LITMIR.BIZ

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going to be an all-nighter. We could sure use some good news to end this miserable year. Keep your fingers crossed.”

      Kala arrived at the office twenty minutes later. She plunked down across from Bennett and looked toward Rouleau’s office. Grayson and Malik were standing just inside the doorway and she could see Vermette sitting across from Rouleau.

      “What’s going on?” she asked.

      “We found some documents on Underwood’s hard drive in a subfolder entitled ‘exit strategy.’ He was going to make big changes in his life, beginning with pulling out of the business. The morning he disappeared was the morning he planned to tell J.P. He typed it up in his master plan. Remember Gage found the email from Underwood to J.P. asking for a meeting? Well, J.P. denied they had anything set up for that morning when he was interviewed earlier this week. Underwood’s file combined with the email say otherwise. It’s as if Underwood’s pointing a big finger at J.P. from the grave. Grayson and Malik are about to bring him in for questioning again. The team is in there, planning the interview strategy.”

      She turned and looked again into Rouleau’s office. “How come Vermette’s part of the posse?”

      “Grayson met him in the hall and told him what we found on the computer.”

      She turned back to Bennett. “Rouleau looks like a thunder cloud.”

      “It’s because Grayson jumped the gun telling Vermette. Puts Rouleau in a bad place. How’d your appointment go by the way?”

      “Fine.”

      She turned on her computer and leaned on the desk with her chin cupped in her hand while she waited for it to boot up. J.P. had motive and opportunity. He’d been caught in a lie that would have him with Underwood around the time he was killed. It all fit. What didn’t fit was the possible attempt on Susan Halliday’s life. If but for the park ranger, Susan would likely be dead. Why would J.P. go to all that trouble to harm a woman who wasn’t connected to his business if this was about greed? Were Underwood’s murder and Susan’s emptied gas tank even linked?

      “Looks like we might have New Year’s off when they wrap this up,” Bennett said. “You got any plans for New Year’s Eve?”

      “Yeah.” She looked closely at him. He was busy with some papers on his desk and avoiding her eyes. That’s all she needed. Some young, earnest cop getting ideas about her. What the hell was up with Ottawa men anyhow? “If you can finish going through this stuff, I’ll go watch them interview J.P. through the two-way glass,” she said.

      “Leave me to the slogging bits while you go have all the fun.”

      “Well, find something juicy about one of our suspects and we can hold our own interview.”

      “You don’t think J.P. is our man?”

      “Let’s just say my mind is still open to other possibilities.”

      “Don’t let Grayson or Vermette hear you say that. They’ve already ordered the party streamers.”

      “They really like to set themselves up,” said Kala.

      “How do you mean?”

      She sighed. “Just seems to me like they’re too eager to go with one theory.”

      For the first time, Bennett looked uncomfortable. It was as if he remembered that she was the outsider and he was part of the old boys’ club meeting in Rouleau’s office.

      “They’re working with the facts. It seems logical to me that they’d want to question Underwood’s partner, especially since he lied about the meeting.”

      Kala smiled. “I agree that he’s up there on the list of suspects. It’s just good to remember that we have other people who could have murdered Underwood.”

      Bennett nodded before turning back to the paperwork, but she could tell he wasn’t convinced. She hesitated. She’d been running the idea of inviting him to her next stakeout on Richmond Road around in her mind, but now it didn’t seem like a good idea. He was likely to go running to Rouleau with the news. Besides, she preferred working alone.

      25

      Thursday, December 29, 5:30 p.m.

      Geraldine held her new baby girl and smiled up at her mother and Hunter. The newborn had a shock of Max’s black hair and an elfin red face that resembled an old man’s. To Geraldine, she was the most beautiful baby in the world. Only three hours of labour and out she’d popped like a jack in the box. Geraldine had fully expected to be one of those women in labour for forty-eight hours and the quick release of pain was euphoric. The surge of love she felt for this tiny being was unexpected.

      “If I’d known it would be this easy, I’d have gotten knocked up in high school,” she’d joked to Hunter when he entered her room ahead of their mother.

      “Can I hold her?” asked Pauline, dropping her purse and coat on the nearest chair.

      “Of course.” Geraldine handed over the bundle. She immediately missed the weight of the baby in her arms.

      “She’s just beautiful. Have you picked a name?”

      “I was thinking Amy Rose. Max said I could pick if it was a girl.”

      “Amy Rose,” said Pauline as she kissed the tiny forehead. She rocked the baby as she walked toward the window.

      Hunter grabbed Geraldine’s hand and smiled. “Can I get you anything?”

      “No, but I’m wondering where Max has gotten to. He left for that coffee half an hour ago.”

      “I could go look if you like.”

      “Would you?”

      “Sure.”

      She watched him go and then looked over at her mom. “Have you been to visit Susan?”

      “I plan to later. I haven’t had time with you in labour.”

      “I know you must be worried sick about her, so go now if you like. I’ll be okay.”

      “Hunter checked and she’s fine. Frostbite on her toes and fingers but nothing too serious. The rest is doing her good. She’ll be home tomorrow.”

      “What a relief. Are you going to look after her with Clinton away?”

      “You haven’t heard? No, I suppose not. He’s been back since yesterday and will stay home until after New Year’s. Apparently, he was en route to Ottawa from Trenton even before Susan’s accident.”

      “That’s odd. Susan said he’d be gone until New Year’s Eve, and that’s a few days away.”

      “I know. He’s usually a slave to his routine. I don’t know how Susan puts up with it, but I suppose she works around him when he isn’t here. To be honest, I don’t feel like running into him.”

      “Are you okay, Mom? You seem upset about something.” Perhaps this wasn’t the time to ask, but there never was a good time with her mother who could flit around deep conversation like a butterfly.

      “I’m fine. I just wish your father could have been here to see his first grandchild.” She crossed to the bed and handed the baby back to Geraldine. “It just all makes me so angry … and sad.”

      “It’s good to talk about this, Mom. You need to let out how you’re feeling.”

      “And Susan. It’s as if she was asking for something bad to happen, all alone out there in the woods like that.”

      “She was lucky the park ranger found her when he did.”

      “The pair of them were foolish and we’re left to pick up the pieces.” Pauline grabbed her coat and purse from the chair in a jerky movement. “I’m going to meet a friend for a late supper. I’ll be back first thing tomorrow to take you home.”

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