THURSDAY, AUGUST 4
“Sorry I couldn’t see you right away.” Harper sat down in a chair on one side of the knee-high coffee table in his corner office. He filled it up and appeared uncomfortable in the deputy chief’s uniform. His hand dwarfed the paper cup as he picked up the coffee Lane and Keely had brought with them. After a sip, Harper said, “You still know how to find a great cup of coffee.”
Lane asked, “When’s the baby due?”
“Two months. Erinn can’t wait for it to be over and Jessica is all excited. Glenn is moving out into his own place but not very far away. He’s moving in with —” he glanced in Keely’s direction “— a friend.”
“It’s not a problem,” Keely said.
Lane smiled. “My new partner is gay friendly.”
“Good.” Harper looked out of a window and turned serious.
“We’ve got a line on Kev Moreau. We may be able to connect him to the disappearance and murder of Zander Rowe,” Lane said.
Harper looked at each of them in turn. The phone rang. He ignored it.
A moment later there was a knock at the door. Harper’s secretary opened the door and poked her head in. “It’s the chief.”
“Urgent?” Harper asked.
She flipped her black hair over her shoulder and shook her head. “No.”
“I’ll call him back.” Harper took another sip of coffee.
Lane’s cell rang. He flipped it open, read the number and said, “It’s Fibre.”
“Take it,” Harper said.
Lane pressed the face of his phone. “Hello.”
“Early indications are that we have a probable cause of death,” Dr. Weaver said in his usual monotone.
“Is the body positively identified?” Lane asked.
“Yes, of course. It is definitely Zander Rowe. The dental records confirm it,” Fibre said.
“And the cause of death?”
“There is a precise hole in the skull consistent with a bullet wound. We have recovered several metal fragments and are analyzing them now.”
“Anything else?”
“There is a nick in one of the ribs. There may have been two gunshot wounds.” Fibre hung up.
Lane looked at Keely and Harper then said, “It appears Zander was killed by a gunshot to the front of the head, and there is some evidence he was also shot in the chest.”
“Execution style,” Harper said.
Lane looked at Keely. She was watching the deputy chief.
“Zander’s brother is still in jail?” Keely asked.
“I assume so,” Lane said.
“Can you check that out?” Harper asked.
“How come you two are tiptoeing around this one?” Keely asked.
Lane looked at Harper.
Harper shrugged as if to say, Your call.
“Moreau is really well connected in the city. You —” Lane looked at Keely “— already know from your undercover work that he’s a member of the old boys’ network that used to drink Scotch with Chief Smoke. He’s also connected with various business and church organizations. The alderman in Moreau’s riding is in his pocket. We also believe he has one or two contacts within the police service. The style of killing — a bullet to the head and one to the chest or heart — fits a pattern established since high school. Moreau was a suspect in several drive-bys during his mid to late teens. Unfortunately, we could never connect him to the killings. We have to keep our investigation quiet and move carefully. If it is Moreau who was involved in the execution — and Keely, you and I believe that to be the case — then there are too many possibilities for leaks if we don’t keep things on a need-to-know basis.”
“The pair of you aren’t usually this cryptic,” Keely said.
“Take a look at this.” Harper handed each of them a magazine. Lane took it and read the front cover of the City Insider. Moreau’s face smiled back at them with his green eyes. The headline under the face said, Person of the Year. The first issue of the magazine promised to keep the reader informed about the movers and shakers in the city while providing a taste of the good life.
Lane and Keely began to read while Harper leaned back in his chair.
Meet Our Person of the Year!
A different kind of developer has come to the fore and his name is Kev Moreau. From humble beginnings, this homegrown maverick is helping to revitalize his old neighbourhood. It is now a thriving community on the city’s west side.
I met this twenty-nine-yearold at his downtown restaurant, aptly named Kev’s. If you haven’t seen the restaurant yet, it’s hard to miss. Walls of glass, Italian marble, unforgettable decor and remarkable food.
We sit at a table next to the window overlooking the Stephen Avenue Mall, where we are able to watch the comings and goings at the Centre for the Performing Arts. After tasting the food, I’d say that art is also being performed in Mr. Moreau’s kitchen.
Kev’s clothes are tailored to fit him and those startling green eyes study me from behind a glass of red wine.
Yes — in case you’re wondering — the wine is superb.
I ask him what he thinks of being City Insider’s choice for Person of the Year.
He studies the people on the street through the one-way glass before he answers. “To me it’s an affirmation. I’ve grown up the hard way and to gain this kind of recognition is very satisfying.”
I ask him about any new revitalization plans for the community he grew up in and where he continues to choose to live. Before he can answer, a very efficient waiter refills our wineglasses.
“I feel it’s important for entrepreneurs to give back to the community. A variety of types of business development is what I like to see. It’s locally developed, locally owned, and meets the needs of the people who live and work in the neighbourhood.” Kev takes a sip of wine, then nods at the waiter, who promptly retires to the kitchen.
“Along with the economic prosperity, there has been a decrease in crime — especially drugrelated crime — in my neighbourhood. I think this is my biggest accomplishment because it was done without the support of the police. It was an idea I promoted within the community.”
I asked Mr. Moreau what’s next if business is thriving and drugs are off the streets of his community.
“There are a few surprises coming. I’ll be making some announcements in the weeks and months to come.”
Lane took a minute to study the photographs. Moreau posed in front of a wall of bottles stacked in his wine cellar. Another of him leaning against a gleaming Maserati.
Lane looked at the byline. “Who’s Andrea Wiley?”
“Apparently she’s engaged to Moreau,” Harper said.
Keely flipped to the front of the magazine. “Sue Pike is the publisher. Any relation to Moreau’s man Stan Pike?”
“His sister. Getting the picture?” Harper asked.
“Starting to.” Keely tossed the magazine on the coffee table.
“For more than ten years we’ve been trying to charge Moreau with a series of unsolved crimes. Each time we run into a wall of silence from his community. Witnesses either disappear or refuse to talk. We’re pretty sure he runs his own organized crime network and manages to keep the competition away from his turf.” Harper lifted his cup and drained his coffee. “Moreau thinks he can leave his past behind and move on to bigger projects. The problem is that there is always a body count when Moreau makes a move.”
Lane nodded.
Keely looked at her partner. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Lane looked at her. “He’s a sociopath.”
“So there are no rules?” Keely asked.
“Kev Moreau makes the rules.” Harper turned to Lane. “Is Matt okay?”
Lane nodded at Harper. “A little shaken up. How did you hear?”
“Whenever something like that happens — especially if it involves the family member of a police officer — I hear about it. Besides, Matt is Jessica’s favourite person in the world. I have to keep an eye on her friends.” He smiled, then turned to Keely. “Inspector MacWhirter of the RCMP has been asking me to call him. I think he wants to know when you will no longer be on loan to us.”
“Can you keep him on hold at least until we finish this case?” Keely asked.
Harper nodded. “The two of you need to be careful. Moreau has a reputation on the street for being ruthless and cold blooded.”