Into the Dark

58

Los Angeles, California

Julie Glidden got back to Los Angelessooner than she’d expected.

She’d been in San Diego working on a fraudulent compensationclaim, but the case was now miles behind her.

For much of her trip, she’d focused on Claire.

Driving north along the 5, Julie had listened to radio newsreports of Amber Pratt’s disappearance and its link to the Dark Wind Killer. Butpolice still hadn’t found Amber and there were no updates on whether they’darrested her husband. And now, on top of Amber’s tragic situation, Julie’sdigging into Robert’s past was becoming more disturbing.

As a private investigator she knew that it was not uncommon forpeople to change their names. The story was always in the reason.

Why did Leon change his?

Where was his wife, Cynthia, and was hestill in love with her?

While Milt Thorsen kept investigating in Canada, Julie had onlymanaged a superficial search of Leon’s background in the U.S. But the fact that“ Robert” had never told Claire about his past troubled Julie.

If he’d deceived her on his name, whatelse was he hiding from her?

It was early evening, but traffic flowed smoothly as Julie madeher way downtown. Her agency was in L.A.’s Bunker Hill district in athirty-five-floor postmodern skyscraper. She parked in the building’s near-emptyunderground lot and took the elevator to the twenty-fifth floor where her smalloffice was slivered between a global accounting corporation and a law firm.

As the elevator rose, Julie texted Claire.

Again.

I’mback-will be working @ office for a few hrs. I could come over after or meetyou? Anything to help.

love and prayers,

J.

She waited for a response. Claire’s reply was usuallyinstantaneous but nothing came, as was the case earlier when Julie had textedher before she’d left San Diego.

Claire had a lot to deal with. Julie’s heart went out to her.In pursuing the truth about Robert and his first wife, Julie was fearful of whatmore Milt Thorsen might uncover.

How much more bad news could Claireendure?

Stepping from the elevator, Julie went to her office, unlockedthe door and entered. Everyone had gone for the day. She glanced at the time,growing a little uneasy that she hadn’t heard anything from Claire.

Julie was also expecting an update from Milt in Canada. Thelast time he’d contacted her, he said he had a lead on more information on thehistory of Leon Elliott and his wife.

Julie got a bottle of juice from the fridge in the kitchen,along with some cheese and crackers. She went to her desk and began fine-tuningher report from San Diego, then moved on to catching up on work she’d missedwhile away. It took close to an hour to get through her emails. She’d finishedresponding to the last, an invitation to address a security conference, when anew email from Milt Thorsen arrived, along with several attachments.

Julie opened it.

Milt had more on Robert’s life in Canada.

Julie held her breath as she burned through Milt’s coveringemail.

Leon and Cynthia Elliott had embarked alone on a full day hikealong the Iceline in Yoho National Park in British Columbia. Parts of the trailwere steep with the hazard of fallen trees where trail ridges ascended over ariver gorge. Leon Elliott stated to investigators that he was off the trail,making a small day camp for their lunch, when Cynthia walked off out of hissight to take in the view over the trail edge. At that point Elliott heard ascream. Cynthia had lost her footing and fallen into the gorge.

Milt’s information went on to say that her body was recoveredby park wardens later. An autopsy showed her injuries were consistent with afall and being battered amid the rocks on the fast-flowing mountain river.

Officially, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and MedicalExaminer attributed her death to a wilderness accident. But as Julie continuedreading, her jaw dropped, tears filled her eyes and she covered her face withher hands. She skipped along passages listing the impressive scope and findingsof Milt Thorsen’s work. Records attached…led to law enforcement familiarwith…a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer… Arising from his owninvestigation of the subject, provided further insight about Leon RichardElliott and his wife, Cynthia…

Julie began printing off pages, reading as fast as she could,the words blurring by.

…No record of divorce, no separation…former Mountie indicatesthat according to a friend, to whom Cynthia had confided, there was stress inthe marriage which led to Cynthia contemplating divorce…the Mountie pressedLeon Elliott on the matter and he made a bizarre revelation…

Elliott claimed that months before his wife’s death, he’d beenapproached by an international drug cartel to make an illegal delivery flight.Elliott refused and suspected the drug dealers had followed him and his wifeinto the mountains, and that they killed Cynthia to send him a message. Elliottstated that he was too frightened to report it to authorities. When pressed,Elliott could not provide the Mountie with any information, a name, number,contact, or phone record, to support his cartel claim…

The Mountie discounted Elliott’s drug-flight-wife-death storyand had discussions with the prosecutor on possible charges against Elliott forhis wife’s death. The prosecutor said there was no solid evidence to support thecharges. The case was closed.

In his covering letter, Milt wrote that upon obtaining this newinformation, he made a number of urgent calls to his trusted sources, includingthose with U.S. national security, as well as those with Canadian and U.S.aviation security, to confidentially enquire about the link between Leon RichardElliott and Robert Bowen.

Milt learned that Elliott had managed to persuade federalofficials, some of whom were friends, of the real possibility that drug dealersmay have been behind his wife’s death. As a result, Elliott was successful inhaving his federal friends arrange for his professional flight records as apilot-in fact his whole life, Social Security Number, everything-changedsmoothly to his new name without raising any red flags. They helped erase, ornearly erase, his previous identity.

Oh my God, Julie thought, she wasright to check on Robert. I’m so sorry, Claire, I shouldhave done a background check when you were first seeing him. I always got aweird vibe from him. How did I let this get by? At least you’re notpregnant. God, please don’t bepregnant.

Julie sent Milt an email thanking him, then collected thedocuments.

Robert’s first wife died under suspiciouscircumstances, yet he wants Claire to believe he was divorced. The man’s aliar. Or worse.

Julie took a deep breath.

She had to get to Claire now, give her the facts and let hermake a decision on what to do about what they now knew about “Robert.”

Julie reached for her phone and started texting.

Claire,please answer. I know it’s a bad time but just received new disturbing dataon Robert. Important I see you to discuss.

J

After sending the text, Julie touched her phone to her chin andsaid a prayer while still processing the new information. She’d tell Claire tostay with her tonight. That would be best.

Before she could form another thought her phone pinged.

Claire had responded.

Are youstill at your office, Julie?

Yes.

Can youcome to my house now?

Yes, on myway.