Lane nodded. “Thanks.” Then he went inside his office, hanging his coat and hat behind the door. What was I doing when Byron Thomas was arrested?
Lane looked at the date on the file in front of him. That was at the height of Chief Smoke’s reign. I was persona non grata around here. The only person who would speak with me or make eye contact was Lori. Things sure have changed. Now the detectives answer to me.
He looked more closely at the file. The evidence was straightforward. Byron Thomas was found a couple of blocks from the scene. The victims’ blood was found in the treads of his right shoe. Jewellery from a separate robbery was in his pockets. His voice was a match to the 911 call made fifteen minutes earlier. After questioning, Byron confessed to the murders.
Lane read on, spotting an inconsistency in the times of death. The coroner’s report said the victims died at least four hours before Thomas’ 911 call.
Lori opened the door, looking at Nigel’s empty desk. “There’s a call for you. Someone claiming to be your sister. Says her name is Alison.”
Lane frowned, feeling his stomach begin a slow aerobatic manoeuvre. “Thanks for the heads up.”
Lori closed the door. A few seconds later his phone rang. He took a couple of slow breaths before picking it up.
“Paul?” Alison asked.
“How are you?” Lane asked.
“Is it true?” she asked.
She’s wound up tighter than last time she called. Was that three years ago, or four? “Is what true?” Lane asked.
“Did Christine have a baby boy?”
Lane heard the sarcasm in her tone. “Yes.”
“And you think I will allow you to turn my grandson gay?”
Lane wasn’t sure if he reacted to the sanctimony, the ignorance, or the sarcasm. He was sure he felt a breach in a dam holding back years of resentment at the way he’d been judged then abandoned by members of his family. Emotions began to overwhelm his self-control. He took a long breath to help him channel the overpowering emotions. “You mean the child of the daughter you abandoned?”
Alison inhaled sharply.
Go for it! “The daughter you excommunicated? If memory serves, you didn’t even bother to get out of the van. Wasn’t that visit squeezed in between trips to shopping malls?”
“YOU DARE JUDGE ME?”
Lane moved the phone away from his ear, but kept his mouth close. “How dare you call me with your phony concern for a grandson after you abandoned your daughter? How many years has it been?”
“It was for her own good. God spoke to me. He told me what needed to be done!”
Just another zealot, like John A. Jones, who blew himself up with his own bomb. “How can you say God told you it was for her own good?”
“Because God knows!” Alison said.
“God knows you abandoned your daughter. God knows you signed over legal guardianship to Arthur and me.” Why are you baiting her?
“God knows!” she said.
Enough of this. “What do you want?”
“My lawyer is going to take my grandchild away from you. The child needs protection from you and your Arthur.”
He heard her tone of triumph. “That’s funny, because you and your husband claimed you couldn’t afford to pay your legal bills when Paradise was investigated for polygamy and tax evasion. Were you lying for the Lord?”
“How did you know about that?” Alison said.
“The lying or the money?” Lane stared at the phone, feeling an overwhelming weariness.
“God knows that my grandson needs my protection!”
Give it a rest, Alison. “What is your grandson’s name?”
Another abrupt inhalation from Alison.
“Christine has just had a baby boy. If you threaten her or the child in any way, you will have to go through me first.”
“I have rights! I am the grandmother! I will get a lawyer!”
“Go ahead. Get a lawyer.” Lane waited for her reaction. Just hang up. No, you’ve got to let her focus her anger on you instead of Christine.
“I’m going to pray. God will tell me what to do.” Alison hung up.
Lane felt something akin to relief at finally saying what he’d wanted to say to his sister. Then he dialed the office of his lawyer, Tommy Pham.
“I don’t get it,” Lane said.
“What don’t you get?” Arthur sat across from him at their kitchen table. It was made of maple and had gathered an assortment of artifacts: an unused diaper, a letter addressed to Matt, a battery, a coffee cup, two light bulbs, three plates, a salad bowl.
The scent of salmon cooked with butter, maple syrup, and lemon juice filled the kitchen. Lane picked a piece of cucumber from the salad bowl, holding it in front of his mouth. “I don’t get the fact that I don’t hear from Alison for – what is it, three or four years? – and then she calls and goes crazy.”
“In Alison’s mind, Christine was supposed to be punished.” Arthur popped a forkful of salmon in his mouth. He looked at Sam, who sat next to him with an expression suggesting he hoped a morsel or two would come his way. Roz, their older dog, reclined on the throw rug in front of the sink.
“It’s crazy. The kid left Paradise. She was excommunicated. She’s supposed to be punished for the rest of her life?” Lane used a large spoon to put some salad on his plate.
“You’re supposed to be punished for the rest of your life.” Arthur covered his mouth, pointing his fork at his partner. “You were excommunicated from your family. You were supposed to be miserable without them. They probably expected you to have an epiphany and come back straight. You didn’t, so in their minds you continue to need to be punished. Why should Christine be any different?”
Lane shook his head. “This is fucked up.”
Arthur chuckled. “Now you get to see Indiana and Alison doesn’t. He’s her grandson, and you haven’t seen the light, changed your wicked lifestyle, left me. In her mind -” he pointed the fork at Lane and then at himself “- we’re the ones who’re fucked up.”
“But we’re no threat to anyone. Why is she so threatened?” Lane poured dressing on the fresh greens.
“There’s a new leader in Paradise. Your sister no longer has the influence she once had.”
Lane shrugged. “Who told you this?”
“Christine. She still talks with some of the people who live or once lived in Paradise. The power Alison used to have is fading. Apparently she married this new guy named Milton after the other guy died of a heart attack. The younger wives have Milton’s ear. Now Alison finds out she has a grandson she can’t see, and she’s angry at you because your life is better than hers.” Arthur put another forkful of salmon in his mouth.
Lane shook his head. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not going to make sense. You’re upset because it’s your sister, you came from the same parents, you grew up in the same house, and you still don’t understand the way she thinks. The situation is not going to change, so you might as well think about something else. “Where’s Matt?”
“He insisted on picking up Alex at the airport.”
“I forgot. Alex gets in at what time?” Lane thought about how Christine would react to the arrival of her half-sister who shared the same father.
“She landed about two hours ago.”
“Where are they?” Lane looked out the window, seeing a cloud of white rising from the chimney of the neighbour’s furnace.
Arthur shook his head. “Alex is an aunt for the first time.”