Free The K Handshape by Maureen Jennings

paused to take a drink of coffee. I could imagine what she was thinking. Maybe it was a mistake to have allowed Leo to be present. It was very hard to maintain objectivity.
    “All right then. We can probably assume she was wearing the scarf. She might have been running away from her assailant. Regardless, there would have been a struggle.”
    I could see there was a quick, almost involuntary lowering of heads. Nobody wanted to dwell on what that meant. We were all conversant with the mechanics of strangulation, including Leo.
    Katherine took a quick check of Leo and continued. “She is overcome, then she is lowered to the ground. It would take several minutes to gather the stones and fill her pockets, so once again there is a great risk here of being seen.”
    Jamie interjected. “I’d say she was killed somewhere else, possibly in a vehicle, and then brought to the pier, stones stuffed in her pockets, and she was simply dump… er, rolled over the side into the lake.”
    He was trying to be sensitive to Leo’s feelings but it was impossible to completely soften the facts of what had happened. Leo was sitting quite still and his expression was impassive but I thought every word was hitting him like a blow. Katherine noticed it too.
    “It’s obvious we need more evidence. Forensics have promised to be as fast as they can be and Ed has all his men out doing house-to-house. He’s going to ask for reinforcements from Barrie. When all that starts coming in, we should have a clearer picture. In the meantime, Leo, I think you should go home and get some rest. I promise I’ll keep you informed every step of the way.”
    I expected him to protest but he didn’t. He got unsteadily to his feet.
    “I’ll leave the note here for the forensic lab.” He swallowed hard. “Thanks everybody. I, er,” he stumbled over his words, “I want you to know I do appreciate your support.”
    Underneath the tetchiness, Dr. Leo Forgach was a very lonely man.

CHAPTER NINE
    Leo picked up his briefcase and headed for the door. Then he turned back to Katherine.
    “I wonder if you would mind if I borrowed Christine? I…” His voice tailed off. “I took a cab here and my car is still at the park… If she’s willing, that is.”
    Katherine looked over at me, eyebrows raised. “All right with you, Christine? We can’t do much more here at the moment.”
    “Sure.”
    “I’ll meet you in the lobby,” he said and shot away. It must have been hard for him to sit still as long as he had. His agitation demanded he move and move fast.
    I got my outdoor things and hurried outside to the parking lot. Leo was pacing up and down. His dapper cashmere overcoat had been replaced by a scruffy blue raincoat and he was wearing a black wool toque, clothes that yesterday I would never have believed I’d see him in. I wished there was some way I could soothe his hurt, but there wasn’t.
    He waited impatiently for me to unlock the car.
    “I’d like to go to the place Deidre worked. I should tell them what has happened. They won’t know.”
    I let him into the car and got in myself.
    “Geez, Leo, should you be the one to do that?”
    “Why not? I know she has a couple of friends who also work there. They might be able to help us.”
    I groaned to myself, realizing what he was up to. I headed out of the lot and turned onto Memorial Drive.
    “Leo, why did you ask for me to come with you?”
    He refused to look at me but I could see him clenching his teeth. “Frankly because I need a witness and you’re a woman. They’ll open up to you whereas they might not with me.”
    I felt like shaking him, sympathy temporarily gone. I couldn’t coddle him; it was doing him no favours. I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car. It was pelting down now and cars swished past, spraying the windshield so we were soon closed inside a cocoon of wet glass that we couldn’t see out of.
    “Look, Leo. You are in danger of compromising this