TWO

Despite Erica’s cynicism, I discovered that Thunder Bay had two newspapers—the Chronicle Journal and the Post, although the Post had apparently been transformed into tbnewswatch.com. Oh well.

I searched the archives of the Chronicle Journal first.

A Thunder Bay man charged with first-degree murder after human remains were found in a burned-out car earlier this month will be back in court next week.

A 49-year-old Thunder Bay man is charged with second-degree murder following an incident at a North Edward Street apartment.

A Thunder Bay man with a personal history blighted by dysfunction and criminal behavior will spend the next chapter of his life in prison as the result of the beating death of a Geralton teenager.

The death of a 37-year-old woman in Thunder Bay this week could once again label this community as the murder capital of Canada.

I spent some time with the latter story. It seemed that Thunder Bay had been the scene of six homicides that year, and since statistics are compiled on a per capita basis, the city was fast approaching the designation of most murders per 100,000 residents. People were outraged. One citizen, unswayed by the fact that Thunder Bay had a total of only nine killings in the past six years, was appalled by the community’s horrific criminal record and wondered what the police were doing with all that tax money they were being paid.

“Hell,” I said aloud. “A half-dozen murders is just a bad three-day weekend in the Twin Cities.”

The Chronicle Journal listed the killings in chronological order. None of them involved a young woman in a motel room.

I turned to tbnewswatch.com. It was a bit more sensational in its reporting than the Chronicle Journal but provided no additional information. I tried the Web site of the Thunder Bay Police Service. The cops were asking for help in three unsolved murders that occurred in 1984, 1992, and 2005. There were no reports concerning missing persons uploaded on any of the Web sites.

“I need to go up there,” I said aloud. “Just to be sure.”

*   *   *

“You’re doing what?” Nina wanted to know.

“Sweetie, it’s not my idea. Besides, I’m not actually doing a favor for Jason.”

“Then who are you doing it for?”

“Erica.”

“Bullshit.”

If there was any doubt that Nina was angry, that settled it. She almost never cursed.

“See, this is why I called instead of telling you in person,” I said.

“Dammit, McKenzie.”

“Erica asked me to help her father. What was I supposed to say?”

“You were supposed to say no.”

“How could I do that?”

“By reminding her that you’re my boyfriend, not hers.”

“You keep saying that you don’t want to marry again, yet there’s a real chance that one day I could become Erica’s stepfather. Tell me again how I’m supposed to say no.”

“Marriage, McKenzie? Do you really want to bring that up now?”

“I’m just reminding you that I love you desperately and that there is nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy, so if you want me to blow off Erica’s old man I’ll do it—just as long as you’re standing next to me when I tell her.”

“I…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think I want to do that.”

“Me, neither.”

“Just out of curiosity, what kind of trouble is Jason in?”

“I’m kinda sorta sworn to secrecy on this one.”

“Is that right?”

“Kinda sorta.”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

“If you really want me to, I will.”

Nina thought about it for a few beats.

“No,” she said. “I don’t want you to break a promise for me.”

“You’re the only one I would do it for.”

“I appreciate that.”

“I’ll give you a hint, though. When you two were married, did Jason go off on his own a lot, take trips by himself?”

“Let me guess. This is about Jason wanting to be alone with the music.”

“Something like that.”

“The thing is, McKenzie, he was never alone for very long. It’s why we’re not married today. One of many reasons, actually.”

“I figured. The truth is I’m not sure Jason’s in any real trouble. He’s paying a heavy fine for making some bad choices, which he richly deserves, by the way. If I’m right, though, he should be able to walk away from it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Scoot up to Thunder Bay tomorrow, check out a few things, and come back the following day.”

“While you’re doing this favor for Jason, would you mind doing one for me?”

“Sure.”

“Bring me some donuts.”