I jabbed the doorbell. “Lindsay Grace was a hotshot financial analyst, a high flyer, when she hooked up with Ralph Benning.”
“So not stupid.”
“No, that's the tragedy. She's a bright woman who fell into the wrong relationship.”
Merv snorted. “How smart could she be if she teamed up with this character? Didn't he serve time for spousal assault?”
I tried again. The bell pealed loud enough for us to hear it outside. It couldn't be missed inside the house. “About as smart as the other women he was with. His wife taught high school physics. Not any more, of course. Her face isn't easy for people to feel comfortable with. And his other women have been smart and assured.” I gave the bell one final vicious poke.
Merv shook his head. “Makes you wonder.”
It sure did. I took a deep breath. “Time to go in.”
“No way. You won't catch me breaking and entering. I have my pension to think of.”
“Actually, I thought I'd use the keys.”
I unlocked the Yale and the deadbolt and inched the door open. I had thirty seconds to get the jump on Lindsay's alarm system. I punched in the code and felt a flush of relief. Merv and I stepped into the foyer and stamped our boots on the marble floor. I stopped long enough to reset the alarm, then called out. “Lindsay?” I thought I heard a small noise from upstairs. “You hear that?”
Merv tilted his head. “Music.”
I slipped out of my icy boots. I'd kept my mind off my frozen feet on the ride over. Merv ditched his size thirteens. I stepped into the living room. One small benefit from Alvin's close call: not even Benning could be in two places at one time.
So why had I been so frantic? Because, Benning, as the police now knew, appeared to be able to breeze through walls.
“He can't find her here,” I said, trying to convince myself.
“I don't see why not.” Merv stepped up right behind me. “How long has she lived here?”
“Since September. But she was discreet. No one knows. Unlisted phone number.”
As we checked the living room, Merv said, “If the guy has any kind of connections, he could tap into the hydro service or find the address on her driver's licence through MOT.”
I knew that too.
Merv seemed impressed by several bronze sculptures, the rather nice abstracts on the wall and the large arrangement of fresh and fragrant lilies as we passed through the dining area. My sisters would approve. The only whiff in my dining area was from my running shoes.
The kitchen was empty too. On the counter was a plate with a half-eaten slice of toast. A cup with cold coffee. The radio was tuned to CBC's Radio One. I touched the espresso maker on the granite counter. Still lukewarm. So Lindsay had been home that morning, and chances were she'd been alone.
I took a deep breath and retraced my steps. I hesitated at the base of the stairs then hurled myself up. Wimpiness was never one of my problems. But if you've ever stumbled over a dead body, you don't feel the same about closed doors.
“Lindsay?” I called out, in case she was afraid of Benning creeping up the stairs. “It's Camilla and a friend. We want to make sure you're all right.”
Upstairs the door to the guestroom stood open, as did the door to the master suite. The bed had been slept in, but the elegant pewter-coloured bedding was merely folded back, no careless jumble of sheets for Lindsay. No sign of a struggle. No blood.
From behind the closed door, we could hear water running. And another sound. Music. Vivaldi. The air was steamy and fragrant with floral and musky and expensive scents.
Abruptly, the water stopped.
“Lindsay?” I don't know what the hell I thought, as I stood at the foot of the enormous bed. I sure didn't expect Lindsay Grace to step from her bathroom to her bedroom, shaking her damp hair behind her.
“You're all right,” I blurted. “Thank God. We were so worried.”
She whirled, screamed and dropped her towel. She hit the floor on the far side of the enormous bed.
“I'm so sorry,” I said quickly. “I guess I panicked after your phone call. When you didn't answer, I drove over here in case. Now, of course, I see you're all right. So I guess I'll leave you alone to get, um, organized.” It's not like me to babble, but this time, I couldn't stop. Lindsay scrambled back into the bathroom. Who could blame her? I felt like a fool. “I'll be downstairs.”
“All right,” she said, in a muffled voice.
“Are you sure you're okay? Didn't mean to scare you. I brought a friend with me. He's a Mountie. He works in security.”
“Give me a couple of minutes.” The voice was shaky.
“No problem, Lindsay. I'll make some fresh coffee.”
I caught sight of Merv. People look healthier after neurosurgery.
“What's the matter?” I whispered. “Haven't you ever seen a naked woman before?”
Six
Merv's coffee went down fast. He takes three sugars, but this time he drank it straight. I was still dipping the teaspoon in the sugar bowl when he drained the last drop.
Merv keeps his hair clipped about the length of a five o'clock shadow. His scalp was pink, another measure of his state of mind. I had no choice but to lean across the kitchen table and stare him straight in the eye. “Pull yourself together.”
“Holy shit,” he said. And not for the first time.
“And try a little conversational variety while you're at it.” I twitched the teaspoon dangerously.
Merv poured himself another cup. Before I could dump the three teaspoons of sugar in it, he said “holy shit” again.
“Lindsay might come downstairs. Do you think you can act like a rational human being? Imagine how traumatic it was for her coming across a strange man in her bedroom while she was…”
“Holy…” Merv said.
“…fresh from the bath. And if she does comes down, if you can't say something intelligent, don't say anything at all.”
Merv didn't say anything, but I was pretty sure I knew what he was thinking.
I asked myself some tough questions. Why hadn't Lindsay answered the phone after her hysterical call? How could she relax and listen to music in the tub while waiting for Ralph Benning to kick in the front door? I knew her first steps would have been to the medicine cabinet for an extra boost of the sedatives that helped her get through every day. But even so.
“Merv, let's not sit on our duffs wasting time. We should review the security here. That's your specialty.”
That seemed to snap him out of it.
“Okay,” I said, “there are bars on the basement windows, top-grade Clear Defence security film on every pane of glass in the house, bars across the patio doors, a first-rate silent alarm system, wired to every door and window, panic button, and double deadbolts on the doors. Do you think she's missing anything?”
I was still talking when Merv bounded off to check the basement and the first floor. It gave me time to think about Benning and how he might try to get in. These security products would discourage a burglar, but not a psycho with nothing to lose.
Twenty minutes later, I was brooding over my third cup of coffee, when Merv returned. “Impressive. Someone did an fine job on this place.”
“Anyone else but Benning and she wouldn't have a worry.”
“I