Magee Murder Mysteries 1: Lakestone

By Ron Crouch

When Lochlan Magee leaves behind Toronto for the small town of Lakestone, he is thrilled to be the new town cop. A new home, a new job and the peace he always dreamed of. But what once seemed like a new beginning, could lead to a shocking ending. Maybe Lakestone doesn't seem so quiet after all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ron Crouch
• Release date: Nov 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781777083038

Ron Crouch

Ron was born in Brighton, England and has worked in the U.K. and Canada for over thirty years as a police officer. He has extensive international travel experience while working with the British Merchant Navy as a navigator, where he travelled extensively in the Middle East and throughout Europe.He continues to write crime fiction from his home in Ontario, Canada.

Book preview

Magee Murder Mysteries

Lakestone

By Ron Crouch

Amazon Print ISBN: 978-1-7770830-2-1

Published by Colbourne House

Ron Crouch Copyright 2021

Cover art by Chris Salewski

All publication rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

* * *

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events in the story are either a product of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

In memory of Ruby Smith.

Acknowledgement

After reading The Nature of Life and Death by Professor Patricia Wiltshire, forensic ecologist, botanist and palynologist, an idea germinated within me. A must read for those involved in serious crime investigations.

Chapter One

I would never have been able to relocate across Ontario from Toronto to Lakestone had it not been for the tragedy. I don’t like to talk about it, hurts too much. The one good thing about heading out of Toronto are the falling house prices, as long as you go far enough east that is. When I sold my semi in East York, just off the Danforth it was like I’d won the lottery, finally I had the financial freedom to realize one of my childhood dreams. All I needed to do now was to buy some horses to put on that two hundred acres, of course there was the barn to fix up and the stables. The house could wait, it was a century home but in good shape, albeit a bit dated, it didn’t matter though, it was just going to be me living there. Sounds crazy, I just couldn’t take the loneliness of living in that big city house on my own; not after the tragedy.

Driving in to work this morning was a breeze, no traffic, no traffic lights, no honking horns, no sirens, no people, except for the odd one that is, not saying they’re odd just not a lot of them out here in the sticks. Within twenty minutes I was pulling my truck in behind the police station an old red-brick building dating back to the 1920’s. At first glance it could be mistaken for a church with its tall clock tower. I should clarify, there are two sets of traffic lights in the village of Lakestone, population just under three thousand, add another fifteen for the outlying rural inhabitants plus another fifty thousand once the tourists arrive during the summer months and literally take over the place; so I’ve been told. I won’t be experiencing that for a few months yet, snow’s still on the ground. Yep, put snow tires on the truck ready for winter out here, been to enough fatalities because the cars didn’t have snow tires on them. Death does have a way of changing attitudes.

Good morning Sergeant Williams, Constable Lochlan Magee reporting for duty.

Lochlan Magee, he replied wistfully while leaning on the counter, looking at me over the top of his bifocals. He looked a good six inches shorter than me, stocky and probably at one time in good shape, his protruding stomach indicated a lack of exercise, his days of chasing criminals on foot long over. He still had all his hair, probably his wife coloured it for him, grey roots showing through the dark brown. If it wasn’t my first day I might have made a wisecrack. You sound like an Irish bank robber to me. Now remember what I told you Lochlan, leave your Toronto policing attitude back in Toronto, this is a peaceful little town full of good people, most of them that is. You don’t need to be arresting everyone who looks at you the wrong way. If someone raises a hand and waves at you, they are not giving you the finger. Oh, before I forget, that ticket book I issued you shouldn’t need renewing for at least another year, not unless the Ontario Police Department take us over that is.

I heard they put a proposal into the township office to amalgamate us.

I’ve got less than five years to go, dear God do not let it happen before then. Okay, get changed we’ll have our briefing over breakfast at Sally’s.

Sally’s?

Sally’s Pantry down the high street on the right just before the pharmacy. Seeing as it’s just you and me this morning, Chris is on his requal training and it’s Roberta’s day off you may as well ride with me, that way I can show you around the place.

That’s very environmentally friendly of you Sergeant.

Call me Frank and speaking of being green, try not to leave your cruiser running, I’ve already received complaints from the locals and a lot of dirty looks. Do that anywhere near the high school and we’ll have a riot on our hands, thanks to Greta Thumburg.

It’s Thunberg Frank, not Thumburg and good for her standing up for what she believes in, I’m all for it.

You’ll fit right in at the high school, I can see that.

I left Frank reading through a stack of office paperwork while I went and got changed. You couldn’t swing a cat inside the locker room, so different to my Toronto station, it felt a little strange not hearing the raucous banter of other officers coming on shift as others were preparing to go home. I didn’t like the quiet and wondered if I’d made a terrible mistake. Sixteen years of hustle and bustle on the streets of Toronto, there was never any time to be bored. The silence was interrupted by the sound of my new sergeant bellowing from his office.

You ready yet, my stomach’s rumbling! Grab the snowbrush while you’re at it and make a start on clearing the snow off the sergeant’s cruiser. He tossed me a set of car keys. See you out back in five. In Toronto I’d have told him to clear the snow off his own vehicle, but this was day one, let’s not rock the boat.

As soon as I opened the back door and went outside, I realized it was a test. The snow had already been cleared off Frank’s cruiser, the engine was warming up spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Frank walked out, a huge grin on his face.

Bet you were biting your tongue?

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

I’ll drive, that way you can take in the sights. We headed slowly up the main street. Best coffee for miles around in there, he said pointing towards a very nice looking café on our right called, Coffee by the Lake. Not open yet, a bit early. We’ll drop in there later on in the day, you won’t be disappointed I guarantee. And that there is The Lakestone Inn, the old one burned down, made a beautiful job of this one, get a lot of rich tourists staying in the village now, it’s been good for commerce. The old one used to attract a lot of drinkers, there was always fights, you’d have had your hands full, but looking at the size of you, I don’t think you’d have had much of a problem. How tall are you?

Six-five.

And three, make that four feet across. An Irish cop that’s for sure, at least that’s how I imagine those early boys coming across the Atlantic to become cops in New York or Philadelphia in the good old days. Any police officers in the family Lochlan?

My dad was in the Garda, spent many years dealing with eejits.

Eejits?

Idiots. Same assholes as over here, just different accent. Came over and joined Toronto, he’s retired now.

Lucky bugger. How long did it take him to get used to being retired?

Twenty minutes, so he says, but I don’t believe it. Retired as a detective sergeant.

Does he miss it?

Just the guys, that’s about it. It’ll be the same for you likely.

"You’re probably right. That was the hardware store we just passed on our left and there’s Lakestone’s very own independent bookstore, The Reading Gym. You can’t read it from here but underneath it says in smaller lettering, For exercising the mind. Our local garage over there, very convenient and there’s Sally’s Pantry."

We’re not stopping?

We’ll go around the block and come back along the Aaniin River. Beer Store, he said pointing to his left.

Good to know.

Butchers next door. If you’re a carnivore make sure you go there, it’s a family concern, has been for generations. Their honey and garlic sausages are to die for. Like most of the stores in Lakestone, you won’t be disappointed. We cruised slowly past a small plaza. Best fruit and veg in there and deli too.

Which one?

The Lakestone Market, delicious fresh bread and their apple pies, you have to try one. You name it they’ve probably got it. One thing I can say about the stores in Lakestone, you won’t find friendlier staff anywhere. Wife shops in the Market all the time, make sure you mention I sent you. Sounding like a tour operator he announced, Lakestone Pharmacy over to your right, they deliver if you need it and you can get a flu shot there, Covid too now of course. Okay, we’ll turn off here, if you go straight up that hill and down the other side, that’ll take you to the medical centre. Where’s your doctor, Toronto I suppose?

Yep, I’ll see if they can take me on.

Fat chance of that, they’re not taking any more patients, but lucky for you I have a connection. My wife’s one of the nurse practitioners, as long as you promise to exempt all medical staff from traffic tickets I’m sure one of the doctors will fit you in, you don’t mind if it’s a woman do you?

Of course not and thanks, that would be very helpful.

They’ve got counselling services there too, if you ever need it, not saying you would need it, but just in case you did, not that you would, just sayin’. An awkward silence remained with us as we drove on along a residential street, well-kept century homes on either side of the road. The river came into view ahead of us. That’s the Aaniin, it means ‘Welcome’ in Ojibwe, they have a reserve about a half hours drive from here. Beautiful art store there, well worth a visit. Have you had any interactions with First Nations?

Some, not a lot. Like everyone else, there are good ones and not so good ones. I don’t have a problem with anyone Frank, not unless they want to make me their problem. I’d rather do someone a good turn than a bad one, let’s face it, we all have our off days, days when we say and do things we regret, especially if we’ve been drinking. I don’t like people who hurt women and children, seniors, the disadvantaged and I got no time for racial hatred. I don’t get hung up too much on other things.

You’ll settle in real well here then.

That’s handy, the Liquor Store. What’s that small building?

That’s your Driver and Vehicle Licencing Office. We took a right back up Main Street. The Lakestone Library, get yourself a library card, most of the staff are volunteers, and they’re retired, so it keeps them out of trouble.

Sounds like the perfect place for you when you retire, keeping out of trouble I mean.

That’s Denise’s job, my wife, she keeps me on my toes. If you need some groceries, there’s the General Store, a bit overpriced if you ask me, they should give us locals a discount, after all, we’re the ones who keep them afloat in the winter when all the townies have gone back to wherever they came from.

Is that an Aston Martin parked in their lot?

Yep, belongs to the General Store owner. You can see why the produce is so expensive, those cars run anywhere from a couple of hundred grand up to a couple of million. I hate to think what the insurance must be on one of those things. That one is apparently the price of the average Lakestone house.

I sense an air of bitterness hidden in there somewhere.

Yeah, possibly. You see if I’m not right, when the summer finally gets here along with all the tourists, it’ll be Toronto prices all over again, catering to the wealthy. If you’re still here that is. Seeing as you’re from Toronto, you won’t even notice the price gouging. And there my friend is one of my favourite places, the Lakestone Chocolatier. Pam, she’s the owner makes the best chocolate liqueur truffles I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. Half a dozen of those and you’ll be on your way to failing the breathalyzer. I confess to a bit of a routine. Breakfast at Sally’s, do the rounds, you know, show the flag, return to the station, deal with the public at the front counter and at eleven o’clock take a walk along to Pam’s, purchase a couple of her whiskey-flavoured truffles, then it’s off down to Coffee by the Lake with my chocolate treasures. When the weather’s nice, sit out on the front patio with a delicious coffee, bite into a truffle and I am transported to heaven, albeit temporarily.

Sounds more like you’re having an orgasm.

Mock me all you want, just wait ’til you try one. Frank made a left turn at the lights in front of the police station, then took a first right and we arrived back at the river, the road running alongside the river bank. Between the river and the road the township had laid large flat granite rocks fashioned into pedestrian walkways leading to sun-bleached cedar decking. Lakestone residents were obviously paying their taxes.

What’s that impressive looking brick building there?

That my friend is the end of the road. He glanced in my direction, saw my puzzled expression. Lakestone Funeral Home. Which reminds me, try if you can to keep business in the village.

You mean persuade the bereaved to use their services rather than go outside when I attend my first sudden death here?

You got it. Keeps the well-oiled wheels of industry turning smoothly, not to mention the flow of Crown Royal at Christmas time.

I’d prefer Tullamore myself, being an Irishman.

Good to know, I’ll pass that along.

I notice just about every commercial store has the word Lakestone in front of the name.

That was decided decades ago at a township meeting, it was agreed reinforcement of the village’s name was good for business and a good way for the tourists to remember us and keep coming back.

I thought the locals didn’t like tourists.

We don’t, but we sure as hell like their money. If we didn’t have them you wouldn’t have a job here, neither would Chris or Roberta. I’d be it.

The Mounties did it back in the days of the pioneers.

"Yeah, they were real men, tough as the Canadian Shield. This is where the boats all converge in the summer, the township take the docks out for the winter. We get boats of all shapes and sizes, last year one came through, I swear it must have cost over five million, probably more. It was a beaut I’m telling you, I’d have been terrified of running it into the rocks."

Sounds like it would make a nice floating police station, you should put in a proposal to buy one like it for Lakestone’s first police marine unit.

We’d be lucky to get a bloody canoe from the mayor’s office and even if we did, you can bet it would be a used one and we’d have to supply our own paddles.

I guess a helicopter’s out of the question then?

Lochlan, a kid’s drone if you’re lucky. That’s the ice rink, home of the Lakestone Warriors, our very own hockey team.

You live in town Frank?

On the outskirts, me and the wife have a bungalow on the lake.

Sounds idyllic.

It is, watching the sunrise takes your breath away, not to mention the sunsets. In the summer you need to be up bright and early to enjoy the lake, long before the maniacs start roaring up and down in their fancy speedboats or on those other abominations, Jet Skis, the bane of people with lakefront homes like me trying to enjoy peace and tranquility.

What about snowmobilers in the winter?

Good way to kill yourself, the current’s pretty strong, keeps the ice fairly thin and the snowmobilers off the ice, except for the idiots of course. A few years back we had three go through the ice, the Ontario Police Department did the recovery, retrieved the machines and two bodies, one’s still missing. Let that be a valuable lesson to you, keep off the ice. Here we are at Sally’s again.

First observation I made as we pulled in to the parking lot, was how many cars and trucks were parked in the parking lot, not to mention how busy it was inside the restaurant.

Mornin’ Frank, be with you in a minute.

Mornin’ Marcie, no rush.

Must be nice being at work and not having to rush, said an old guy waiting at the counter to pay his bill. He was short and scrawny, weather-beaten like he’d never spent any time inside a building let alone a house. You must be the new guy, from Torono, so they tell me. Probably got more experience in one year than the sergeant here’s got in ten.

Conor, don’t give up your day job, your comedy act sucks.

Just sayin’ no need to get all prickly on me Sergeant Williams. So you’re Magee’s boy from Eire. It was a statement not a question. Conor MacDermott, not to be confused with those assholes the McKinleys. Like your kin, we’re from the south, the McKinleys are from the north, don’t get us confused. You leave us alone and we’ll leave you alone, ain’t that right Sergeant? The waitress now behind the counter began to count Conor MacDermott’s money.

Watch he doesn’t try to flimflam you Marcie and make sure those notes aren’t forgeries.

Hard earned cash there Sergeant, not like your tax-payer wages. I felt someone barge against me, hard enough to make me take a step forward.

You okay Pa? Pigs ain’t bothering ya are they? A large man about my own age dressed in dark blue coveralls stood nose to nose with me.

All good Oisin, just having a wee bit of fun with the sergeant here.

You know Oisin, now that we’ve met, I’ve changed my mind about stem cell research.

What’s he sayin’ Pa?

Constable Magee’s just joshin’ with ya. Pay no attention. I knew what was coming, I had my feet already planted. Sure enough Oisin made a point of barging my shoulder on his way out, but before he did I stepped back placing my right foot firmly on top of his left and at the moment his shoulder contacted with mine, I twisted my body and jerked hard into his. It was so fast if you blinked you’d have missed it. The shocked look on his face was priceless as he toppled backwards, crashing to the ground like a felled tree. He scrambled back on his feet pretty quick ready to retaliate. Something deep inside his prehistoric brain must have told him the equally big man in front of him had taken on a street fighter’s stance, solid, feet well planted. Instead of showing fear, I was smiling.

Leave it be Oisin. Leave it be I said! Ain’t worth it, there’ll be another time and place.

You bet there will be, I said before MacDermott junior said something similar. Once they were outside the restaurant, the younger man became very animated, he was having a child’s temper tantrum inside a grown man’s body. I should probably go out there and arrest him for cause disturbance.

"No! Of all