Lethal Affair (49 page)

*

Detective Crane sat at his desk
perusing the security camera disks from the coffee shop in Colwood.
They clearly showed the comings and goings of Drew Hammond twice
that day and once the day before. One of the cameras covered the
parking lot outside and there was no sign of Hammond driving in. In
all instances he'd approached on foot.

That meant he'd been staying nearby,
and Crane had sent a team of investigators out immediately to sweep
the area, concentrating on motels. A half hour ago a team member
had called in. Someone matching Hammond's appearance had been
staying at the Starry, Starry Night but had disappeared, leaving an
unpaid bill after using a stolen credit card.

Hammond had a knack for evasion., but
it was Will Delaney's overzealous attitude that had cost them his
capture. Delaney had been lucky, although his fighting instincts
had saved him more than luck ever could. Who knows what might have
happened if that other patron hadn't come into the washroom just
then. Hammond might have been carving yet another notch into his
belt while leaving Kylie and Max devastated.

It was exactly what Hammond craved,
wasn't it?

In his office, Crane swiveled in his
chair and stared vacantly out the window at the parking lot. Ocher
autumn leaves tumbled in the crisp afternoon breeze reminding him
that Hallowe'en would soon be upon them. What sort of trick or
treat did Hammond have in mind, he wondered morosely.

He picked up his cell and punched in a
number.

“
Mrs. Hammond, how are you
this afternoon?”

Olivia braced herself for yet another
report about her son's latest calamity. “Well enough, Detective.
What can I do for you?”

“
I'm wondering, as a child,
did Drew enjoy Hallowe'en?”

“
Well yes, just like any
other child.” She sounded defensive even to herself and tried to
modulate her tone. “You might as well know right now that he
preferred the more macabre disguises.”

“
Mrs. Hammond, Drew attacked
Will Delaney today at a coffee shop out in Colwood. Drew got away
and Delaney's fine, but I thought you should know.”

Silence prevailed for a full ten
seconds. Then, quietly, “Oh my God. How will this end?”

Her sorrow cut through the phone
connection, straight to his heart. He might be a professional, but
he was also human.

“
Hopefully with no more
lives lost,” he told her.

*

Outside the greenhouses, Kylie hit end
on her cell phone and pocketed it. She was shaking. The phone call
she'd just received did more to chill her than the crisp autumn
air.

Drew had almost killed
Will.

She let that sink in. Will had
jokingly told her his male parts had recovered but she'd detected
the underlying simmering fury.

Margie came out of her office with a
sheaf of papers in her arms, headed Kylie's way. “I'm so looking
forward to the grand opening on Saturday night,” she gushed. “The
invitation said glamor so I got new shoes to go with my new
cocktail dress. I've never worn three inch heels before so don't be
surprised if you have to pick me up off the floor a few times
and... oh my gosh, here I am blabbering on about stupid shoes and
look at you! You've just seen another ghost, haven't
you?”

“
He attacked Will.” It came
out flat and to the point.

Margie's eyes grew huge. “Oh! Is he
alright?”

“
He's fine, but Drew got
away. Crawled out from under his rock and back again. I've been
fantasizing about him having some kind of mental epiphany and
turning himself in. Or disappearing.”

“
Like that you'll spend your
life on pins and needles.”

Margie was right. Better that he
surface and be captured than never to know if he was lurking
nearby. “It'll be okay, Margie. You'll do just fine in those
shoes.”

*

Sporting a Rastafarian wig with the
requisite knitted cap, Drew imagined kicking Will Delaney in the
ribs and sent a large stone skittering into the ocean where the
incoming tide lapped against the rocky shore.

The sky overhead was a whitewashed,
pale gray, the sun a vague, waning disc on the horizon drawing
distant clouds like bed covers over the day. A few stars winked on
as shadows deepened and crawled like creeping fingers across the
log strewn beach, casting a surreal aura over Drew that had a young
couple approaching veering in a wide arc around him.

Inwardly he laughed. They were wise to
pay heed to their instincts and stay out of his space.

His thoughts returned to that
morning's escapade. He pictured the razor slashing through firm,
vulnerable flesh, blood splattering with bright red droplets on the
walls and floor. He imagined Will Delaney lying on the floor in
shock as his life's blood seeped out.

It gave him a rush.

Imagery only went so far. He lusted
for the real thing, and if anyone had been watching they would have
witnessed his eyes flutter as his mind whirled with it.

A seagull cried overhead and he came
out of his trance.

He'd lost his straight razor that
morning, but now he fingered in his pocket the blade of a new
hunting knife he'd recently acquired. It was virgin, and he
intended to break it in. Today.

Now.

His gaze fell upon the young couple
making their way along the logs away from him. They were obviously
high on each other but even more important, on marijuana, as Drew's
keen sense of smell had detected when they'd passed by. That suited
him fine. It would make them complacent and slow to
react.

It was just the sort of thing he
needed right now, a little recreational foreplay before the main
event of Kylie Lambert and now, why not, Will Delaney too. Doing
him first in front of Kylie would be the ultimate high, and the
anticipation made his blood sing through his veins.

Practice makes perfect.

Drew turned in the direction of the
couple and set himself an easy pace to catch up with
them.

* * * *

CHAPTER TWENTY
FIVE

Saturday night's gala was coming up
fast with Hallowe'en falling mid week just before.

The waitresses at the Village Diner
dressed up in black and orange outfits that matched the foil
wrapped chocolates they would be handing out to the miniature
goblins, action heroes, vampires, and grisly movie characters who
roamed the Village streets. Cries of “trick or treat” could be
heard as they paused in the doorway where Eileen dropped the
specially wrapped chocolates into their bags.

Will and Kylie came down from the
office and went to the kitchen. While Kylie helped Millie with her
outfit, Will had a word with Lyle and Kim.

“
See table five?” They
peered out the pass-through at a couple seated at a corner table
perusing the menu. “Those are Crane's people. They'll be here all
night keeping an eye on things. We're feeding them on the house so
have Jolene take their table and draw out their meal all
evening.”

Kim gave a two finger salute.
“Gotcha.”

Lyle grunted. “Crane thinks Hammond's
going to come right in our front door and pull off a Jason in a
hockey mask?”

“
Maybe a Freddy Kruger,”
said Kim as he slashed a head of red cabbage to
demonstrate.

Will shuddered, his imagination a
little too vivid for comfort. Absently he ran a hand over his
privates.

Lyle caught the move out of the corner
of his eye but let it lie. Instead, “Where are you taking Kylie
tonight?”

“
A place we've both been
needing to go for a while now,” Will told him. “I'll have my cell
handy so if you need me, call.”

Kylie came out from the back room
hustling Millie onto the diner floor. The restaurant was already
hopping.

“
Ready?” he asked
her.

“
As ready as I'll ever be.
Where are we going?”

Will grinned and winked at her as they
went out to the Jeep. “To a love nest.”

Pleasantly puzzled, Kylie sat back and
prepared to enjoy whatever the evening might bring.

He took her to her parent's house in
Gordon Head.

On their street he slowed, looking for
the address he'd been given by Rita that morning. By now Kylie knew
what he was up to and directed him into the right
driveway.

Theirs was a two story fairytale
cottage painted the color of Kylie's eyes when she was aroused,
Will decided, a deep bluish purple with white trim. A wraparound
porch welcomed visitors with wooden tubs of Maiden Grass waving
like little white flags in the chilly night air.

“
Looks like Mom's prepped
the yard for winter,” Kylie commented.

Will turned off the motor. “What, no
what-are-we-doing-here?”

“
It's fairly easy to guess
that my parents put you up to this.”

“
They want to get to know
their future son-in-law better.”

“
I should of thought of this
myself but I've been a little preoccupied lately.”

Rita opened the front door as they
approached.

“
Welcome to our humble
abode.” She spread her arms and Kylie walked into them, felt
herself enveloped in warmth. “I'm guessing Will's in for a grilling
tonight?” Kylie murmured in her ear.

Rita pulled back and beamed. “Quite
literally. Your father's out back on his grill as we speak.” She
turned to Will and gave him a quick, welcoming squeeze.

Kylie dashed through to the house to
the rear patio while Rita gave Will a slower tour. The house was a
craftsman with wood built-ins and eclectic décor that gave a cozy
and welcoming feel. A glass paned door led out to a patio where
Joe, in his “don't expect miracles” apron, stood at a sizzling
grill.

Pumping Will's hand, Joe declared,
“We're not eating out here; we'll freeze our asses off. I'm almost
done. Why don't you all go back inside and grab a drink from the
bar.”

“
Alright.” Rita put an arm
around Kylie and in they went, while Will lingered.

Joe was astute. “Something on your
mind, Will?”

Gathering his coat and his nerve
around him, Will stared up at the star sprinkled night sky with a
half moon flashing in and out of foreboding Hallowe'en clouds. The
doorbell rang inside and a chorus of “trick or treat” could be
heard, then Rita and Kylie's delighted laughter as the little ones
crowded the front doorway.

“
Don't think you'll find the
answer to your question up there,” Joe prompted.

Will brought his gaze eye to eye with
Joe. “Well sir...”

Joe waved his tongs. “I'll have none
of that. It's Joe, and that's Rita inside, alright?”

Will nodded. “Okay. Well, Joe, I know
this may seem a little rushed, this whole getting married thing,
and I really wanted to do things the right way...”

Joe flipped a sizzling steak and fire
flared.

“
The thing is, I'd planned
on asking you, sir... I mean, Joe, for Kylie's hand in marriage. I
realize you hardly know me, and with all this crazy stuff going on,
Kylie's world has been turned upside down, and yours too, never
mind my kid Max...”

“
Son,” Joe interrupted,
“you're rambling. You had me at wanting to do things the right
way.” Exactingly, Joe turned foil wrapped potatoes baking amongst
the red-hot coals. “Kylie told us what she tried to pull on you.
How she tried to cut you off when all you've done is be there for
her this whole time. She felt ashamed for doing that. She explained
how you proposed to keep her from running off even though you'd
meant to do it at a more appropriate time.” He pointed his tongs at
Will. “You're a man after my own heart, Will Delaney. Any man whose
son went through the hell he was put through and still sticks with
my daughter, well, frankly I think you'll make one helluva son in
law. Welcome aboard, Will. You have my blessing. We're happy to
have you.”

Joe held out his hand and they
performed another manly shake.

Will hadn't known how important this
would be. A weight just dropped right off. “Thank you, Joe. It
means a lot.”

They loaded the food onto a tray and
went inside to discuss wedding plans. The conversation flowed
between their businesses and their aspirations, with Oreo keeping
them amused with her puppy antics. No one strayed onto morose
subjects, everyone deliberately keeping things light. Will enjoyed
their company and any doubts he'd harbored about fitting into the
Lambert clan eased off in spades. His own parents would fly up from
Uruguay a week before the wedding, as would Jolene and Lyle's
family members. They'd get to know each other in a whirlwind of
engagement party, garment fittings, special outings and the
inevitable bachelor and bachelorette parties just before the main
event.

It was bittersweet for Kylie. She
longed to allow herself this life changing thrill of time honored
traditions and ceremonies, but a shadow lurked in the parameters of
the plans for the festivities.