Read Online Cut to the Bone by Joan Boswell - Free Book Online Page A

begin to describe her partner. To herself she acknowledged how appealing she found him, but he’d given no indication that he was attracted to her. Probably just as well. The department frowned on romances between detectives.
    â€œWhy are you staring at me?” Ian said.
    â€œSorry, I was thinking about what you said. Often Newfoundlanders and Iroquois work on high steel. They built half the skyscrapers in Manhattan and are famous for their ability and skill, and most of all for their lack of fear when cavorting around forty floors above the ground.” She popped the last morsel of bread in her mouth. “Was he an Aboriginal?”
    â€œCould have been. Would that be important?”
    â€œMight be. We don’t know for sure that Ms. Trepanier was the real target. After all, Ginny Wuttenee usually occupied that bed, and Ginny’s a Saskatchewan Cree. Could be a coincidence, but we’ll follow up on this guy. What’s his name?”
    Ian pulled his notebook from his pocket and consulted it. “Donald Hill,” he said.
    While Ian and Rhona waited for the bill, Rhona said, “Have you settled into the department?”
    Ian eyed her as if measuring the reason for the question. “Pretty much.”
    â€œYou found a good place to live?” Rhona said.
    â€œTwenty questions?” Ian replied.
    â€œWhen you have a partner, it’s good to know more about him than name and badge number. You certainly aren’t the most forthcoming partner I’ve ever had.”
    â€œI’m forty-two, unmarried, don’t have any pets or plants, and like my job.”
    Rhona sighed, “Okay, I get the picture. You want your life to be private. I accept but …”
    Ian produced a grin, revealing very white teeth, lighting up his face and making him more attractive than ever. He pushed the shock of black hair off his forehead. “You feel that if one day a decision I make may determine whether you live or die, you’d be happier if you had background information.”
    Rhona accepted the cheques from the server and nodded at Ian. “Something like that.”
    â€œI love horses and horse racing but not enough to belong to Gamblers Anonymous. If I had time, I’d buy a horse but I don’t. I like Thai and Indian food, hate KFC, and give the Swiss Chalet chicken an A rating. I like clothes, especially shoes, expensive shoes. I’ve furnished my apartment with antiques and I have a home gym,”
    â€œAntiques?” Rhona repeated. She would have pegged him for a minimalist who loved modern.
    Ian continued to grin. “Surprise, surprise. Early Canadian. I own a pine sideboard from the Eastern Townships, probably made around 1830, two corner cupboards, a spool bed in my guest room, and a settle in my living room.”
    â€œA settle. What’s that?”
    â€œA day bed. Farmhouse kitchens had one so the farmer could have a lie down after the big noon meal, or anyone who was sick could recuperate in the warm kitchen.”
    â€œI am surprised,” Rhona said as they stood and moved to the door. She wasn’t going to find out anything else. Time to move on. “To change the subject, whoever killed Ms. Trepanier must have realized it wasn’t Ms. Wuttenee, but maybe he was too out of control to stop or he was afraid if she woke and saw him he’d be caught. How much information about Ms. Wuttenee’s background did you get from your interview?”
    They’d reached the door. Ian held it open for Rhona. “Sorry. I know all about equality, but opening doors for women is a hard habit to break. About Ms. Wuttenee, I agree she may have been the intended victim. It’s not too late to talk to her again. Why don’t we tell her to come down to Ms. Grant’s office and speak to us after we check out Ms. Trepanier’s apartment? If we have time after that, we could go through Ms. Trepanier’s appointment