Murder Close to Home: Carmine -Edit

She giggles, "Okay." She wiggles her bottom some, "That feels awfully good." She wiggles it a bit more and suddenly shudders. "Oh shit! That's it! No, no, back a bit. Back more! Right wow! Yes!"

"Okay, feel in here where it is. Use your fingers."

She is stammering, "O-o-o-h m-m-y, o-o-h y-e-e-s-s-s-s-s-s!"

"Now you can find it when you masturbate."

She flops on the seat, "Oh my God, that's incredible! How could I miss it all these years?"

"Nobody directly stimulated it for you. I guess I never did either."

"You hear about these incredible internal orgasms but who believes that crap if you never had one. I thought it was all bull." She fiddles around with her finger inside her and shivers. "Oh yes! I can find it now!"

Mike chuckles, "Don't wear it out."

She slaps at him and misses his arm but her hand lands in his lap. "Why Mike, you have a hard on! You do want more!"

Bathed in moonlight through the windshield they quickly find themselves engaged in intercourse again. This time it is slow and easy taking time to mature into full-blown fireworks.

Mike delivers her to her door and the creaky old house is quiet except for a loose shingle that clatters in gusty breezes. They kiss on the doorstep and she slips away within. Mike wanders back to the car and heads for his brother's.

Chapter 13:

November 12

Mike gets an early start for home. He is up after only four hours sleep and putting on coffee in the kitchen when Nina sleepily comes to him. "Are you just getting in?"

Quietly he says, "Just got up. Got in about one. Do you want coffee?"

She nods pulling her robe closer around her. "Did you... you know?"

He grins and chucks her lightly under the chin, "You're too suspicious. We went dancing."

"It doesn't matter, Mike. I was just curious." She takes the hot cup from his hands.

"Rick says you are taking him to school this morning."

"Yes, I have the transfer papers. I'll look after it." She watches him as he sits at the table. She turns slightly and backs up to sit in his lap. "Remember how I used to sit in your lap to have coffee in the morning?"

He rubs her tummy through the robe, "And just like then you're pregnant again."

"Did I ever stand a chance with you, Mike?"

"It wasn't to be, itty bitty pretty woman."

"You haven't even asked about the girls or your son."

"I know if there was anything wrong you would contact me."

"Yes," she muses, "I suppose it makes for less confusion in their heads if they see Terry as their father." Mike nods. She slips from his lap.

Mike asks, "Will you thank Terry for me and tell him I'll drop in when I'm up this way?" She nods and looks away. Mike gets up and goes back down the stairs. He looks in on Rick and smiles at his sleeping form. He slips out the basement sliding glass door and snow crunches under his feet as he goes to the car in the predawn. In a cloud of steam the shadow of his car floats down the driveway. In the window a silent figure pulls her robe close and watches.

Quickly he flies through the silent town of Golden and is many miles up into the Selkirk Mountains when the sun casts long fingers of rose coloured light on the snow capped mountains all around him. He checks his watch and doesn't stop at the lodge. He figures Sicamous will be his first stop. He can gas up there, have a bite and be home before dark if he pushes it.

Tired but exhilarated by the green fields he rolls his shoulders stretching the muscles as he passes Hope driving into the setting sun. It's good to be back in the valley and on the road home. He calls Marlene.

"Hello."

"Hey there, sweetest little lady in all Abbotsford, I'm just coming up on Chilliwack. Be home in about half an hour."

"Oh, I'm glad to hear your voice. It's been quite a day."

"Problems?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Welcome home, lover."

"See you shortly."

He punches 'end' and puts the phone in the charger. He passes the first exit to Abbotsford and takes the McCallum exit. He never waits for traffic to clear at the intersection but what he thinks of the day the accident occurred here. He glances towards his place down Marshal Road and imagines he can see Marlene in the kitchen window watching him.

He advances following the cars turning ahead of him and goes left half a block to pull in home. She is standing by the side door watching for him and he knows she did see him at the intersection. As he approaches she circles his neck with her arms and kisses him. "I'm so glad to see you. I've felt so alone today." They go in and up into the kitchen.

"Where's Shelly?"

"Upstairs. She's okay now, I think."

"What happened?"

She pulls out a chair at the table. "Sit with me and I'll tell you."

He sits and she brings him coffee pulling out a chair beside him. "It started out okay. I drove them to school and when I got home I called the therapist. His receptionist said she could squeeze her in this morning if I could bring her in for eleven. I called the school and they arranged to have Shelly free at that time so I picked her up."

"She was okay with that?"

"She seemed a bit sullen but cooperated. We went to the office and had to wait. She said she had to use the bathroom so the receptionist told her where it was. We waited and she suggested I better check on her. Shelly was gone!"

"Oh oh!"

"Yeah, so I spent two hours driving around to find her. She was downright hostile then so we came home. She wouldn't eat. She went up to her room and started playing loud music that near drove me crazy. I didn't know what to do. I wished so much you were here. You always know what to say."

"Do you want me to go up and talk to her?"

"Wait, there's more. Oh, Janine called. She said she has some tapes or something and she will bring them over to your office in the morning. Do you know what she was talking about?"

"Yeah, so what about Shelly?"

"Rick called. He had just got home from school. He likes the school and it was so good to hear his voice. I told him what happened at the therapist's and he asked to talk to her. When I called and told her it was Rick on the phone she ran right down here. They talked for a long time, Mike."

She smiles, "I don't know what he told her but she came to me and apologized when she got off the phone. She asked me to make another appointment with the therapist."

"Wow, you have had a day. Did she come down for supper?"

"She helped me fix it. It was funny with only us girls to sit down at the table. I miss our son and I missed you so very much."

"Well, I'm here now. But you know I have to go to Trudy's tomorrow night."

"I know but you'll be home Sunday. I'm just glad you're here now." She rests one arm on his shoulder and rubs noses with him. Then her lips find his and they kiss for a long time. "Oh lover, I'm no good without you."

He grins, "I'm surprised you didn't call Ken."

She wrinkles her nose and sticks her tongue out at him, "I was tempted."

He gets up from the table, "So you are taking her tomorrow then?"

"Yes, I'll keep her home in the morning and make another appointment."

He wanders to the living room door, "Hi tiger."

Marlene grins at the table as she hears from the living room the answering "Grrrrrrrr!" She shakes her head and picks up the cups.

November 13

Mike is sitting talking to Laura in the parking lot behind the Head Office when Trudy arrives with the keys. She glares at them and then unlocks the side door. She throws the keys at Mike and says, "Make yourself useful and open up!"

Mike grins and says, "Good morning to you too, love."

"And then come to my office!" She storms inside. Mike chuckles and walks around the building so Laura follows. He opens the public entrance annex and Laura goes inside. He walks out by the street and looks the building over. He likes the look of it now it is finished. It looks as good or better than the Mainline Helicopters' building next door.

He wanders back to the door and inside. Trudy is standing with Laura behind the counter. He hands the keys over the counter to Trudy. "Be right in. love." He opens their office and steps inside. In a few minutes he raps on the adjoining door.

"Come in, Mike."

He enters and she comes to him. "Darling, I missed you this morning. Couldn't you get away early?" She goes up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Family crisis time. Marlene has Shelly out of school today to take her to a therapist. I couldn't leave her to face the morning alone."

"How's Rick handling the move?"

"He seems to like it up there. He called and says he likes the school. I think he will get along well with Terry. They're like brothers almost."

She grins, "I guess he's still in the family. You have three kids up there so now you have four." She turns away and he slaps her bottom playfully. She asks, "So what are your plans for the day?"

"Janine is supposed to be bringing over the news hour tapes. Why, do you have something for me?"

"I can always find you work but if you're busy don't worry about it. I can cover." She sits down behind the desk and sorts through some papers.

He asks, "Anything from CPX?"

"They sent their cheque yesterday. It's in the bank."

"Oh okay, I'll be in our office."

She absently responds, "Okay."

He goes back and checks his in box. Sorting mail he notices a movement out the front window and sees it's a police cruiser. He smiles as he sees Janine get out of it and pull out an expanding briefcase. She heads his way and disappears off to his left. He gets up and goes to his office door. He opens it and waits.

Janine comes up the marble steps and looks all around. Laura smiles and wishes her a good morning. Jan speaks to her and Laura nods with a smile towards Mike. She turns and calls, "Mike, I have the tapes."

"Marlene told me. Come on in."

He closes the door behind her and she says, "Finally I got you alone, big boy."

Mike puts his finger to his lips and nods at the adjoining door. Softly he says, "Trudy."

Janine grimaces and rolls her eyes. She asks, "Have you got a VCR in this place? By the way, nice joint! It feels like a bank, real solid!"

"I'm not sure. I'll check with Laura." He steps back out to the counter. "Laura, do we have a VCR player here?"

"There's one in the boardroom, one in the training room downstairs and the guys have one in the lunchroom." She looks down and says in a low voice, "I don't know anything about those tapes they have though."

Mike grins, "Porn, are they?" She blushes and nods. He says, "I guess we'll use the one in the boardroom." He goes back to the office. "We have one in the boardroom. Follow me."

She gives him a wicked grin, "I'd love to." He quickly debates about taking her down to the lunchroom but decides it isn't wise so they go through the counter and into the boardroom. Mike sets the VCR up and makes sure it's working then dims the lights as Jan hands him the first tape.

"How come so many tapes?"

"The main cast is on this first one and supporting spots are on these others. It likely was a supporting scene you heard."

"Okay, lets roll em." He extends the remote control and the picture fills the screen. It is standard new hour introductory music and credits. Mike fast-forwards to the first news item. It's a mass killing of a family in the Okanogan that took place about a week ago. The police have caught the disgruntled ex husband of the one daughter that went berserk murdering her and all her family.

Next is a rash of recent garage fires in the lower mainland thought to be the work of an arsonist. Mike stops it and asks, "Is there a story with that one?"

Janine checks the tapes and hands him one. He gets up and ejects the current tape inserting the new one. It's an interview with the fire chief and Mike watches it disinterestedly. He finally ejects it and puts in the first one again. He pushes 'run' and the news hour goes on with a report on traffic fatalities. One lady in a car looks vaguely familiar so he asks for the tape for that one.

He checks it and listens to the interviewing reporter talk to the lady. "That's not the voice." They watch it to the end and he ejects it. "Would you like coffee?"

She's looking through the tapes; "Mmm, okay."

He fixes two cups and brings hers back to her. She sips it as he starts the original tape again. He fast forwards through the traffic accidents and puts it on run again for the next item. They get a blue screen. He grins and says, "That's for the commercials. I suppose they have them there, too."

"Could it have been a commercial?"

"I don't think it was."

The scene shifts back to the news desk and the new government policy concerns of a group of protesters. Trudy comes in as they watch that. Mike pauses it as she says, "Finding anything?"

"Nothing yet, love."

Janine says, "Hi Trudy, hope you don't mind my tying your partner up here for a while this morning?"

She snaps, "As long as the lights are on."

Janine laughs and says, "I take that to mean you don't trust me around him."

"I know Mike!"

Mike starts the film again. Trudy watches a while and leaves. He says, "You know it's going to take us two hours to go through a one hour news broadcast this way."

"I'm on duty, I don't care."

"Did any of your people look at this?"

"Yeah, they went over it. Nothing that rung a bell with them."

"Ahhhhh, this is interesting. That's the new hangar Conair is talking about building across the way here at the airport."

Janine grumbles, "I know, it's gonna be about half a mile from us."

"Hey, that's Mainland next door."

"Yep."

"I guess aircraft don't interest you all that much, eh?"

"Nope, I hear enough of them taking off and landing from the house."

"Looks like they are going into weather now and sports."

"Looks that way."

Mike suddenly stops the tape. "Hey, was there a spot on that airport coverage?"

She looks through the tapes and pulls out one. "Try this."

He ejects and inserts the new tape. Jan grins and he asks, "What's funny?"

"I like the way you pull out those tapes and shove a new one in. Sort of sexy the way you do a woman, if you know what I mean."

"Jan, behave!" He starts the tape.

She reaches over and breathes hot air on his neck then sits back giggling. "Am I getting you hot, big boy?"

"Who's that woman they are interviewing?"

"How should I know?"

"I've seen her next door."

"Does she turn you on?"

He listens and shouts, "That's it! That's the voice! That's her!"

"It says she was a helicopter pilot. For crying out loud, she's the executive Vice-President of the company. Are you sure?"

"I know that voice. It was her." He plays it again. "I'm certain that was the woman that called me about the embezzling going on at an investment firm in town here."

"We could go next door and ask her."

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Well, it is only a voice, big boy. What do you think?"

"Alright, let's say she called me. How would she know? Does her company have investments with Ibberson?"

"I can check."

"Let's say they have and she discovers their money is being embezzled. Why doesn't she call the cops?

"She doesn't trust them?"

"She's protecting someone."

"I don't follow."

"She wants Theresa Ingram caught stealing but she doesn't want Carmine caught. At least not until after he's dead and it's too late. Then she sends you the photos to imply Theresa did it or her husband.

"That's a lot of speculation."

"Sure, I'm saying she had something going with Carmine and he was double crossing her with Theresa. She found out and tried to have Theresa caught. Did Carmine's wife ever see those photos of Carmine and Theresa?"

"Not that I know of."

"She said Theresa tried to befriend her and she thought it was her that keyed Carmine's car. What if it was this broad?"

"This broad as you call her, is the Vice President of the company. Aren't you stretching things a bit, big boy?"

"Humour me. Check and see if Mainline Helicopters was an investor."

"That's easy, lend me a phone."

"Have you got the photos?"

"In my briefcase."

"Okay, you call and see if they have investments with Ibberson and we'll take those photos out to Cindy. Lets find out if Theresa is the one that tried to get Cindy to lose her husband."

"Lets go, I'll use my cell phone in the car." She puts everything back in her briefcase and hauls it along as Mike tells Laura they are going out for an hour. Laura grins and says, "Okay, Mike. Do you want me to not tell Trudy?"

He looks at her, "No, you can tell her. We're on police business."

She nods her head grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Janine laughs as she throws her briefcase in the back seat of the cruiser. "That little imp thinks we're going to shag somewhere. Might not be a bad idea."

Janine talks a few minutes on her cell phone and then climbs behind the wheel. "Do you know her car?"

Mike looks over next door. "She's there."

"Okay, where does that Cindy live? Oh yeah, I remember the alley: up on Blueridge off Clearbrook Road." She guns it and they head towards Mount Lehman Road and across the freeway. She turns on Old Yale Road and watches for Clearbrook Road. Before long they are sitting in front of the house.

"You better go to the door, Mike. By now she's seen the light bar on top and bolted all the doors."

Mike chuckles and gets out. He goes up and raps on the door then pushes the buzzer. He can see the car sitting in the drive so he's sure she's home. He raps again calling, "Cindy, it's Mike."

She opens the door a crack and says, "Why are you with the police?"

"Hey, not all police are out to get you. Can I come in?"

"Just you?"

"It would be nice if my friend could come in, too. She has some pictures she wants you to identify."

She pulls the door open and says, "I guess it's all right."

Mike waves at Janine and she comes up the walk with her briefcase. They go inside and Cindy takes them to the kitchen. "Cindy, this is Janine Dempster. She's the sergeant that is in charge of the investigation into your husband's murder."

"My lawyer said to not say anything to her."

"We just want you to look at some pictures of your husband and the woman you said threatened you. The one you thought keyed his car."

She looks wary but nods as Janine opens her case. She pulls out a file and opens it. Going through notes and letters she pulls out the photos. She drops them on the table and Cindy picks one up. She puts it down and picks up another one. "Who is this with him?"

"That's not the woman that threatened you?"

"I never saw this woman before. Who is she?"

"Theresa Ingram." He looks around, "Do you have a VCR player?"

She shrugs, "I do but it's broken."

"What's wrong with it?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't work."

Mike walks into the living room and goes to the TV. He reaches down to the power switch on the VCR and presses it. The set lights up. Cindy has followed him and she says, "How did you do that? I couldn't get it to come on." She has the remote in her hand and is pressing the power button over and over. "Now it won't go off."

He presses the eject button on the set and a tape pops out. It's Peter Pan so he hands it to her. He calls, "Jan, have you got the tape with Drummond on it?" He hears her say, "I'm looking for it." In a moment she comes in with the tape and hands it to Mike.

Her cell phone rings so she goes back to the kitchen to take the call. Mike puts in the tape and starts it playing. He says to Cindy, "The batteries in your remote control are likely dead."

She's watching the TV and says, "That from the news, isn't it? I recognize that interviewer." She watches it and suddenly she gasps, "That's her! That's the woman that took me to lunch and told me to leave Carmine. She's a crazy woman!"