Read Online Thin Ice by Nick Wilkshire - Free Book Online

say.”
    Marshall’s eyebrows shot up. “Nancy, you realize this is a murder investigation, don’t you? If you refuse to disclose relevant information, we can charge you with obstruction of —”
    â€œFifty thousand. It was fifty thousand dollars, but if we told anyone, we’d have to pay it back. We’re not going to have to pay it back, are we?”
    Smith saw the desperation in her eyes as they welled up with tears.
    â€œYou’re not going to have to pay anything back, Nancy,” Marshall said. “But we’re going to have to talk to your brother.”

CHAPTER 6
    Smith and Marshall were waiting in a conference room at the Peterborough OPP detachment when a burly constable in his late twenties entered carrying a thin file folder.
    â€œSorry to keep you waiting,” he said as they shook hands. “Constable Mike Howard.”
    â€œDavid Marshall and Jack Smith, Ottawa Police.”
    â€œYou’re investigating the Ritchie murder? That’s a tough break at this time of year. I’m a Leafs fan myself, but still.”
    â€œWe’ll try not to hold that against you,” Marshall said, and they all shared a chuckle.
    â€œSeriously, though. Have you got any leads?”
    â€œNot much so far. But we were told you have a file on Ritchie?”
    They had dropped in to the detachment more as a courtesy than anything else, and had been surprised to hear on arriving that there was such a file, and were eager to see just what it contained.
    â€œIt’s not on him, exactly,” Howard said, flipping through the file. “Ritchie laid a complaint for uttering threats.”
    â€œAgainst who?” Smith and Marshall asked in unison, both knowing the answer.
    â€œJohn Ridgeway Junior. I interviewed them both myself. There was nothing to it in the end. Ridgeway’s sister —”
    â€œWe just came from her place. That’s why we’re here.”
    â€œSo you know she was claiming she was pregnant with Ritchie’s baby?”
    â€œYeah, she mentioned her brother was pretty angry with Ritchie, and that they got in a fight — at a diner.”
    â€œThe Hard Luck Cafe, yeah. It’s a student place, near the Trent campus.”
    â€œSo what have you got in there?” Smith pointed to Howard’s file.
    â€œStatements from both of them, the sister too, and one of the kitchen staff who saw most of it.” He slid the folder toward Smith, who turned it around and started reading it as Howard continued the summary. “Ritchie admitted he was bad-mouthing the girl, and didn’t know the brother was there. John heard it, and he’d had a few beers, so you can imagine he wasn’t too happy. There was some yelling and shoving, and a couple of the staff broke them up, and that was it, really.”
    â€œBut Ritchie wanted to press charges? You’d think he’d want to keep it as quiet as he could,” Marshall pondered aloud.
    â€œI guess it was too late for that,” Howard said. “The lawyers had already started trading letters by then.”
    â€œListen to this,” Smith said, reading from one of the statements. “According to the dishwasher, Ridgeway said, and I quote, ‘I’ll cut your fucking heart out, you piece of shit. Just see if I don’t.’”
    â€œLemme see that.” Marshall reached for the statement.
    â€œWhat’s the cause of death?” Howard asked. “They didn’t say in the papers.”
    â€œIt’s not official — the autopsy’s tomorrow — but he was found with a hunting knife sticking out of the left side of his chest.”
    There was silence as the three cops considered the possibilities.
    â€œOkay,” Smith said, collecting his thoughts. “This was months ago, but we’re still going to want to talk to the brother, and the witness, too — Stephen Gravelle. Do you know where this is ?” He pointed