too. She is also angry that the trial did not go ahead. I guess we’ll have to wait a little while —”
“Hang on a second,” said Jack as the phone on his desk rang. Laura took the call and as he wrapped up his conversation with Ngoc Bích, he could overhear Laura’s cheery voice.
“No, I think Jack’s an atheist,” said Laura. “Me? I’m undecided. If I say I’m an atheist I’m afraid I’ll never get any holidays … hang on, Connie … Jack, you still an atheist?” asked Laura as Jack put his BlackBerry away.
“Yes, God made me one,” replied Jack.
“Yup, a heathen through and through,” replied Laura into the phone. She paused and added, “Why is that a relief? … Oh, you’re kidding. Better speak to Jack. He knows more about them than I do.”
Jack listened quietly as Connie quickly told him what she knew about the murder.
“Offhand,” replied Jack. “I’m not aware of any full-patch members of Satans Wrath who operate a janitorial service, but I wouldn’t be surprised. It would suit their MO to have such a company. They would use associates who don’t have criminal records. Especially if they could get contracts in sensitive areas.”
“Like police stations,” suggested Connie.
“Or Motor Vehicle Branches, airports, Social Services … any place to help them gather intelligence or gain entry to secure areas.”
“You’re thinking associates without records — so people you won’t have photos of.”
“I didn’t say that,” said Jack, chuckling. “I’ve got about a thousand pictures stored in a laptop. I’ve never been shy about keeping files on people who are even remotely connected.”
“That would be you,” said Connie. “Civil liberties be damned.”
“You want photos but are accusing me of breaching civil liberties?” replied Jack, quietly.
Connie was silent for a moment, before saying, “Sorry. I didn’t really mean that. It just came out. Guess I have a bit of an attitude with how you do things.”
“With how I do things? What would ever prompt you to —”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t even start.”
“Start what?”
“Well, I could go down a list, but I’ve seen and heard your act before.”
“My act?”
“Yeah. The old show surprise, act concerned, deny, deny, deny routine.”
Jack grinned to himself, but didn’t respond.
“Don’t know how some people can be so gullible around you. You better pray I never get transferred to Internal. I’d nail your ass in a minute.”
“I don’t pray. I’m an atheist, remember?”
“Good. Means you can be objective about this one.”
“Can’t say I’m partial to people who murder our senior citizens …”
“Jack —”
“I’m teasing. Do you want me to meet you at your office and show Gabriel the pictures?”
“She’s running a daycare, plus she has her own two children. One of them is a little girl who is sick in bed. Could you could bring the pictures over here?”
“We’ll be there in twenty minutes,” replied Jack. “But to make it clear,” he said, giving a wink to Laura, “it is you, the renowned Corporal Connie Crane who is asking Laura and I to assist. You are not going to accuse us of butting in? You’re really asking … well, I’d say … begging for our help?”
“Just bring the goddamned pictures,” replied Connie gruffly. Her brusque tone was not genuine and she smiled when she hung up. At least this is one case that’s not personal for him …
When Connie realized she had started to fondle the crucifix around her neck again, it gave her cause to remind herself to retain her own objectivity and professionalism. Her thoughts returned to the case. What degenerate monster would murder a defenceless old man? A retired priest yet … whoever you are, rest assured, I will track you down, you son of a bitch!
“You okay?” asked Bert.
“Oh, yeah,” replied Connie, with determination. “I’m on top of my game with this one,” she added, while opening the car door.
“You going inside for a look?”
Connie paused to read an incoming text on her BlackBerry from the Forensic Identification Section. She looked at Bert and said, “That was FIS. They’ll be here in thirty minutes. I’m going to take a look at what we’ve got. Send them my way when they arrive.”
Connie stopped near the top of the stairs leading to the basement and stared at the dark stain in the lawn and the blood splatters on the back of the house. A large pinkish puddle had collected on the cement pad in front of the basement door. Odd … the murder took place outside … should be a bloody trail leading down the steps to where the body was dragged to get it out of sight … The smell of bleach reached her nose to answer her question. Bastards! They poured bleach on the steps on their way out to obliterate any footprints that would normally have been left in the blood. Whoever did this is calculating … not the type to panic. Professional …
Connie’s thoughts were about collecting physical evidence and figuring out what happened. She was wrong in her belief that the basement had been rented to a couple of men who were janitors. The idea of tripping a booby trap with a bomb never crossed her mind as she pushed open the basement door and stepped inside.
Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Jack and Laura arrived at Gabriel’s house as Gabriel stood on the sidewalk, apologizing to a mother who was strapping her child into a car seat.
Jack and Laura spoke to a uniformed Mountie who told them that Connie was around back and had gone into the basement suite. Jack watched Gabriel say goodbye and stood waiting to meet her. By the frightened look on the mother’s face, Jack had little doubt that she would never bring her child back again.
Gabriel did not look frightened. Her eyes were puffy with streaks of mascara on her cheeks and blotchy red patches on her face and neck. She was too grief-stricken to be afraid. When she started to return to the house, Jack and Laura introduced themselves.
“We would like you to look at some pictures for us,” said Laura, gesturing to the laptop she was holding. “We are sorry to have to ask you to do this now, but time could be of the essence.”
Gabriel turned as a young girl wearing pajamas came out the front door and stood at the top of the steps. “Faith! Go back in the house,” yelled Gabriel.
“I want to see,” wined Faith.
“No —” Gabriel stopped as Noah came out and put his arm around
