Dead Politician Society

Chapter 60 - Laura

Penny’s office wasn’t where Laura had predicted she’d spend her Sunday morning. But since she had to come back downtown to retrieve her car from the Star parking garage, it seemed as good a place as any. Sure beat being home alone in her bathrobe, staring at her clean kitchen because Susannah still hadn’t come home to leave coffee rings and dirty finger marks all over.

“So we’re down to three main probabilities, yes?” Penny passed Laura her cappuccino.

“Yup.” Laura tapped her finger on the desk. Last night’s wine had turned into a hazy headache. “And ready to take them to the police.”

Penny pursed her lips. “Not just yet. I’d like to narrow it down to one. Ideally, we can find the theory that’s right.”

Laura sipped her cappuccino. Caffeine would make her dehydration worse, but the milk felt good against her stomach lining.

“Option One is Project Health. AKA the think tank that made your marriage temporary hell.”

Laura smiled.

“Libby Leighton is the wild card there—but her husband’s presence on the committee means I’m not ruling that out. If this is our winner, we can expect the next victim to be Marisa Jordan or Simon McFarlane. Or Sam Cray, though I’m guessing Leighton took his bullet.”

Laura decided to humor Penny, at least for the moment. “What did this think tank produce? I’m sure Hayden told me, but I can’t remember.”

“They were the planning committee when Ontario hospitals streamlined their resources. A bunch of hospitals closed their emergency rooms to become research or specialty centers. The idea was to serve the same number of patients but amp up expertise in each branch of medicine. The result was public outrage.”

“Outrage that never changed anything, I presume,” Laura said. “What’s Option Two?”

Penny took a sip of espresso. “Integrated housing. Again, Marisa Jordan is the next victim. I wouldn’t like to be her right now.”

“She might be safe. She’s already left politics,” Laura said. “Does Option Two make Carl Haas our suspect?”

“Or his son. Brian. He’s a student in this political utopia class at U of T. You can call Susannah and get the goods on him.”

“I’m not calling Susannah. She can call me.” Laura was surprised to hear the ferocity in her voice.

Penny’s eyes twinkled. “And Option Three is homelessness.”

Susannah’s pet project at the Brighter Day. “I thought we’d ruled that out because it’s a city issue only.”

“This one’s complicated. It’s probably wrong—I like Option One for its simplicity. But here it is: Hayden increased business taxes every year he was mayor.”

“Okay.” Laura breathed easier. Susannah would definitely not be irate about businesses paying more tax.

“Year after year, one of the reasons he cited was the homelessness budget.”

“Sounds like a bizarre reason to raise business taxes.”

“I never did grasp your husband’s concept of economy. Anyway, a committee was formed.”

“How familiar that sounds.”

Penny smiled. “Its job was to assess the costs to the city per homeless person per year. Shelters, food kitchens, welfare cheques, et cetera. In the end they found that the city was spending $40,000 per year of public money on each homeless person.”

“What? It would have been cheaper to send them to an all-inclusive in Cuba year-round.”

“Except then everyone would want to be homeless.” Penny touched the bridge of her glasses and raised them on her face. “I’m having trouble connecting Alton into this theory, but the rest fit. Hayden was mayor, Leighton was on council. Ruiz introduced a homelessness bill before he ran for provincial office.”

“Who would the next victims be?” Laura asked.

“That’s just it.” Penny shook her head. “Could be almost anyone who’s ever been in city politics.”

“We have to go to the police,” Laura said.

“No! Laura, you promised. Give it until the end of today. We’re so close to solving this.”

“But by the end of the day—”

“Please.”

Penny came up behind her and started rubbing her shoulders, like she had the night before. It felt amazing, so Laura relaxed into the gesture.

“Fine,” Laura said, as her tension began to melt in Penny’s strong, decisive hands. “Until the end of today.”