Lou frowned as he read the message. “It sounds like a trap. Isn’t Birch finished work by then?”
“No, while I was interviewing people on his mail route, I learned that he never finishes before one-thirty.” Casey checked her watch. “I’m late.”
She rushed out of the room, aware that Lou and Roberto were keeping up with her.
“Shouldn’t you tell Corporal Lundy about this?” Lou asked.
“Yes, and I’m popping by the detachment after class.”
“What if I can get someone to take my shift so I can be there too?” Lou asked. “Safety in numbers, right?”
“I’d love it if Gabrielle turned Birch in,” Roberto said, “which is why I want to be there.”
“We don’t know if this is about Birch at all,” Casey replied.
She stepped outside as Marie pulled into the lot. Casey hurried to her Tercel. As she slid into the driver’s seat, Marie called her name. Casey tossed her purse on the passenger seat and placed her coffee in the cup holder. Roberto and Lou stood near the driver’s door, watching her until Marie nudged between them.
“Noel and I want to talk to you about what was in Jasmine’s letters,” Marie said. “To see if there’s anything that could help his case.”
“I have a copy of the last seven, which I have to take to Corporal Lundy in a couple of hours. Nothing in them incriminated Noel.”
“What letters?” Roberto asked.
As Marie filled him in, Casey shut the car door and rolled down her window.
“Maybe Gabrielle wants to talk about them,” Roberto said to Casey.
Marie frowned. “What’s this about Gabrielle?”
“Nothing.” Casey started the engine.
“Don’t give me that.” Marie looked at the men. “Something’s going on. I can tell from the glances between you three.”
Lou leaned in and kissed Casey. “Let us know what you decide.”
“Decide what?” Marie demanded.
Casey shifted into reverse and released the hand brake.
Marie lunged forward and gripped the window frame. “I’m talking to you, damn it!”
“Come on, Marie.” Roberto peeled her hand off the frame. “Let the lady leave.”
“I have a right to know what’s going on when my brother’s life is at stake! What are you people keeping from me?”
Casey glanced up at the admin building and saw Stan standing at the open window in his office. Given how loud Marie was getting, she figured he could hear most of what was being said.
“Give it a rest, Marie.” Lou frowned.
“No!”
“If anything comes of it, we’ll tell ya,” Roberto added.
Marie glared at Lou and Roberto. “She sure has you two wrapped around her finger.” She turned to Casey. “It’s not enough to play Mainland’s hero. Now you’ve got to turn the men against me too? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Marie!” Stan shouted. “In my office, now!”
As she stomped toward the building, the guys wandered off. Casey rummaged through her purse for gum and found the slip of paper with Gabrielle’s work number. Before she could talk herself out of it, she put the car in neutral and made the call. A receptionist answered on the second ring.
“Good morning,” Casey said, her tone businesslike. “Is Gabrielle O’Reilly in?”
“I’m sorry, Miss O’Reilly’s out of the office today. May I help you?”
“Well, that’s just bloody marvellous. We were supposed to schedule a meeting, but I haven’t heard from her. Do you know where she is?”
“No, I’m sorry, I don’t.”
Casey sighed loudly. “I’ve scheduled three appointments with her over the last six weeks and Miss O’Reilly canceled all of them.”
“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say.”
“Can you answer me one simple question before I decide whether to pursue this matter legally?”
“Uh, I, don’t—”
“Miss O’Reilly was supposed to meet me at my office at 11:00 AM on September thirtieth, but she never showed. Is it possible for you to determine if she was at work or absent that day?”
“I could, but I should talk to my boss first.”
“I’d rather they not be involved just yet, as this is a personal matter that could have a negative impact on my children and future dealings with your firm. All I’m asking for is a tiny piece of information.”
“Okay,” the perky voice answered. “Let me check.”
“Thank you.” Casey held her breath. If the girl talked to higher-ups, it’d be game over.
She looked around the parking lot until the receptionist came back on line a couple of minutes later.
“Gabrielle was away on September thirtieth. She took vacation days on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of that week.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jasmine died on Tuesday, September twenty-eighth. Gabrielle could have killed her. It looked like a trip to Birch’s trailer was a really bad idea.
THIRTY
CASEY JOGGED UP TO HER car in the university’s parkade and checked her watch. Twelve-fifteen. Corporal Lundy would be expecting Hannah’s letters, but she needed to contact Gabrielle first. During class, she’d decided to trap her into seeing Lundy. One way or another, that nasty woman would talk.
Casey slid behind the wheel and retrieved her cell phone. Before class, she’d looked up and memorized Birch’s number. All she had to do was punch in the digits. By the twelfth ring, it was obvious Gabrielle either wasn’t there or wouldn’t answer. Casey called Lundy.
“Shouldn’t you be handing me some letters right now?” he asked.
“Yes, but I got an urgent message from Gabrielle O’Reilly this morning. She wants to see me at twelve-thirty to discuss Jasmine. She left the message with my supervisor and didn’t go into detail. I’m supposed to meet her at Elliott Birch’s trailer.”
“I thought I told you not to play detective.”
“The meeting wasn’t my idea; she called me because she won’t talk to the police. I really don’t want to
“Did you try canceling the meeting?”
“I just called, but she’s not answering, and we’re supposed to meet in fifteen minutes. If you go in my place, she might not open the door at all, so I thought I’d go in a few seconds ahead of you.”
“We can manage to gain entry ourselves, Miss Holland.”
She ignored the sarcasm. “She’ll be watching for me. If she sees you, she’ll probably take off. The chase would be a waste of time and manpower because I doubt you’ll ever get anything out of her. Anyway, a friend’s already on his way there. See you in fifteen minutes.”
Casey disconnected the line. She’d called Roberto as soon as she finished this morning’s class and he’d promised to meet her outside the trailer park. She’d left a message on Lou’s cell, too, but hadn’t heard back from him.
Fifteen minutes later, Casey pulled onto the shoulder of Dewdney Trunk Road and parked across from Cedarbrook Estates’ entrance. She looked up and down the winding, narrow street. There was no sign of Roberto or Lundy, unless they’d parked inside the property and were already at the trailer. The absence of Roberto’s Corvette in the visitor’s stalls didn’t surprise her. Punctuality had never been his strong suit. But there weren’t any police
