Monday, March 22nd
Rosary Police Station, 8:45 a.m.
Neil and John met in the parking lot in front of the police station. John waited for Neil to get out of his car, and they went upstairs together. The agents were already sitting at their desks, working on their computers. Neil smiled at them and said: “Hello, guys!” He went to hang his jacket in his office, and then he went back to the large open space.
Steve was the first to speak: “Neil, I checked the information about Alison Stevens and her mum, Francine Stevens.”
The large interactive board behind Neil and John came to life, and the photos of Alison and her mum Francine began to appear. The photo of Alison’s mother was part of a newspaper article dealing with her tragic, violent death almost two years before. Under the photo of Alison, there was a birth certificate, stating that Alison Stevens was born almost fifty years before in Fredericton. Only the mother had recognized her daughter, no father was mentioned. Then Steve projected on the screen Francine’s and Alison’s bank accounts, and he commented: “From the time Alison was ten to the time she was thirty, there were regular payments to Francine Stevens’ account with a word as reason: ALISON. I was able to trace the account where the money came from. It was an account registered to the old notary, an account that was closed shortly after the payments stopped.”
Neil was looking intently at the board. He turned to John and said: “There is no proof that Mr. Lewis was Alison’s father, but he certainly had an interest in that woman. Only Alison could tell us how Father Luca was able to trace her.”
Steve added: “There is another interesting thing, Neil. Francine Stevens didn’t touch that money. She saved it in a separate account. Alison Stevens, when her mother died, didn’t know that she had left her so much money. I have just talked to the manager of the bank where that account had been opened by Francine Stevens. He said that Alison was worried because she didn’t know where the money came from. They checked, and everything was in order.”
John commented: “That’s why she was able to buy a shop in the center of Fredericton and the home where she lives.”
Neil said sarcastically: “I wonder what reaction Mrs. Lewis’s children would have if they knew their father had been giving money to another person for years. They seem a greedy lot.” John smiled at him and asked Steve: “Anything about Francine’s death?”
Steve answered: “Yes. Francine lived alone, not far from her daughter, but in a different building. She had broken her leg, and she had difficulties recovering, so she contacted an agency that sent her a physiotherapist. They guaranteed she was a certified professional, but, after Francine died, that agency mysteriously disappeared. Anyway, when she was attacked in her home, the police in Fredericton connected her murder to similar cases,” several photos and newspaper clips appeared on the board, “one woman was murdered in Vancouver four years ago, another one in Calgary three years ago and, some months before Mrs. Stevens, another woman was killed in Ottawa: same M.O., same scheme: they were usually very careful to select rich lonely women, who didn’t have relatives. Evidently, with Francine Stevens, they made a mistake, because she had a daughter and because she was not wealthy. After her murder, they disappeared completely. The police in Fredericton thought they had realized that the woman had been seen, and they had preferred to stop, at least for a while.”
Neil was going to say something when Bob intervened: “Neil, John, the autopsy report has just been emailed. Shall I project it on the board?”
Neil and John nodded and waited for a few moments while Bob downloaded the document and made it appear on the large screen. Neil read it attentively and turned to John. “It just confirms what we had already surmised. Mrs. Stacey Lewis died of suffocation. I see they found signs of struggle, and a nail was broken, so it is clear she was awake when the killer attacked her… I would like to go personally to Nolan Lewis’s office to tell him that the body will be released from the morgue, and they can organize the funeral. I want to see his reaction when I talk about Alison Stevens and her relation to his family. Are you coming with me, John?”
“Of course, Neil!”
“For the time being, I would like not to divulge the part of the autopsy concerning the struggle, especially to the Lewises…”
John and the other agents nodded, and Neil asked: “What about the women in the Lewis family? What have you found out?”
Billy tapped the keys on his computer and a photo of Carmen, the maid, appeared on the screen. It was a photo taken some years before, because she looked much younger.
Billy said: “Carmen Dominguez is of Puerto Rican origins, but she has been living in Canada for over twenty years. She is forty-eight years old, not married. Her sister lives here in Rosary with her husband and a little daughter. She has been a maid in several homes so far. I have found no complaints about her, apart from the fact that she is very taciturn and a bit touchy. She spends all her free time with her sister and her little niece.”
Bob went on: “Margaret Lewis is not what you would call a workaholic.” Neil and John started to laugh. “She has always worked with her father and now with her brother, but she spends most of her time in the gym or in various clubs. Her constant problem is money, because Mr. Lewis, when his children finished their studies and were able to work, asked them to earn their living, so to speak. He never allowed them to live on income. The same can be said for Nolan Lewis. He started working with his father, but there were rumors of frequent discussions. When his father retired, he took over, but he has had increasing money problems and complaints from customers, who have to wait for weeks for an appointment or even come to the office and find it closed.”
John commented: “They definitely have business problems...” Neil nodded, but he didn’t reply.
After a few moments, Neil asked: “What about Barbara and Dana? They are the most interesting ones, in my opinion.”
David looked through his notes and said,
“Barbara Davies Lewis comes from Victoria. She had been a waitress in various clubs and restaurants on the west coast, between Victoria and Vancouver. She met Nolan Lewis at his golf club, more or less eighteen months ago. They started dating immediately, and they got married almost a year ago. The interesting thing is that there is a period of more or less four years before her meeting with Mr. Lewis when there is no reference to her anywhere. Five years ago, she still lived in Victoria, then she appeared with a friend of hers in Rosary little more than a year ago. I wasn’t able to find any information about her in that time gap.”
Neil was listening attentively and stroking his perfectly shaved chin. He turned to John and commented: “It is strange, isn’t it? How can a person vanish from Victoria five years ago and reappear on the opposite side of the country a short time ago? What did she do in those four years?”
David continued: “But there is something even stranger, Neil. I have found the same time gap in Dana’s life, more or less in the same period!” Neil and John looked at him in astonishment.
David went on: “Dana married Nolan Lewis twelve years ago. Robin was born almost ten years ago. Then, after a few years, they started to quarrel, and they finalized their separation four years ago. She didn’t immediately go to live in St. John but, apparently, she didn’t seem to live anywhere until last year, when she rented an apartment in St. John and started her relationship with Mike Stone, a dermatologist. They don’t live together, or, at least, they still have separate residences.”
Neil was silently reflecting on what he was being told.
David stopped for a moment, but, when he saw that neither John nor Neil had questions, he went on: “When Nolan and Dana separated, the child’s custody was given to Mr. Lewis, and Dana didn’t fight for it.” Neil interrupted him and commented: “This is really strange. A mother who doesn’t fight for her son’s custody?” David nodded and went on: “When they separated, Nolan Lewis agreed to give Dana a sum of money every month, even if she didn’t have custody of the child. And I have left the most important information for last. Do you know what her profession was before meeting Nolan Lewis?” Neil and John looked at him questioningly, and he continued: “She was, and she still is, a certified physiotherapist!”
Neil raised an eyebrow, and he turned to look at Dana’s professional certification that was being projected on the screen. And David added: “I read some reviews, and it seems she was a talented physiotherapist, to boot!”
Neil thought for a few moments, and he summed up the information he had just received: “Ok, we have two women who seemed invisible for three or four years, while these crimes were committed all over Canada. It can be a coincidence but ... The problem is they both have alibis. I would like to know something more about the two friends who provided these alibis. What are their names?”
Bob browsed the information on his computer for a few minutes, and he said: “Barbara Davies Lewis was with a friend, Mrs. Nancy Craig, the entire afternoon, and Dana Morgan Lewis was with a friend in St. John, Mrs. Lynne Abbot.”
“Please, find information about these two women and their address. I would like to talk to them personally. Maybe I can put pressure on them and perceive if they are telling the truth. And I would like more information about that dermatologist, Dana’s new partner. Thank you, guys, you have done a good job. Keep digging into those four years and see if you can find what Dana and Barbara were doing ...”
The policemen started to work immediately, and Neil went back to his office to fetch the jacket. He turned to John and said: “Now, I really want to talk to Nolan Lewis.” John nodded, and the two men left.
***
Notary Lewis’s office, 10:30 a.m.
Neil decided to arrive at Mr. Lewis’s office unannounced, because he wanted to see what the reaction of that arrogant man would be.
The two policemen rang the bell, and the receptionist instructed them to take the elevator to the third floor. The sliding doors opened directly into the large waiting room. The receptionist welcomed them with a smile and asked: “Did you have an appointment with Mr. Lewis?”
Neil answered: “No, but could you tell him that Inspector McKinley and Lieutenant Steele need to talk to him in connection to his mother’s death?”
The receptionist walked along the corridor and knocked on a door. A voice from inside said in an unkind tone: “What is it? I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”
The receptionist opened the door. Neil and John heard her talk in a low voice for a few moments, then they heard Mr. Lewis say: “Ok, let them in, but tell them I don’t have much time.” The receptionist turned towards the two officers and just invited them in. She didn’t think it was necessary to tell them what the notary had said, because they had certainly heard.
Neil and John found themselves in the enormous and elegantly furnished office of Mr. Lewis. The notary stood up and walked around his desk to shake hands with them. He looked a little less nervous than the previous times.
“Hello, I am sorry, but you didn’t call in advance, and I have an appointment in a few minutes.”
Neil said, realizing that being polite with this man cost him a great effort: “Mr. Lewis, we don’t intend to take up much of your time. First of all, we wanted to announce that the autopsy report arrived this morning, your mother’s body will be released this afternoon, and that you are free to organize your mother’s funeral.”
The notary visibly relaxed, and he even smiled. “Thanks, this is good news. Thanks for coming personally to tell me. But ... What was the official cause of death?”
John answered: “Suffocation was the cause, Mr. Lewis.”
Neil had the impression that the notary was relieved. Was he afraid they would discover something else? Did he know or suspect anything?
Mr. Lewis saw that the two policemen didn’t move, and he asked: “Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?”
Neil and John exchanged a glance, and Neil asked: “Is your sister Margaret in her office now? We would like to talk to both of you about a delicate matter concerning your mother.”
Nolan Lewis was saying something, but he stopped, noticing the serious countenance of the two policemen. He opened the door and told the receptionist to summon Margaret to his office.
After a few moments, Margaret appeared at the door. She reacted in a surprised way when she saw the Inspector and the Lieutenant. She soon recovered her composure, and she said: “What’s the matter? Have you concluded your investigation, Inspector? Have you found my mother’s jewels and money?”
Neil smiled and answered: “Not yet, Miss Lewis. We have come to tell you that you can organize the funeral of your mother, since the autopsy results have arrived this morning.” Margaret remained indifferent to this piece of news.
John went on: “We have collected all the information about that woman your mother wanted to meet.”
Nolan interrupted him and said: “I don’t know what this person and her meeting with our mother have to do with her death.”
Neil was losing his patience. In his career, he had got used to all kinds of people and to all kinds of reactions, but these cold, detached and greedy siblings were really getting on his nerves.
He answered as calmly as he could, but he kept looking at them keenly to detect any reaction.
“Mr. and Miss Lewis, we have reason to believe that the meeting your mother was planning has a great bearing on the whole matter. As Lieutenant Steele was telling you, before being interrupted, we have discovered that the person your mother intended to see last weekend, is a daughter your father had, before meeting your mother.” He had to stop because he saw the two siblings exchange a glance.
They were evidently startled by the news. Neil had the impression they didn’t know anything about it. The arrogant behavior disappeared momentarily, and Nolan and Margaret took some minutes to be able to talk.
Nolan was the first to find words: “Inspector, we can assure you we didn’t know anything about it. Our mother didn’t reveal the identity of the person she intended to meet. But...”
His sister interrupted him: “But...Who had put them in contact? How can you be sure that woman is my father’s daughter? I want to talk to that woman. I am afraid she is after our money.”
Neil and John exchanged a quick glance because they had both expected a similar reaction. Money was certainly the chief interest of the two Lewis siblings, even if the inspector noticed Nolan’s annoyed reaction at his sister’s words.
Neil chose his words carefully when he began to explain: “Your mother had asked Father Luca to find this woman, because it seems her husband had told her very little, but she had promised him to find his daughter.” Nolan and Margaret were listening intently to what the Inspector was saying. “When Father Luca died, he had told your mother he had been able to get in contact with that woman, and he had promised to put them in touch.” Nolan interrupted him. “How do you know our mother wanted to meet that woman and not someone else?”
Neil answered patiently: “We talked to Alison’s business partner (that is the name of the woman, by the way). She confirmed that your mother had contacted Alison, and that they had planned to meet last Saturday.”
Margaret commented: “And now? What does that woman want? What had my mother promised her? You mustn’t give her our contact. Is it clear?”
Neil couldn’t help rolling his eyes before answering, trying hard not to show his irritation. “Alison Stevens was attacked in her home last Tuesday, and she is in a hospital bed now. I think her priority, at this moment, is to recover, not to ask anything from you.” He didn’t say anything about the medical situation of Alison, because he wanted to hear what Margaret and Nolan would say.
Nolan glared at his sister, as if he wanted to prevent her from any further nasty comment, and he said in a kind voice, that took the two policemen by surprise: “I hope … we hope she will recover soon.”
Neil and John exchanged a startled glance, and John asked: “Has your ex-wife come back to Rosary?”
Nolan looked at him with scorn and answered: “As you have put it correctly, Lieutenant, she is my ex. I don’t know where she is now and what she is doing. I am going to tell her when the funeral is, and that’s all. If you need to contact her, you have her phone number...”
Neil and John turned their back to the two siblings and took their leave without another word.
***
Rosary, Mr. and Mrs. Craig’s home, 12:00 p.m.
Neil and John arrived at Mrs. Craig’s home shortly before lunch. A maid opened and looked at the two policemen questioningly.
John introduced himself and his colleague. “I am Lieutenant Steele and this is Inspector McKinley. We would like to talk to Mrs. Craig, if she is available.”
The maid seemed uncertain, as if she didn’t know what to say, but, at that moment, a voice came from the room beyond the foyer: “Who is it, Annabelle?” The door opened, and a pleasant woman in her early forties appeared behind the maid. From the look on her face, it was evident that she would have disappeared if she could, but it was too late. She recognized the badge on the belt of the two policemen, and she attempted a small smile.
Neil advanced towards her with his most encouraging grin, and he said: “Mrs. Craig, I guess. I am Inspector McKinley, and this is Lieutenant Steele.”
She was looking at them with a questioning expression. After a few moments, she tried to sound more at ease when she said: “Come in, please.”
They entered a spacious living room with huge windows overlooking the garden. Neil couldn’t help noticing that the woman was very nervous. He exchanged a rapid glance with John to make sure that they shared the same impression. It was strange: Neil and John had known each other for only a couple of weeks, but a glance was enough for them to know what they were thinking.
Mrs. Craig invited them to sit on the large sectional, and she sat on an armchair in front of them. She kept her hands folded in her lap, and she kept looking towards the door that led to the other rooms of her spacious house, as if she were afraid someone would come in unannounced.
After a moment of tense silence, she said: “What would you like to know? I have already spoken to two agents about the afternoon Mrs. Lewis was killed. Poor woman!”
Neil asked: “Did you know Mrs. Stacey Lewis? I mean, did you know her personally?” The calm tone of the Inspector’s voice soothed Mrs. Craig partially, and she answered: “I never met her, but my friend was her daughter-in-law, and she talked about that old lady with great affection.”
John decided to go directly to the point, and he said, trying to make it sound like a simple conversation: “Our agents told us you confirmed that Mrs. Barbara Lewis was with you all afternoon the day of the murder, is it correct?”
The woman shifted uncomfortably in her armchair and cleared her throat. Neil thought she was unmistakably nervous.
After a few moments, she replied in a steady voice: “Yes, we normally spend Wednesday afternoon together. We sometimes go shopping or we simply stay at home and have a chat, drinking a cup of tea.”
Neil asked casually: “Do you usually meet here at your home or do you sometimes stay at Mrs. Lewis’s house?”
This question caught Mrs. Craig off guard for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, and she answered: “We generally stay here when we don’t go shopping or to have lunch somewhere together. In fact, I don’t know why, we have never discussed it. When we decide to stay at home, we invariably end up here ...”
John insisted, trying to put some pressure on the woman. “Are you sure your friend was with you all the time? Was there anyone else here at your house?”
Now Mrs. Craig couldn’t conceal her alarm. She answered nervously: “I have already told your agents that Mrs. Lewis was with me all the time. We went to have lunch just outside town, and then we came here at about 2:00 p.m. She left when they called her from her mother-in-law’s home. On Wednesday, my maid usually has her day off, and my husband is at work all day, so we were alone. But … Why are you questioning me once again? Do you have any suspicions about someone in the family?”
Neil looked at her, and he replied calmly: “Mrs. Craig, you certainly understand that we have to double-check every alibi. It is part of our investigation.” Mrs. Craig seemed a little less nervous when she told the two officers: “Oh, but I’m sure that Barbara is not involved in that tragic murder, Inspector!”
“One more question, Mrs. Craig. How long have you known Mrs. Barbara Lewis? Did you know her before she met Mr. Lewis?”
This question didn’t seem to bother the woman, who answered immediately: “No, in fact, I have known her only for a few months. We met four or five months ago at the hairdresser’s, not the one in the center of Rosary, but one not far from here. We started to chat, and she told me she didn’t know anyone here in town, since she had been living here for a short time, so I introduced her to some friends of mine. We discovered we enjoyed each other’s company and so...”
John asked: “Do you know anything about her life before she came to Rosary?”
Mrs. Craig answered: “No. Now that I think of it, Barbara is very amiable, but there are some things that irritate her. One is when she is asked about her past life. The only thing she told me once is that she worked in bars and restaurants ... I am sorry, but I haven’t dared to ask her anything more, since she got really nervous and almost nasty the only time I did.”
Neil and John stood up from the sectional and took their leave. In the car, they were silent because they were both mulling over what Mrs. Craig had told them and her behavior.
***
Rosary, Anna’s Trattoria , 4:30 p.m.
As every Monday afternoon, a group of joyful and curious aspiring chefs gathered in the spacious kitchen of Anna’s Trattoria. They put on their aprons, and they sat down, eager to know what recipe Anna and Silvia had thought of.
Anna had not prepared the map of Italy, and she started to explain: “Next Thursday it will be what in Italy we call ‘Giovedì grasso’, or ‘mid-Lenten Thursday’. It is a kind of short feast in the middle of the period of Lent, that is a period of penance and sacrifice to prepare for Easter. In Italy, on mid-Lenten Thursday, we usually eat the same sweets and cakes we prepare for Mardi Gras. Today I would like to help you make one of the most famous desserts, known and prepared all over Italy. In every area and in every region, it takes different names, but the preparation is similar. They are called ‘lattughe’, in my town they are called ‘crostoli’, in other parts of Italy ‘bugie’ or ‘chiacchiere’. There is no translation in English. The ingredients are more or less the same all over Italy.” The children followed Anna’s gesture, and they approached the table and their cooking stations. Anna went on, pointing at the various ingredients in glass bowls: “Eggs, flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and icing sugar.”
The little chefs started to work with dedication, helped by Silvia and Jennifer. When the ‘lattughe’ were ready to be immersed in frying oil, the women did it. The children waited patiently until Anna, Silvia and Jennifer delicately put the slightly browned rectangular cookies on kitchen paper. Then each child spread the icing sugar on top to complete the preparation.
While Silvia and Jennifer helped the children prepare their trays for the tasting, Anna went to the dining room to meet the relatives. She noticed Dana had just arrived, but she did not approach her immediately, afraid of her reaction. Anna saw Dana had a dejected look. She didn’t use her mobile phone, and she looked distractedly out of the window.
John, who was sitting with Mark at a table, took out his mobile phone and dialed Neil’s phone number. His colleague answered immediately and said that he would be there soon with Alison’s photo.
Anna announced to the people gathered: “Excuse me. Before the children come with their sweets, I would like to tell all of you that next Monday the cooking lesson will be held in the kitchen of the orphanage. It is a big kitchen, and we would like to invite the little orphans to cook with us. From now on, every month a cooking lesson will be at the orphanage and the other ones here as usual.” All the relatives nodded in agreement. Some of them congratulated Anna for the good idea.
The children came out of the kitchen. Robin’s face lit up when he saw his mother. This time she embraced him affectionately, and she took a lattuga. She didn’t mention her diet. Robin was looking at her with apprehension, and, while she was approaching the table, Anna heard him ask solicitously: “Mum, are you alright? You look sad.”
“I am okay, Robin. I am sad for your grandma, that’s all!” She caressed his face, and she smiled at him.
Anna came nearer, and she said: “Mrs. Lewis.” She stopped because she remembered Dana didn’t like to be called Lewis, but the woman smiled at her and didn’t show any irritation. She just told her: “Good evening, Anna. I wanted to tell you that my mother-in-law’s funeral will be next Wednesday at ten in the morning. I know that you have always been a good friend of hers. I have just learnt this from my ... From Nolan.” Anna thanked her and couldn’t help noticing that there was something different in Dana’s demeanor.
At that moment, Neil entered. Everyone turned to look at the tall policeman, who had his gun and his badge on his belt. He nodded at John and Mark, and he went straight to the table where Dana and Robin were sitting. Anna smiled at him warmly and went to talk to the other people. Dana looked at him, but she remained apparently calm. She made a small smile, and Neil sat down in front of her.
He gave a gentle pat on the boy’s shoulder, and he smiled at the child, sensing his tension. The child didn’t smile back this time, but kept on looking at his mother apprehensively.
Neil spoke cautiously: “Good evening, Mrs. Morgan.”
She answered timidly: “Good evening, Inspector. Are you here for me?”
He grinned at her and answered: “Yes, Mrs. Morgan. You haven’t come back to Rosary since last week, and I need to show you a photo.” He took out Alison’s picture from the breast pocket of his jacket and handed it to Dana. She looked at it for a few moments and gave it back to the policeman. She asked: “Who is she? I have never seen this woman in my life.” Neil didn’t want to reveal the woman’s identity in front of Robin, so he just repeated what he had said the previous Sunday: “This is the woman your mother-in-law wanted to meet.”
Dana gave another look at the photo that was lying on the table and shook her head. “No, Inspector, I don’t know who she is. I am sorry. Did Nolan recognize her? Or Margaret?”
Neil decided not to answer, but he asked: “Will you be in Rosary in the next few days?”
Dana answered: “I was telling Anna that the funeral will be next Wednesday at ten. I think I will be here until then.”
“If you don’t mind, could you come to the police station tomorrow afternoon? I would like to ask you a few more questions.”
If he expected a heated reaction, Neil was disappointed because Dana simply nodded. The policeman was more and more convinced the boy was hiding something, that he certainly knew something more about his grandmother’s murder, and that he was scared. ‘Why?’ Neil wondered.
He was leaving, when Mark called him to the table where he was sitting with John, Alan, Mario and Giulia.
“Neil,” he called out. Neil turned and went to the table. Alan went to take another chair. Mario said: “Neil, we have left some latt … Oh, that’s a difficult word. Anyway, we have left some for you. Sit down with us. They are delicious.”
Neil had to smile, and he sat down with his colleague and Silvia’s husband.
While Silvia was bringing him a glass and a plate, John asked him: “Sorry for calling you, but I thought you were looking for a chance to talk to her. I was looking at Dana while you showed her the photo. I think she didn’t recognize Alison. But ... Has something happened to her? She was looking decidedly sad, even depressed ...”
Neil shook his head and said: “Thank you, John, for calling me. She behaved decidedly differently. She looked ... I don’t know, but I think she looked resigned or tired. Oh, I don’t know, really. Anyway, I told her to come to the police station tomorrow afternoon, because I would like to ask her what she did before going to live in St. John, but I didn’t want to talk in front of Robin. Mrs. Lewis’s funeral will be next Wednesday at ten.”
Mark interjected: “Yes, Anna told us that Dana had just shared this information with her.”
Neil said: “I was taken by surprise by her behavior. Maybe I could have hinted at Robin’s suffering, but I will see what I can do tomorrow.”
John was going to say something, but at that moment Silvia and Jennifer came out of the kitchen with the children, each carrying a little tray with lattughe to take home. Alan had two packets. When he arrived at the table, he handed a packet to Neil, and he said: “Mario and I prepared a packet for you, too, Neil. We hope you like them.”
Neil looked at the two children with gratitude. The more he lived in the small community of Rosary, the more he felt the warmth of the family he had never had.
“I like them very much, and I thank you for your kindness. Anyway,” he continued, looking at the smiling face of Anna behind the children, “these are lattughe, if I am not mistaken.” Anna smiled and nodded, trying to hide her surprise at, once again, hearing his perfect Italian.
Mario and Giulia looked at him, astonished. Giulia said: “Neil, are you Italian? Do you speak my grandma’s language? It is so difficult for us.”
Neil just smiled but didn’t answer. He caressed Giulia’s beautiful face, and he tousled Mario’s hair affectionately. After a few more minutes, he took leave.
***
Rosary, Neil’s home, 8:00 p.m.
Neil was watching the news on TV and drinking a beer when his phone rang.
He looked at the caller ID, and he saw the name Dan Gordon. He answered immediately,
“Hello, Dan. How are you? Any news?”
“I am ok, Neil. Unfortunately, Alison Stevens is still stable, but there are no signs of improvement. She hasn’t regained consciousness...”
Neil said: “This is not good, not only for that poor woman but also because, if she doesn’t recover, and that man disappears, we have no way of catching him.”
Dan replied: “That is exactly what is worrying me, Neil.”
Neil thought for a few moments and said: “Unless ... Dan, I have an idea that could work. Why don’t we make him believe she is recovering? An agent will stand guard over her. What do you think?”
Dan mulled over Neil’s suggestion for a few moments, and then he said: “Maybe it can work... As long as that man knows that she doesn’t talk, he will stay put, but if he suspects she can recognize him … We had imposed a media blackout, in order to protect Alison, but ... Yes, Neil, I will talk to my superiors tomorrow, but I think we can try. Thanks for your suggestion. I will keep you posted.”
Neil added: “In the meantime, if you don’t mind, I will send an agent in a couple of days with the glass fragment that Lieutenant Steele found on the scene of the priest’s accident. I think you remember I talked to you about it.”
Dan said: “Yes, he was the priest who had put Alison Stevens in contact with the lady there in Rosary.”
“Exactly. That piece of glass doesn’t belong to the priest’s car, and the Lieutenant didn’t find anything at the mechanics’ around here, but maybe if the car was brought to Fredericton ...”
“Of course, Neil. This could lead us to that person or link him to at least one murder. I’ll tell my agents to investigate as soon as I have that piece of glass. And, Neil, I have sent you an email with the report the policemen wrote after finding that little girl, Amy. You will find the reference to the agent who dealt with her case, if you want to contact him.”
“Oh, thanks, Dan. I will read it. Keep me posted. Good night!”
Neil turned on his laptop and opened his email account. He found an email sent from Fredericton Police Station. There was a document attached. He read it carefully. Amy had been found at the train station in Fredericton. She was curled up in a corner of a bench. She didn’t have anything apart from what she was wearing. It was September 16th. The police looked through the missing children list, but it seemed at that time that nobody was looking for her, they couldn’t find any birth certificate … It looked like this child had come from nowhere …The only thing she said was her name, Amy, and that she was nine years old. She didn’t talk, she didn’t want to be touched. The doctors and nurses in the Emergency room, where she was taken, had difficulty checking that she was alright. The report from the hospital was also included: she had bruises and marks of beating all over her body, she was dehydrated and undernourished, and there were also signs of reiterated abuse ... Neil felt tears coming to his eyes at the thought of all the violence that poor child had experienced.
There was also the children psychiatrist’s report, but it was not meaningful, because it just stated the impossibility of a conversation with Amy, who shook her head or nodded, but didn’t talk.
Neil decided to try to talk to her. He had always been able to talk to children, to gain their trust, to conquer the confidence even of the most reserved. Furthermore, Amy had already shown that she was not afraid of him. He had to know what was frightening the poor child, before the person or the people who had hurt her came back for Amy. He had to protect her at all costs.
ns216.73.216.204da2
and then Add to home screen.