Never Hug a Mugger on Quadra Island (37 page)

“There is that. He needs a new sponsor.”

Noel said, “Or a revamped old one.” Kyra raised an eyebrow questioningly. “I have pictures. Osborne will agree to continue paying for Shane's expenses.”

“It's blackmail.”

“Or justice.”

“Blackmail is an offense. So is obstructing justice. This is a murder case.” Kyra had another thought. “If you don't turn the camera over to the Mounties you become an accessory after the fact.”

Strange. Usually he was the one with moral rectitude. Where had Kyra's suddenly come from? “Any other notions to let Shane continue his career?”

“No,” she had to admit. “But let's keep thinking.”

“I think, not necessary.”

The two Mounties appeared on the deck. “We told you not to go anywhere,”

“Sorry.” Kyra smiled winningly. “We didn't think this was anywhere, as such.”

“The atmosphere in the house is too close,” Noel muttered.

They told and retold the story of the day's events, four times in all. At one point Sam Mervin's beeper rang. He stepped away from the others. The questioning continued.

Mervin returned. “I think we can wrap this up.” He sat. “My colleagues have been to Randolph Dubronsky's cabin. Somebody called 911, mentioned a cabin of interest. No people but they found a bunch of rubber masks like the ones worn by the guy who assaulted Zeke, and maybe Tim. Maybe Derek too.” He stared hard at Kyra and Noel.

“Oh,” said Kyra. “That's very good.”

Mervin squinted at her. “Any idea who might have made that call?”

Kyra's face filled with naive surprise. “How could I?”

“Just wondering,” said the Mountie. “You might be interested to know, we found a green van in town like the one that ran you off the road. Paint scrapes on the side could be a match for the Honda.”

“Any prints?”

“We're checking.”

“Doesn't matter. We know who attacked us.”

“Nice working with you two.” He shook their hands. “Okay, that's all I need.”

“We're leaving Quadra tomorrow morning.” Noel handed Mervin an Islands Investigations International card. “If you need anything, those numbers will reach us.”

The Mounties left. Kyra and Noel stayed at the table. They waited. Kyra set her purse on her lap, shuffled around inside it, and took out her iPhone. “Should I try the hospital again?”

“If anything shifts, they'll let us know.”

She shrugged and dropped the phone into her pack.

Austin and Shu-li appeared. Shu-li shrank back. Surprise from Austin. “You two still here? Go.” He snapped the back of his hand at them, two bothersome flies. “Leave.”

“Sit down, Osborne. You too, miss.”

“My name is Shu-li Waterman.”

It felt absurd for Noel and Kyra to introduce themselves at this stage, but they did, Noel adding, “Please, both of you, sit.”

They each took a chair. Austin said, “Okay, what?”

“We're concerned about Shane Cooper,” Kyra said.

“His bones will heal.”

“It's not his bones that worry us, Austin. It's his career.”

“He'll have a career.”

“If he does what you tell him.”

“Of course. I don't—”

“If he doesn't want to do what you tell him, like falling on purpose in competition, or something worse, what then?”

“I would never ask him to do anything wrong.”

“Never?”

“You have my word.”

Kyra and Noel smiled, at Austin, between themselves. Kyra said, “Not good enough. He needs your support, not your control. Control comes off the table right now.”

“What's that mean?”

“It means you place in escrow a cash deposit, the amount to be set this coming week by our lawyers, to cover Shane's annual expenses. The money stays in that account until he can support himself through endorsements and other independent income.”

“This is ridiculous. Anyway, I don't have that kind of money.”

Noel glanced about, the deck, the garden, the house. “Nice home you have here. One of many? Write them off as a business expense?”

“You can't be serious.”

Noel sat forward, leaning across the table. “Very.”

“What if I refuse?”

“The police may have to take a closer look at Randy's death.”

Austin leaned back in his chair. “Complete self-defense. The Mounties are satisfied. Even you two said it was self-defense.”

“We may have said so. We might have been wrong.”

“Change your story? Lie?”

“We wouldn't lie, Austin. Not after we've looked more carefully at the photos I took. And shared them with Sam Mervin.”

“What photos?”

“On the cliff. The two of you shoving Randy off the cliff.” He took the camera from the pouch on his belt, flicked it on and showed Austin the final picture: Randy over the edge holding on to Austin's arm, Shu-li slamming the poker against Randy's hands. Noel turned the camera so Shu-li could see the photo. “Good work, Miss Waterman.”

Austin lunged across the table for the camera, missed as Noel withdrew it. Austin said, “That doesn't prove a thing.”

“Maybe not, but it sure would make good press. The great Austin Osborne, exposed to the world. Along with Shirley Waterman. Put that together with the story of Osborne demanding that for Shane Cooper to receive Osborne's support he would have to throw competitions. Because Osborne wanted to bring disgrace onto Harold Arensen. However that would have worked. Get it?”

Austin stood slowly. He pushed the chair back. “Give-me-that-camera.” A growl.

“Sit down, Osborne. I emailed the pictures to two separate secure locations ten minutes ago. No one ever needs to see them. Put the money in escrow, nothing changes.”

Osborne started around the table toward Noel.

Kyra bolted up, purse in hand, finding and grabbing her can of Mace. “Don't even think it, Osborne.” She turned quickly as Shu-li lunged forward. Kyra's finger depressed the spray-guard and a waft of grey haze hit Shu-li in the face. She gasped and shrieked. She fell back against her chair.

Austin ran around to Shu-li's side and cradled her against his chest.

Kyra drew a package of tissues from her purse and tossed them on the table. “Use those. Then get some water. You'll get your instructions by registered mail. Look at me!”

Austin looked up.

“You'll follow the instructions. Sign where you are told to sign. Understand?”

“This is blackmail. You can't—”

“We play our part, you play yours. No further contact with Shane. Except the hands-off allowance from the escrow fund. The administrators of the fund will be Linda and Jason Cooper. You got that?”

“I can't—”

“You can and you will.” She pointed the Mace at Osborne. “Tell us that you will.”

“I—will.”

“Don't ruin your reputation, Osborne. Some people respect you. Keep it that way.” Noel stood. “Get some water for her eyes!”

•  •  •

Noel and Kyra were back at the Cooper house before the family and Alana returned from Campbell River.

“I'm for a hot bath and stiff drink,” Noel said.

“Ditto drink, but shower and clean clothes. Let's go to the B&B.”

Half an hour later, vodkas with a little tonic in hand, they sat on the patio outside their rooms.

“The more I think about that scenario, the more risky it was,” said Kyra.

“Is. Still.” Noel took a hefty sip. “How much do we tell the Coopers?”

“Randy is dead, Shane's career is guaranteed?”

“Yeah. No details?”

“No.”

“Just—done.”

“Yeah.”

The view was stunning, a ridge of trees, a pasture with sheep. Or alpacas? A sweep of island-dotted bay.

“I had the shakes in the tub.” Noel glanced sideways. “I always do, after.”

“It was risky, but you pulled it off.”

“If anyone finds out—“

“We won't let anyone.”

Her tone reassured Noel. A bit.

She took out her phone, poked in Alana's number, talked. Cut the connection. “On the ferry,” she announced. “Drink up and we'll get to the next act.”

•  •  •

Tim took Randy's death harder than the rest of the family. “I didn't like him, but I didn't wish him dead.” He blinked against tears, bit his lip, fumbled for his cap that wasn't there. “Tell me again how it happened.”

“He got too close to the edge and slipped,” Kyra said.

“That's a huge cliff,” Noel added. “Austin needs to put up a fence.”

Shane worried: “I still don't get how you convinced Austin to not make me toss a competition again.”

Kyra shrugged. “From what he said, he'd half decided you didn't need protecting anymore. We helped him decide the other half.”

“We can't thank you enough,” Linda gushed.

“Yeah!” Jason enfolded Noel in a bear hug.

•  •  •

Next day, after a long, celebratory breakfast, another conversation with the Mounties, a visit to Derek—Kyra and Noel's first since he'd become non-comatose—then they and Alana started back to Qualicum. There'd been no point in rushing off early since Seth and Jan and Astrid had taken Paul for his chemo in Victoria. Noel elected to mosey back on the Old Island Highway, two lanes winding through picturesque towns on the edge of the Strait. They stopped for a long beach walk and lunch in Fanny Bay where Alana had her first-ever oyster. She wasn't sure, but tentatively ate another and then declared them her food find of the summer.

On the road again, Alana launched into a paean for Triple I. “You guys were awesome! How did you figure it out so quickly? I can't wait to tell my friends about this. And you're keeping Shane skating! Wow!”

Kyra and Noel both said, “Alana!” at the same time. Noel braked and pulled over. Kyra turned around to face the back.

Noel said, “You cannot tell your friends about this. You can't tell anyone. Clients' confidentiality is paramount. Do you understand?”

“But you were so great! Can I work on another case with you? Next summer?”

Kyra said, “We'll see. You were a big help. But the primary thing about this business is professional discretion. Do you know what that is?”

“Not saying anything? Even to my best friends?”

“Not saying anything that would identify the clients, right, Noel?”

“Right.” He started up again.

“I think you could tell your friends,” Kyra continued in an Uncle Noel voice, “that you met Shane Cooper because he was skating in Campbell River this summer, that he's broken his leg and won't be in these Olympics, but he'll be back. You may not say anything about the family or the case. Got it?”

“The rest is client confidentiality, Alana. Got it?”

“A secret?”

“A secret with grave consequences if you break it . . .”

Alana digested for a moment. “If I don't say anything, can I work another case with you sometime?”

First thing Monday morning Noel had phoned his lawyer for a recommendation of a colleague in Campbell River, someone to sort out Shane's escrow account. His lawyer recommended Brian Sommers.

Noel had discussed the arrangements with Linda and Jason the evening before. They'd wanted more information. Noel and Kyra explained: with the work pressure at his factory, Austin agreed this was easiest. The four of them explained it to Shane. He was still afraid that Austin would have control over him despite the pact Noel outlined. “If he so much as tries to contact you, phone me immediately.” Shane acquiesced. No more hypnosis from Austin, his leg would have to heal of its own accord. No participating in the trials for the Vancouver Olympics, no chance to skate for Canada in 2010—this was the heavy price Shane was paying.

A quiet Tuesday and Wednesday with Noel's family. Thursday Noel and Kyra headed to Nanaimo, inviting everyone to come down for dinner. He'd treat them to the best restaurant in town. On the trip he tried to convince Kyra to spend a couple of days at his condo, the guest room was going begging. They could take walks, eat good food together, something they did so well. They'd sit on his balcony above Nanaimo harbor at vodka-tonic time, take in a schlocky summer movie. She should rest, do nothing for a while, be checked by his physician and deal quietly with the trauma of the miscarriage after the distractions of the case. Noel wanted to go for a picnic to Newcastle Island just across the bay from his condo; he and Brendan had spent good times there and he couldn't make himself take the ferry over by himself.

This last argument convinced her. She would stay until after the weekend.

Friday afternoon Brian Sommers called to say Austin Osborne had just left a signed statement accepting the financial responsibility for Shane Cooper's career, the papers for opening an escrow account for Shane, an additional document which recognized Linda and Jason Cooper as the sole trustees of that account, and a check for the agreed-on amount. The arrangement would stay in place until Shane was twenty-five.

Noel put the phone down. “Well, it's done.” He called Jason who, overwhelmed, said he'd be forever in Noel's debt.

Noel disconnected and plunked the phone on the table. “I have a bottle of Verve Clicquot. We can celebrate.”

They sipped the bubbly on the balcony, overlooking the port. A small soft breeze tickled the warm air. Kyra said, “You were right. I'm glad I stayed on. Thanks. It's been fun.”

He raised his glass. “To enjoying ourselves.”

“We're pretty good at that.” They both drank in silence. Then Kyra said, “Noel, I do want to have a child.”

He couldn't tell, was she serious?

“Very serious,” she said.

Not really?

“Believe me, sincerely serious. I've given it some thinking, and it's what I want.” She raised her glass. “And with every passing day I get more serious.”