“Fucked up.”
Lane almost laughed. “What’s a douche?”
“What?”
“Douche. The young woman next to me called Pierce a douche. What is it?”
“Someone who comes across being all cool and tailor made, but is a real self-centred asshole underneath.”
“Tailor made. That’s it. All of his clothes were tailor made. Even his shoes. How could he afford all of that? I mean, professors aren’t paid that well.” Lane looked at his partner.
“And what about your sister?”
“She’s back, and now she’s got some money behind her. Some organization called the Canadian Celestial Institute. I know she’ll use any means possible to punish Christine. She’ll do whatever she thinks is necessary to take Indiana away.” Lane looked back at the screen, shaking his head. “And I can’t do a damn thing about it because Alison thinks she has God on her side.”
But I can stop her. Nigel stood up. “It’s quittin’ time.”
Lane nodded. “Okay.”
Nigel handed Lane his jacket. Lane took it, walking out the door. Nigel hung back. “See you tomorrow.” He waited until Lane was out of sight, then took out his phone and typed a text message. “We need another meet.”
Anna was waiting for him at eight thirty. She sat in the same chair at the Nose Hill Public Library. She was tapping the screen of her iPad with the forefinger of her right hand. Beside her, the pink tablet cover had VENEER & PLASTIC, PLASTIC & VENEER written across it.
Nigel stood beside her.
Without looking up, she said, “I planned on doing the job later tonight.”
“I have another job for you. Remember how you got twenty percent for finding and transferring the funds my dad hid?” Nigel asked.
Anna nodded.
“I need you to transfer some money. This time, you do what you want with it. Just get it out of the hands of the people who have it.”
“I need a reason.”
“They’re trying to take a baby away from his mother.”
“What’s the mother like?” Anna asked.
“She’s the niece of a friend. She’s African Canadian. The people who want the baby think my friend’s a bad influence because he’s gay.”
“Is he?”
“Is he what?”
“A bad influence?”
“Just the opposite.”
Anna nodded. “Got the information?”
Nigel handed her a sheet of paper. Anna took it, reading the details. “I’ll work on it.” She slid the iPad in its cover.
He pointed at the words written across the pink. “What’s that mean?”
She smiled. “You’ll figure it out.” Anna pulled on her jacket, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and walked toward the door.
Lane sat in the family room in one of the easy chairs. Dan sat next to Christine on the couch while she fed Indiana. Alex sat on the hearth with her back to the gas fireplace. Matt sat nearby. Arthur nestled in another easy chair. He was trying to watch celebrities dance, but Christine insisted the sound be muted. Alex pointed at the screen, putting her hand over her mouth. A blonde-haired celebrity dancer had a blacked-out breast. It had popped out of her low-cut sequined costume.
Dan said, “I hope her partner doesn’t get hit by that thing. It could be a career ender.”
Christine elbowed him.
“Ouch.” Dan rubbed his ribs.
“Why don’t you two go out now, and we’ll watch Indiana?” Alex had her hands tucked around her elbows.
Christine shook her head. “I’m not leaving him alone.”
Lane looked at Arthur, who was watching Christine intently.
Matt asked, “You think we won’t take good care of him?”
Dan looked at Christine, who was staring at Indiana. “That’s not it at all. We got news today. Alison is getting financial support from some organization so she can hire a lawyer and try to take Indy.”
Lane watched Christine holding her son. Damn it, Alison. Don’t you know you’re pushing her away rather than bringing her closer?
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29
chapter 10
Institute Promises to Pay Legal Fees for Trio Accused of Abduction
A representative of the Canadian Celestial Institute says his organization stands behind the actions of three people charged with attempted child abduction.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Orson Nelson announced the Institute will be funding legal defence costs for Efram Milton, Alison Milton, and Lyle Pratt, all currently in custody for an alleged abduction attempt earlier this month.
“These folks were clearly acting in the best interests of the child when they entered the Foothills Medical Centre,” says Nelson, the self-declared president of the CCI.
According to a statement on its website, the CCI “defends the right to religious freedom as set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and the Constitution of the United States.”
Story continues page B3
“Would you be willing to give Donna a call this morning?” Lane sat to one side of Lori’s desk. He leaned forward, setting a cup of tea next to her phone.
Lori took the tea and sipped, looking over Lane’s shoulder. “Nigel will be angry with me.”
“And me.” Lane took the last sip from his coffee, tossing the paper cup in the trash.
“She’s not a suspect?” Lori sat up, crossing one leg over the other. She wore a pair of tan leather boots reaching just below the knee of her black slacks.
“What do you think?” Lane stuck his hands under his armpits. His fingers were still cold from the walk from the LRT station.
“I’m not in your line of work, but -” Lori looked directly at Lane “- she doesn’t seem like she’s hiding anything or even capable of subterfuge. The impression I get of Donna is what you see is what you get.”
“Then the next step is for me to talk with her, but it would help if I had you along to smooth the way.”
Lori frowned. “I hadn’t realized you could be so calculating.”
“It’s called catching a killer before more people are hurt.” Lane wondered about the defensive tone in his voice.
“Just don’t be going over to the dark side. There’s been enough of that around here already.” She reached into her purse, pulled out a business card, held it up, and waved him away with her free hand. “Haven’t you got work to do?”
Lane sprang up, stepping into his office. He sat down, started up his computer, and looked over the ever-expanding map of details connected to the Randall case. He began separate maps for Peggy Carr, Cori and Andrew Pierce, David and Melissa Randall, and Megan and Doug Newsome. Right now, Cori and Andrew are persons of interest. This needs to be ready if Nigel comes up with some evidence proving I’m wrong. My gut is telling me I’m right about the Pierces.
Lori stuck her head in the door twenty minutes later. She wore a red wool coat with its lapels stuck up under her ears. The hem of the coat reached to the tops of her tan boots. “Nigel’s still at the doctor. Donna is at her house. She’s waiting to talk with a contractor. She says she’ll be there for an hour, maybe two. We need to go now.”
Lori began doing up her buttons, then taking black leather mitts out of a voluminous black leather purse.
Lane logged off, got up, and grabbed his winter coat.
They shivered as the Chev’s heater blasted the windshield with cold air. Lane tried to breathe out of the corners of his mouth. Otherwise, his breath would fog up the inside of the glass, and they’d have to wait longer for the car to warm up. He looked right, seeing Lori’s passenger window fogging up. Why does the woman’s side of a vehicle always turn opaque?