the stress she was under as she drove. Is it my nerves reacting over what I must do tonight? The thought of it makes me sick … yet I must for the common good. She glanced at her purse containing the two bags of drugs and her thoughts returned to Mr. Frank. Whatever the reason I feel strange, never again will I accept anything to eat or drink from him. Mom would be so angry if she knew I drank from a bottle that I had not seen opened and poured. She taught me better.
She examined her face in the rear-view mirror and saw that her mascara was smudged under her eyes and used her fingertips to wipe it. A lurching jolt of her car and the sound of screeching metal brought her hands back to the wheel. She had sideswiped an oncoming car and her hands spun the wheel hard to the right. It resulted in an overcorrection and the right corner of her Lexus hit a parked car and came to an immediate stop.
Nancy immediately sat upright, startled from her sleep by the sound of a car accident in front of her house. The commotion caused Toby to bark excitedly.
“Toby! Hush!” she commanded, reaching for the phone while peering out her window. She hesitated when she saw a woman in a red blouse get out of a white car and run back to a silver car. Seconds later, the woman driver in the silver car also got out and was using her cellphone.
“Looks like they don’t need our help, Toby,” said Nancy.
Mia scrambled from her car and ran over to the woman driving the silver Nissan. “Are you okay? Are you injured?” she asked.
“I, I think I’m okay,” she replied. “You drove right into me.”
“I’m sorry. A bee flew into my face and —”
“Looked to me like you were putting on make-up,” snapped the woman.
“I’m going to check my car,” replied Mia, deciding not to engage the woman. “Then we can exchange driver’s licences and car registration. Don’t worry, insurance will cover the damages. The important thing is that nobody was hurt.”
Mia returned to the Lexus to get her documentation. She knew she would have to call a tow truck as well. The sound of the woman talking on her phone caught her attention.
“Yes, it’s an emergency! I was driven into by a woman who is drunk. She has booze slopped down the front of her … no there are no injuries, but … thank you. Please hurry. I’m in Richmond at —”
Shit! Breathalyzer? Arrest? Am I stoned? Mia didn’t wait to hear the rest. She grabbed her purse from her car and retrieved her own phone. As she pretended to make a call, she walked over to the sidewalk, conscious that the other driver was watching her.
Mia dropped her purse on the ground and turned her back to the woman as she bent over to pick it up. As she did, she quickly grabbed the drugs from her purse and stashed them under a flowering rhododendron.
Two police officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived in a patrol car within a matter of minutes. Mia was subsequently given a roadside breathalyzer test. The machine paused on pass … then flickered into the warning zone.
The policewoman hesitated. “You smell strongly of alcohol,” she said. “Your motor skills and physical appearance are also indicative of drug use. Do you mind if we search your car and belongings?”
Mia sighed. “I had one glass of wine earlier, but the man I was with wanted me to have more and poured another one. I refused and he tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and he ended up dumping wine down the front of my blouse,” she said, indicating her blouse. “If I’m acting strange it’s because I’m still really angry.” She looked at her car and added, “Then to have this happen … well, I feel stunned.”
The officer stared at her a moment. “Okay, relax. I know the type,” she said, rolling her eyes for emphasis. “Still, you’re lucky that no one was hurt. I’m going to write you up for driving without due care and attention.”
“I understand,” replied Mia. “Will it take long?”
“Officers!”
Mia saw an older woman standing on the front porch of the house with the rhododendrons. A dog was at her feet. “Can I talk to you?” she called.
Mia swallowed and felt the dread as the other police officer went to speak to the woman. Seconds later, the woman pointed to the rhododendron at the front of her house.
Oh, fuck …
Chapter Four
For the second time in two days, Mia met with Mr. Frank. This time the meeting was brief and they met in a stairwell of an underground parking garage. Mr. Frank was too cautious to ever speak inside a vehicle or any other place he thought could be subject to electronic surveillance.
“The wine you spilled on my blouse was the reason the police came,” said Mia with a scowl on her face. “It’s your fault! The police also asked if I had taken drugs.”
“Keep your voice down,” cautioned Mr. Frank, nervously peering up the stairwell. “There is nothing to worry about. The matter will be looked after.” He tried to soothe her by patting her shoulder. She pulled away in anger. Perhaps his gesture would have been more convincing if the tone of his voice had not betrayed his nervousness. He knew he was to blame and feared the fatal consequence it could have for him.
“My first court appearance is next Friday,” continued Mia. “That is only a week away. They are charging me with possession. I was told they had even considered charging me with possession for the purpose of trafficking.”
“That is one good thing,” Mr. Frank remarked.
“Good thing?” She seethed. “If I end up with a criminal record …”
“I would never allow that to happen. It will be dealt with. Everything will be okay.”
“How?”
“The police are corrupt. You know that. A payoff will have to be made to the station commander, but that is all. I will look after it.”
“So I don’t need to show up next week?” asked Mia.
“These things take time,” he replied. “Show up and plead not guilty. The matter will be resolved long before any trial takes place. The important thing is that nobody finds out.”
“The Rolstads only know that I skipped their party because I was in an accident and was too upset. So don’t give me a bad time for not going to the party when I returned —”
“No, I understand. Did you tell your mother what happened?”
Mia sighed. “No. I was too embarrassed to tell her.”
“Embarrassed? Because you had an accident?”
Mia studied his face closely as she responded. “No, I was embarrassed that I accepted a drink from you when I didn’t watch it being poured. Mom taught me better than that.”
“What are you saying?” asked Mr. Frank angrily.
“That I felt too strange for only having one glass of wine,” she retorted, suspiciously.
“Do not
