Free Alberta Alibi by Dayle Gaetz Page A

along, and he said he’d be fine, but he was concerned about leaving young Huntley on his own. I was about ready to turn in, but said I’d come on up to the house, there’s a movie I’ve been wanting to watch on his big-screen TV. And that’s what I did.”
    â€œWas Chris there when you arrived?” Katie asked.
    Ben shook his head. “Nope, didn’t see him, must have just left.”
    â€œWhat about the truck?”
    Ben frowned. “The truck? Can’t recall. I assumed he’d taken Pita though. That’s rough terrain for his old beater.”
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œWell, let’s see.” He rubbed a hand over his chin.
    â€œI zipped upstairs to see if Huntley wanted to watch the movie, but he was already sawing logs, he’d put in a full day’s work—he’s a good worker, that boy.”
    Sheila scowled and sipped her chocolate milk.
    â€œThen I made myself some coffee so I could stay awake. I went to the living room, slipped my video in the machine and settled on the couch.”
    â€œDid you watch the whole movie?”
    â€œYou kidding? Have you tried that couch? It’s so soft you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. And I’d been working hard since six o’clock that morning. Don’t think I got through ten minutes before I nodded off. Never touched my coffee. Next thing I knew, the back door creaked open and I leapt off the couch. Couldn’t believe it was after two already!”
    â€œWas it Chris?”
    â€œChris? At the door?” He shook his head. “That’s what I figured at first.”
    â€œSo who was it?”
    â€œTurned out to be Ryan, my son. He came looking for me, said he got worried when I was so late.”
    â€œDoes he have keys for the house?”
    â€œI generally leave all the keys right there,” he nodded at a row of key hooks beside the door, “but I took them with me that night. Ryan found a key for the back door he used as a kid. That’s why he came in that way, he took the shortcut to the back of the house.”
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œUh…let me think. I went into the hall to meet Ryan, we talked for a minute and then I went back to shut off the TV. Ryan offered to stay at the house until Chris came home.”
    â€œAnd? Did he?”
    â€œNo need. That’s when Chris arrived at the front door. We said goodnight and wandered on home.”
    â€œSo you both went out the front door?”
    â€œYep.”
    â€œDid you notice the truck then?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, yes. It was there all right. I remember because it was pinging away like it does when it cools. Sounded way louder in the quiet night.”
    â€œWhich means the truck had been running,” Katie said, making a careful note.
    â€œWell, yeah, I guess you’re right. I was too sleepy to think about it at the time, but now you mention it, I guess I did know something I didn’t know I knew!”

13
    W orse and worse. Everything they learned made her dad look guiltier. If he went out in the truck that night, then…she couldn’t think about it right now. With her thumb, Sheila traced a big “x” in the condensation on her chocolate milk glass and vaguely heard Katie ask to use the bathroom.
    â€œSure thing, just down the hall next to Ryan’s room.” Ben nodded in that direction.
    Katie closed her notebook, placed her pen and empty glass on top, gave Sheila a warning glance and left the room.
    Sheila wondered what that was about.
    â€œYour friend fancies herself a detective, does she?” Ben asked after they heard the bathroom door close.
    Sheila nodded. “Katie manages to stumble across a mystery everywhere she goes, like she’s some kind of bad-luck charm.” She stared at her hands, fingers locked together on the countertop. “I should never have brought her here.”
    â€œWhat? Sheila, whatever happens