A Kayak for One Page 11

  "There are chairs over there. Some people sit on them," Charlene said as she shoved Sarah off, holding her hand out for the glasses.

  "I didn't know you wore glasses Staff."

  "I do. I'm old remember. These aren't mine. Someone left them on one of the islands and Jack Porter brought them in here in case the owner comes looking for them."

  "Man am I tired," Sarah said, slumping in a chair.

  "The Petersons identified Lori of course. I left them with the doc. I have help with the video interviews. Phil came in and we had two rooms going at once. Officer Miller wandered in too. She said she crashed for a few hours and knew we would need help so she monitored the equipment for us. I know the students are still expected to stay her another week or something, so I can watch the interviews Phil did and if there are more questions I can come back. Phil is better at interviewing then I am anyway. He just has the knack. There's no worry about court issues with the interviews. He's taken about as many courses as me and is qualified.

  “Everyone is off having lunch and we'll carry on when I get back. I'm not sure when we'll be finished so I don't know what time you will be called to the landing to get them. The police boat is available but I don't want James leaving the scene. I know it's a lot to expect from you. You can start a bill for the transportation back and forth because it shouldn't be your cost of gas and time. Anyway, I came all this way to drive Ashley here so she could get her gear out of the cottage and get home. I asked her how she was going to get to St. Catherine's but she told me not to worry about it. So I didn't. Now I am. She's going to make the rest of the time miserable for Greg. And yes, before you ask, because I know you are going to, we did interview him first. Wendy was in the van with them on the drive to the station and she told them not to talk about Lori and she said they didn't. Of course they probably talked last night in the cottage even though we got notebook statements at least first"

  Seeing the look on Charlene's face, she said "I know, I know, last night was when we should have pulled them in for video interviews but we had the scene to go over. There's just not enough of us to do the job properly sometimes."

  Sarah pulled her small frame out of the old rocking chair by the wood stove. Charlene saw that she looked exhausted. Her dark, short hair cut in a pixie style, was sticking up all over and she had dark circles under her eyes. Sarah never wore make-up and looked older and more vulnerable now. Her navy suit pants and jacket were crumpled where the material gathered at her back when she was sitting. Her white long-sleeved shirt still looked crisp though. Charlene guessed it was one she kept in her locker. Sarah normally looked sharp, all angles and energy pulsating around her. Her athletic frame was always moving it seemed. Her dark brown eyes were still sharp though. Charlene noticed Sarah's bare ankles and smiled. She must have ditched the trouser socks she had on last night at the first opportunity today. There were plenty of shifts were Charlene did the same thing after working long overtime hours. She would get up on the counter in the change room and put her feet in the sink and give them a quick wash and soak to revive them before carrying on, including bagging the socks and hoping her boss didn't notice her bare ankles.

  "Let's get your statement over with Staff. I'm hungry. Oh, before I forget, Lori's car is getting towed to the station today. The Ident officer from Sudbury had a go at it and we locked it and I have the keys. There was no one to come and tow the car to the compound last night. Our tow guy was called to an accident on highway 17 and was tied up there most of the night and early morning. We didn't know Lori had her car here until Ashley made some comment about how maybe she could borrow Lori's car to get home. Can I leave the keys with you and you get them to the tow guy if I'm not here? Pretty please? Bill that boat ride over too, of course. There's going to be a hefty overtime bill anyway. That's what the bosses get for not having enough of us to do the job properly. They still think nothing happens up here in the north." Sarah walked out of the office toward the stairs leading to second floor of the house.

  "Let's get that stew on."

  "What about Ashley?" Charlene called to Sarah’s back. "What did Greg say?"

  "Leave her for now. The little brat can wait."

  She ignored Charlene's last question and Charlene would have been disappointed if she hadn't.

  Chapter 39

  Friday September 25th, 2015

  Charlene

  "Now that's a voice I need to hear right now. I hope you weren't too busy today Charlene and could sit for a bit. I know you have guests and police all over the place. We are finished here for now, so I'm going to get out of my scrubs and go home for a bite to eat and sleep. I hated not taking you in my arms last night. God, what a night for you too. If there's any stew left I'd love to come see you and have dinner with you tomorrow before the special event. That is if the police will let us sit out and enjoy it. Sarah was raving about the stew. She said she would be over to see you later today. Save some for me. I miss you. I love you. Call me back anytime."

  Charlene saved the message and listened to it again and again. She sat in the office chair with her morning coffee. Sarah didn't stay over but went back to the station. Officer Miller had come to take Officer Edwards place on sentry duty. Charlene heard her use the key she gave to her. She came in during the night a few times to use the office bathroom and get some homemade banana bread and hot chocolate Charlene left in the office for her. Now though, Charlene had a quiet morning coffee to herself, just as she liked.

  Before she realized there was a phone message from Joe Charlene felt refreshed after a good sleep. She was glad she talked to Sarah about him. Now after hearing Joe's voice on the message she wasn't sure what she felt. Bewildered for sure.

  The day before had been exhausting. By the time she gave a statement to Sarah about the day when she found Lori up to the time when James arrived on the scene, then told her what Ashley told her, then took Sarah back to her car, picked up the students and the professor, got Ashley settled into cottage #3 on the O.P.P. tab, picked up Officer Miller at the landing, and remembered to get her sheets off the line and make her own bed, Charlene was ready to finish the day by getting out of her work clothes and putting on some comfy yoga clothes. The phone rang from the parking lot though, and the tow guy was waiting for the keys to Lori's car. She made one more run over the lake and signed that she gave the driver the keys. Once back, she put a note on the office door. Though the office was closed for the day, the note told guests she would be doing yoga and would they please just bugger off. That's the note Charlene wanted to tape to the door on some days, but she wrote something more polite that requested guests allow her the time unless there was an emergency.

  She uncurled her mat and put the disc into the DVD player set up in the third bedroom. She picked a routine with deep relaxation poses and tried to concentrate on her breathing for a half hour.

  After she was finished her exercises, Charlene realized she was famished. She dragged herself into the kitchen. She chopped up some red onion and the last of the stale looking mushrooms and whisked the pieces in with two eggs and a bit of water and fresh pepper. She took some spinach and baby greens from the salad mix in the fridge. Before tearing the large pieces, she poured some olive oil into the bottom of her favourite steel bowl. She added some garlic, a squeeze of mustard, and healthy dash of paprika and fresh ground pepper. She mixed it up and added the torn greens. She splashed a bit of vinegar over top and gave the mixture a toss. Charlene poured the egg mixture into a small frying pan and scrambled it. She ate everything on her plate and looked down wondering where the food had gone. She hadn't eaten all day. She didn't eat any stew with Sarah. She found it made her sick looking at it. The crying jag and conversation with Sarah sapped her strength. She felt like her world was spiraling down.

  She had her shower and got into bed. She didn't even bother to go down to remove the sign from the office door. She hoped no one would need her. She needed sleep.

  Hearing the phone message this morni
ng brought more tears to her eyes. She didn't doubt that she had come to love Joe. She didn't doubt that he had come to love her. Had that time passed? she wondered. Sarah laughed out loud when Charlene told her what Sam told her about seeing Joe with a woman in his boat yesterday. She laughed until she saw that Charlene was serious. She tried to convince Charlene that Joe would never be with another woman, never mind murder another woman. That led to a long talk, the end result being that Sarah would talk to Sam first before talking to Joe. She told her that much. The tears flowed until Sarah left and Charlene had to pull herself together and get on with the day. Like now. Wendy would want some coffee and Charlene liked to help out if she could. She couldn't investigate anymore, but she could surely get a coffee going for a sleepy-eyed officer who had to sit outside all night.

  Chapter 40

  Charlene

  The students and Professor Bowen were allowed to continue their field work. The first day of their planned trip to Sudbury yesterday was spent at the police station giving statements. Today would be a long day with visits to two Inco properties crammed into one. Dan seemed annoyed that the course "had suffered" as he put it to Charlene on the boat ride over to the van. He sat in his usual chair at the front of the boat. Charlene thought he looked more rested and a bit more chipper than she had seen him. One of his students was murdered but he didn't seem too bothered by it for some reason. He complained more that he had to spend a lot of time on his cell phone to the university keeping them updated on what was happening. Charlene gave him a look that he appeared to understand and blushed at his insensitivity. It was a surprise to Charlene that the course was even going forward.

  She was more surprised in the change in Ashley. She seemed more subdued and deep in thought, something Charlene hadn't seen in her before. She had been different since she left the office after telling Charlene she changed her mind about going home. Even Haiden seemed to sense the mood shift and was not pestering her as much. Greg and Peter stood beside one another as usual and were both quiet other than a good morning greeting to Charlene from Peter. Greg didn't say anything and did not look at her. Hmm, Charlene wondered what he told police.

  Officer Edwards was waiting at the landing as prearranged and hopped onto the pontoon boat as the students hopped off. Charlene took him to his post in front of cottage #2. The back and forth to the landing was wearing on her. Both she and James were quiet on the boat ride and Charlene could see the long shifts were starting to make him look as tired as she felt.

  She watched him walk over to the picnic table in front of the cottage and put a small cooler under it in the shade then walk around keeping close to the front of the cottages and canoe rack where he could watch if anyone went near the crime scene. Though it wasn't actually the crime scene as far as anyone could tell, Charlene thought. Poor Lori was dead before she was stuffed in the kayak. There was no trace of blood in the kayak or on the ground. She was killed somewhere else and brought back to the resort. 'Why?' was the big question.

  Officer Miller hopped on the boat and sat without much to say. She could barely keep her head from jerking forward as Charlene took her to the landing so she could go home to get some sleep.

  She was a pretty woman Charlene realized, taking advantage of Wendy's sleepy state to really look at her. Her hair had come loose from the tight bun she wore to keep her hair tidy and safe when in uniform. The tendrils of soft light brown hair escaped the bun and she didn't look as severe as Charlene first thought. Her light blue eyes reminded her a bit of Joe's eyes. They had the same pale blue milky colour. Her lashes and eyebrows were dark though. Tinted? Charlene wondered. Her skin was a beautiful tan colour not usually seen on people with such blue eyes and fair hair. She was tall and strong-looking, both in body and face, and her Romanesque nose suited the strong vibes that emanated from her. Sarah told her yesterday that Wendy was 28 and had been a police officer with the O.P.P. for six years. She had been stationed in Burlington before being asked to come north just a few months ago. Sarah said she seemed surprised by the north and its lack of services and shopping, being used to the cosmopolitan city ways all her life, but was settling in and was well-liked by her shift mates and the public. She was looking to buy a house in Espanola expecting to stay for a few years at least.

  Sam was standing on the dock when Charlene pulled up and hopped on as he usually did without much fanfare. Then he stopped and turned his head and looked at Wendy as she barely acknowledged him and got up from the chair on the pontoon boat and stretched her arms up over her head. She yawned as she stretched then opened her eyes and stared back at Sam. Charlene watched them stand a few feet from one another as they just looked at each other. Well, well, Charlene thought. Then Wendy turned and walked off the boat and down the dock toward her cruiser. Sam stood staring at her as she walked away. "Look back, look back Wendy" Charlene thought, just seconds before Wendy stopped and turned and gave Sam a radiant smile before turning again and getting in the car and driving off.

  Sam turned to Charlene and said "Windy eh?"

  "Good morning Sam. How are you?" she replied as per their usual greeting.

  Once at the resort Sam went into the shed and got organized at what he needed for more painting. Charlene went into the office and picked up the phone to call Joe, then remembered Sarah asked her to hold off talking to him about what Sam said until she had a chance to talk to Sam and Joe herself. She put the phone down and went out to the garden to get a bouquet for the table in cottage #4. The couple would be arriving sooner than the regular check in, and that was okay this time of year. Charlene didn't allow it during the busy summer months when everything had to be cleaned from the departing guests and made ready for the incoming guests. It never seemed it would get done in time.

  Charlene had help with the cleaning from mid-June to Labour Day week-end. Linda answered the ad Charlene posted at the reserve down the highway. Charlene paid her well knowing how hard it was to clean quickly and properly. The two of them worked well together and on check-in days concentrated on getting the cottages cleaned. The laundry piled up on the floor by the machines until there was time to do the wash. Charlene had three sets of sheets for all the beds in all six cottages, knowing at times a stain or fray would mean the sheet could not be used again, other than ripped up for cleaning cloths.

  After Linda cleaned a cottage and brought the dirty linen in, Charlene went to inspect the cottage, getting on hands and knees and looking under the chesterfield and chair cushions and under the furniture and under the beds. She often found socks and deodorant, crayons etc. when she first hired Linda, but it was rare now to find anything. No one in the area paid as well as Charlene did and she respected Linda for her hard work and Linda respected her in turn. Linda brought Charlene a small bit of moose roast each year as a token of her appreciation. Though non-native she married a fellow from the reserve and they both appreciated the money Linda brought home from the resort. She came in the spring and fall for a week or so and helped Charlene open and close the cottages as well.

  Having checked on cottage #4 one more time as she centred the new bouquet on the table, Charlene decided it was time to get the paperwork printed off and ready for the guests. The Porters agreed to having their canoe rented by Charlene for two afternoons only. They wanted to be able to use the canoe in the morning and evening when the winds were down and the lake became calm and serene, the edges of the coloured forest mirrored on the flat surface of the water. Charlene would let the young couple use the canoe at no cost, thinking she would bill the amount of her rental money to the Porters to the O.P.P. since she couldn't get to her own canoe rack.

  While in the office, Charlene picked up the glasses Jack gave her and decided she should post an ad in the paper and call the local Moose FM radio station and get a free bit of air time, to let the public know the glasses were found and could be picked up in the office. She took a picture of them with her cell phone, then thought she would just give the make of the glasses and say they wer
e found on one of the islands on the lake and the rightful owner could describe them before she handed them over. They looked really expensive. They were the kind where the frame is hardly noticeable, and the lens were small. The arms were a soft mauve becoming translucent near the tips. The wee bit of frame on top of the lens was clear. They looked like glasses a woman would wear. Charlene packaged them up to keep them safe and put them in the filing cabinet drawer, uncertain what she would do with them if there was no response to the ad.

  She looked at the phone and decided she would phone Joe. He did after all leave a message about coming for a stew dinner tonight. There would be no stew and likely no dinner together. Sarah just asked her not to talk to him about what Sam said about Joe being on the lake with a woman in his fishing boat. She didn't say Charlene couldn't talk to Joe at all and she felt she should call him back, even if it would be just to say a dinner together would not happen. She dialed his cell. There was no phone line to his house. Joe's voice message came on. Charlene left a message saying she called and would be out more than in for the rest of the day but would check messages when she could. She hoped the shakiness she heard in her voice did not betray what she was feeling. Knowing Joe, he would worry and she didn't want him phoning her back and acting concerned. That's what it would be, acting. How concerned could he really be. He lied to her and was not in his shop but out on the lake with another woman. Charlene was positive it wasn't Lori he was with. That didn't make any sense to her. It didn't make sense that he would be on the lake with any another woman when he would know that she would likely see them. So what did make sense? Sam must have been mistaken. Charlene was starting to feel foolish for doubting Joe's love for her. Sam wasn't one for speaking out of turn though.