Always Watching

the coil of anger that always simmered in his eyes. Why he’d never let himself get close to another woman.
    When we got to the station, we were informed that Corporal Cruikshank was out and wouldn’t be back for about an hour. The officer on duty said it would be better if we talked to her as she was already handling the investigation in Shawnigan. Robbie decided to wait at the station. When I said I’d stay with him, he answered, “Nah. I’d rather do this on my own anyway.”
    “You sure? I don’t mind waiting.”
    He shook his head. “Just go back to Victoria and hang tight.”
    *   *   *
    I gave him my new Victoria cell number and he agreed to call after he was finished giving his statement. Before heading down to Victoria, I drove back to Mary’s to tell her the news—Aaron’s days as a free man were numbered. When I got there, she was digging in her garden. I stopped near the gate and climbed out. Mary turned at the sound of my car, squinted at me as I walked toward her.
    I said, “I need to speak with you again if you have a moment.”
    “I thought about what you said last time, but I’m not talking to the cops.” She continued with her task.
    “You might not have to. That’s why I came here.”
    She turned around, the spade in her hand. “What’s happened?”
    I told her what Robbie had shared and that he was back at the station, waiting to give his statement.
    “Aaron will never get out after this. As soon as the story breaks, other victims of abuse will likely come forward.”
    She bowed her head and covered her face in dirty hands. She took a shuddering breath, like she might be crying.
    I said, “Are you okay?” I was confused about her reaction.
    Speaking into her hand, she said, “I want you to leave. I need to be alone.”
    I wasn’t ready to leave yet, not without an explanation. Something about her tears didn’t feel right. “Are you upset about Willow?”
    She nodded. “Willow had come to me for help, about her vest. She wanted to keep it. But I wasn’t ready to go against Aaron yet.” She looked down at her missing finger. “That was before this.” She looked back up at me, her eyes wet. “I wouldn’t help her, so she said she was going to leave the commune.”
    I crouched down. “You didn’t know Aaron would hurt her.”
    She said, “I thought she was wrong, that she should give him her vest. I was caught up in everything he was saying, like all the others. I told him she was planning on leaving. I told him.”
    So there might’ve been more to Aaron’s reason for killing Willow. I wondered now if they’d argued, and Willow had told him she was taking me. “The police might want to know that. It would help their case, show motive and—”
    She stiffened, the pain in her eyes disappearing into anger. “I already told you I’m not talking to the police. I want you to go now.”
    She got up and walked toward the house, leaving the spade still stabbed into the earth.

 
    CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
    On the way home, I mulled everything over. I felt bad for Mary, but if she didn’t tell the police what she knew, I wondered if I should fill them in. Even with Robbie’s statement, there was a chance Aaron could get off because of lack of evidence. Lost in thought, I flinched when my phone rang. I glanced at the call display and felt conflicted when I saw Kevin’s number again. Part of me wanted to tell him everything that had happened, but the other part wanted to wait until I knew what the police were going to do. After a couple of rings, the phone went silent.
    I had time before Robbie was going to call, so I went into the hospital and did some paperwork in my office at Mental Health, hoping it might distract me. I’d also hoped to avoid Kevin until I’d had a chance to think everything through. I thought that he taught group on Wednesdays, but when I came out of the bathroom, he was coming down the hall.
    He said, “Okay, I’m getting the definite feeling that you’re avoiding me. I’ve left you a couple of messages.…”
    “No, no. I’m sorry. I’ve wanted to talk to you. There are just some things happening in my life that I can’t go into at the moment.”
    He nodded, but he sounded a little annoyed. “If you aren’t interested in pursuing this…” He made a motion between us. “You can just tell me.”
    “It’s not that. You’re a wonderful person and I enjoy your company immensely, but I’m dealing with a lot of personal issues