She followed him down the steps while Gundersund called into the station. The room was large, carpeted, and wood-panelled. A flat screen perched on one wall with a couch facing it. A colouring book and crayons lay scattered on the floor. Violet had been colouring a duck in galoshes holding a bright yellow umbrella. Kala walked past the picture to check the laundry room and small bathroom. The furnace room was also empty. No sign of Adele or Violet, but she hadn’t expected there to be. Ivo was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.
“How did you the two of you meet?” she asked.
He seemed startled by her question before a smile lifted the corners of his lips. He looked younger, not handsome but passable, when the worry lines in his face relaxed. “Adele came into the bank and I was asked to help her with a problem. For some reason, we got along. She asked if I had time for coffee. Before I knew it we were seeing each other every day. I owned this house in the country and she asked if she could stay with me.”
“Were you married by then?”
“No, we’d only known each other two weeks, but she just moved right into my bedroom. We decided to get married and went to city hall the following week.”
“Two weeks. That was quick.”
“Yeah, I could barely believe it myself. A woman like Adele falling for me. You only get a chance like that once in a lifetime, if ever. I wasn’t going to let it go by hesitating.”
The conversation felt intimate, as if the real Ivo was letting himself out. Kala was sorry when Gundersund pounded down the stairs and broke the moment.
“Do you have a couple of recent photos of your wife and daughter, Ivo? We can get started on circulating them.”
“Of course. They’re on my computer.”
They all filed back up the stairs. Catherine and Sam met them in the kitchen. “We need to get on home. Sam is hungry and it will soon be his bedtime. Will you be okay, Ivo?” Catherine asked.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you as soon as I hear anything from Adele.”
“I want to play with Violet,” Sam said. He pulled on his mother’s arm until she restrained him with her free hand.
“We’ll be back another time when Violet is home,” Catherine said. “Say goodbye to Ivo.”
“No.”
Catherine smiled an apology. “Make sure you call me as soon as you hear anything. We’ll let ourselves out.” She took a firm grip on Sam’s arm and frog marched him toward the kitchen door that led into the front hall.
“I’ll just jot down your phone number and address,” Gundersund said, following her. “We might have more questions if Adele isn’t home by morning.”
“I’ll be by the phone, waiting to hear from somebody,” Catherine tossed over her shoulder before disappearing from view with Gundersund right behind her.
“I’ll get you those photos, shall I?” Ivo asked Kala when they were alone.
She nodded. He led her through a second door down a short hallway into a small study. She took a moment to breathe in this sanctuary, tucked into a corner of the building. On first entry, she’d liked the feel of this house. High beamed ceilings, double paned windows with stained-glass transoms, hardwood floors and comfortable, well-worn furniture. Ivo’s office was more of the same, dominated by an antique oak desk and swivel chair. It faced a window with a view of the woods, darkening now in the purple and indigo shadows of evening.
Ivo sat down at his desk and clicked on the keys. A series of images appeared on the screen. He clicked again and a woman and child filled the space. Kala leaned in, surprised. Adele Delaney was a looker: long brown hair with honey highlights, direct blue eyes, full lips, and pointed chin. Strength emanated from her eyes, the set of her jaw. Kala had no doubt this was a woman who would not put up with bullshit. The child was tiny and blond. Eyes like a doe and delicate features in a heart-shaped face. She was going to break some hearts in the school yard. Adele had her arm wrapped around Violet’s shoulder, holding her close. Kala would never have placed either one of them with Ivo.
“This will do,” Kala said. “Do you have separate head shots of them?”
Ivo nodded and brought up two more pictures for her approval. He transferred them to her mobile and she sent them on to Rouleau. Seeing the two missing people made this more real and urgent than before.
“Do you know of anyone who would want to harm your wife or child?” she asked the back of his head.
Ivo’s shoulders drooped. “We lead a quiet life, Detective. Adele wanted it that way. I have no idea who would force them out of our house.” He turned and fixed eyes glistening with anguish upon her. “I just want everything to go back the way it was this morning when I left them safe and sleeping. I want you to bring them home.”
“I know. I need to ask though: if Adele was depressed, would she take Violet into the woods? Have you checked the grounds around the house?”
“My wife wasn’t suicidal. I checked the yard before we called and they aren’t there. They rarely go into the woods.”
“They never disappear with the front door open either. We have to look everywhere.”
He bowed his head. “This makes no sense. Adele isn’t flighty or unpredictable. She wouldn’t do anything to put Violet in harm’s way. I know that as surely as I’m standing here.”
“We don’t need to jump to any conclusions either, but we need to eliminate possibilities, no matter how remote. My partner and I will walk around the grounds before we leave.”
“I understand, but I must insist that wherever they are, Adele wouldn’t just leave me unless she was being forced. She’s my wife, Detective. I know her better than anyone. Something is very wrong.”
Descending darkness and mist made the search difficult and less than thorough. Kala walked the east perimeter of the half-acre yard, venturing several feet into the woods when the foliage allowed. Gundersund was mirroring her search on the western edge. The temperature had dropped along with the disappearing sun and Kala shivered in her short-sleeved shirt, having left her jacket in the truck. Her shoes were soaked through from wet grass and pooled rain that had fallen earlier in the day. Her hair was damp from the moisture in the air. She cursed quietly when a branch slapped back and struck her cheek. Maybe they shouldn’t be stumbling around back here in the semi-dark. If something untoward had happened, they might be trampling on evidence that would be more apparent in daylight. Something told her that Violet and Adele were not going to be found this close to home. She pushed back a low-hanging branch and stepped back onto the lawn. Gundersund’s tall, dark shape was moving toward her across the last stretch of property. He stopped a few feet away, closer than felt comfortable.
“Find anything?” he asked.
“Nothing. Unless we have a better idea of where they are, this could be a fool’s mission.”
“Yeah. They might be halfway to Europe by now. I phoned Rouleau a few minutes ago. He said to give it a night and see if Adele makes contact. He agrees the whole situation is suspicious, but we can’t be sure a crime has been committed. She might have run off with a boyfriend for all we know.”
They started walking toward the lights of the house. They should have led to a safe, warm harbour. Now, they seemed eerie in the foggy night air. “What do you make of this?” she asked.
“Not sure. He’s an odd one though. I wonder if he would have reported this if the neighbour hadn’t entered the house. Maybe he did something to chase them off … or worse.”
Kala stopped. “You think he killed them and then planned to come back after work and tidy up the kitchen and carry on as if nothing happened? He’d never get away