The paramedic checked her blood pressure, pulse, and temperature and asked her a lot of questions. He examined her feet, cleaning and treating the wounds before applying dressings to some of the cuts and blisters. He bandaged her right hand and a deep scrape on her forehead. She didn’t flinch; it hurt, but she didn’t care. She was safe. The officer sat at his desk and watched.
“I think you should go to the hospital to be checked out,” said the paramedic.
“I’m OK. I’m thirsty and sore, but that’s all. I need to call Sue. She’s a Detective Constable with the Niagara Regional Police.”
“I’ve notified the Niagara Police and OPP that you’ve been located,” said the officer.
Jennifer didn’t respond. She pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped Sue’s number. Sue answered on the first ring. She watched as the paramedic rose and left the room.
“Jennifer? I’m so sorry. I am so sorry—”
“I’m OK, Sue, really I am. Don’t blame yourself.”
“Where are you? I can come and get you. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m at an OPP station up north. The officer says they notified the Niagara Regional Police.”
“Hang on, the DS is pulling it up.” She paused and Jennifer heard Ryan’s voice in the background. “You’re at the station in Burk’s Falls.”
“That’s a long way from Niagara Falls,” said Jennifer. “I’m closer to North Bay. I could rent a car, drive to North Bay and fly down to Toronto faster than you coming to get me.”
“Jennifer, I had Sue put you on speaker.”
“Hello Detective Sergeant,” said Jennifer. “Where’s Travis?”
Silence lingered at the end of the line.
“We don’t know.”
“Oh no, no, no,” moaned Jennifer. “Did I kill him?”
“First,” Ryan said calmly. “We need to be sure you’re alright. Then you can tell us what happened so they can try to find him. I’m going to call the station on the landline.”
Jennifer’s breath came in short gasps. She’d left Travis to die. He could have been killed by a bear or a cougar or bled to death, and she would be responsible for killing him.
“I can take the police to where I left him right now. We need to hurry.”
“You didn’t answer my first question,” Ryan said gently. “Are you hurt?”
“Not really. Just frightened.” Sobs erupted from deep inside her. She set her phone down.
The paramedic disconnected the call for her as the station phone rang. He sat quietly beside her while the officer continued the conversation with Detective Sergeant Gillespie. He helped her take sips of the tea he’d just made as her sobs subsided. When she had quieted down, the officer looked down at her.
“I’m going on speaker,” he told her. “Are you alright to continue?”
She nodded.
Sue spoke first, “I just let Marcia know you’re safe. She was beside herself and told me to tell you to get home right now, there’s work to do.”
Jennifer smiled in spite of her emotional turmoil. How like Marcia in a crisis.
Immediately she thought of Travis. As much as she hated him, and as much as she thought she wanted him dead, she’d never be able to forgive herself for leaving him in the bush to die.
“I was just looking at the report,” said Ryan. “A truck driver reported the car. It’s on Highway 520, off Highway 11.”
“I heard Travis stop for coffee. He pulled off the road shortly after and stopped, that’s how I got out.”
“Heard?” said Ryan a little sharply.
“I was in the trunk. I didn’t move fast enough before the car started again.”
Jennifer felt her panic rising. “Please Ryan, please let me take them to the car. He’s in the woods. He’s hurt. I hurt him. It’s my fault.”
“I rather doubt it’s your fault,” said Ryan dryly. “He brought this all on himself Jennifer. Sit tight.”
The officer and Detective Sergeant Gillespie discussed their options. Ryan clearly did not want Jennifer to go back to the car. After some back and forth, he agreed to let the constable take Jennifer only if he called for backup.
“Alright Jennifer, you heard the discussion. We’ll make arrangements from this end to pick you up as soon as possible. We might have the detachment drive you to North Bay and put you on a plane.”
Jennifer looked at the officer. “Let’s go now, please.”
“I’ll ride along,” said the paramedic. “Let me get my kit stocked. We can dispatch from Huntsville if we need the rig.”
The officer disappeared from the room to call for backup and for a few minutes Jennifer found herself alone, her fear of finding Travis dead steadily increasing. The paramedic returned and sat down with her while they waited for the officer. He took her hand and did his best to reassure her.
“Let’s go,” the officer said brusquely as he re-entered the room.
Jennifer and the paramedic sat in the back seat of the squad car. The officer drove quickly, lights flashing. The sun shone giving off an early morning glow she loved. As they drove through the silence she stared out the side window. The view forward was through the cage that separated the seats and it made her uncomfortable. If she’d killed Travis, then she’d be arrested and charged—a prisoner.
Twice the car had to slow for deer grazing on the side of the road. “Look,” said the paramedic, pointing out his side of the car. A bear stood in the middle of a logging road just off the highway. The paramedic smiled at her. “Guess you don’t see too many bears in Niagara, eh?”
“I grew up in the north,” she replied, doing her best to respond to his small talk. He was kind and gentle and it helped ground her. “My dad was in the Forces. He was posted in North Bay.”
“Then why didn’t you stay in the car last night?” asked the eavesdropping officer.
“Because Travis wanted to kill me.” What a stupid question to ask her. “It was Travis or bears or cougars. I just wanted to get away from him.” The officer didn’t respond and Jennifer hoped her comment had shut him up. He didn’t have the most endearing personality. She turned to the paramedic.
“Where did you grow up?”
“Trout Creek,” he said. “It was great when I was a kid but I needed to get out, so I went to college in North Bay. I worked in Toronto. Was there for five years but eventually I tired of the fast pace and applied for a posting back here.”
The car slowed. Ahead was the vehicle she’d fled from. In the light, she saw it was a grey two-door. Another police car faced them on the opposite side of the road; two officers were checking out the damaged vehicle she’d escaped from.
“He’s not here,” yelled one of the officers. As the three of them disembarked, their officer instructed the paramedic and Jennifer to stay by his car.
The paramedic looked at Jennifer and made a face as their officer walked away. “I don’t like that guy,” he said. “He is such a cowboy.” His honesty made the corners of Jennifer’s mouth twitch. She didn’t like the officer either.
A short while later the three officers approached her. “Where did you say you injured him?” asked the cowboy.
“Further down, in the woods. I’ll show you.” She could almost feel the disdain radiating from the officer who drove them.
The paramedic took her arm. “Just ignore him. Like I said, he’s a jerk.”
Jennifer’s feet hurt with every little movement. She was stiff and sore but she refused to let it show.
The other two officers were kind and pleasant. She led them to the edge of the woods where the grass and brush was trampled.
“I’ll go first,” said one of the officers. “Straight through?”
Jennifer nodded. “Yes.”
“Hello? Police!” he yelled as he walked forward, his hand on his baton. “Hello?” He followed the flattened brush and trail of twigs and leaves farther in.
When they reached the small clearing, Jennifer said quietly, “Here, on the right.” She pointed to the spot where Travis had fallen. The two new officers moved carefully along the rock. One of them turned to Jennifer.
“He’s not here.”
Surprised, Jennifer looked at the officer who’d driven them. He stared back, his arms folded, a tiny smirk on his face.
“There’s a shoe,” said one officer as he scrambled down the rock face. “It looks like someone landed here, the brush is flattened.”
He put on gloves and picked up a running shoe. A small amount of dried blood coated the top.
“It’s his,” she said quietly. “There should be a rock down there as well. I hit him with it.”
“I see it,” said the officer as he picked up it.
“That would do a bit of damage,” he said. “You hit him with it?”
“Yes.”
“Not too shabby. That would slow anyone down.” His partner helped him back up onto the flat rock and they looked around the area.
“No flashlight?” asked Jennifer.
“There was one in the car,” said the officer who had retrieved the shoe.
“Then he made it back to the car?” Relief washed over her, cleansing her guilt. If he got back to the car, then he was safe.
“Appears so.”
“You said he kidnapped you, are you sure you didn’t just have a lover’s quarrel?” asked the officer cowboy.
Jennifer was floored. She turned to the officer who found the sneaker. “If you look in the trunk you’ll find duct tape stuffed in the holes at the side.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the duct tape she’d saved. “It’ll match this.” She put it back in her pocket before anyone could take it from her. “You’ll also find some of my blood. I cut my hand.”
They heard another car pull up and a small burst from a siren. “Sarge is here,” said the officer who drove them, his voice pleasant. “Let’s go.” He led the way out of the woods.
“Is it just me, or did the cowboy’s tone just change?” said Jennifer quietly to the paramedic as they walked into the sunshine.
“It changed. I don’t trust that guy, never did,”
A middle-aged dark-haired gentleman with sergeant stripes on his uniform approached. “Ms. Spencer, Sgt. Christie. You’ve had quite an ordeal. I have orders to get you to North Bay. Your flight leaves in an hour.”
She felt the paramedic squeeze her hand. She turned to him and looked up at the young man who was probably her age—her lifeline after Mack.
“Thank you.”
“Just doing my job,” he replied as he winked at her. “Get those dressings checked and changed when you get back, OK?”
“I will.” She squeezed his hand back, the unspoken relief that she was leaving shared between them.
“Thank you officers,” she said to the three men.
“Ma’am, glad you’re safe,” said one.
“You are most welcome,” said the other.
The cowboy did not speak.
“Stay with the vehicle and secure it as evidence until the tow truck drops it off,” said the Sgt. “I expect the three of you in my office at the Almaguin Detachment at 2 p.m.”
“Yes sir.”
He turned to the cowboy. “You head back and file your report. We’ll review it at the meeting. Good work.”
“Ready to go home Ms. Spencer?” asked the Sergeant. “This way.” He gently took her arm, led her to his squad car and opened the door to the front seat. She thanked him and turned to watch as the paramedic got in the back seat of the other squad car. He gave her a tiny wave as they pulled away.
The traffic was quiet as the Sergeant sped to North Bay, using his lights only when necessary, the conversation minimal. At the airport he walked her to the Air Canada desk. She could see the plane out on the tarmac.
“Hello Sergeant,” said the agent. “Hello Ms. Spencer. I have your ticket. You may go through security.”
The Sergeant waited while she was given a cursory security check then he walked her though the gate to the plane. Jennifer looked at him, surprised that he was allowed on the tarmac.
“I have my orders. I’m to put you on this plane and I don’t intend to leave until this plane takes off.” He looked down at her, his face serious. “You’re very brave. It could have been a drastically different outcome if you hadn’t been able to get away.”
“I don’t feel brave. Where’s Travis?”
“We think he might have hitched a ride somewhere. He might need medical attention. We’re watching the area hospitals.” He extended his hand. “Take care Ms. Spencer.”
Jennifer responded in kind to his firm grip. It hurt. She didn’t wince.
“Thank you Sergeant.”
He helped her up the few steps to the plane where the stewardess directed her to the front seat.
***
Jennifer looked down as the plane banked over Lake Nipissing and with a tiny sigh, closed her eyes. She was exhausted and felt like she wanted to sleep, but sleep eluded her. She was too keyed up.
Just over an hour later, the stewardess assisted her down the steps as she disembarked at Pearson. She could see Sue and Ryan, the two of them in uniform, waiting for her inside the gate. She limped as fast as she could to Sue and threw her arms around her. Both of them started to cry. Ryan stood patiently until they composed themselves. He put his hand on Jennifer’s shoulder.
“Boy, am I glad to see you,” he said, his crooked grin as sincere as she’d ever seen it. “You gave us quite a fright. You hungry?”
“Starving.”
“I know a diner just off the highway not too far from here. Let’s eat.”
Half an hour later they were seated in a quiet little restaurant where the waitress poured coffee and took their order. Sue had been subdued since their initial greeting and Jennifer turned to her.
“Sue, please don’t. You did nothing wrong. There was nothing you could have done.”
Sue teared. “I failed. I’m off your protection detail.”
Jennifer turned to Ryan. “Is that true?”
Ryan nodded.
“Then I won’t accept protection.”
“You have no say in the matter.”
“Probably not. But I don’t care. I can out stubborn Marcia. No more protection. It’s Sue or no one.”
His eyebrows went up. Marcia could be pretty stubborn at times.
Jennifer felt the liquid heat of her anger rising. She wasn’t ready to let the matter drop. “You mean to tell me Detective Sergeant Gillespie, that you have a perfect record? You never made a mistake? No blemishes or spots?”
He didn’t answer her questions, just looked at her. “Sorry Jennifer.”
She sat back and folded her arms. She felt like pouting. Jennifer was tired and sore and she wanted Sue back.
Ryan leaned forward, ignoring her negative body language.
“Are you ready to tell me what happened?”
Jennifer looked at Sue. She desperately wanted to protect her and lie, but she and Sue knew she didn’t have it in her not to tell the truth.
“Alright, I’ll start at the beginning.” She sighed. “I wanted to take out the garbage. I grabbed it and told Sue to watch from the balcony. She didn’t have her shoes on and couldn’t have caught up to me if she wanted to. Once outside, I looked back and saw her on the balcony and kept going. I lifted the lid on the dumpster and ... and ...” She broke down again, her shoulder’s shaking with sobs. Sue and Ryan sat quietly, waiting for her to compose herself.
“I woke up in the trunk of a car. My hands were taped, so was my mouth and my feet. Here’s some of the tape.” She pulled it from her pocket and put it on the table.
Sue cringed when she saw the blood on the tape.
Jennifer looked at her. “You had rehearsed and rehearsed with me the self-defence techniques Haney taught us and reviewed the articles with me—it saved my life.” Sue eyes filled with tears.
“It took me a long time to free myself from the tape. I found a tire iron and waited for the car to stop to pull the trunk release.” She paused. The same fear she felt when she was in the trunk threatened to overtake her. She looked at Ryan. His face showed no emotion so she focused on his calm demeanour.
“I told you I heard Travis’ voice when he pulled into a drive-through. A little while later though, when he pulled to the side of the highway and stopped, I didn’t think. I just popped the trunk release, grabbed the tire iron and smashed one of the back tail lights just in case I couldn’t get away. I guess I was hoping he might be pulled over for a traffic violation.” She stopped and took a few deep breaths.
Ryan and Sue had been listening intently. “Can you go on?” Ryan asked.
Jennifer nodded. “As soon as I got out of the trunk I ran as fast as I could into the woods. I didn’t get very far. It was dense and dangerous. I looked for a place to hide.”
As she struggled on with the story, it felt like she was living it all over again. “I saw a little clearing to my right. There was a rock. I sat on it and inched my way along. That’s when I knew I was up north.”
“How?” asked Ryan, puzzled.
“Lichen. Moss. The smell of the pine trees. Canadian shield.” Her short answers gave her time to take a deep breath. Her heart thumped in her chest.
“I could see Travis coming back with a flashlight, so I slid down. He found me right away and told me to get up. I picked up a rock and smashed it on his foot. He lost his balance and fell down the rock and off the end.”
“I climbed up and ran to the car. It was locked. I was so mad I smashed the window and headlights and pulled wires with the tire iron so he couldn’t get away. I had not said a single word to him.” Her lip quivered. “I wanted him dead.”
Sue reached over and touched her hand. “That’s a normal response Jennifer. I would have wanted him dead too.”
“Sue’s right,” said Ryan pragmatically.
“I was scared and I just wanted to get away. It was so dark. I walked and walked. Mack found me.” Jennifer was aware her story was getting choppy as her stress level rose.
“Mack, was that the truck driver?” asked Ryan.
“I have his phone number. He was so kind. I’m sure he saved my life.”
Ryan pulled out his notebook. “May I have it?”
Jennifer took out her phone. The battery was nearly dead. She looked up the number and turned the face towards Ryan, who made note of it.
“The officer at the station wasn’t exactly unfriendly, but he didn’t really seem to take things seriously until I called you.”
Ryan looked at Sue. Something passed between them, a conspiratorial, secretive look. Jennifer picked up on it.
“What?”
Ryan hesitated. “Your lawyer called about a half hour after Mack dropped you at the station. He heard about the kidnapping on the radio and called a colleague, whom he’d wakened and whom he refused to name. Apparently, that officer at that detachment may have been instrumental in Travis’ escape, with the emphasis on may.”
“Travis escaped again?” Jennifer said weakly. “How?”
“We don’t know the details. Mr. Duncan also suggested that it’s possible the officer you know as Doug was also involved. He may have been the reason Travis got to safety so quickly.”
“Doug, the one who didn’t believe me about Grimsby and Travis? The Major Crimes Unit officer?”
Ryan nodded. “We haven’t got much to go on.”
Sue took over, “That’s why the Sergeant arrived at the scene so quickly, as a result of Detective Sergeant Gillespie’s call to OPP headquarters. The Sergeant was given an order from his superior to get you out of there immediately. The other two officers are clean, we think, but we weren’t sure about the one at the station where Mack dropped you off. I think you did the right thing walking in the direction you did. Who’s your cell phone provider?”
Jennifer told her and mentioned that she had no service in that area. “Even with no service I should have been able to dial 911. I don’t know why it didn’t work.”
“Travis is with Bell, and he was close to the restaurant, which did have service. He could have called Doug who made sure his officer on the take got to Travis quickly, which he would have done via the main highway. It was faster. He’d pulled to the side of the road only a kilometre from the restaurant where he bought his coffee. It closed at 3 a.m. If the officer had seen you before picking up Travis, there might have been a different outcome.”
“The paramedic never left my side. He didn’t like that man one bit. I got the sense that he knew something wasn’t quite right. Mind you, that’s my intuition talking.”
“Trust your intuition Jennifer,” said Sue. “Mr. Duncan was quite emphatic about getting you out of there. So was Detective Sergeant Ryan after he spoke with Mr. Duncan.”
“I don’t think he would have done anything with the paramedic there, he just didn’t seem to want to believe me.”
“We should know soon enough,” said Ryan. “We’ll be checking landline and cell phone records. The Sergeant won’t let anyone know an investigation is underway until there’s proof. As far as the officers under suspicion know, it’s business as usual.”
The waitress arrived with their breakfast and they dropped the conversation. Jennifer just wanted to get home. She knew that Evelyn and Linda could calling anytime with the sad news of Greg’s death, and she felt the need to be there for them. She needed her life to return to normal.
“I’d pick up the bill but I seem to be a little short,” joked Jennifer when they finished eating. The three of them laughed. She was starting to feel safe again. Her friends were with her and friends were waiting for her. She was almost home.