LITMIR.BIZ

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I have a partner, Charles Whelan.”

      “Really? You with a partner? Why can’t I picture that?” Shannon’s laughter bubbled across the miles.

      “Hey, I can be a team player,” said Kala. “When I have to.”

      “They don’t know you yet, do they, Kal?”

      “Not so much. I’m still in the honeymoon stage. How’s my boy?”

      “Taiku is fine. He keeps watching for you, but Doug and I have been taking turns bringing him on long walks.”

      “I miss him too. I’m thinking of getting a place where I can have him live with me.”

      “You should. I hate to think of you there all alone.” Shannon paused. “Jordan came by a few times. I told him you’d taken a job near Toronto. He looked about as dejected as Taiku.”

      “Thanks for covering for me, Shannon. I owe you.”

      “I saw Miriam shopping for groceries this afternoon. She’s getting big.”

      Kala closed her eyes. Jordan would do the right thing with her gone. “I hope she has a healthy pregnancy.”

      “Yeah.” said Shannon. “I still say she tricked him.”

      “Jordan’s a big boy. He knew what could happen.”

      “Well, there’s knowing and there’s being tricked. He hasn’t moved back in yet.”

      “Give him time. They’ll work it out.”

      “So what’re you doing for Christmas?”

      Kala looked around the colourless, cramped room. “Not sure, but I’ll think of something. Are you and Doug having the family for dinner?”

      “Yeah, just fifteen this year. I wish we would be sixteen, but maybe you’ll be home next Christmas. Call me if you need to talk. Christmas morning for sure.”

      “Thanks, Shannon. I’ll let you go make supper.”

      “Love you.”

      “Same.”

      Kala hung up the phone and stood to look out the window at the night sky, visible above buildings and the glow of streetlights. A nearly full moon hung suspended like a giant Christmas tree ornament in the darkness. She imagined Shannon and Jordan a thousand miles away looking up at the same moon. The idea gave some comfort, but not nearly enough.

      8

      Thursday, December 22, 7:50 p.m.

      Rouleau paid for his beer at the bar and sauntered toward the main entrance. He stopped to talk along the way, always keeping one eye on the people coming into the hall. He’d dressed in charcoal-grey slacks and a black Nordic sweater. Most of the women wore party dresses but the men were on the casual side like him. The room was a hum of conversation. He calculated over three hundred officers and spouses all told. Stonechild finally walked in as they were being seated. He met her outside the cloakroom.

      “I’d almost given up on you coming. I should have offered to pick you up, but it was too late by the time my old brain thought of it.”

      “No problem. Sorry I’m so late. It was hard to know what to wear.” She looked down at her black jeans and silver blouse. “This is about as fancy as I have.”

      “Our colours match. You look great,” said Rouleau. He should have filled her in on the dress code for the party. Another reason to feel like he’d neglected his duty.

      She shrugged and smiled. “Even if I’d known it was fancy dress, I’d have worn this because I didn’t bring anything else. Clothes aren’t really my thing.”

      “I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who didn’t care about clothes.”

      “Then say hello to your first.”

      He steered her around a group of officers. “Whelan called. The baby is sick and he can’t make it. I’ve saved us a spot with Malik, his wife Annika, and Grayson over there by the exit sign. What would you like to drink?”

      “A soda and lime.”

      “Grab a seat and I’ll bring it to you.”

      “Thank you, Sir,” said Kala.

      “Call me Jacques.”

      He walked over and leaned on the bar while he waited for his order. He looked over at the table. She’d chosen the empty seat next to Malik and his wife, leaving the seat beside Grayson for him. He wondered if Grayson had managed to alienate her already.

      The opening speech by the head of the Police Services Board was followed by carrot soup, salad, and plates of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Dessert and coffee rounded out the meal. Rouleau finished the last forkful of Baked Alaska and looked across at Stonechild. She’d eaten as much and as quickly as him. Their eyes met and he could see the amusement in hers as she lowered her fork onto her empty dessert plate.

      “I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” she said. She patted her stomach. “I really shouldn’t have had that third dinner roll.”

      Malik looked over. “You tuck in better than Whelan. He’s going to enjoy driving around with you.”

      “As long as he likes fast food, we should do okay.”

      Malik laughed. “Whelan cut his baby teeth on Big Macs and fries.”

      “So what happens now?” asked Kala.

      “More speeches and then the DJ starts,” said Malik.

      Malik’s wife Annika leaned across and touched Kala on the wrist. “Why don’t we go to the washroom and freshen up before they start? It can be a long hour.”

      Kala nodded. She instinctively liked this elegant woman dressed in a gold sari with red and silver threads woven into a border at the neck and hem. Gold bangles slid up and down when Annika moved her long, graceful arms. Her liquid black eyes searched Kala’s as if she could see inside to her core. When Annika leaned back, Kala could still smell the musk rising from her skin. Malik stood and helped his wife to her feet. He touched her back lightly with one hand before she stepped away to lead Kala toward the washroom.

      The line was short and they didn’t have long to wait. They met again in front of the mirrors. Annika was refastening a comb that held back her hair in a tight bun. “So how do you like the force so far?” she asked. Her Indian accent was soft and lilting. Their eyes met in the mirror.

      “I think I’m still having culture shock. I miss my home.” Kala surprised herself by this confession, but something about Annika reminded her of Shannon.

      “I know what you mean. When I first arrived in Canada to marry Sandeep, I thought my heart would surely break. India has its problems, but it is still a most beautiful country. And Canada was so cold. It took me a long time to get used to the cold.”

      “You must have loved Sandeep a lot to move to a new country.”

      “On the contrary, I’d never met him before I came to Canada. Our families arranged our marriage.” Annika finished straightening her sari and turned to face Kala. “I’ve learned to love him. He is a fine man.” They started walking slowly toward the door. “Do you have anyone special?” asked Annika. “Back north where you come from?”

      Kala didn’t want to talk about what she’d left behind, but she’d opened the door for this question. “I had someone, but it didn’t work out.”

      Annika nodded, her eyes sad. “You’ve come at a tough time for the team,” she said. “Sandeep says you need to solve a high profile case soon or everything will stop. He would be sorry as he deeply respects Jacques Rouleau.”

      “Oh? I had no idea.”

      “Internal politics. I should say no more.”

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