this, Dee?”
Delia met his gaze. “I’m sure,” she said. For the first time, her voice faltered. “Jacob is family, Zack.”
Zack nodded. “In that case, I’ll call Debbie Haczkewicz and get the ball rolling.”
Zack was still on his cell with Debbie when the phone in the kitchen rang. The woman’s voice was patrician and assured. “Joanne, this is Myra Brokaw. I know it’s early tocall, but I’m anxious to discuss Theo’s participation in the Supreme Court special.”
“Myra, I’m sorry. This isn’t a good time,” I said.
When she heard Myra Brokaw’s name, Delia’s attention shifted to me.
“Will there ever be a good time?” Myra said. Her words came rapidly. “I’ve given our situation a great deal of thought, and I believe I’ve come up with a plan that will work for us all. Will you at least come for tea and hear me out?”
“It’s the end of term,” I said. “And it’s a busy time of year. Can I check my calendar and call you back?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” Myra said. “I’ll look forward to your call.”
Zack and I hung up simultaneously. We exchanged glances. “You first,” I said.
“The Inspector is on her way over,” Zack said. “Your turn.”
“I need your silver tongue,” I said. “Myra Brokaw has invited me to tea so we can discuss Justice Brokaw’s participation in our show.”
Zack winced. “Ouch.”
“What show?” Delia asked.
“Nation TV is enamoured of those Issues for Dummies shows I’ve been working on. They’re cheap, they’re Canadian content, and they fill up airtime. The network’s been talking about branching out – getting experts to explain some of the institutions that govern the lives of ordinary Canadians.”
Delia frowned. “And Myra wants to involve Theo? My God, what’s the matter with her? Why would she expose him that way?”
“I take it he didn’t improve after we left yesterday.”
“No, he couldn’t seem to get past the fact that I wasn’t the young woman who’d clerked for him,” Delia said. “He and Myra stayed for about an hour yesterday afternoon. It was awkward. Theo kept staring at me and shaking hishead. He seems to drift in and out.” There was real sadness in Delia’s voice. “He told me he was working on a book, but when I asked about the subject matter, he seemed confused. The next minute he was all excited because his papa was baking poppy seed bread and he’d promised him a slice before bed. He couldn’t remember my name. He kept calling me ‘that clever girl.’ He’d turn to Myra and whisper, ‘You remember her – that clever girl.’ And she’d nod and smile and say, ‘Of course.’ ”
“Had you met Myra before yesterday?” I asked.
“There was some kind of reception they had for the students the year I was clerking, but that was it.”
“Do you think Myra brought Theo back to Regina to hide him away?” I asked.
The smoke from her cigarette drifted around Delia’s face, obscuring her expression. “Probably. Revealing that her legal giant has feet of clay certainly wouldn’t be in Myra’s best interests. She’s invested her life in him. My guess is she’s just protecting her investment.”
CHAPTER
3
Inspector Debbie Haczkewicz was a tall and powerfully built woman, with a smile that was as disarming as it was rare. Like most defence lawyers, Zack wasn’t a big fan of the boys and girls in blue, but he and Debbie got along. When her eighteen-year-old son, Leo, was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, Zack had, initially at Debbie’s request, shown up at the rehabilitation hospital every day for a month, ducking Leo’s punches, insults, and the business end of his catheter until Leo was ready to talk and to listen. Inspector Haczkewicz hadn’t forgotten the favour.
When the Inspector arrived, we moved to the family room. I offered coffee, but Debbie waved me off. “Thanks, but I gather from what Zack says we should move quickly on this.”
Delia handed
Delia met his gaze. “I’m sure,” she said. For the first time, her voice faltered. “Jacob is family, Zack.”
Zack nodded. “In that case, I’ll call Debbie Haczkewicz and get the ball rolling.”
Zack was still on his cell with Debbie when the phone in the kitchen rang. The woman’s voice was patrician and assured. “Joanne, this is Myra Brokaw. I know it’s early tocall, but I’m anxious to discuss Theo’s participation in the Supreme Court special.”
“Myra, I’m sorry. This isn’t a good time,” I said.
When she heard Myra Brokaw’s name, Delia’s attention shifted to me.
“Will there ever be a good time?” Myra said. Her words came rapidly. “I’ve given our situation a great deal of thought, and I believe I’ve come up with a plan that will work for us all. Will you at least come for tea and hear me out?”
“It’s the end of term,” I said. “And it’s a busy time of year. Can I check my calendar and call you back?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” Myra said. “I’ll look forward to your call.”
Zack and I hung up simultaneously. We exchanged glances. “You first,” I said.
“The Inspector is on her way over,” Zack said. “Your turn.”
“I need your silver tongue,” I said. “Myra Brokaw has invited me to tea so we can discuss Justice Brokaw’s participation in our show.”
Zack winced. “Ouch.”
“What show?” Delia asked.
“Nation TV is enamoured of those Issues for Dummies shows I’ve been working on. They’re cheap, they’re Canadian content, and they fill up airtime. The network’s been talking about branching out – getting experts to explain some of the institutions that govern the lives of ordinary Canadians.”
Delia frowned. “And Myra wants to involve Theo? My God, what’s the matter with her? Why would she expose him that way?”
“I take it he didn’t improve after we left yesterday.”
“No, he couldn’t seem to get past the fact that I wasn’t the young woman who’d clerked for him,” Delia said. “He and Myra stayed for about an hour yesterday afternoon. It was awkward. Theo kept staring at me and shaking hishead. He seems to drift in and out.” There was real sadness in Delia’s voice. “He told me he was working on a book, but when I asked about the subject matter, he seemed confused. The next minute he was all excited because his papa was baking poppy seed bread and he’d promised him a slice before bed. He couldn’t remember my name. He kept calling me ‘that clever girl.’ He’d turn to Myra and whisper, ‘You remember her – that clever girl.’ And she’d nod and smile and say, ‘Of course.’ ”
“Had you met Myra before yesterday?” I asked.
“There was some kind of reception they had for the students the year I was clerking, but that was it.”
“Do you think Myra brought Theo back to Regina to hide him away?” I asked.
The smoke from her cigarette drifted around Delia’s face, obscuring her expression. “Probably. Revealing that her legal giant has feet of clay certainly wouldn’t be in Myra’s best interests. She’s invested her life in him. My guess is she’s just protecting her investment.”
CHAPTER
3
Inspector Debbie Haczkewicz was a tall and powerfully built woman, with a smile that was as disarming as it was rare. Like most defence lawyers, Zack wasn’t a big fan of the boys and girls in blue, but he and Debbie got along. When her eighteen-year-old son, Leo, was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, Zack had, initially at Debbie’s request, shown up at the rehabilitation hospital every day for a month, ducking Leo’s punches, insults, and the business end of his catheter until Leo was ready to talk and to listen. Inspector Haczkewicz hadn’t forgotten the favour.
When the Inspector arrived, we moved to the family room. I offered coffee, but Debbie waved me off. “Thanks, but I gather from what Zack says we should move quickly on this.”
Delia handed
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