Hidden in the Blood: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 5)

Chapter Nineteen: Sunny, Saturday

Mrs. Mackenzie was still chatting with Agnes when Sunny and Rachel walked back to the waiting room. Rachel sat down next to Agnes, and Sunny sat back across from them. Tej still sat in the same chair, stunned by Agnes' revelation.

Agnes looked at him, then at Rachel and Mrs. Mackenzie. "Suddenly it's not so private," she said.

"You're not going to discuss anything about your case in front of us," Rachel said, gesturing to herself and Mrs. Mackenzie. "We're going to go outside for some fresh air. However, Sunny did inform me of your need for alternate lodgings, and I happen to have a place you can stay for a while."

Agnes reared back and looked at her through slit eyes. "Are you punking me right now?"

Rachel shook her head. "Why would I do that?"

"I don't know," Agnes said slowly. "I guess I'm a little thrown by how generous your offer is."

"It's not just me who's offering. Al wants to do this too. Honestly, it helps us too; we're still living at Joe's while Al is convalescing, and we should have the new place occupied to keep to the terms of our insurance."

"Well, I... wow, this wasn't what I expected at all." Agnes fanned at her face to keep tears from coming. 

"It would get you to a place where your husband couldn't find you while we sorted this out," Sunny said.

"I know, but..." Suddenly she stood and paced, wrapping her arms around herself. "I just don't know if I can accept it."

"Why not?" Rachel asked.

"It's just that... what if we go there, but my husband asks my parents where I am?"

"It's three bedrooms, so take them with you if you can make it work."

Agnes stopped pacing and looked at her. "But... they've lived there as long as I can remember, as long as I've been alive. I can't imagine they'd want to move."

"Maybe if you explained the circumstances necessitating the move?" Sunny said.

"That's the thing. I haven't really explained to my parents why I've come home. I'm still coasting on the honeymoon they're on being around the grandkids so much; they haven't seen them in years."

Sunny looked at Rachel, who shrugged. "Well, it's an option," he said. "You don't have to take it if you don't want to."

"Can I think about it?" Agnes asked.

"Sure," Rachel said, standing up. Sunny could tell she was hiding her irritation; it must have cost her a lot to reach out to Al's once serious girlfriend, and Agnes' reluctance must have felt like a slap in the face. "I'll leave you to your discussion."

Mrs. Mackenzie stood with her, and they made to go. Tej said, "I'll join you," and the three of them left together.

Once they were gone, Sunny turned back to her and said, "Okay. I'm not recording anything we're going to say, now, because I don't want to be on record counselling you to do anything illegal. I just want to know the circumstances leading to your flight from the family home before I contact my colleague who works in criminal law."

She sighed and shrugged. "He cheated with his partner."

"Another RCMP officer?"

"Yes. Apparently the camaraderie they shared eventually led to more. There was something else. Her husband abused her, and Patrick found out. When you're partners, you can't hide things like that forever. Patrick is... well, he hates when men are violent with women. He grew up in a home with a father who hit his mother, and he travelled west as soon as he was able to because he couldn't stand it anymore; he'd tried to get his mother to leave, but she wouldn't."