Closing Time Read online

  Stonechild and Rouleau Mysteries

  Cold Mourning

  Butterfly Kills

  Tumbled Graves

  Shallow End

  Bleeding Darkness

  Turning Secrets

  Closing Time

  Copyright © Brenda Chapman, 2020

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (except for brief passages for purpose of review) without the prior permission of Dundurn Press. Permission to photocopy should be requested from Access Copyright.

  All characters in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Publisher: Scott Fraser | Editor: Shannon Whibbs

  Cover designer: Laura Boyle

  Cover image: shutterstock.com/istock.com/Ugreen

  Printer: Marquis Book Printing Inc.

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Title: Closing time / Brenda Chapman

  Names: Chapman, Brenda, 1955- author.

  Description: Series statement: A Stonechild and Rouleau mystery

  Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 2019018437X | Canadiana (ebook) 20190184388 | ISBN 9781459745339 (softcover) | ISBN 9781459745346 (PDF) | ISBN 9781459745353 (EPUB) Classification: LCC PS8605.H36 C56 2020 | DDC C813/.6—dc23

  We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit and Ontario Creates, and the Government of Canada.

  Care has been taken to trace the ownership of copyright material used in this book. The author and the publisher welcome any information enabling them to rectify any references or credits in subsequent editions.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites or their content unless they are owned by the publisher.

  Printed and bound in Canada.

  VISIT US AT

  dundurn.com

  @dundurnpress

  dundurnpress

  dundurnpress

  Dundurn

  3 Church Street, Suite 500

  Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  M5E 1M2

  For Ted

  All extremes of feeling are allied with madness.

  — Virginia Woolf, Orlando

  There will be time, there will be time

  To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;

  There will be time to murder and create.

  — T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of

  J. Alfred Prufrock”

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  The jagged line of pine and balsam trees cast spindly black fingers onto the beach. Rachel knew that the shadows would stretch into a solid line of darkness within the hour. She turned her face away from the path through the woods where he would come and looked out across the lake. She was cold. The mist had seeped under her skin and dampened her hair so that it hung lank and heavy down her back. The chill had worked its way up her spine and into her limbs from the rock she’d been sitting on for the past hour. She knew that she should give up and go home, but the light would hold another fifteen minutes or so. After that, she’d have no choice but to leave. The woods were too thick and eerie to stumble through in complete darkness. As it was, her mother would be pacing and working herself into a lather wondering why she was so late.

  The lies were getting harder to pull off.

  He’d promised to meet her. Rubbed the knuckles of his hand up and down her cheek when he’d said it. She’d let her eyes drop deliberately, slowly, suggestively to his groin, and he’d laughed when he cupped her chin and lifted her face upwards. “Don’t start what we can’t finish,” he’d said. Rachel shivered, remembering the huskiness in his voice. She’d stared up into his eyes, unblinking, unreadable, and she’d felt powerful at being able to unleash this animal passion in him. They were like characters in a romance novel, only for real.

  Sometimes she didn’t recognize herself. She’d turned inside out to please him and this need to see him was with her all the time. It was as if she were thirsty and only getting sips that made her thirstier. He was like a drug she’d die without. She had moments of self-reflection when she wondered if she should have ever started down this road, but every time they were together, the doubts disappeared.

  Her eyes scanned the western horizon. The sun was a glowing half-circle seeming to sink into the sea. She knew this to be an optical illusion. The earth’s daily rotation around the sun was causing the shades of peach and golden light that radiated across the still water, soon to be swallowed up by mauve and the darkest shade of purple. She’d studied the planets the year before in grade ten science class. The days were getting shorter by two minutes every day and the nights were cooler than even a week ago.

  She closed her eyes and remembered the morning he’d put both hands on the wall, one on either side of her head, before leaning in to kiss her. Her heart had been pounding so hard in her chest she’d wondered if she was having a heart attack. He knew that she had a boyfriend named Darryl Kelly, but he hadn’t cared. After they made love for the first time, she hadn’t cared about Darryl Kelly either. The funny thing was that Darryl still was waiting around like an annoying lovesick puppy while she could barely remember why she’d gone out with him in the first place.

  There was a lull in the wind, and she sensed him behind her before she heard his feet leaping across the rocks. He was a tall, dark shape coming toward her but his eyes glinted in the half-gloom. She stood to meet him, arms wrapped around herself for warmth. He jumped from the rock below, straightened from a crouch less than a foot away from her, and then she was enclosed in his strong arms, their bodies pressed tightly against each other as if they belonged together.

  “I’d almost given up on you,” she said before his mouth was on hers, cutting off her breath in a deep kiss that would have brought her to her knees if he hadn’t kept a firm hand at her waist.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said when they broke apart. “Out of the cold at least.”

  He didn’t tell her why he was late. She knew better than to ask and put pressure on him. Instinctively, she sensed that he kept coming back to her because she made no demands. She let him lead her away
from the rocks and sea. The wind whipped her damp hair and blew through her woollen sweater. She stumbled when her foot touched the hard-packed sand. She thought she saw a movement in the trees and strained her eyes to peer into the shadows. Her hand tugged on his arm. “Is someone there?” she asked.

  He stopped and looked in the direction of her finger. His voice sounded irritated, as if she was making up obstacles to put off his pleasure. “Who’d be out here this time of day? I don’t see anything.”

  “I guess I imagined it.” Surely I’m not being followed, too?

  She set aside the uneasy feeling and sagged against him as they crossed the stretch of beach and entered the wood. Her desire flamed once they were in the shelter of the trees. She wanted to announce her love for him to the world. She’d suggested going away together the last time they’d met, thinking he wanted the same. He’d caressed her cheek and said it was too soon. She had two more years of high school and had only just turned sixteen. Her parents would need time to come around, to give their blessing. They might force her to give him up. He had a lot to lose, too. He’d argued for secrecy and she’d promised to stay silent until they agreed to take the next step.

  She stopped beside a pine tree and pulled on his arm. He turned and she twisted her fingers through his hair. He pushed her back against the tree and his hand snaked under her shirt to grab her breast.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, lifting his face from hers to look her in the eyes. “This isn’t the most comfortable of places.”

  Her voice came out a panting command, “Don’t stop.”

  “Good answer.”

  She could see his smile before he leaned in to kiss her. She whispered “I love you” as his lips reached hers and felt him hesitate momentarily before his hand was pulling down her zipper and wrenching her jeans and underwear down her legs until she could kick them off. She bit back a yelp of pain when the weight of him pushed her hard against the tree, the rough bark scraping her back. He eased off and she adjusted her back into a better position, pulling him closer to her until they were one. He liked her to close her eyes when he was inside her, but this time she kept them open. His eyes were shut tight and his breath came in pants and grunts as he slid in and out of her. She couldn’t mistake the emotion on his face. He wanted this … he needed her. He couldn’t live without her either. She only had to be patient and give him the space to realize they didn’t have to wait any longer to start their lives together in a new town. She’d have enough money soon to get them started while he looked for another job. It would work. There really could be a happily ever after.

  All she had to do was close her eyes and dream.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Tanya Morrison put away her cellphone and crossed the street to where Kala Stonechild was chatting to a uniformed officer. The afternoon had warmed up while they were inside speaking with the owner of the Chinese restaurant who’d been beaten and robbed the night before. He was shaken up, but in good enough shape to be out of the hospital. She’d flinched at the sight of his face, a crisscross of swollen bruises and cuts that made him look like a prizefighter on the losing end of a long bout. His right eye was turning purple and had swollen completely shut.

  She waited until Stonechild finished speaking before nudging her with an elbow. “That was Rouleau. He wants us to check out an assault since it’s nearby. Do you have time or should I go alone? I know you’re on leave after this shift.” She held her breath. Averted her gaze.

  Stonechild began walking in the direction of her truck. “No, I’ll come with you and will head home from there if you don’t mind briefing Rouleau and following up.”

  “Works for me. Thanks.” Her breath released in a slow exhale. As predicted, Stonechild couldn’t turn down a case.

  Stonechild pulled out her truck keys and spun around to face her. “Where to, exactly?”

  “The Delta parking garage on Johnson Street. An officer is with the victim now and waiting for us to get her statement.”

  “Okay. I’ll meet you there.”

  Tanya saluted and crossed the street, doubling back to her car. She followed Stonechild’s truck the length of Princess Street toward the waterfront. She passed a couple of teenage boys and her son’s latest acting-out episode at school intruded into her thoughts. Her ex-husband wouldn’t agree to ground him when the kids were staying at his place, leaving her holding the bag once again. His refusal to be a parent was grinding her down. Even his latest bimbette, Shona, had looked at him oddly when he told Tanya to loosen up. Somehow she’d force herself to put all that aside for this evening. Put on the happy face.

  She passed the Merchant pub and turned right onto Ontario Street where Princess fed into the Holiday Inn. The Delta was a few blocks down on the lakeside of the street with the parking garage east of the hotel. She pulled up behind Stonechild’s truck as they waited for oncoming traffic to pass and they both made the left turn onto hotel property and another sharp left to go past the front entrance into the parking garage.

  The doorman motioned to Stonechild, and she stopped her truck next to him. Her passenger window slid open. He leaned in to speak with her, then straightened and motioned to Tanya to follow the truck into side-by-side parking spots. She had to hurry to park and catch up to Stonechild, who’d leapt out of her truck and was striding back toward the entrance.

  Stonechild glanced behind her as she stepped inside the hotel lobby. “The victim is with security. They’ve taken her to a meeting room on the second floor.”

  “Was she staying at the hotel?”

  “Doorman says no.”

  The elevator was waiting for them at ground level and they were the only occupants. “I hope this goes quickly,” said Stonechild when she punched the button to the second floor. “I haven’t even packed yet and was hoping for an early start in the morning.” She shot Tanya a sideways grin. “So with my luck we’ll be here half the night.”

  Tanya folded her arms across her chest and looked away. With effort she kept her face still.

  The door to the meeting room was closed. Stonechild tapped lightly before pushing the door open. She stood frozen for a moment.

  “Gotcha,” said Tanya into her ear.

  “Surprise!” The room echoed with the yell of a week-long secret conspiracy released.

  The room was muted: gray walls and charcoal carpet — a bland canvas for the row of tall picture windows framing the harbour and the fading daylight. The staff had set up a long table, covered it in white linen, and arranged dinner settings for eleven. The group gathered around Stonechild. Someone gave her a drink and she had a moment to recover her composure. Dawn hugged her aunt and Tanya saw Stonechild meet Gundersund’s eyes above her head. They smiled at each other, the intimate connection between them evident. The rest of the team was present: Andrew Bennett, Zach Woodhouse, Jacques Rouleau, Bedouin. Marci Stokes hung back with Henri Rouleau and Vera — everyone there to wish Dawn and Kala a good holiday and perhaps to remind them that they had ample reason to return.

  Tanya knew she wasn’t the only one who’d seen the restlessness in Stonechild. Sometimes Tanya caught her staring into the distance when she should have been working, her mind far away, her fingers still on the keyboard. Gundersund would watch her, too, with an intentness in his eyes that disappeared when Stonechild’s gaze fell on him. They kept their relationship out of the office, but Tanya knew that they were spending most of their free time together. Gundersund had all but moved in with Kala and Dawn.

  Dinner was a noisy affair. Four courses picked and paid for by Rouleau, a chance to thank the team for the overtime and high conviction rate for the cases that had landed in Major Crimes over the past year: creamy mushroom soup, Caesar salad laced with garlic and anchovies, prime rib with roasted potatoes and lightly grilled asparagus, dessert an airy concoction of egg white, sugar, and lemon that melted on the tongue. Rouleau stood as coffee was being poured and toasted those in the room.

  “I want to thank each of you o
n the team for all your hard work. For the many weekends and late nights that you’ve put in without complaint — well, with the exception of Woodhouse who can’t help himself —” he waited for the laughter to die down “— and all those hours of grunt work that have resulted in our high conviction rate. You’ve earned some time off … but not all at once, please. To get the vacations started, please join me in wishing Kala and Dawn a restful and happy time on their northern adventure.”

  They coaxed Stonechild to her feet. “Thanks for surprising the heck out of me,” she said to a round of laughter, “and for being such a terrific team of colleagues and friends. Dawn and I truly value each and every one of you.”

  “How long are you planning to be away?” Vera asked.

  Everyone looked at Stonechild, studying her face for signs of whatever struggle was going on inside. Watching for any clue as to what was troubling her. Stonechild’s eyes rose above their heads to stare out the window.

  “I’m not sure. A few weeks. Maybe longer. Dawn can catch up easily enough if she misses a bit of school. We’ll see how she does in the northern woods. We have a week booked at Pine Hollow Lodge and then will relocate somewhere closer to Lake Superior.”

  Tanya glanced over at Gundersund. He was watching Stonechild and she thought he must be looking for hidden meaning in her words. Is this the end of their relationship? she wondered. Was the footloose Kala Stonechild easing out of their lives? She’d moved south from the Red Rock–Dryden OPP detachment and her roots were in smaller northern communities. She owned property in Kingston, but she could easily sell it and make a tidy profit.

  “We’ll be waiting for your return,” said Rouleau, as if reading Tanya’s mind. “Don’t stay away too long.”

  Dawn went into the house to pack for the next day. Gundersund stretched out next to Stonechild on the steps that led up to the deck. She’d lit candles and left the back door light off. They sat in silence, watching the hazy moon above the trees at the far end of her property.

  “Would you like to come in?” she asked. Her face was half in shadow. “I have some packing to do, but you can spend the night if you want.”