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SUNDAY MORNING
The sun blazed through the gaps around the velvet curtains and burned my eyes. I felt jittery and in so much pain. I tried to sit up and gasped as my hip seemed to come completely out of the socket.
What the heck did I do yesterday?
Oh, right.
Slowly levering myself up, I tried to recall exactly what had happened, but parts were blurry.
The OPP had been here and they had asked a lot of questions.
Oh, creamsicle crappies, the RV was broken into. Jaqi’s laptop and camera were stolen. How did I forget?
I dressed in a loose skirt and a T-shirt. Today was no day to worry about my looks. We would have a lot to do to clean up the RV, and I needed to call my insurance agent. Oh boy, I also needed to call the RV rental place. I put the kettle on. A lot of tea was required to get through today.
Jaqi already had coffee percolating and was scrambling eggs when I got to the RV. Her face was marred by a frown so deep, I was afraid it would become permanent. Luci crept around as if she was expecting landmines in the floor.
Though I’d already had a pot of tea, I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat at the small table. You could cut the tension with a carving knife. If we’d brought one.
Finally, I set my cup down and stared right at Luci’s face.
“Enough of this. We are going to investigate. The thief is one of the people here. I just know it is.”
“What do you plan to do, go around to every trailer and ask if they stole my stuff?”
Jaqi sounded exhausted, and I wondered if she’d gotten any sleep or just worried all night long. My money was on the latter.
***
I WOUND MY WAY PAINFULLY across the broken pavement. Even the codeine wasn’t helping today. I’d taken enough painkillers that my ears rang, but my hip was still a misery to walk on.
I passed the office with the door still open and the desk still empty. I remember leaving the towel there. It was gone now.
I decided to begin with Carl—I knew he was with me when the break-in happened, but maybe he’d heard something. He knew everybody here. Maybe he knew who would do this.
We could list the suspects. My heart sped up at the thought of solving another crime; there was something thrilling about being the carrier of justice. I should also look into Keith’s murder while I was questioning people.
I left Victor asleep in the vardo. He’d bark when he needed out.
Carl opened his door and waved me inside. He looked as exhausted as I felt. I refused another coffee, and we sat on the steps outside. The entire camp seemed deserted. I watched his profile as he sipped his travel mug. He was a good-looking man, not a handsome one, but attractive in a well-worn way. It was comfortable sitting in silence together, and I hated to ruin it with my questions.
“Do you know everybody here?”
He nodded without replying.
“Are any of them criminals?” I added.
This time he snorted and almost choked on his coffee. Wiping his lips, he turned and grinned. “All of them. You’re wondering who would’ve broken into your trailer.”
I nodded.
“All of them but for different reasons,” he said, taking a careful sip this time. “Janet would steal cash and easily sold stuff to feed her coke habit.” He gestured to Keith’s trailer, where she was likely sleeping off another binge.
“Harvey,” he pointed to the office, “He’d do it for spite or to try to get you to leave.”
I nodded–Harvey did want us gone. “Well, he was unpleasant to us, but we’d already paid.”
Carl pointed at a falling down trailer half hidden by weeds.
“Then there’s the Carlisles. Nobody sees much of them. Keep to themselves a lot.”
I nodded. Not a lot of suspects, and none were friendly.
Carl bumped shoulders with me, and I smiled.
“Then you’ve got the offsite people: the biker gang in Fournier, the farmer behind your vardo, bored townies from half a dozen villages.”
“You make it sound hopeless.”
“Not totally.” He shrugged. “It happened at lunchtime, right?”
I nodded again, shifting to get more comfortable on the wooden step. It didn’t work.
“The farmer has never been accused of anything illegal, so write him off for now. The Carlisles are unlikely to be up and about by noon, so they’re out too. Janet and Harvey are still possibilities, though I’d put my money on Janet.”
“Why not Harvey? He did want us gone.”
“But now you’re staying to try to find your stuff.” He grinned, “Five minutes with you, and I knew you were a stubborn and difficult lady.” His smile took the sting out of his words. Barely. “I would know better than to threaten or rob you because you would come after me. Harvey is good at reading people, that’s why he was unpleasant but didn’t really try to get rid of you.”
So, Janet it was. Followed by the mystery couple I’d never seen. Then the bikers, but let’s not go anywhere near them for now.
***
I KNOCKED ON KEITH’S er, Janet’s door again. It was another dry, hot day with no breeze. I was tempted to go home, if only for the air conditioning.
Tires sounded behind me, and I turned to see the OPP were back. I could find Janet later, so I struggled back to the RV.
They were at the door in a standoff with Jaqi. That wasn’t good. I paused at the steps and debated shoving my way through. I felt too sore to climb.
Instead, I cleared my throat and when the cops turned around, I pointed to the picnic table. Jaqi nodded, so I turned and limped over. The officers joined me, and Jaqi turned to talk to Luci before they both came out.
We sat, us girls on one side, the men on the other, and silence reigned.
After long enough to be uncomfortable, the older cop leaned in. “Miss Lilley, what were you doing at the dead man’s trailer?”
Jaqi glanced at me then returned her attention to the cop who looked like Fabio. Well, from the neck down. I never did understand the obsession with him. He wasn’t a good looking man at all.
“Janet is still there. I was trying to offer my condolences.”
“And how did she seem?” Phelps grinned, knowing full well that she hadn’t answered the door.
“She wasn’t home, I’ll try again later.” I patted my spiky hair and tried to look unconcerned.
He turned to Jaqi, levelling his laser-focused eyes on her. She stiffened slightly and glanced at me. She looked... guilty.
But why? She didn’t steal her own laptop.
“I told you, I haven’t spoken to him in years, not since I left the Reserve, so if that’s all?” She stood up.
I met Lucia’s eyes across the table. What was wrong with her? Luci shrugged and then stood up to join Jaqi.
Fabio hurried to his feet and followed them into the trailer, leaving me with poodle cop.
He smiled and tilted his head toward the RV. “Did you know her cousin runs with the local biker gang?”
I was surprised Jaqi had never mentioned it because it was something she could have used in her books. But I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“Which side of the family?”
“She has more than one cousin in a gang?” said the officer.
That certainly didn’t come out right. “Not that I know of, but she sees more of her Black family than her Native one. Her father is a university professor in Ottawa, so they’re close.”
“It’s her Native cousin, Romeo.”
I fought a smile and lost. “Seriously, her cousin’s name is Romeo? Don’t tell me his sister is Juliet.”
He smiled back. “Yeah, it is.”
I grinned briefly. “Well, like she said, she hasn’t seen him in years. I need a glass of iced tea, would you like one?” He nodded and I rose, gasping in pain for a moment. Then my hip settled into a dull throb, and I walked back to the RV.
I knocked before entering and went straight to the cupboard for glasses. There were no donuts left and Victor had eaten all my cookies, so I had nothing to offer the man outside. I just got the two glasses and left.
As I went back to the table, a motorcycle with two people riding it went past the office toward the row of camps on the other side.
“That’s likely Janet,” I said to Whitey, and he nodded but didn’t get up.
I put his glass in front of him, and he took a good slurp. We turned our attention to the trailer as Jaqi’s voice rose. It wasn’t loud enough to hear what she said, so I turned back to White guy.
“Miss Lilley, we know that you and”—he paused to check his notes—“Lucia Occasio were high as kites yesterday. What had you taken, and where did you get it? I need the name of your dealer.”
Well, I have never been so insulted. As if I was a common drug addict. “I have never taken an illegal drug in my life. I am on major painkillers for my hip surgery. They may have interacted with the wine I had at lunch.”
He shook his head, “I know coke when I see it. You expect me to believe you three are here on vacation? At this place?” He laughed at me, actually wiping his eyes laughed.
I reached over and took his glass of tea away. He did not deserve any more of my lovely tea.
“I had hip surgery a couple of months ago, and it’s not healing well. Do you want to see my prescription?”
I had asked that as sarcasm but he cheerfully agreed. To think I had thought he was the nice cop. The fact that I had, indeed, been high on cocaine was irrelevant. I’m a lady, not a druggie.
***
“AM I UNDER ARREST?” Please no, do not check my prints. I’d had enough trouble in Smiths Falls when Squinty MacGuinty had checked my prints. I had a troubled past, shall we say. Full of drunk and disorderlies, a couple of fighting in public arrests, more drinking related charges, not to mention I used to present as male.
That was what set MacGuinty off, the narrow-minded twit.
I had totally missed Whitey’s reply but rather than ask again, I decided on a second question.
“Should I be calling a lawyer?”
“You can if you want, but once lawyers get involved, that’s the end of our friendly conversation.”
“I hadn’t noticed it being particularly friendly.” I muttered as I searched my purse, eventually coming up with my bright purple phone.
I really needed a smaller purse. But where would I put the pooper bags, doggie treats, cough drops, my lace edged hankie, and so on?
I still had my lawyer on speed dial from the last time I was accused of murder. In no time at all, I was giving my name and asking to be put through.
“DeShane Wilson.”
“Hi, Des. This is Victoria Lilley, and I seem to have a situation. Again.”
“Oh, Miss Vee. Tell me you aren’t under arrest for murder.” He chuckled, and I tried to laugh with him, but Whitey was giving me a look. It was rather unnerving, so I got up and stepped away from the table.
“It’s not that bad yet.”
He paused. “Yet?”
“Well, I did find another body, but I didn’t kill him. And we were accidentally, um, exposed to some cocaine, and now the OPP is pressuring me to reveal my dealer.”
There was silence for several seconds and then a deep sigh.
“Miss Vee, you are without question, my most interesting client. Where are you?”
I glanced around even though I knew full well where I was.
“At a dilapidated trailer park just outside Casselman.” I waited for a response, then pushed ahead just as he spoke.
“What are you—”
“It was—”
Then we both stopped to let the other speak.
After a moment, I laughed and gave him directions. He agreed to come immediately, but it would still be ninety minutes or so before he arrived.
I decided to give Victor a walkies, and let him tinkle. A Chihuahua has a bladder the size of a kidney bean, after all.