not eliminating anyone at this stage. We’ll have a complete computer print-out soon.”
“Ramsami, Toronto Sun. Do you have any idea about motive? Did it have anything to do with the Reverend’s crusades?”
“At this point, we’re not ruling out anything. I have nothing else to add and will keep you informed of our progress.”
Not too bad. Because the press had not learned about the break-in at the church and the attempted break-in at the manse, she had more time to uncover the answers.
On the drive through the city to her appointment at the psychiatric hospital, Rhona savoured the sun slanting through the lightly leafed trees and making the grass glow with a brilliance no artist could ever capture. When Rhona entered Dr. Yantha’s waiting room, the door to the inner office stood open, and he beckoned her in.
A broad beaming grin lit up his face. “Great day. Come in and tell me what I can do for you?”
This was a different man than the one she’d interviewed the other day. Rhona returned his smile. “Answer questions about Ms. Grant and about men like Reverend Robertson. First, I want your opinion on something you told me yesterday. Do you think the changes in Ms Grant might have been symptoms of a mid-life crisis?” Before Dr. Yantha answered, she amended the question. “How old is Ms Grant?”
“Hollis was forty-four in January.”
“And you, are you forty-four?”
Dr. Yantha grinned. “No. I’m hanging on to forty-three for a couple of weeks. To answer your question, forty-four isn’t a particularly bad year. Forty—that was traumatic. Fifty probably will be too, but there’s nothing special about forty-four. No, I don’t think it was a mid-life crisis.”
“To change the subject. Have you found out why your wife was preoccupied?”
“I’m not clear on why you think it’s any of your business, but, no, I haven’t.”
“How did your wife get along with Robertson?”
The doctor frowned, and Rhona thought she glimpsed a deep uneasiness before his customary professional calm masked whatever she’d seen.
“As far as I know, she met him once and didn’t like him.”
Rhona posed a number of questions about philanderers and obsessive sex. Finally, she thanked Dr. Yantha and left him to his three o’clock, a small, nervous man perched on the edge of one of the waiting room chairs, drumming his fingers on the table.
At five to six, the commissionaire at the reception desk downstairs buzzed to say Dr. Uiska was on her way up.
By the time she arrived, Rhona had risen. Dr. Uiska paused in the doorway, and they appraised one another.
Again the doctor’s clothes revealed her insistence on perfection: everything pressed, unsullied by hard labour and perfectly matched. After Rhona’s fiasco with the tea and the red dye, she wished she could hide under the desk.
“Thank you for coming. Please sit down.”
Silence hung in the air. Rhona was in no hurry, and Dr. Uiska seemed prepared to wait. Only the persistent twisting of her wedding ring revealed any impatience.
“Would you tell me again about the party you and Robertson were planning?” Rhona said.
“I can’t imagine it has any bearing on the murder.”
“Nevertheless, I’d like to hear about it. Tell me as much as you can remember about your meetings with Robertson.”
“It was a while ago. I called and said I’d drop by his office.”
“When you phoned, did you tell him why you wanted to have an appointment?”
“No, I don’t think I did.”
“And he wasn’t curious? Wasn’t surprised to hear from you? I expect he realized you disliked him?”
“He didn’t sound surprised. I had the impression he was a super egotist. It probably didn’t occur to him that I disliked him. If it did, I don’t suppose it bothered him.”
“And how did the discussion go?”
“I made sure he not only realized it was a big birthday but also understood it was important to have a joint party because Hollis and Kas had been friends for twenty years.”
“What birthday did you say it was?”
“Their forty-fifth.”
“Your husband says it isn’t going to be his forty-fifth, it’s his forty-fourth and of no significance whatsoever to him.”
Dr. Uiska started, recovered her poise, opened her eyes wide and said, “But it is his forty-fifth. I know that perfectly well. He must have been joking.”
Not a bad performance, but how could she expect to bluff it through? “Actually I ran his name through the Ministry of Transport computer, and he will be forty-four.”
“You mean I’ve lived with Kas all these years and got it wrong?” She shook her head.
“Odd to think Paul Robertson wouldn’t know his wife’s age.”
“Well, apparently he didn’t, because he agreed we should throw the party.”
“Before we discuss this hypothetical party, tell me the dates of the two birthdays.”
“A couple of weeks apart. Kas’s is on June 24th.”
“True, but Hollis’s was in January.”
“I was really off base, wasn’t I? I can’t imagine how I muddled the information.”
Rhona allowed the doctor’s lame explanation to resonate for several seconds. “Assuming you really were confused and your reason for meeting Robertson was to plan a party, I’d like to hear what you decided to do.”
“I’ve told you. We were throwing a surprise party at the golf club.”
“You did tell me. I don’t believe it this time any more than I did the last time. How about cutting the crap—why did you see Robertson?”
An artist might have cast the doctor’s face in bronze. She said nothing.
“I should also tell you I’ve checked out the fanciful tale you told me to explain why you’ve been preoccupied. Statistically, the unexplained deaths have been no different this year. In fact, there have been fewer deaths this year than last. I can’t imagine why you told me such a cock and bull story, but I intend to learn the truth about whatever it is you’re hiding.”
Dr. Uiska straightened in her chair. Her face no longer resembled a mask. Instead, fury tightened her sharp features and narrowed her eyes. “You may think you can threaten me, but I had nothing to do with the murder. Dig away. I’m not concealing anything.”
“We’ll see. It would
