Constable Molly Smith 01 - In the Shadow of the Glacier

watch? Unless that watch relates directly….”
    “I dropped into the jewelry store in town this morning,” Winters said. “Asked for a quick appraisal of the value of the watch. Just an off-the-cuff estimate. What did they say it was worth, Constable Smith?”
    “Ten thousand dollars, sir.”
    Winters whistled. “That’s why I couldn’t remember. That kind of dough for a watch is way outside the understanding of a simple police officer such as myself.”
    “The point, Sergeant,” Parker said. “Get to the point.”
    “I’d put the value of your truck, and everything in it, at not more than three thousand. If I were being generous. Yet you have this nice watch tucked away in the glove compartment. Want to tell me how you came upon it?”
    “I told you. I’ve never seen it before. Do something,” Harris said to his lawyer. “They’ve got nothing else on me, so they’re trying to frame me for theft.”
    “Theft,” Winters said, “is not the least of it.”
    Smith studied the faces of the three men. Parker was as out of his depth as a two-year-old in the children’s pool at Eagle Point Bluffs Park on a hot day. Harris was like the tough-talking thirteen-year-old trying to make a big splash in front of the prepubescent girls and impressing no one. Winters watched them like an unfriendly lifeguard.
    He rubbed at the face of his own watch. “I’ve been looking for it since it was taken from a murder scene.”
    Parker blanched. His eyes slid away from his client. Smith guessed that he was wishing he’d taken up corporate law.
    “I didn’t take it.” Harris jumped out of his seat. His left eye twitched. Smith leaned forward, ready to move. Parker laid a hand on his client’s arm, and Harris sat down. Smith settled back against the wall.
    “Forensic officers are going over your truck even as we speak. They’ll be able to tell me how many times you jacked off in there.”
    Harris flushed, and Smith guessed that the number would prove to be quite high. The very thought made her stomach roll over.
    “What else are they going to find, Brian?”
    “This is a frame-up, pure and simple.” Harris was showing early signs of panic. “I’m telling you I never saw that watch before. Do something, you’re supposed to be my fucking lawyer.” His eye flickered as if he were trying to send a signal in Morse code.
    “I need to talk to my client,” Parker said.
    “Take all the time you need. It’ll be a while before we get a full DNA analysis on the contents of Mr. Harris’ truck.”
    “Okay,” Harris shouted. “I met with Montgomery. Once. We talked about the park. He was worried that it would be bad for business. I told him I’d do what I could to help him out.”
    “Was Mr. Montgomery ever in your truck, Brian?”
    “No. Never. I didn’t kill him, for God’s sake. And I didn’t steal his watch. I heard the story on the radio about this so-called peace park. What’s pacifism, eh? Let the terrorists win, that’s what it is. Let them think we’re soft and who knows what they’ll do next. That’s what happened on 9/11. They thought we were soft and they attacked. I drove down from Calgary to find out what was happening. I ran into Montgomery in the coffee shop. He was all hot and bothered about what the park’d do to his business. I couldn’t give a fuck about his business, but you find friends where you can, eh? So I told him I’d help him out. Next I heard, he’d died, so I figured that was the end of that. I found out that a bunch of environment nuts were planning a protest outside of his place so I thought I’d check it out. That TV guy, Ashcroft, was there looking for a story, so I made up something, told him all about my dad being killed in Vietnam. Hell, my dad’s laying roof tiles in Toronto right now. It got me on TV, didn’t it, what’s the harm in that? And that’s it. End of story.”
    “A nice story,” Winters said, “except for the fire at the park.”
    Harris’ eyes shifted toward the window. “Don’t know nothing ’bout a fire.”
    Winters stood. “We have a lighter. And now that you’re in our custody we have your prints. Plus video evidence of you inciting a riot and assaulting a police officer. You’re going down, Harris.”
    Harris was screaming at Parker as Winters and Smith headed for the stairs.
    “Your impressions, Molly.”
    She felt a small glow of pleasure at being asked. “He seemed genuinely surprised at the watch.”
    “Yup. But he