook her head as if to clear away her confusion. “Speaking of strange things…I saw Daniel and Bailey at Kiddy Academy this morning.” She gave Lauren a sidelong glance. “I never expected him to be so beautiful.”

  Lauren laughed. “What did you expect? A nerd in a clerical collar?”

  “Are you a couple again?”

  “I don’t think we were ever a couple. Daniel’s married to the church. I’ve always felt like his mistress. Anyway, he’s gone home now.”

  “That’s a shame. He’s really good with Bailey. I’m glad you decided to tell him about her.”

  “Actually, it was Paula who let the cat out of the bag.”

  At that moment, a knock came at the door and Emma went to answer it. A small, slim woman with reddish dyed hair stood in the hallway. Despite the warm weather, she wore a scarf and a pale yellow ski jacket. Her face was blotchy, her eyes red-rimmed as if she’d been crying.

  “Hello, ma’am. Can I help you?” Emma said.

  “Dr. Buckle?”

  Emma nodded.

  “I’m Stella Roberts. My daughter, Jade, was in one of your classes.”

  Emma held open the door. “Ms. Roberts, please come in.”

  Stella stepped into the office. “Oh,” she said, glancing worriedly at Lauren. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “It’s okay,” Emma said. “This is Lauren LaVallee, Jade’s criminology instructor.”

  “You called me about a week ago,” Lauren reminded her.

  “Oh, yes,” Stella said. “I went by your office. They told me you were in class.”

  “I just finished,” Lauren said. “If you need to talk, I have a few minutes.”

  “Take a seat,” Emma said, motioning to a nearby chair. “Can I take your jacket?”

  “That’s okay,” Stella said. “I don’t plan to stay long.”

  “I take it you still haven’t heard from Jade,” Lauren said, sensing Stella’s distress.

  “No,” Stella said, her voice wobbly. “I drove in from St. John’s today to clean out her apartment. She left everything. Cara’s clothes. All her little dresses and sleepers. Left behind her baby pictures, her birth certificate, all kinds of personal items. And the rent was paid until the end of the month.”

  Lauren and Emma exchanged looks.

  “Something’s wrong,” Stella said. She pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

  Emma leaned toward her. “When did you last hear from Jade?”

  “A week before she disappeared—I lent her money to have her telephone reinstalled. Seems odd now that she’d go to that trouble if she was planning to leave.”

  “Ms. Roberts, in light of everything that’s happened, I think you should contact the police again,” Lauren said. “Rebecca Taylor is an RCMP officer in my criminology class. She knows Jade—knows her situation. I can call her if you like.”

  “That’s okay, my love.” Stella stood up, calmer now, but Lauren could tell she was still upset. “I plan to go to the police station after I leave here. I’ll ask for Officer Taylor.”

  “Can I give you a ride?” Emma offered.

  “No, my love, I have my car. I’ll be fine.”

  Emma saw Stella to the door. “Let us know if you hear from Jade.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  Emma closed the door and turned to Lauren. “Are you as worried as I am?”

  —

  “Not the kind of stuff a tenant leaves behind,” Constable Rebecca Taylor said as she looked around Jade’s apartment. Hours after Stella Roberts left the police station, they’d obtained a warrant to go inside.

  “No doubt Jade intended to return,” Kyle Harrison, Rebecca’s partner, agreed. He opened a tin box filled with cards, photographs, letters, and other personal items.

  Rebecca touched a bright butterfly stuck to the patio door. “Interesting,” she said.

  “Brightens up the place,” Kyle said.

  Rebecca ducked into the bathroom and pulled open the medicine cabinet. She found a bottle of Tylenol, some rubbing alcohol, and a box of Band-Aids. Under the sink were tampons, Epsom salts, a can of Ajax, and other cleaning supplies. More butterflies were stuck to the bathtub, toilet, and mirror.

  When Rebecca returned to the kitchen, Kyle was methodically going through the cupboards. She opened the closet and found several coats and sweaters. More proof that Jade had intended to return.

  “What are you looking for?” Kyle asked.

  “A red coat—the one Jade wore to school nearly every day. I don’t see it anywhere.”

  They moved to the bedroom, going through bureau drawers. The bed was unmade but the sheets and blankets had not been removed. There were more photographs of Cara on the dresser. A small crib stood in one corner with a box of Pampers beneath. A telephone sat on a night table, its red light blinking.

  “Let’s see who Jade called last.” Rebecca hit the redial button. The phone was picked up almost immediately. “Paddy’s Arm Medical Centre,” said a curt voice.

  “This is Constable Rebecca Taylor,” she said. “I’m checking out a number.”

  “Can I help you?”

  “It’s okay,” Rebecca said. “But thank you.” She hung up the phone and turned to Kyle. “Hopefully, they’ll have a record of the call.”

  “We may need to subpoena Ms. Roberts’s carrier to access her voice mail.”

  “Only if it’s password protected.” Rebecca picked up the receiver again, and dialled *99.

  “You have eighteen new messages,” said a robotic voice. “To retrieve your messages, press one.”

  Rebecca did as the machine instructed. The first call was from Jade’s mother. “Jade, it’s Mom. Give me a call.”

  Most of the calls were run of the mill: friends wanting to get together, offers from telemarketers, a call from the landlord informing her that the water would be shut off. Erika Jansen had called wanting to “touch base.” The last call was from Patrick Shaw: “Jade, where are you? I went by your apartment, but you weren’t there. Thought you said to come around seven. Did I get the time wrong?” There was a slight pause. “Anyway, I got the money. I’m going back to my apartment. Call as soon as—” a loud beep signalled the mailbox was full.

  Kyle frowned. “Money?”

  “Jade borrowed money from all her friends, but I’ll have an informal chat with Patrick tomorrow at the preschool,” Rebecca said. “He’s working the late shift this week. Darren’s been picking up Connor, but I’ll go get him before I start work.”

  “Good idea. We’ll follow up with the others who left messages as well.” Kyle frowned. “You have to wonder, though: why would Jade send emails to friends and professors? Why send an email to her landlord telling him she was moving if she had no intention of doing so?”

  “I don’t believe she wrote those messages.”

  Kyle stared at Rebecca, the meaning of her words sinking in. “Someone else sent them?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “Now that I think about it,” Kyle said thoughtfully, “it’s the only thing that makes sense. But that means—”

  “It means we’re looking at a possible homicide.”

  Chapter 29

  Patrick was putting away books and toys when Rebecca arrived at Kiddy Academy. She was surprised to see Lauren’s daughter still there; her son, Connor, was usually the last
kid to be picked up. Bailey stood by the door tapping her foot impatiently.

  “Mommy!” Connor called. “I made you a picture.”

  “It’s wonderful,” Rebecca said, taking in the jumble of lines and colours.

  “Know what it is?”

  “A house?”

  Connor looked at his mother as if she’d gone mad.“Nooo!”

  “A moose?”

  He laughed. “Mommy, you’re silly.”

  “I give up.”

  “It’s Daddy.”

  “Of course,” Rebecca said, winking at Patrick. “I should have seen the resemblance.”

  Bailey came and stood beside them, obviously upset. “Everyone’s leaving,” she said in a small voice. “Will Momma come get me?”

  “Your mom had to meet someone,” Patrick explained patiently. “She’ll pick you up in a little while.”

  “Will you still be here?”

  “Of course,” he reassured her. “I stay until all the mommies come.”

  Bailey looked visibly relieved.

  Rebecca smiled. Turning to Patrick, she said, “You must soon be finished your internship.”

  “I’ll be here until about the first week in April to get enough hours to meet my requirement.”

  “You’ll probably be relieved to get it behind you.”

  “I’ll miss the kids.” Patrick glanced over to where Bailey and Connor were standing by the fish tank.

  Rebecca followed his gaze. “Patrick, do you have a minute to chat?”

  Before he could respond, Bailey and Connor came over to stand beside them.

  Patrick unlocked a cupboard and took out two wooden puzzles.

  “Can we play with them?” Bailey asked.

  Patrick nodded. “I was saving them for a special occasion. But if you and Connor can sit quietly while I talk to Connor’s mom, I’ll let you use them now.”

  Both children nodded eagerly.

  Once he had the kids settled, Patrick turned to Rebecca. “You probably want to discuss Connor’s progress report since you couldn’t make the parent-teacher meeting.”

  “I’m very pleased with Connor’s report,” Rebecca said. “Actually, I wanted to talk about your friend, Jade Roberts.”

  Patrick stared at her, slightly taken aback. “How can I help? I don’t know anything about Jade.”

  Rebecca got straight to the point. “I know you called Jade shortly before she disappeared.”

  Patrick put his hands up in mock surrender. “Do I need to call my lawyer or something?”

  “Do you think you need to call your lawyer?”

  Patrick didn’t answer.

  “This is an informal investigation into Jade’s disappearance,” Rebecca said. “Her family is very concerned.”

  “I called her the day before she left,” Patrick admitted. “I was supposed to babysit Cara. When I got to her apartment there was no one there.”

  “On the voice mail, you said you ‘had the money.’ Were you giving Jade money?”

  Patrick swallowed. “Jade was always borrowing money.”

  “Did you have contact with her after the day she left?”

  “No, I…I haven’t seen Jade since then.”

  “Did you notice any changes in her behaviour?”

  “Well…” Patrick glanced up at the ceiling. “She was getting impatient with Cara. A couple of days before she took off, Jade asked me to come over. The baby was teething and she couldn’t take her crying. I took Cara for a walk in her stroller.”

  “And that was the last time you saw Jade?”

  “I…I guess.”

  “Did you notice anything unusual, any strange visitors?”

  Patrick shook his head. “You think something might have happened to Jade or Cara?” He sounded anxious.

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out.”

  At that moment Lauren walked in the door.

  “Momma!” Bailey got up from the table and ran to her.

  “I’m sorry I’m late, darling.”

  Rebecca handed Patrick her card. “Call me if Jade contacts you, or if you remember anything that might be important.”

  Nodding, Patrick accepted the card and put it in his shirt pocket.

  Rebecca went to retrieve Connor’s jacket. Patrick’s keeping something from me, she thought. He’s not telling the whole truth.

  —

  Lauren was on her way out the door when Bailey said, “Momma, I forgot Regis, and I need to go get him.”

  As Lauren waited for her daughter by the door she could hear Patrick on his cellphone. “I got your message,” he said. “You must have deposited the whole amount…I really wasn’t expecting that much.”

  Lauren felt her mouth gape open as she strained to listen to the snatches of conversation “I hope to see you…I—”

  Bailey came back holding her stuffed animal tightly, but Lauren felt rooted to the spot.

  “Momma, can we go now?” Bailey tugged at her sleeve.

  Worried Patrick would hear them, Lauren grabbed Bailey’s hand and walked straight to the parking lot.

  Rebecca and Connor were waiting. “Have you been to see Andrew?” Rebecca asked. “You must know they took him out of the induced coma.”

  “Yes, Gina told me. I’m planning to go visit him this evening, as a matter of fact. Gina says he’s on the mend. They just started allowing visitors other than family.” She turned to face Rebecca. “Gina also told me the police placed a security guard on Andrew’s door.”

  “Just as a precautionary measure,” Rebecca said. “We’re afraid that whoever shot Andrew might come after him if they think he can identify them.”

  Lauren shivered at the thought. “Do you have any leads?”

  “No,” Rebecca admitted, “but we’re working on it.”

  “At least Andrew’s improving.”

  “We’re all happy about that.” Rebecca stared at a grey Lexus parked next to Lauren’s car. “Nice set of wheels,” she commented.

  Lauren had noticed the car when she drove in. “I know! Who drives expensive cars like that around here?”

  Rebecca laughed. “None of my colleagues, I’m sure.” Turning toward Lauren, she continued in a more serious tone. “Listen, I thought you should know that we’ve put out a missing person’s report on Jade Roberts. We’re holding a press conference this evening.”

  Lauren felt her mouth go dry, but managed a nod. “I’m glad action is finally being taken,” she said. “I’ve had an uncomfortable feeling about Jade’s disappearance.” She looked around for Bailey. “Come, darling,” she called. “It’s time to go.”

  “Lauren,” Rebecca began, “you told me Jade called you the day she went missing. Do you remember what time that was?”

  “It was just after three.”

  “Are you certain about the time?”

  “Yes, I remember because it was just before I left to pick up Bailey. I took her with me to Claire’s house.”

  “The lady across the hall from Jade said Jade had left the apartment hours earlier and didn’t return.”

  “Could she have been mistaken?”

  Rebecca shrugged. “It’s possible. But she seems pretty certain. Could Jade have called you from someplace else?”

  “I…don’t know. I mean, I didn’t check the number. I just assumed she called me from home. The number is probably gone by now. They’re only saved for a few weeks.” Lauren paused for a moment. “Too bad the reception was so poor that day. Who knows, I may have learned something about Jade’s whereabouts.”

  At that moment, Patrick came out of Kiddy Academy and started toward the Lexus.

  “Is that your car?” Rebecca asked.

  “Yeah,” Patrick said proudly.

  Lauren and Rebecca exchanged looks as Patr
ick started the engine with an automatic starter.

  “One hundred and fifty horsepower,” he added in the bragging tone guys reserved for talking about their cars.

  Lauren thought of the telephone conversation she’d overheard. Who was giving Patrick money? And why? For a moment, she considered telling Rebecca what she’d overheard. But she couldn’t. Patrick was her client, and that required trust. If she learned anything from Nelson vs. Little, it was to always protect the client.

  Patrick opened the car door and ran his hands over the material on the seats as if he were stroking a pet. “Front seats are heated and ventilated.”

  “Nice,” Rebecca said.

  “Better than that heap of tin I was driving. The muffler’s so loud you could hear it for miles. Well, take care, ladies,” he said. “Connor and Bailey, I’ll see you both in the morning.”

  “Bye, Patrick,” the kids said in unison.

  He got in the car and put the key in the ignition.

  “Kiddy Academy must pay their interns well,” Rebecca said as they watched Patrick drive away.

  Chapter 30

  Lauren picked up the cordless phone in the kitchen, and scrolled down the list of callers to February 12. To her relief, the eight calls that had come in the day Jade disappeared were still saved. Two of them had blocked numbers, one was from an 800 number, and four were from friends and colleagues. A call that had come in at 3:06 p.m. had no name but an unfamiliar number was listed. Lauren hit the talk button, and listened as the phone rang and rang.

  She searched online and found the number listed as a pay phone located at Comeau’s Cabins on the Lake. It was in Timber Woods, a secluded area about a forty-minute drive from Paddy’s Arm. With its campground and various rental accommodations, it had become a popular vacation spot. A lot of people had their summer homes in the area. Could Jade be staying there? Another quick search and Lauren learned that the proprietor of Comeau’s Cabins was a Madeleine Comeau.

  Bailey was sprawled on the living room floor with a colouring book. “Momma has to go out,” Lauren told her. “Christine will come to stay with you.” Bailey nodded without looking up from her colouring. Lauren glanced at her watch, and saw it was nearly five-thirty. She had already fed Bailey. If the young girl from down the road didn’t mind staying a couple of extra hours, Lauren would go to Comeau’s Cabins and be back at the hospital before visiting hours ended.