North Country(124)

Schmidt hasn’t said a word, his focus on the menu in front of him.

“You said Holly Monroe was escorted out by off-duty officer Lynch and your doorman Joey at 8:30 p.m.”

“Sounds about right. Emery was around for that too.” He nods to me.

“Yup, we noted that. And Holly never came back inside after she and her friends were escorted out. You never saw her again.”

“No, sir.” Matt shakes his head. “From what I heard, it sounds like she was hangin’ out in the back parking lot for a bit around midnight? But that’s just what I heard.”

Terry nods. “I didn’t ask about Jack Barrow before, but he was sitting right”—Terry surveys the stools and the TV screens behind the bar—“right where I’m sitting, actually. For a few hours, watching the games. He left at 12:45 a.m.”

“Uh …” Matt scratches his cheek. “I mean, I can’t remember exactly what time but that sounds about right?”

“And you and a staff member named Shawna were the last to leave at 3:00 a.m., which matches the video footage of you driving out in a …” Terry checks his notes. “Green Honda Civic.”

A server appears then with a white cardboard take-out clamshell. Matt directs her to me with a finger-point. “Yeah, sounds right. I gave Shawna a ride home that night.”

“And then you went home to grab a couple hours of sleep before you were back here at 10:45 a.m.” Terry pauses, looks at Matt. “Did I get that all down right?”

“Sounds good.”

“I didn’t miss anything?”

“Nope.”

“Nothing at all?”

Matt shakes his head, his eyes locked intently on Terry.

“Perfect. I think we have what we need.” Terry smiles as he closes his notepad.

I can’t help myself. “Holly wasn’t waiting for Logan in the hallway that night, was she? Your office is beside the men’s washroom, and you were in it.”

“What?” Matt’s expression falters, awareness flittering past it. He tracks Schmidt as the burly detective saunters over to the far end of the bar. “Sir, can I ask you to step over here?”

Matt looks once to me before meeting the detective. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going to ask you to remain calm,” Schmidt begins. “You are under arrest for the murder of Holly Monroe—”

Behind us, Shawna gasps and glass crashes as she drops her tray of drinks .

Schmidt doesn’t even flinch. “Please turn around with your hands behind your back so I can handcuff you.”

Matt does as asked, a cagey look in his eyes. “Emery, I—”

“You have the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay,” Schmidt cuts him off.

I listen with an odd mix of shock, satisfaction, and sadness as the detective coolly delivers the Charter rights to a man I considered a friend.

The small audience in the Bale House is stunned silent. No doubt news of this arrest will be traveling through Cold River like a freight train at maximum speed with no brakes within the hour. For once, I’m pleased.

But this will rock our community. Matt Danes is known and well liked.

“Ready?” Schmidt calls out to Terry before leading Matt away.

“Yeah, coming,” Terry says, his words muffled. “Damn, McAllister, you were right. This is good.”

I turn to find my take-out container open and Terry devouring a quarter of my club sandwich.

“Guess I’m not getting that burger.” He saunters out.





Annie:





They’re inducing her!





I smile at the text before tucking my phone back into my pocket. Sarah must be relieved.

The smell of gasoline touches my nostrils, and I inhale instinctively as the pump meter churns and fuel pours into my SUV’s tank. There is something especially potent about that scent in early spring, when the air temperature is neither crisp nor mild.

My gaze drifts to the busy street and the cars that travel it, on their way home from work or to grab groceries for dinner, to shuttle their kids to after-school activities or any number of daily life’s errands, unaware of the shock that’s about to unfold. It’s the second time in twenty years Cold River will have made headlines. By tonight, even the biggest news stations will have reporters here to get more information about the arrest made in Holly Monroe’s case.

I’m no less in shock now than I was when I realized the truth, only now it’s coupled with anger.

And I teased him about dating younger women. My stomach turns at the thought.

When I left the station for a meeting at Dillon’s office, Matt was waiting to speak to his lawyer. He hasn’t admitted to anything yet.

I imagine Schmidt and Terry will begin interrogating him shortly and if he listens to his lawyer, he won’t answer a single question. Then it’s a matter of building a case that’s strong enough for a conviction. Logan’s eyewitness account of his car at Lake Temagami on Saturday morning won’t be enough.

But it was the catalyst for it all.

When I reviewed the Bale House feed again last night, solely focused on Matt, I saw his guilt unfold as clearly as if I watched him commit his crimes.