Page 128 of The Grey Wolf
“But how could singing get them into trouble?”
“Clearly they weren’t singing in the seminary glee club. So it must’ve been some songs that the seminary would consider inappropriate, especially for teachers.”
“The Beatles? ‘Let It Be’? How could that be offensive enough to get one of them fired?” He thought for a moment. “If it wasn’t what they were singing, maybe it was where.”
“Bars? Strip joints?”
“Maybe, but I doubt they’d be that foolish.”
“Karaoke bars. In civilian clothing.”
“Non.In their robes. That would definitely cross a line.”
“I’m on it.”
Armand hung up and looked at Daniel, standing in the doorway.
It was time.
CHAPTER29
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner about the call from Jeanne Caron?”
They’d decided to go to the bistro so as not to disturb the household. Father and son now sat by the dying fire, the logs embers now.
It was closing time and the bistro was empty. Gabri had drifted over with the intention of asking them to leave, but on seeing their intensity, he did an about-face. Dropping the keys noisily on the bar, he left.
“I needed to find out what she wanted first.” Armand twisted in his seat to look at Daniel full-on. “No. That’s not true.” He was as surprised as Daniel by the statement. “The truth is, I wanted to pretend that my telling her to go to hell would put an end to it.”
“It didn’t.”
“Not by a long shot.”
“What did she want?”
Armand could see Daniel bracing himself for the answer.
“She wanted to meet, but I hung up, so I don’t actually know what she wanted.”
“So call her back. Find out. Dad, she’s fucked with us before.” He stared into his father’s eyes. “You think she’s going to again. Was she involved in that hit-and-run?”
“I’m trying to find out.”
“She might have been?” Daniel’s eyes were wide. “She’s the Chiefof Staff to the man who might be the next PM, and you think she’s involved in murder? What’s going on? I was a kid the first time around. I’m a grown man now, with my own family to protect. You have to tell me.” When his father hesitated, Daniel glared. “You don’t trust me enough to tell me what’s going on?”
The tone, the look, were all too familiar.
Armand could see that telling Daniel this much might have been a mistake. He hadn’t wanted him to find out about Caron from someone else. But instead of warning Daniel, all he’d managed to do was panic him. And open an old wound.
He was so tempted to tell his son about the threat to the drinking water, it actually hurt. But could Daniel really keep it to himself and not warn his friends in Montréal who had their own young families? Perhaps. Probably. But Armand could not risk it.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel stared at his father, gave a brisk nod, then got up. And left.
Armand closed his eyes and lowered his head. Then he felt someone sit down beside him on the sofa.
“I’m scared,” said Daniel quietly. “Not for myself. For Florence and Zora. I don’t understand what you’re doing, or why. I don’t know what’s happening, and that just makes it worse. But I do know that I trust you, more than you trust me.”
