Friday, September 26th
Trinity police station, 10 am
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Miriam woke up the following morning after a good night’s sleep. As soon as she had got home the previous evening, she had made herself a cup of coffee and she had put on her pyjamas. While she was going to bed, she had received a phone call from Meg, who wanted to know if everything was OK.
While she was preparing breakfast, before going to the police station to sign the deposition, she had received a message from Jason, ‘I hope you slept well and you feel fine this morning. See you later at the police station.’ She smiled, even if the thought of Jason aroused mixed feelings in her. On one side, she told herself that they had seldom spoken to each other and that she couldn’t believe he had any interest in her; on the other side, she kept wondering why he had avoided her. This hurt her because she didn’t think she had been insistent or inopportune. She hoped to be able to talk to him, to clarify everything, because she couldn’t deny she was starting to feel something for that sensitive, sad man and she needed to know what his feelings were.
The police station was very busy that morning. Meg and her mum were there, Louise with her uncle and aunt arrived, and when they were all gathered, waiting for the officer who should take their depositions, Miriam entered the room. Louise immediately introduced her to her uncle. Miriam noticed with pleasure that Louise was completely different; she was more lively and more confident. Evidently, the lack of affection in her family had weighed on her for a long time and her uncle and aunt were able to give her the warmth and the love she needed. It was evident she loved her aunt and uncle and they were very fond of their niece.
Joseph Kilton shook hands with Miriam and said warmly, “Louise has spoken so much about you! I am sorry for what my brother has done and for what he could have done if the detective had not intervened in time,” he added with a sad expression, “I have always told him that he was too greedy, and his wife certainly didn’t help him.”
Miriam said simply, “Don’t worry, Mr Kilton. I see Louise is so happy with you. That is the most important thing!” She smiled at Louise, who was looking at her with admiration.
Meg embraced her teacher and said, “You were very courageous yesterday. We are sorry you were involved but we could not call you to warn you!”
“Don’t worry, Meg! But how is your dad? When is he coming out of prison?”
Grace said, “After our deposition, we are going to pick him up. We are so happy! Detective Grant told us yesterday that the judge would send the documents for his release this morning! Oh, I still can’t help thinking what would have happened to you, Miss Busati, if the detective had not arrived in time!”
Miriam felt a little embarrassed because she was aware that the previous evening they had called each other by their first names. She didn’t know what Meg and her mum would think. But she didn’t care, she knew that the Coopers were reserved people.
“I know,” Miriam said, “he saved my life. I think I will have to cook something special for him,” she added with a smile, in order to release the tension, mostly her tension and uneasiness at the thought of the detective. The others laughed heartily.
Uncle Joseph said, “ Yes, I think delicious Italian dishes are a good way to express gratitude!” Now they were all smiling and relaxed. While they were talking, they heard the unmistakable voice of Jason coming from the other room. He opened the door but… who was with him?
Meg couldn’t believe her eyes, in front of her was her dad, her hero. Andy was smiling, even if his face was still drawn and tired. She ran into his arms and Grace followed her. Jason, before coming to the police station, had gone to the court to take the documents for the release and then to the prison to pick up Andy.
Jason was smiling, knowing that he had made a great gift to this wonderful family, after so much suffering. He invited Louise, her uncle and aunt and Miriam to go into another room so that Andy and his family could enjoy a few moments of privacy.
An officer came and asked Louise to go with her relatives into an office to read and sign the deposition. Louise embraced Miriam and said,
“See you this afternoon at school, Miss Busati.”
“Of course,” Miriam said and she took her leave of Mr and Mrs Kilton.
Jason smiled at Miriam and invited her into his office to read and sign the deposition. An officer took Miriam’s documents and made a copy and Jason and Miriam sat down.
Jason remained professional while they were reading and signing the statement. He said, “I hope that Kilton will be more reasonable today after a night in prison! Yesterday he kept on repeating we had no proof and he hadn’t done anything!”
Miriam replied, “But in the time he was waiting for Grace to call the prison, he deliberately said that he didn’t want to be arrested and he admitted to his crime. And then he can’t deny trying to kill me! Is his confession necessary?”
Jason sighed and said, “We have Louise’s testimony that he came out of the company a few minutes before the arrival of Cooper and on his prepaid phone we found the call to the police. We arrested his wife yesterday for the attempted murder of Miss Lewis. We have the testimony of the Kiltons’ housekeeper that yesterday he and his wife discussed what they could do to avoid prison. However, I would like him to confess because he could keep on denying the aggression to Miss Lewis, who didn’t see her attacker.” He paused for a few moments and then he instinctively looked at the young girl in the picture on his desk. He went on as if speaking more to himself than to Miriam, “ But if you had heard what Louise told her dad on the phone yesterday. Any father would have felt ashamed of himself for much less!”
“Louise hasn’t had a father all these years! This is very sad, I think!” Miriam replied and thought of her stepfather, who for her had been a real affectionate loving dad.
When Jason had handed the signed document to an officer who made a copy for her, he looked at Miriam and said, “Miriam, first of all,” Miriam noticed that he was embarrassed and shy and she felt a wave of tenderness for that man who risked his life every day and had difficulty speaking to a woman he hardly knew. “First of all, I have to apologize for my behaviour in the last few days. I have not answered your calls and this is inexcusable and impolite, to say the least.”
Miriam’s gaze fell on that smiling young girl in the frame and she said, “You were working and I shouldn’t have called you. You have no reason to apologize, we have just met and we have only talked in relation to Meg’s situation. You don’t know anything about me and I don’t know anything about you.” She realized she was sounding more detached than she really wanted to be because, in reality, she was eager to know who that girl in the photo was. A girlfriend? A daughter? ‘No, Miriam,’ she told herself, ‘you can’t expect a man like him to be here waiting for you. He certainly has relations.’ What was funny was that Jason was thinking the same thing, ‘No, Jason, a charming woman like her is not waiting for you. She can find a more fascinating, more handsome, more pleasant man than you! Or maybe she has someone in Italy ready to reach her in Canada.’
Jason had noticed her gaze and he looked at the photo with his usual tender expression. Then he turned to Miriam and said,
“Miriam, what you have just said is true, but if it is OK with you, I would like to talk to you and get to know you better. I owe you at least an explanation for my behaviour, even if maybe it meant nothing to you.” Miriam replied, without thinking,
“No, your behaviour hurt me, but I don’t want you to feel obliged to explain if it is difficult for you.” Her voice trailed off because she had just admitted indirectly that she was interested in him.
Jason smiled and went on, “Now I have to go to the interrogation room to speak to Kilton. But if you allow me when this is all finished, I would like to come to you to talk about a thing…” he stopped and looked at Miriam with a troubled expression as if he was debating within himself what to do.
“Jason, you don’t owe me any explanation! I am sorry for saying it hurt me when you didn’t answer. You saved my life yesterday and I am grateful but I only called you in the last few days because I was worried for Louise and Meg and… you mustn’t feel obliged or forced to…”Her voice trailed off because, the more she talked, the more she realized she was saying the contrary of what she was feeling and she was longing to get to know this man better.
“But I want to talk to you!” Jason said with force, “I have to find the courage to tell you something! Let me get rid of this investigation and then…” His face reflected the struggle he was experiencing after six years of isolation, of silent suffering.
Miriam stood up and left hastily because she was afraid she would embrace this man if she stayed. Jason aroused in her feelings of tenderness, respect and… love! But what was so difficult for him to tell her?
Jason remained in his office for a few minutes after Miriam had left. Would he be able to open his heart to her, to tell her what had made him suffer for six years, the meaning of that picture on his desk?
Hogan knocked on his office door and brought him back to his job. “Hi, David! Have you talked to Carlton ?”
“Yes, Jason. He has admitted that he had dealings with Kilton. He sold him stolen and low-quality car spare parts and he mounted these parts in the cars Kilton would sell. Kilton paid Brown’s debts and Brown, in exchange, had to hide the transactions so that the name of Carlton would never be mentioned. Last summer, Brown evidently made a mistake. He got nervous and as a part of their deal, Kilton asked him to plant evidence against Cooper. Carlton doesn’t know what happened next, but the most educated guess is that Brown tried to back out and Kilton couldn’t let that happen.”
“This adds up, but what about Miss Lewis? What does Carlton know?”
“Kilton called Carlton because he wanted him to kill Miss Lewis, but Bill knew he was being shadowed and said he wouldn’t do it. He says he doesn’t know anything else because he has not heard from Kilton since last Monday.”
Jason asked, “And what about Mrs Kilton? What does she have to say?”
Hogan said, smiling, “I think she is overwhelmed by her situation now, so different from all the luxury she has always lived in. She doesn’t speak, she has only said that she couldn’t allow that woman, she means Miss Lewis, to ruin her life. She has not asked for her daughter, she has not asked how Louise is, nothing, Jason. Is that a mother?” Jason shook his head sadly.
“OK, thanks, David. Has Kilton been brought to the interrogation room?”
“Yes, he is there with his lawyer when you want. I think he is a little less arrogant than yesterday.”
“I hope he has reflected on his daughter’s words.” He paused and added, “David, when a teenage girl asks you not to let her father come near her and shows you the bruises on her face and says her dad has beaten her… I feel a sense of repulsion for such a man. I will have to keep calm because this is the kind of man that makes me nervous.”
“You are absolutely right, Jason, and he could have killed that Italian teacher without even thinking about it! Thank God you arrived in time.” Hogan pretended not to see the expression on the face of his boss at his mentioning Miriam. Was it tenderness? Was it respect? Love, maybe? No, he had never believed the tough Jason Grant he knew would ever show love.
While Jason was putting his gun into the locker before going to the interrogation room, Hogan called him and said, “Jason, there is someone who wants to say goodbye to you before leaving!”
He didn’t have time to turn because two happy teenage girls ran to him and embraced him. Hogan watched his tough boss, seldom smiling, visibly embarrassed but also pleased at this demonstration of love and gratitude. Jason smiled at the two girls and behind them, he saw Mr and Mrs Kilton and Mr and Mrs Cooper.
Meg spoke first, “Detective Grant, I wanted to thank you. I will never forget the way you comforted me that evening when I was so desperate and worried. Thanks for your words and for believing in my dad’s innocence… and…” she added with a smile, “Thanks for saving the life of our Italian teacher!” Jason felt himself blushing at the name of Miriam but he tried not to show his embarrassment.
Louise added, “Thanks for letting me talk to my father. I realized that it was my chance to tell him what I thought. Thanks for comforting and calming me down. Thanks, Detective Grant, for protecting me…” her voice was full of emotion. In the end, she was the one who had suffered the most since she was born. Jason looked into Louise’s eyes and said:
“You were very courageous, Louise, and you saved the life of your friend and her family. Now you must try to forget and live happily with your uncle and aunt, OK?” The girl looked at him and nodded solemnly.
Andy Cooper approached him and said, “When they told me that terrible night that you would come to interrogate me, I was scared. I had heard that you were tough and severe but…” he paused before adding, “I discovered a sensitive and human person and I will never forget the support you gave to my family. Thanks, Detective!”
Isabel and Joseph Kilton shook hands with Jason and Isabel said, “Thanks, Detective. We hope my brother-in-law will have time to reflect in prison. He has done so much wrong especially to Louise.” She looked with affection at her niece.
Jason was not used to talking much and he was always embarrassed when someone praised or thanked him because he truly believed that he was just doing his job. Now, he simply said,
“Seeing you happy and relaxed after so much stress, suffering and worry is the best reward for me. Mrs Kilton, I am going to talk to your brother-in-law now, I hope he will really and deeply understand the gravity of his actions, but most of all, the suffering he has caused to Louise, his wickedness to her.” With these words, he took leave of the two families.
Hogan watched him leave and told Andy Cooper, “Jason is very tough with criminals and people who don’t respect human life but I can assure you he is one of the most sensitive and considerate people I know.” He smiled and added, “You must never believe what people say.”
***
On Kilton’s face, you could easily see the effect of a night in prison. He was no more the haughty, arrogant and self-confident man Grant had seen in his office.
Jason prayed he would be able to stay calm because Kilton irritated him enormously.
The lawyer was sitting beside Kilton with a solemn face. He was not the counsellor Kilton had sent to Cooper, he was a man in his late sixties, bald with thick glasses and a grey moustache.
Detective Grant entered the same room where he had spoken to Cooper a week before and he sat down in front of the two men who were waiting for him.
He asked simply, “What can you tell me, Kilton? We have already spoken to Carlton who told us about your dealings, we had a handwriting expert analyse the signature of Cooper on those withdrawal statements and he confirmed that the signature was forged. We had him compare that signature to a sample of your and Brown’s handwriting and he has confirmed that it was you who forged it. The testimony of the expert is in the documents I have given to your lawyer. Now, I want to hear what you have to say.”
Kilton looked at his lawyer and then he turned to Grant: “What I have to say, Detective? What YOU have to say, YOU have forced my daughter to call me, to disobey me. My daughter has always done what I have ordered, you have put her against me. Did you write down for her that little speech she made on the phone?” he asked sarcastically.
Grant had promised himself to stay calm but this was too much. He slammed his fist on the table and leaned towards Kilton. He refrained from touching him, only because the lawyer was present, but his voice added emphasis to what he said next, “Kilton, if we want to talk about your dealings with Brown and Carlton , OK! But leave your daughter out of it. Your daughter was trembling uncontrollably when I arrived at your home yesterday night, she had bruises on her face and your housekeeper confirmed you had beaten her and it was not the first time. She implored me in front of the housekeeper and then again in front of my agents not to let you go near her.” The lawyer was changing his expression completely. He turned to his client and said,
“Mr Kilton, you hadn’t told me anything about this. You had better not say anything more!” He was evidently disappointed. Grant went on because now he wanted to make this man really ashamed of himself if he was even able to feel shame.
“She gave me your prepaid phone willingly because I didn’t know anything about it. I gave her her phone and she accepted it to call you. What she said on the phone was what maybe she had wanted to tell you for all these years. She is not a puppet, Kilton, she is a sweet teenage girl, who has never had a real father and mother, a caring father and mother. I was shocked by what she was telling you. At least show some decency at leaving her out of it.”
Kilton was taken aback and he reproached himself for having mentioned Louise. Why had he and his wife had their daughter? If it hadn’t been for her… Now it was all over, he knew. His wife was in prison and he would go to jail. Maybe if he confessed…
“OK, Detective. It was all Brown’s fault. He was a weak man and I knew from the beginning that he was not to be trusted. And then that Cooper, the most honest person in the world. What did I have to do? I have a company to manage and everybody knows that when you are a manager like me, you have to accept compromises if you want to make your firm prosper. I ordered Brown to plant evidence against Cooper, but I knew that he would never do it, so I came back from Oshawa and heard him call his colleague… What else could I do?” Jason looked at him disparagingly, Kilton was constantly trying to find excuses and justifications, he would never deal with his errors.
“And Miss Lewis?” Grant pressed on.
“She had seen Brown put the money into Cooper’s drawer. She wanted to go to the police. Maybe she had heard something because she was my secretary. I couldn’t afford to let her talk.”
Jason took a deep sigh, at least now Kilton had confessed to both the murder and the aggression. “Why didn’t Cooper accept to sign a confession? I would have given his wife and daughter money and he would have spent a few years in prison. Why couldn’t the people do what I ordered!”
Grant could have remained silent but he had to say, “Because people don’t love you, Kilton, they are just afraid of you. Your employees, your daughter, your housekeeper. And your wife only loves your money and your social position. Your daughter feels protected by a policeman she has never met before and she doesn’t feel safe in her own family. You are the most miserable man in the world, Kilton, let me tell you this.” The lawyer said nothing. He just gathered his papers and his bag and stood up, preparing to leave.
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***
Don Bosco High School, Father Mark's study, 6:30 pm
Father Mark was waiting for Jason that evening after Vespers in Church. The detective had announced he would be there after a busy day completing his report on the case he had just closed. When he arrived, he went directly to Mark’s study. He knocked on the door and the priest let him in. The priest invited him to sit down and he went to sit in the armchair next to Jason.
“Hi, Mark. How are you?” This was always his first question, no matter why he was talking to the priest or how much time he had to talk.
Father Mark looked at this tall detective, now forty-three years old, whom he had known as a schoolboy in Toronto. He admired him for his honesty, his rectitude, his professionalism in his job, and also for the way he was enduring this suffering and sense of guilt that had been tormenting him for six years. He had prayed so much for Jason’s serenity, for relief from his remorse. He loved him as a son, he had accompanied him through a life of satisfaction and successes in his job but of great losses.
Jason was looking at him with the admiration he had always felt for his priest friend. Mark had always been there for him, in his moments of joy and in times of desperation, always ready to help him, and now he needed his advice so much!
“I am fine, Jason, next month I will have my usual annual check-up, but I feel all right now!” Jason smiled because the sudden illness of the priest had been a cause of great apprehension. “Tell me, the case is closed, has Kilton confessed?”
Jason sighed and said, “Mark, one of the saddest moments in my career was yesterday night when I talked to Louise. She was really scared of her dad, he had even beaten her and… what she told her dad on the phone! She was talking like an adult, putting in front of her father all his failures as a parent, telling him plainly that he had never loved her and she knew. Poor girl! And this morning, she came with Meg to embrace me and thank me! I was really moved by these two teenagers who have always supported each other! Now Meg will go back to her serene family life, but Louise will have to forget a past life that has been really painful for her…” he paused for a moment and resumed, “Yes, Kilton has confessed, but always trying to justify himself as if what he has done was inevitable and necessary! I wonder if he will ever realize what he has done, not only to Brown but with his life and his family.” Father Mark shook his head sadly and said,
“His way to change and redemption will be a long one!”
He turned to look at Jason and said, “You know, Jason, what I am going to tell you! Why didn’t you answer Miriam’s phone calls? If you had answered immediately, maybe you could have spared her that danger, you know that, don’t you?”
Jason cast his eyes down and didn’t answer. Father Mark leaned forward in his armchair, put a hand on Jason’s arm and said, “Jason, six years ago you made up your mind; you decided that isolation was a way to punish yourself for a guilt that is not yours.” Jason was looking at him with a troubled expression and he was shaking his head in denial. “Yes, Jason, in your heart you know it was not your fault. Anyway, you chose isolation to protect the people you care for and I told you at that time that you would have to change your mind sooner or later, didn’t I?”
Jason lifted his eyes and looked at the priest, after a few moments he nodded but he still didn’t speak.
Father Mark resumed, “Not answering the phone is not a solution. Jason, now you have to think, you have to reflect… Do you care for Miriam? Are you falling in love with her?”
An anguished voice interrupted him and said, “Mark, I can’t, you know!”
“No, Jason, you are not condemned to remain alone. And you are a reliable trustworthy man, you are absolutely capable of loving and caring. Answer my question, Do you care for Miriam?”
Jason sighed, he paused for a few moments and spoke slowly, as if every word cost him an effort, “Mark, last Monday when I went to her to talk about the Coopers and I saw her so sad I… yes, Mark, I care for her: I have never met such a sensitive, honest, caring, sweet woman and unwillingly, I have started to imagine myself with her.” Jason stopped and buried his head in his hands. “No, Mark, I can’t, I wouldn’t stand another person suffering because of my job. I couldn’t stand to lose her.”
“Jason, but if you love her, you will not be able to stay away from her. During these six years, you have remained alone because you haven’t found a person you really cared for but I knew that, sooner or later, you would have to come to terms with your grief. Do you think you could avoid meeting her?” he smiled and added, “Because I am telling you now that I don’t intend to send her back to Italy next year. She is a wonderful teacher and I will offer her a permanent contract. Do you think you could stand seeing her maybe going out with a colleague? She is an attractive woman and one or two of the other teachers have already started asking her out…” he paused and then said, “You know that I have never interfered with your decisions, but if you think that Miriam, and I believe you are right, is a sensitive, sweet girl you have to reflect; if your heart tells you that you love her, as I think you do, talk to her, open your heart to her, remember that no relationship should be based on secrets. And doing what you have done in the last few days can only hurt her and keep her at a distance. Is this what you want? Miriam is wise enough to decide what she wants to do and what is better for her and for you. Once you have told her what weighs on your heart, from her reaction you will see if she is the one who is meant to be! And give a little credit to the Divine Providence too! That never fails, I can assure you!” he added with a smile.
“Mark, I will do what you suggest. I will reflect and make up my mind because, you know, Miriam would be the first person I tell what happened. Please, Mark, pray for me because tomorrow I will either talk to Miriam or decide to go on alone. But this will be an important decision for me and you know more than anyone else! But…” he reflected before adding, “you said you will offer her a permanent job here, but what if she decides to go back to Italy? Maybe her family…”
“Jason, you know I never talk about other people. If you open your heart to her, she will certainly do the same with you, but let me just tell you that she is very lonely and that she doesn’t have strong bonds with Italy now. Jason, I will pray for you but I am sure that you will find the right way. Love always guides us on the right path.”
Father Mark watched Jason leave and smiled because he was sure that there was a person now who was finding her way to the heart of this tough policeman and he would no longer be alone.
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