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Halifax, October 27
4:50 p.m.
Daphne leaned in the bedroom doorway. “What time’s your flight?”
Audra pulled a white blouse from the closet and gave it a once-over.
“Five twenty-five,” she said. “Bright and early.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“Not sure, honey. Two, three days.” Audra threw her a smile. “Think you and your father can manage things until I get back?”
Daphne smiled a little. “I think so. We do okay when you go off on your courses.”
Audra laid out the blouse on the bed. “Yeah? I suppose you guys will be living off takeout until I get back.”
Daphne laughed. “Well...it’s healthy takeout.”
Audra smirked. “Pizza’s not really considered a health food, is it?”
“It depends on the toppings.”
“All that white flour.”
“There’s that. But we always stay away from the processed meats.”
“I know. I was just teasing you, honey.” Audra placed a sheet of tissue paper on top of the blouse and began folding the blouse over it. “I think there’s still some goulash in the freezer.”
Daphne nodded. “That stir-fry we had the other night is there.”
“There you go. If you guys get sick of pizza, you can always heat up that stuff. You know how to use the stove. Not sure your father does.”
“He tries.”
Audra chuckled. As she packed the blouse in a suitcase, she heard the back door close downstairs.
“Speak of the devil,” she said.
In moments, Daniel called out, “Hello.”
“We’re up here,” Daphne called back.
Audra heard him ascending the stairs. He stepped into the room.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said to Daphne. “How was school?”
“Good,” she said. “How was work?”
“Oh, same old routine.” Daniel looked over at Audra. “Hey, babe. I got your text. What’s this about you going out to BC?”
Audra double-checked the contents of the suitcase. “Work.”
“British Columbia?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why?”
Audra said to Daphne, “Honey, can you check the casserole? Make sure it’s not burning.”
“Sure.”
After Daphne left, Audra said, “We’re going out to review a case. Look at a crime scene.”
Daniel frowned. “Way out there? Why?”
Audra ran her fingers through her hair. “Remember that girl found in Point Pleasant?”
“Yes.”
“Well, long story short, we made a potential link to another case in Ontario. The detective in that one—Denis Gagnon—flew down here to compare notes with us. He actually thinks two of his cases are related to ours, but that’s another story.
“We ended up reviewing other unsolved cases in Ontario, Quebec, and through the Maritimes. BC wasn’t even on our radar. But then out of the blue this case comes to our attention.”
Daniel took a seat on the edge of the bed. “It’s connected to Point Pleasant somehow?”
Audra shrugged. “That’s the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.”
“You don’t know?”
“We don’t even know if these other cases we picked as possibilities are related to ours. Or if Gagnon’s case or cases are related to ours.”
Daniel lowered his head, quiet for half a minute. “Any idea when you’ll be back?”
Audra zipped up the suitcase. “Two, three days. I can’t see us being any longer than that. Jesus, it’s taking us over eleven hours just to get there tomorrow.”
“You couldn’t get a direct flight?”
She set the suitcase by the doorway.
“Not for the three of us on the same flight,” she said. “We could if we wanted to fly out later in the day. Then we’re looking at Friday before we can get anything started.”
“Who’s all going?”
“Me, Al, and Denis,” Audra said. “Too bad I couldn’t take you guys. Daphne’s never seen BC.”
“Whereabouts in BC are you going?”
“Kimberley.”
Daniel nodded. “Heard of it.”
“Small place, from what I’ve been told.”
Daphne came into the room. “Casserole’s done. I took it out of the oven.”
“Great.” Audra smacked her hands together. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
