The Bone Seeker by M. J. McGrath Page A

movie set.
    At the split in the track she peeled off left towards the waters of the lake. At one of the muddy banks, far from the pool in which Martha’s body had been found, she dipped in a hand and splashed at the greasy water. Turngaluk,
the Lake of Evil Spirits.
Tirigusukut
, taboo. How odd, she thought suddenly, that in all these years she’d never thought to ask why.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    On her way to the Kuujuaq Northern Store to question the manager, Sam Oolik, Edie passed a handful of soldiers working off their hangovers on the beach. A young Inuit woman sprawled beside them, half clothed, mouth open, snoring lightly. Edie was reminded of what Luc had said last night, that Martha Salliaq had probably gone willingly with her killer. But the girl Edie knew was nothing like that luckless, discarded creature on the beach. It pained her to think of Martha following some strange white man from the south for the money in his pocket and a mouth full of promises. Martha had wanted more than Kuujuaq could offer her. Edie supposed the question was: what lengthshad she been prepared to go to, what risks had she been prepared to take, in order to get it?
    The store wasn’t officially open yet but Sam Oolik was standing at the back with a bottle of syrup in his hand, organizing the stock.
    â€˜Hey,’ he said enquiringly.
    â€˜Edie Kiglatuk.’
    â€˜I know who you are.’ He was tall, strongly built, with the kind of eyes that tell two stories at once. ‘You’re working with the police.’
    She confirmed this with a blink. ‘I have a couple questions.’ She carried on without waiting for him to say OK. ‘Martha Salliaq came into your store on Saturday.’
    Sam Oolik put a hand on his back and rubbed at some stiffness there.
    â€˜Yeah, around lunchtime,’ he said warily.
    â€˜Was she with anyone? Did she seem any different? Upset?’
    He shook his head then corrected himself. ‘Hung-over, maybe.’ He began rearranging the syrup bottles.
    â€˜Hung-over?’ The word sat between them. Edie wondered whether she’d got Martha wrong after all.
    â€˜Yeah,’ Oolik said. ‘You know, quiet, rough, a bit spaced out.’ He carried on stacking bottles. Edie got the strong sense that there was more to say but he had decided to make it tough for her. She guessed this was how it was going to be. From now on, every move she and Derek made would be scrutinized, chewed over and likely found wanting.
    â€˜You remember what she bought?’
    â€˜Aspirin. A soda.’ Sam continued to fix up the shelves.
    â€˜Did you guys talk about anything?’
    â€˜Not much, just the weather,’ Oolik said, finally. It had begun raining on Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon, a thick summer mist had settled over the tundra which hadn’t lifted till late Sunday.
    â€˜She say where she was heading next?’
    Oolik considered this for a moment. ‘She told me she was thinkin’ about going egg collecting, only the wet made the cliffs slick.’ He stood up. That back again.
    â€˜Alone?’
    Oolik shrugged. ‘Maybe, or maybe she was fixing to show that fella.’ A sly almost-smile played around his lips. He’d been biding his time for this moment. Relishing his little game of hide and seek.
    â€˜A fella?’ She knew enough to sound grateful for the tip-off without coming over as desperate.
    â€˜Yeah, fella she was talking with outside the store.’
    â€˜You get a look at him?’ The coolness in her tone disguised the banging in her heart.
    â€˜
Unataqti.
Tall, built like a bear. First Nations. Cree if I had to take a guess. I couldn’t hear them talking but from what I saw, it didn’t end too well.’
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    She ran all the way back to the detachment. Derek listened with growing interest. When she was done, he said, ‘This might turn out