Part 48 (1/2)
”Guilt by a.s.sociation.” Ryan's terse answers were suggesting a marked disinterest in conversation.
Silence filled the small s.p.a.ce around us. To occupy my mind I replayed the interview with Bastarache. What was it he'd said that bothered me?
Then it clicked.
”Ryan, do you remember Bastarache's comment when you showed him the picture of the girl on the bench?”
”He said he was barely out of high school when that kid was playing Indian princess.”
”What's wrong about that?”
”It shows Bastarache for the coldhearted b.a.s.t.a.r.d he is.”
”I printed that frame off the video. Today. Modern printer, modern paper. There isn't a single thing in that shot to indicate time frame.”
Ryan glanced at me. ”So what made Bastarache think the thing was decades old?”
”He knows what's going on. He knows who that girl is.”
I noticed Ryan's knuckles tighten on the wheel.
”If charges aren't filed, Bastarache walks tomorrow.”
”It takes evidence to file charges.”
I slumped into my seat back, frustrated, knowing Ryan was right. The investigation had produced very little linking Bastarache to any of the missing or dead girls. Sure, Kelly Sicard had danced for him. And Claire Brideau had visited his bar years earlier. But a crown prosecutor would demand physical or much stronger circ.u.mstantial evidence. Nevertheless, Ryan's seeming depression surprised me.
”You should feel good, Ryan. Sicard's alive and we found her.”
”Yeah. She's a peach.”
”You plan to call her parents?”
”Not now.”
”I have a feeling Kelly will make contact herself.”
”Karine.”
”Kelly. Kitty. Karine. You think she told us everything she knows?”
Ryan made a noise I couldn't interpret in the dark.
”My take is she opened up when asked, but volunteered little.”
Ryan said nothing.
”She made an interesting comment as you were paying the bill.”
”Thanks for the cocoa?”
”She thinks Brideau was murdered.”
”By?”
”She didn't say.”
”My money's on Plucky Pierre.”
”He threatened her. But Bastarache used to hit on her.”
I looked at Ryan, a silhouette, then a face slowly illuminated by oncoming lights. The face was steel-jawed.
”You've cleared two cases, Ryan. Cases that were stone-pony cold. Anne Girardin and Kelly Sicard. If Sicard is right, the Riviere des Mille iles body will be ID'd as Claire Brideau. You're making progress.”
”One alive, four dead, two still missing. Break out the sparklers.”
A truck whooshed by. Trapped in its wash, the Impala rocked, settled.
Turning from Ryan, I pulled out my mobile and checked for messages.
Still nothing from Harry.
Rob Potter had called at 10:42. He'd a.n.a.lyzed the poetry and come to a conclusion. Though curious, I decided it was too late to phone him.
Leaning into the headrest, I closed my eyes. Thoughts ping-ponged in my brain as we barreled through the night.
Why didn't Harry phone? Sudden jolting images. The goon in Cormier's studio. The Death e-mail and the anonymous call. The pair snooping at my condo.
Cheech and Chong. Mulally and Babin.
What if Harry hadn't taken off on her own?
Don't go there, Brennan. Not yet. If Harry doesn't check in by tomorrow, ask Hippo or Ryan to get a bead on Mulally and Babin.
Was Obeline alive and in regular contact with Bastarache? Why? The man had broken her arm and set her on fire. If so, why the faked suicide?
What conclusion had Rob reached? Had all of the poetry been written by the same person? Was the author Evangeline? If so, had Obeline paid to have the collection published by O'Connor House? Why anonymously? Had Bastarache bullied her so relentlessly she'd felt the need for secrecy in all things?
Had Obeline actually witnessed Evangeline's murder? If so, who'd killed her? Bastarache was a young man at the time. Was he involved? How?
What had happened to Evangeline's body? Had she ended up in an unmarked grave like Hippo's girl, the skeleton from Sheldrake Island? Who was Hippo's girl? Would we ever know?
Had Bastarache killed Cormier? Had Pierre? Had one of them killed Claire Brideau? If so, why? Had one of them killed Claudine Cloquet? Phoebe Quincy? The girl who washed up on the Dorval sh.o.r.eline? The girl found floating in Lac des Deux Montagnes?
Had those girls been murdered? Were Cloquet and Quincy dead? If not, where were they?
Too many if's and why's.