Beranski could have left the theatre and made it to Washburn's cabin.
Unless he had been the man who had paid Ian Vandermeer in cash, Jasi mused.
Entering Bits & Bytes , a popular Internet café chain, she ordered a Chai latte and slowly scanned the room. There were eight data terminals with dividers between them for privacy. The terminals formed an oval in the center of the café. Small tables with hammered silver chairs surrounded the oval and lined the windows.
Bits & Bytes was a refuge to computer junkies and teenagers. Jasi was not surprised to see both, although it was a school day.
Walking past the terminals, she glanced at a computer monitor and caught two teenaged boys trying to override the café's porn-blocker. A quick show of her badge sent them scurrying out of the place―red-faced and terrified.
A teenaged girl led her to a table in the back corner.
Dropping thankfully into a chair, Jasi sipped her tea and pushed her sleeve back to check her watch. She had a few minutes before her scheduled meeting with Cameron Prescott. Reviewing her data-com message system, she found two messages. One was from Ben. He was wondering how her side of the investigation was going. She made a note to check back with him after the meeting with the reporter―if the woman ever showed up.
The second message was from Matthew Divine.
A CS report had been uploaded to Jasi's data-com.
Opening the attachment, she read it thoroughly. A boot print from the ground around Washburn's cabin had been analyzed. A man's boot, size 11, deep treaded and marked. The CFBI database cross-checked the tread and identified it as a Thermogard Cruiser with steel toe. A popular and common boot used by a variety of laborers.
Damn!
"Am I interrupting you, Agent McLellan?"
Cameron Prescott hesitated at the edge of Jasi's table. She carried a cappuccino in her hand.
"No, not at all."
Jasi indicated the chair across from her. "Just a reminder though, everything we talk about here is off the record. Agreed?"
The reporter nodded, and there was an awkward silence as they sized each other up.
"So, what can you tell me about Premier Allan Baker?"
The reporter snorted. "Other than he's a womanizing, arrogant asshole?"
Jasi couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face. She immediately sensed that she and Cameron Prescott were about to become the best of friends.
During the next twenty minutes, Jasi listened while Cameron told her how she had begged her boss for the opportunity to research Allan Baker, and had begrudgingly been given a transfer to Kelowna.
"There's more to Allan Baker than simply being the illegitimate son of Dr. Washburn." Cameron smiled as if she had eaten something rotten. "Dr. Washburn lived in Victoria during his affair with Sarah Baker. A couple of years later, he requested a transfer to Kelowna General."
"Probably so he could shirk his responsibility," Jasi muttered.
The reporter eagerly leaned forward, her hazel eyes full of excitement.
"Ten days ago I got hold of Allan Baker's school records. Did you know that his mother put him into Child Protective Services when he was eight?"
Jasi shook her head slowly, an alarm ringing in her brain. Victoria. CPS. Foster care…
"The school he was attending had to be notified," Cameron continued. "Sarah Baker was sent to a rehab program for drug addiction. Allan was placed in a temporary foster home. Two months later his mother got him back."
"Do you know where he was placed when he was in foster care?"
"Records show he lived with a Charlotte and Ernest Foreman."
Bingo!
Jasi felt a surge of excitement race through her body.
Baker was connected to the Victoria fire.
Cameron took a long gulp from her cup, then looked at Jasi. "I traveled to Victoria last week to talk to them. I found out the husband died back in 2001. Guess what else I discovered, Agent McLellan?"
"That Charlotte Foreman died in a suspicious fire three weeks ago."
Jasi's thoughts raced.
If the Foreman
Unless he had been the man who had paid Ian Vandermeer in cash, Jasi mused.
Entering Bits & Bytes , a popular Internet café chain, she ordered a Chai latte and slowly scanned the room. There were eight data terminals with dividers between them for privacy. The terminals formed an oval in the center of the café. Small tables with hammered silver chairs surrounded the oval and lined the windows.
Bits & Bytes was a refuge to computer junkies and teenagers. Jasi was not surprised to see both, although it was a school day.
Walking past the terminals, she glanced at a computer monitor and caught two teenaged boys trying to override the café's porn-blocker. A quick show of her badge sent them scurrying out of the place―red-faced and terrified.
A teenaged girl led her to a table in the back corner.
Dropping thankfully into a chair, Jasi sipped her tea and pushed her sleeve back to check her watch. She had a few minutes before her scheduled meeting with Cameron Prescott. Reviewing her data-com message system, she found two messages. One was from Ben. He was wondering how her side of the investigation was going. She made a note to check back with him after the meeting with the reporter―if the woman ever showed up.
The second message was from Matthew Divine.
A CS report had been uploaded to Jasi's data-com.
Opening the attachment, she read it thoroughly. A boot print from the ground around Washburn's cabin had been analyzed. A man's boot, size 11, deep treaded and marked. The CFBI database cross-checked the tread and identified it as a Thermogard Cruiser with steel toe. A popular and common boot used by a variety of laborers.
Damn!
"Am I interrupting you, Agent McLellan?"
Cameron Prescott hesitated at the edge of Jasi's table. She carried a cappuccino in her hand.
"No, not at all."
Jasi indicated the chair across from her. "Just a reminder though, everything we talk about here is off the record. Agreed?"
The reporter nodded, and there was an awkward silence as they sized each other up.
"So, what can you tell me about Premier Allan Baker?"
The reporter snorted. "Other than he's a womanizing, arrogant asshole?"
Jasi couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face. She immediately sensed that she and Cameron Prescott were about to become the best of friends.
During the next twenty minutes, Jasi listened while Cameron told her how she had begged her boss for the opportunity to research Allan Baker, and had begrudgingly been given a transfer to Kelowna.
"There's more to Allan Baker than simply being the illegitimate son of Dr. Washburn." Cameron smiled as if she had eaten something rotten. "Dr. Washburn lived in Victoria during his affair with Sarah Baker. A couple of years later, he requested a transfer to Kelowna General."
"Probably so he could shirk his responsibility," Jasi muttered.
The reporter eagerly leaned forward, her hazel eyes full of excitement.
"Ten days ago I got hold of Allan Baker's school records. Did you know that his mother put him into Child Protective Services when he was eight?"
Jasi shook her head slowly, an alarm ringing in her brain. Victoria. CPS. Foster care…
"The school he was attending had to be notified," Cameron continued. "Sarah Baker was sent to a rehab program for drug addiction. Allan was placed in a temporary foster home. Two months later his mother got him back."
"Do you know where he was placed when he was in foster care?"
"Records show he lived with a Charlotte and Ernest Foreman."
Bingo!
Jasi felt a surge of excitement race through her body.
Baker was connected to the Victoria fire.
Cameron took a long gulp from her cup, then looked at Jasi. "I traveled to Victoria last week to talk to them. I found out the husband died back in 2001. Guess what else I discovered, Agent McLellan?"
"That Charlotte Foreman died in a suspicious fire three weeks ago."
Jasi's thoughts raced.
If the Foreman
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