“The locals are totally focused on Castain,” I said. “I don’t want Ruben to fall through the cracks.”

“It’s all related.”

“I’m not so sure.”

Ollie gave me a what-else-could-it-be blink.

“Snook thought Ruben was running away from something in Edmonton,” I said.

“What?”

“She didn’t know.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Snook confirmed that Ruben was mentally challenged,” I said.

“How come no one mentioned her being retarded?”

“People just thought she was slow.”

“And her being knocked up at least four times: no one noticed that?”

“Ruben was obese and wore baggy clothes. It happens all the time.”

“And she was clueless when kids just popped into her toilet?”

“Same answer.”

“Why’d she go to the ER?”

“I’m guessing the blood scared her.”

“She lied to the doctor.”

“He probably scared her.” Flashbulb image. “In the woods, Ruben said the babies died because she put something bad inside them.”

“You found tissue shoved down one kid’s throat.”

“Maybe that was it.”

“Why would she do that?”

“If she did it.”

More static burst from the unit’s radio.

“Snook swears Scar didn’t kill Ruben.”

“The scumbag’s got no problem setting the kid up as one of his pavement princesses, but he draws the line at shooting her ass?”

“Scar is Snook’s adoptive brother.”

Ollie’s brows shot up in surprise. “Snook is Ruben’s half sister. What the fuck does that make Scar to Ruben?”

“I don’t know. But Snook swears Scar was trying to keep her out of the life.”

Ryan’s door opened.

“So Scar learns Ruben’s in Yellowknife and comes north to protect her,” Ollie said.

“That’s Snook’s story.”

Ryan climbed out and strode toward us.

“So it’s not a wasted trip, Scar kills Castain to facilitate his move into slinging dope up here. In revenge, Unka caps Ruben.”

It was a scenario I’d considered.

“What else did Snook say?” Ollie asked.

I told him about Daryl Beck.

“What the hell’s that got to do with anything?”

“Probably nothing. But I don’t like inconsistencies. Would there be a police report on Beck’s death?”

“House fire with a fatality? Maybe. More likely, the case rolled straight to the coroner.”

Ryan joined us, his face as tense as I’d ever seen it. “They’ve got Scarborough.”

“Where?” Ollie asked.

“Stanton Territorial Health Authority. DOA with two slugs in his brain.”

Chapter 30

OLLIE WENT REALLY FAST, USING HIS SIREN. RYAN AND I DROVE at a more sedate speed in the Camry.

We agreed there was little point in going to Stanton. But it wasn’t far. And we had nothing else to do.

On the way, I told Ryan about Katy.

“That’s terrific,” he said.

“She could be deployed to a war zone,” I said.

“She’ll be fine,” he said.