The First Nations Incident

By Liam Adair

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Benson and his small team are given two cold cases to solve that were found when building repairs were carried out of the RCMP Barracks in Calgary. It was evident from the start that the original investigation was unprofessional and left a lot to be desired, more so because one case covered the brutal murder of very young children who were twin boys.

The other concerned the death of a First Nations chief and relative of DS Jimmy Two Bears, one of Bensons team. There was a lot of political influence brought to bear before the chief was murdered, which muddied the waters somewhat.

In the end, Steve was beginning to believe that he would get into retirement knowing he was unable to solve this particular case. It was not a pleasant thought.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jul 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543401967

Liam Adair

I am descended from a long line of Irish-Men, I received my education at a private boarding school in England. I am an author writing under the pseudonym of “Liam Adair.” I currently reside in Victoria, Australia. Since retiring from my former career, I undertook the task of president and tutor of the University of the Third Age, Geelong Victoria, before I dedicated myself entirely to writing, I was in my seventies when I began writing. To enhance the stories and scenarios in my books, I have used my employment history that took me to several countries around the world. Also, my previous military service, to create my first main character ‘Paul Blair,' a fictional character based on my life experiences. I am the author of: - The Sterling Connection. The Rand Connection. The Ruble Connection, The DC Connection, New Directions, (in that order) all of which are focused on the character of Paul Blair, and his team of former Special Forces. Following those are my latest novels all set in Canada? Introducing Detective Chief Superintend Steve Benson RCMP, and his staff of dedicated detectives. They are, Blood under the Maple Leaf, The Douglas affair, Evil in Command, and The First Nations Affair, and as a change of pace, I have now published a short Autobiography of the life and times of William James Adair: - Title “My life, It’s been a Hell of a Ride.”

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Fortunately, the squad was on deck working at putting new information on the whiteboards when the Assistant Commissioner walked in the door.

Good Morning and you can stop pretending. I have some real work for you to be getting on with. The AC said. The bundle of files he had in his hand he gave to DCS Steve Benson, the Department senior officer. This is as much information as I could extract from the system. Once you have read through the various pieces of information, you will want to investigate these cases. Let me know what you think DCS, for now, again I want to compliment you as a group for the successful completion of the Preston affair. I’ll let you get on with it, with that the AC turned and left.

Steve Benson went into his private office to sit and quietly go through what paperwork the AC had just handed him. It would take the rest of the morning to do a speed read of the information contained in the files. When he was happy, he had a grasp of events as listed he went back out to the main office.

Standing in front of the whiteboards, Steve called for attention. "I’ve just had a speed read of this collection; it makes for two very compelling cases. Before I get the rest of you involved, I want Jerry to upload all this into two new files on the computer. I will give them a name later. So for now while Jerry does his magic we will continue with what we were doing.

By late afternoon Jerry sitting at his desk said, I can have this done by mid-morning tomorrow boss. That should give me enough time to at least have two primary main files containing all this information.

Why don’t you take until after lunch tomorrow or even the following morning? At the moment we have nothing but time. Steve told him. Also Jerry, let me have the name and rank of the investigating officers and their subordinates for both cases.

Okay boss I will take all day tomorrow, that way I can be sure I have it sorted. I have to say it looks very interesting, Jerry mused.

What about the rest of us, when are you going to let the rest of us in on it? Detective Inspector Al Philips, Steve’s 2IC wanted to know.

All in a timely manner, Al, a little bit of anticipation does you well some of the time, Steve told him. While we wait I would like you Jill, (Detective Sergeant Jill Burrows) to set up two laptops one for you and Al and the other for Jimmy and me. Jimmy being Detective Sergeant Jimmy Two Bears, (a member of First Nations).

It was the change in pace, which was good because Steve could already see boredom setting in. So if Jerry could have it sorted by the morning after tomorrow, it would be time enough. When that morning rolled around Jerry sent the information to the two laptops and sat back waiting for the boss to give him instructions. In constructing the file, Jerry had attached two press clippings at the beginning that were relevant to the case.

You will be reading this soon enough, Steve told them. For now, I am going to read aloud the two press clippings attached to the case notes.

Before you start boss, I have the investigating officer’s names and rank. The senior officers were a DCI Johnston, and a DI Murdock. Jerry got up and pinned the information to the boards.

Steve started to read aloud the press clippings when he finished Steve said, These two cases look to be a couple of interesting murder cases. Moreover, they could even be linked. The death of the female is bad enough; I’m more concerned about the passing of the two children who forensics has put at about seven years old at the time of their death. Forensics has also established that the two boys died from being poisoned. After having been listed as missing, the fact that they were eventually found under the concrete of the building that was being demolished next door to the one they lived in has got to be significant. The block where the remains were found is an old block of apartments that was scheduled for demolition for some time; it had only been held up waiting for the permits being granted by local government.

Because children are involved we must come up with closure for the grieving families. That is the most important outcome we could have. Before anybody goes talking to the parents, we will want to have our facts straight first. Again because it involves children, there will be no second guessing. For now, just tidy up what we have been doing and clear the decks for what is to come. I will give you to knock off time, so when you are ready, we will start fresh in the morning.

Our first and most important fact to establish, because of the proximity of where the remains were found, is there any connection the victims may have had to one another. Also, I will try and find out the reason these cases came to us compliments of the AC.

When everyone had had a quick look through the evidence, Steve waited until they all looked up at the whiteboards, before Steve said, I propose to have an early night we may as well go home now to be here bright and early tomorrow morning.

They left reluctantly, but until Jerry had finalized putting everything into the computer files, there was not much they could do anyway. They accepted that they had to have all the facts first and then proceed from there.

Paper clippings attached to the front of the information read as follows: -

OTTAWA SUN                         June 25th, 2012

Reporter Ian Brennan

It is the sad duty of this writer to inform the readers that the remains of two very young brothers have been discovered by some workers demolishing a block of apartments, in Calgary, Alberta. The two brothers had for some years previously been on the missing person’s list before today’s discovery. In spite of an extensive search, no trace was ever found of these two young boys until now.

It appears that they had been murdered and buried under concrete in the back yard of the block next door to where they lived. Police command has stated that it will take time to verify the ID of the two boys. Therefore no identification details have been released at this time.

**********

In another unrelated incident, the body of a woman between 45 and 50 has been found in a nearby park area close to the block where the children remains were located. The woman has since been identified as Joyce Barbour who had lived in the neighborhood for some time. A police press release reports that the woman had several knife wounds, anyone of which could have been fatal.

Now three years later both cases both cases were still listed as open and unsolved and would have remained unsolved if it were not for the finding of the children’s remains. With the scene set the following morning, Steve started with his usual prayer ‘Let the Games Begin.’ Jerry see if you can find Donna and ask her to speak to me now if possible or if not call me later. Donna was their resident Pathologist and Forensic expert, Dr. Donna Connors. Now Jerry have you come across any similarities between the two cases?"

No boss not yet anyway, apart from location.

Maybe Donna can shed some light from the original Forensic reports. Okay, Al, you can start off.

Sorry boss it’s too early just yet until we know more of the case histories. I think we should wait for Donna to report to see what that turns up. As you say, boss, that regardless of anything else we should tackle the children’s case first. The woman died from multiple stab wounds so for now, that is enough to go on. I know I am not of any help boss. Do you want me to talk to the investigating officers?

That’s okay. That was my thought as well. We will both hit them, I’ll talk to the DCI, you speak to the DI, but before we do Jerry is there any way you can find out if both these officers are still serving? While we wait for Donna, we can start putting up some information on the boards. Okay, Jill, you’re elected.

First note to put on the board is the date and possible time of the death of the two children on one, and the details of the woman’s death on the other, Jill told them. So you lot give me some facts to start with?

It was Steve who said first, First the proximity of location has to be significant. Is one a payback for the other? So they started putting the information on the boards and moved it around as necessary. As is common opinions between them differed, but that is healthy, Steve thought.

When the phone rang, Jerry answered it and said, Donna on the line boss.

Put it trough to my office, please. Hello Donna busy as usual or would you like to join us for what could be a couple of interesting double murders.

How straight forward are they, Donna asked?"

One may very well be, but the other involves the death of two children about seven years old.

I’ll be there in about an hour Steve, talk to you then.

Without time watching about an hour later, Donna walked through the door. Aren’t we a busy little group.

And goodbye to you too Donna, Steve said. Jerry has everything set up in the corner office so you can have some quiet while you read through the notes.

Boss, Jerry said, It looks like the DCI is no longer serving, but the DI is still with us according to personal records.

Thanks, Jerry, Al you go ahead and talk to the DI, use one of the offices and try to get as much information as possible, I don’t have to tell you what.

Late afternoon Donna came out to talk to Steve. Your right Steve on the surface the woman’s death looks straight enough. I’m not at all happy with the forensic report on the children. The pathologist got to the poison and stopped; cause found no need to look further. I don’t agree. So my first action is to talk to her and try to get a reaction. After I’ve done that I can probably talk to the group, but that will have to be tomorrow.

Not a problem Donna, at the moment we have nothing but time. So just do your thing and talk to us when you are ready. Okay, the rest of you I can arrange for you to stay the night unless you would rather go home. Once we start with these two, we will probably have to burn the midnight oil. So take the opportunity to have time at home now. We will probably have to make a few trips to Calgary. On that note I’m off now, Steve told them.

CHAPTER 2

The following day, with everyone settled in the squad room, Donna stood in front of the boards facing everyone and said, I had a talk to the pathologist last night. It’s true that once she was happy, the female victim died from multiple stab wounds she didn’t look any further, not even to test for drugs in the victim’s system. Her case notes are on the way, as well as blood samples and DNA results. Her only excuse was that she was overworked at the time, and I can relate to that.

The children on the other hand, apparently it took several weeks to identify the poison used to inflict death. The only thing she could tell me was that she thought that the children would have died slowly from being poisoned. Anyone who would inflict that kind of terror on young children would have to be a sadist. So I will take an extra day to check the forensic reports before I give you my findings.

While we’re waiting for Donna we will continue to get as much useful information on the boards. Jerry, you get online and try to build the life and times of Joyce Barbour. Look at everything all the way back to her childhood. How many times was she married, different places she may have lived, you know what I’m asking for, I don’t need to spell it out? I want the whole works from you Jerry, employment, accommodation any other living relatives, and so on.

Al put out a trace through the police system to see if the children’s parents had any controversy between themselves or their neighborhood. More importantly, who were the children’s parents, there’s not much information in the case notes. Again make it as comprehensive as possible, as I say at the moment, we have nothing but time. The rest of us will keep on sorting the whiteboards.

It was AL who reported first. I can only believe that these children were virgin births because according to the system their parents didn’t exist. So I will keep going with this. According to the original police report, the boy’s names were Jim and Tony Foster. I am now going to try the tenant’s list for the block at the time to see if there is any connection. The boy’s surname could have been the mother’s or fathers. But this is going to take time; there is no shortcut.

Jerry when you have time you could help Al with this, it just may speed it up a bit, Steve said. Between the two of you, you might come up with the answer. See also if you can find any birth certificates for the boys. More than likely they were born in a local hospital. Why am I telling you this just get on with it."

It looks as if the boss is not too happy about something, Jerry thought.

Al thought the same as Steve went into his office and picked up the phone and dialed the AC. Benson here sir my only question is why did these two case files come through you?

Nothing sinister it’s because some idiot had left the two files in the watchhouse and not lodged them in the open records and they have just reached the light after a clean up at the barracks. Otherwise, they may never have been solved. Does that answer your question?

Yes, sir, Steve said and hung up. He went back to the main room and stood in front of the whiteboards and tapped one for attention. When everyone looked up, he said, Just to clear the air. These two case files have laid in the barrack archives for the last two years and have only come to light because of a cleanup, so like the AC says there is nothing sinister about them coming now to us through him.

Later that day Donna stood up to talk to the team about the poison used to kill the two boys. It appears that the children were murdered using a poison known as Dimethylmercury. It is relatively slow as toxins go. A famous actual case was reported in 1996. A chemistry professor at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, spilled a drop or two of the poison on her gloved hand, the Dimethylmercury went through the latex glove, symptoms appeared four months later, and ten months later, she died. One of the uses for this chemical is for extracting gold in gold mines. What someone in Calgary was using it for who knows?

There is no way to know what the children suffered before they died. It was the reason it took so long to identify this particular poison with a high content of mercury, supplied by an unknown chemical manufacturer. I have no idea at the moment where the killer would have obtained this poison. As I’ve already said, there is no way of knowing how the children would have suffered, but you can take it as read that their death would have been unpleasant in the extreme. Make sure this information is logged in the file Jerry. I for one would like to get my hands on the person who perpetrated this hideous crime. I’ll now have a quick look at the death of the woman and report later.

Jerry can you by using your magic skills to tell us what the occupation of the tenants that lived in the block was at the time the children’s remains were found and approximately when the crimes were committed? Steve asked.

As it happens some of the tenant’s occupations are already listed. These are attached to the case notes. I have just had a quick look, but so far no one is listed as working for a major chemical company.

What about a pool cleaning company? Would this compound be used to clean residential swimming pools?

"Bingo boss, there