Northern Lights: A Due South Novel

Chapter 20: Who's Afraid of the Big Half Wolf?

Jon and Ray picked Elizabeth up after her shift at the consulate. She had spent the day addressing invitations to a welcome party for the new Chief Liaison Officer, who would arrive in two weeks. Montgomery lay across the back seat of the Riviera, her head butting against Elizabeth's hips, as Ray navigated in the late afternoon light. Her campaign hat lay on her lap, just above Montgomery's nose. Fortunately, the half-wolf never shed on Elizabeth's red serge.

"Why'd you call a girl dog Montgomery?" Jon was grateful that the wolf was in the back seat, although he had suggested the trunk.

"I named her after my favourite writer: Lucy Maud Montgomery. Author of Anne of Green Gables."

"So why not call her Lucy?" Jon said.

"From time to time, in my line of work, it's necessary to intimidate a suspect. Who would fear a dog named Lucy?"

"Kid, you think Montgomery is an intimidating name?" Ray said.

"Well, there's a balance to be drawn in all things," Elizabeth said.

Jon gave the wolf a sidelong glance. Calling the dog Lucy didn't make her teeth any less sharp. But he had a difficult time imagining a Lucy tearing out his throat.

Mulroney Medical Supply occupied a small warehouse in a postwar industrial area near railroad tracks. Acres of auto body repair shops, factories, and a furniture distribution centre surrounded the business. Snowbanks lined the roads, sometimes climbing as high as the cars parallel parked along their length.

Inside the building, reception directed them upstairs to the office, which overlooked the ground-floor warehouse and distribution area through plate-glass windows. As they waited to meet with General Manager Catalina Lopez-Douglas, Elizabeth observed the operation. An acre of metal shelves spread below. Wholesale-size boxes of masks, syringes, swabs, and much else were piled on pallets. At the far end of the warehouse were two truck loading bays and an exit door. On the right side, in a large room separated from the rest of the warehouse by single-storey walls and locked doors, employees selected and packaged medications for shipping. It was all spotless, without a stray piece of cardboard or plastic wrap in sight.

While the warehouse might be clean, the General Manager's language was not. And it was loud enough to be heard in the foyer. She was reprimanding an employee. And he was, to Elizabeth's horror, talking back.

Glenda, Catalina's executive assistant, adopted Montgomery as a therapy dog while she waited out the storm of scorn. Although Elizabeth had directed Montgomery to identify suspicious scents, the wolf had instead identified the office snacks. She was now enjoying a back scratch from Glenda, Catalina's executive assistant, who was also slipping her beef jerky.

"Typical," Elizabeth said to Jon. "You know, it's difficult to work with a partner who takes bribes."

The office door opened. Catalina, a curvy woman in a business suit, crossed her arms and glared across the cubicles at the cops. A tall, dark-haired man rushed past her. Director of Operations Chris Bartlett's tense shoulders relaxed as he fled his boss. But his relief vanished when he saw Elizabeth's red serge.

As Jon and Ray approached the General Manager's office, Elizabeth turned back to the window as though she had not seen Catalina's summons. She ran her finger along the windowsill to collect the dust, then, returning her gaze to Catalina and Chris, she licked it.

"Hmm." Her head tilted to the right as her brow creased.

Catalina rolled her eyes. Chris looked worried. Ray laughed. Glenda didn't notice as the three officers marched into Catalina's office. She was too busy shaking Montgomery's paw.