Alex Barclay - Harm's Reach

‘As you know, we’ve launched an appeal for information from the public. We’re following up on various leads, but nothing of major significance. Nothing has come through on the roadblocks near Stoney Pass Road. But we did get a call about a car on the road to Bailey going out of control, smoke coming out the back... sounds like it was the getaway car in the Conifer robbery.’

‘So, the car let them down — they weren’t planning on stopping, the driver lost control?’ said Ren. ‘Was accelerant used on either vehicle?’

‘We’ll know tomorrow,’ said Kohler. ‘But that’s about all we’re going to know on any of the vehicles until next week... three vehicles in the impound lot in one day is a big ask.

‘OK,’ he continued, ‘the victim had printed out a Google Map of JeffCo. Just so you all have your heads wrapped around the geography...’ He pointed to a map on the wall behind him. ‘You can see here, the ranch property and the abbey are adjoining. The ranch has an entrance/exit at six o’clock, a lesser-used exit at eleven o’clock. The abbey has one entrance/exit at three o’clock. Where the body was found, if you drive up ahead to the fork in the road, take a left onto Highline Road and you’re heading for Colorado Springs, passing the entrance to the ranch. Take a right and Stoney Pass Road continues west toward Breckenridge, passing the entrance to the abbey. Obviously, this is not the main road to Breckenridge, so anyone going that way would be favoring the scenic route, have business at the abbey or any other properties further along that road; there are not a lot. We’re on that. Same goes for the road to Colorado Springs... We’re also looking at visitors to Pike National Forest. To our victim — she paid in cash for the rental car at O’Hare, used her Irish driver’s license for ID. The Avis gal who rented the car to her said she remembered her, because she was alone and pregnant and she felt bad for her. She said the victim seemed a little edgy, but said it was late and she just put it down to “tiredness and hormones”.’

‘Been there!’ said one of the female detectives.

Kohler laughed, then continued. ‘Our friends in Bolingbrook PD have confirmed that Laura Flynn stayed in the Ramada Bolingbrook on I-53 while she was in Chicago. Victim’s employers have solid alibis... Ingrid Prince was in their rental in Golden on Monday, there was a cleaner there who confirmed that. Robert Prince was in New York at meetings all day Monday.’

‘Some of Agent Bryce’s FBI buddies in New York have searched the victim’s bedroom in the Princes’ apartment in SoHo,’ said Kohler. ‘Victim had no laptop of her own — she used Mrs Prince’s. We took that away on the day. We’re going through a list of people in JeffCo with priors for violent assault, carjacking, firearms offenses, robbery... etc.’ He nodded toward Ren.

She stood up. ‘We’re investigating the Shark Bait Bandits,’ said Ren. ‘We can’t rule them out of involvement in this. Nor can we rule out anyone at The Darned Heart Ranch. Detective Truax and I just got back from there and we’re a little concerned that they’re trying to get us off the trail of the burnt-out car. Apparently, they’re protective of their teens — and their business — so unless we have something warrant-worthy, we can’t touch them. So what I’m hoping for is something that can gain us more access. The ranch is obviously the closest property to the scene.’

‘How many kids stay there?’ said one of the detectives.

‘At the moment, forty-three,’ said Ren.

‘And the women at the abbey?’ said someone.

‘There were just four residents there that morning — the rest were away on trips,’ said Ren. ‘They’re looking into any correspondence from people making inquiries at the ranch — it’s a possibility that that’s where the victim could have been headed.’

‘Yes,’ said Kohler, ‘I don’t know if you all know that the victim had left a voicemail for Janine about having information on one of her cases... she didn’t specify.’

‘It could be The Flying G Ranch case from 1963,’ said Janine, ‘which is now part of The Darned Heart Ranch. Or that could have been coincidence.’

The room went quiet.

‘Anyone got any more questions?’ said Kohler.

No one piped up.

‘OK,’ he said, ‘well thank you all for your hard work. Long may it continue...’

They laughed.

Ren caught up with Janine as she walked down the hallway. She was about to head into her old office.

‘Damn, I have to stop doing that,’ said Janine.

‘Aw,’ said Ren.

‘It’s still so weird...’

‘Are your files still in there?’ said Ren.

‘Not even,’ said Janine.

‘I was thinking maybe we could look at what case Laura Flynn may have had information on and see if that can shed some light...’ She smiled. ‘Let’s go plunder your case files...’

‘But...’ said Janine ‘... it’s broad daylight...’

‘What do you mean?’ said Ren.

‘Shouldn’t you be stealing them under cover of darkness?’ said Janine.

Ren gasped.

Janine laughed. ‘Do you want some ice for that burn?’

They walked to her new open-plan office and went to her desk.

‘OK, if we’re going broad strokes, we’re looking at forty-seven cases,’ said Janine, ‘and what we can do, instead of taking away the big files, is take the comprehensive one-page résumés that I’ve written on each of them.’

‘Janine Hooks, you are as anal as the day is long. I love it.’

‘And so are you,’ said Janine, ‘in your own special anal-when-it-suits-you kind of way.’

‘So, what’s the deal?’ said Ren.

‘They’re all in one document; I’ll print them out. We’ll work away here, grab some dinner later, maybe we can take these back to my place after, do it in comfort.’

‘My cozy queen,’ said Ren.

Two hours later, Janine, Robbie and Ren were sitting at a round high table in Woody’s, beers in front of them, plates cleared away, except for Janine’s half-eaten salad. A short silence had descended.

‘So, tell me, how is Mr Rader?’ said Janine, turning to Ren.

‘He is very good,’ said Ren.

‘Excuse me,’ said Robbie. ‘I need to use the men’s room.’

Internal eye-roll.

‘Ben Rader is totally adorable,’ said Ren. ‘You know him. When he smiles — it’s like a flash goes off, as if he holds you there, then it’s like you walk away with a Polaroid of that moment. This bright, shiny rendering of Ben Rader. But it’s thin, and it’s 2D, and it’s not his fault.’

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa — what?’ said Janine. ‘2D? What are you talking about?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Ren. I really don’t, actually. ‘What I’m saying is... I’m having trouble finding his depth... but I know it’s there. Like, I know there are real feelings behind those dazzling Polaroids.’

‘Of course there are,’ said Janine.

‘Maybe I’m not explaining myself well,’ said Ren. ‘It’s like... each of his emotions is like a rubber duck in the bath that he’s holding under the surface. Then, suddenly, the duck breaks free, but where it pops up is nowhere near where the surface had been looking disturbed earlier. Does that make sense? The water might be choppy up by the faucets, but the duck will explode through the surface at the other end.’

‘Most of the time, the duck just floats,’ said Janine.

Ren laughed. ‘I love you.’

‘Can you accept that a person can be untroubled?’ said Janine.

‘Not so much.’

‘Well, what a shame.’

‘Come on — are you telling me you are one hundred percent untroubled?’ said Ren.

‘Oh, this isn’t about me...’