Read Online Anarchy by James Treadwell - Free Book Online Page B

or kayaks waiting for the weather to turn. She looked up and down the long sweep of the bay and saw only gulls and eagles and crows stalking the pebbles.
    The little crowd caught up with her, squawking like the gulls. “Officer—”
    â€œI need to question the girl in that kayak.” She heard herself talking like a policeman, always a bad sign; it meant she wasn’t concentrating. She was chasing ideas one after another. Race back to Hardy and take the RCMP launch? Too slow; she might lose the kid in the mess of islands. Call another officer out in the launch? Janice said they were all busy, and no one was supposed to know Jennifer was on the loose. Get Jonas to come over and take his own boat? Too slow again. What she really needed was—
    â€œExcuse me.” She had to shout to quiet them. “Listen. Someone in town must have their own kayak. Who’s got a kayak here?”
    â€œYou’re going boating?” One of the small round women looked at Goose from behind bottle-thick glasses, quietly incredulous.
    â€œGeorge got one,” said the old guy with the cane. “Got it for his boys.”
    â€œThat’s a girl?”
    â€œShe got no life vest. Is that illegal?”
    â€œHow d’you know it’s a girl?”
    â€œSir?” Goose spoke sharply again to catch the man’s wandering attention. “Sir? You say you know where there’s a kayak?” It was all she needed. She was fast and very fit; as long as she didn’t lose sight of Jennifer for long, she knew she’d be able to catch up.
    The man waved his stick down the road. “George Hall. With the blue fence.”
    â€œOfficer Maculloch, I’d like an explanation why you’re not giving your attention to—”
    She’d run out of earshot before the sentence was complete. The blue fence was a few metal bars like tent posts with plastic netting strung between, penning in a very fat dog with invisibly stumpy legs. The dog jiggled upright as she sprinted closer, though it turned out not to be her who’d roused it; the door of the house opened and a grizzled man in a lumberjack shirt came out. He stared at Goose in complete confusion.
    â€œGeorge Hall?” She was breathing hard already.
    â€œAre you the police?”
    â€œMr. Hall, this is an emergency situation. I need to borrow your kayak.” He appeared not to understand. “Quickly, sir.”
    â€œI didn’t call the police yet.” The dog waddled over to him and flopped down right in front of his feet, as if to suggest that he was better off not going outside.
    â€œNo, sir. It’s not to do with you. I just need to commandeer your boat.” Jeez, Goose, she thought to herself: commandeer?
    â€œSure as dammit is to do with me. Someone just stole my kids’ kayak.”
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    Once she was safely back in the car and racing away as fast as she dared from the questions and complaints, she got Cope on the radio.
    â€œShe showed up this morning, sir. In Rupert. She vandalized the Band property and then took off in a kayak.”
    â€œShe what?”
    â€œShe stole a kayak. Took off in it. Out into the strait.”
    â€œAnd you didn’t stop her?”
    â€œI was called too late. I need a vessel, sir. I’ll be taking the launch.”
    â€œThe damn launch is in McNeill. What are you talking about?”
    â€œShe’s in a kayak, sir, by herself. She won’t be hard to track down. It’s a bright yellow kayak.”
    â€œWhat did you say about the Band?”
    She explained, but she was already snatching at the next idea. It would mean getting hold of Jonas, quickly.
    â€œThat’s just perfect. Just what I needed.” She could hear Cope sagging. “Did you talk to Margaret Sampson?”
    â€œYes, sir. I—”
    â€œDamn it. I don’t suppose there’s any hope you asked her to keep it quiet till we find