A Green Place for Dying by R.J. Harlick

Author:R.J. Harlick
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2012-01-20T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Thirty—Two

I could tell by the tears trickling down Teht’aa’s cheeks that the police chief had told her about the suitcase. She hadn’t answered when I’d called through the open side door of Eric’s bungalow. I figured she was in her bedroom changing, so I went inside to wait in the kitchen. Instead I found her crumpled up on the leather sofa in the living room, still wearing her got-the-job suit, although the jacket was now draped over the back of a chair. Sergei, lying on the sofa beside her, rested his head in her lap as if trying to comfort her.

It had been many months since I’d been inside Eric’s home. I’d avoided it. Instead, whenever Teht’aa and I had gotten together, I’d asked her if she wouldn’t mind coming to Three Deer Point. I was afraid his house would speak too much of his presence, and it did. It damn well shouted it.

His red and black logger’s shirt hanging beside the door smelled as only Eric could smell. The spice bottles on the kitchen counter were lined up as if he were about to cook one of his favourite meals. Even the pile of dirty dishes next to the sink could’ve been left by him, and his favourite sagging La-Z-Boy chair, complete with peeling duct tape, seemed to rock as if he’d just risen from it. Beside it on a table lay his much-thumbed copy of Kiss of the Fur Queen. It was almost too much for me. I would’ve turned tail and run if Teht’aa hadn’t needed me.

In an attempt to convince both of us, I said, “The abandoned suitcase doesn’t necessarily mean something terrible has happened to your dad.”

“Of course it does. Especially with his clothes still inside,” she shot back.

“Will confirmed they were?”

“Yeah, he recognized Dad’s ceremonial deerskin jacket from the description,” she sputtered.

Unfortunately, it was catching. I slumped onto the couch, hid my face in the dog’s curly fur and let loose my own share of tears. Teht’aa reached across the dog and clasped my hands. I don’t know how long we both sobbed out our fears and anguish.

I finally reached a point where I felt drained of emotion. I sat up and brushed away the last of the tears.

Feeling one of us had to remain strong, I said, “Okay, we’ve both had a good cry. But we just can’t sit here waiting in terror of another phone call from Will. It’s not going to help us or Eric.”

Teht’aa raised her head. Her face, no doubt mirroring mine, was puffy-eyed and blotchy. Sergei started licking her tears away.

I continued, “Other than this suitcase, there is nothing to say Eric is dead. We have to continue to believe he is alive. So where are those papers you were talking about? Let’s go through them now.”

Teht’aa firmed her lips as she straightened up. She brushed away the hair plastered to her cheek. “You’re right. The stuff’s over there.” She pointed to the dining room table. “You start while I change.

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