Pine bugs and 303s, p.19
Pine Bugs and .303s, page 19
The truck and trailer had been towed to the seizure lot of the Department of Lands and Forests in Georgetown by Luke’s heavy truck towing service. When Jean finally got home, he found Rejean sitting in the dark drinking his grandfather’s scotch. Jean jumped when he turned on the light and saw him. “Is it true? Alphonse is dead? And you want me to leave town?” Rejean asked.
Jean poured himself a drink and sat down. “Yes, for a while until this all blows over. I will make sure the law knows you were only doing what you were told by Alphonse. Your story will be you were afraid, and I convinced you to come back and deal with everything,” Jean said, thinking it had worked before. “Go to your uncle’s in Fort William. Lay low. I will tell him you are coming. I will call you when it is time to come back,” Jean added with mixed feelings and a sense of regret for not seeing this coming,
Rejean bristled at the thought of anyone thinking he was afraid of anything. Rejean quietly answered, “As you wish, Grandfather,” and walked out the door.
Chapter 31
Elias’ investigation into the illegal dumping of raw sewage took nearly three weeks to complete. Jean had stopped co-operating and all questions had to go through his lawyer Gabriel Cote. Elias issued the summons to Jean charging him with sixteen violations of the Fish and Wildlife Act. Jean took the summons at Gabriel Cote’s office and never said a word to Elias when they were issued. The first appearance to answer to the charges was set a month down the road in the circuit court in Georgetown.
At the first appearance, the crown prosecutor read the indictment and the circuit judge asked Cote, “How does your client, Mr. Jean Armand, plead?”
Cote stood up, and in a clear voice replied, “Not guilty on all counts, your honour.”
The judge turned to the crown prosecutor and asked him, “Are all these counts required? Could they not be combined into a single charge?”
The crown prosecutor, who also worked this circuit, replied, “They already have been, your honour. There are 167 violations worthy of charges under this act. Conservation Officer Wabason has already pared them down and has only proceeded on the strongest and most egregious violations according to his court brief.”
“I see,” the judge said. “Alright, then let us proceed.”
Cote filed a motion to have the truck and trailer returned. He filed a motion to have the search declared invalid. The judge in the circuit court at Georgetown was sympathetic to Jean and his lawyer, as they were small town businesspeople pitted against the Department of Lands and Forests. He split down the middle and ordered the truck and trailer returned. He upheld the search because the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Act gave sweeping powers to conservation officers to protect the people and the environment. No trial date was set at the first appearance because Cote asked for time to present further motions. The judge adjourned the case to two weeks later to accommodate Cote and hear his motions.
Two weeks later, the next motion Cote put forward was to ask for an outright dismissal of all charges on the grounds Jean could not be held responsible for the actions of a rogue employee. The employee, Cote told the judge, had died of a heart attack. The crown said under his breath, “How convenient for your client.”
What Cote could not have known when he made the motion was that the judge had received direction from the chief justice indicating there was considerable political pressure coming from the government to make an example out of the company. The local paper had written a story about how the death of the prospector was directly related to the dumping of the raw sewage. The story got picked up by the papers in Fort William and Toronto. The judge dismissed the motion saying the issue would be decided at trial.
Elias had put together a good case using the records seized at the compound to match the tire tracks of Jean’s company truck to the dump sites. The biggest obstacle was the lack of witnesses. Jean had sent his grandson into hiding. Elias’s superintendent and Sergeant Smits came to each hearing to support Elias. Smits, ever a realist, warned Elias that some people in the judiciary did not like the fact an Indian conservation officer had charged a prominent white businessman. He overheard the court clerks when he was in the office talking about how the case had judges talking between each other. The gist of the conversations was about how this young conservation officer was creating a lot of work for the courts and bringing charges they had never heard of or dealt with before. Now that the story was in the press there was no way to levy a small fine so everyone could move on.
After Cote became aware of the story in the papers, he went to Jean’s house and told him. Jean went white as Cote told him. Without much conviction, Jean said loudly, “I don’t do business with the papers. Why should they care about Lac Ville?”
For the first time in the many years he had known Jean, Cote saw he was not so certain of himself. There was no dismissive bluster about making the little government men go away. Jean solemnly asked, “What is next and what can they do?”
Cote thought, maybe this man does have some remorse and a heart, until Jean spoke. “What will people think of me? Can this prospector’s family sue me?” he asked, almost whining in his self-pity.
Cote told Jean, “You need bring your grandson home.” Cote would accompany him to give a statement to Conservation Officer Wabason. Then he said they should think about a guilty plea to the environmental charges before things got truly out of hand. Jean nodded in agreement. “Now, Jean, let’s talk about your daughter and her claim,” he finished.
Frances and Francine took a trip to Georgetown to see Mary. They had not seen each other for years. They showed up unannounced. Mary saw the car driving up her driveway and recognized Frances right away. Always on a Sunday, she thought, “something always happens on a Sunday. Mary and Richard Sutherland came out of the house to greet them. Mary could see the question in Frances’s eyes when she looked at Richard. “This is my husband, Richard, and you must be Francine,” Mary said.
Richard shook Frances and Francine’s hands. Mary and Frances hugged each other. Mary looked at Frances, searching her face for the reason she had shown up at her home. “Come on in. It has been far too long,” she said, leading them to the kitchen table.
Richard Sutherland watched as the women talked. He watched Mary’s face light up and smile when Frances said something funny. He watched Frances as she spoke, her eyes sparkling and her hands gesturing. Two powerful and beautiful middle-aged women bonded by their experiences, they had a presence that filled the room. For the first hour, they talked about the children and what they were up to. Francine shifted a little awkwardly and asked if she could take a walk around the property. Richard asked the women if they wanted to be alone. Frances told him no because what she wanted to tell Mary would affect all of them at some point.
The lighthearted banter ended, and Frances told Mary why she had come to see her. “I am suing my father to regain control of Gil and Elmer’s business. I believe he tricked me into signing it over to him after Gil died and Francine was born. I was very overcome, not thinking clearly and I let Elmer down. He brought money and cheques to me so I could keep the business going. I just could not,” Frances started. “After the fire where Elmer was killed, the police found the car involved in Gil’s death hidden in my father’s old stables. My father denied knowing it was there,” she finished.
Mary leaned in and Richard leaned back in his chair. Frances paused before starting again: “At Gil’s funeral, I saw your friend Eva. I know she is my sister. More lies and deceit from my father. My son Rejean adores his grandfather. My father took Gil’s place to create a man just like him. Hateful and angry. His grandfather has turned him against me. I just added everything together and so did my mother. My mother left a year ago.”
Frances paused again to see Richard and Mary’s reactions.
Richard looked at Mary. Mary half spun her teacup and said, “Go on, Frances.”
Frances took a deep breath and continued. “My father has a hate for you and all your people. It made no sense, especially after I saw Eva. I think he planned to take Gil’s business the moment he knew Elmer was a part of it. I have waited so long. I am sorry, Mary. None of this made sense and I did not want to see the truth. My own father,” she finished, her eyes welling with tears.
Mary got up and put her arms around Frances. “What can we do to help you?” she asked.
“My lawyer says as far as anyone knows there was no written agreement between Elmer and Gil. I do not believe our men would not have written anything down. Do you know if there ever was an agreement written between them Mary?” Frances asked.
Mary shook her head and then thought of a small box where Elmer had kept all her letters to him from the war. She had packed it away knowing she could not open it without crying. “There is one place I have never looked, Frances,” Mary said, almost whispering. She stood up “Did Gil keep your letters from the war?” she asked.
Frances’s face lit up. “Mary, you are brilliant,” Frances said, slapping her hands together.
Richard could not help smiling as he watched them. Loving Mary was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Francine came in the house and looked puzzled. “Why are you all so happy?” she asked.
* * *
Rejean Bertrand got a call from his grandfather telling him to come back to Lac Ville. Rejean was inclined to stay in Fort William. There were plenty of girls and no one ever asked for proof of his age in the local taverns. His great uncle told him to go back and sort out what had to be sorted out. Rejean reluctantly agreed. He had lost a lot of respect for his grandfather in the past two weeks. His grandfather seemed afraid of the game warden and police. His grandfather had told him for years they were nothing, men who could not make their own success, so they let others make it for them or made it on the backs of others. He would go back, but he was not about to kiss anybody’s ass. Especially the cops or that Indian game warden.
Chapter 32
Gabriel Cote got another adjournment after Rejean came back to Lac Ville so the evidence he would provide could be assessed. Cote drove him to Georgetown and took him to the Department of Lands and Forests office so Elias Wabason could interview him. When they arrived, Elias greeted them and extended his hand to shake. Gabriel shook his hand, but Rejean refused. Sergeant Smits was in the office when Elias led them in. Gabriel asked why the police officer was there. Sergeant Smits replied he was there because the investigation into the death of the prospector was a joint investigation. Rejean looked at Gabriel for a moment, waiting for him to protest. When he did not, he took his seat.
Elias started by outlining the purpose of the interview to Rejean. Rejean pushed back from the desk and told Elias, “I am not stupid. I know why I am here. You want to put my grandfather in jail,” he said, loudly.
Gabriel held his hand up to calm him down. Elias explained patiently and in an even voice that he was looking for the truth about the illegal dumping of raw sewage in the district. Nothing more. Elias then laid out pictures and maps of each of the 16 sites he had laid charges for. He told Rejean to read the notes attached to each if he wanted details on how the tire tracks matched up to the truck he had signed out on eight of the trips. Rejean leaned forward and looked at the papers for a while. He leaned back and said defiantly, “This doesn’t mean a thing to me.”
Gabriel spoke up and said, “I think what my client is saying is, is there a question related to these papers you wish to ask, officer?”
Rejean gaining confidence, leaned forward and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked Elias directly in the eye and ignored the sergeant. Elias returned his stare and asked, “Can you even read, Mr. Bertrand?
Rejean uncrossed his arms and said softly, “You son of a bitch. I can read.”
Elias pushed a paper toward him and told him to read it. Rejean pushed it back. Before Gabriel could react or intervene, Elias asked Rejean what he knew about his father. Rejean shot back, “He was some big shot war hero who thought he was better than everyone else. He worked with your father instead of his own people.”
Elias asked him if this was his opinion or what he had been told. Gabriel stood up and told Rejean they were leaving. Rejean sat stone still staring at Elias. His nostrils flared and fists clenched. Sergeant Smits looked at Gabriel and motioned him to sit back down.
Elias spoke first, “Your father was a war hero. He was also a man who saw men for what they were. The colour of their skin meant nothing to him if they were honourable. My father was the same. All men should be that way. Are you ready to be a man, Mr. Bertrand?”
No one said anything. Several minutes passed before Sergeant Smits spoke up. “Now gentlemen, can we get back to why we are here in the first place?”
Rejean started, “I have worked with my grandfather since I was a little boy. Alphonse was his foreman and treated me like his little brother. I was driving by the time I was ten. I was not very good at school and left in 1959 as soon as I could,” he paused. “The work at the sewage and septic was dirty but the money was good. Alphonse came up with the idea to dump our loads in isolated areas to save on fuel costs. My grandfather agreed,” he continued. He asked for a drink of water. Sergeant Smits poured him a glass. Rejean’s hands were shaking as he took a drink. He pointed to Elias’s reports and pictures. “This is not even one tenth of what we have dumped,” he said.
Gabriel interrupted, “I would like a moment with my client.”
It was Rejean’s turn to put his hand up to Gabriel. “No, it is about time I was a man,” he said looking at Elias. “Alphonse and my grandfather assured me the bush could absorb all the dumping and no one could ever be hurt by it. Alphonse told me people have been using shit to fertilize the land for years and we were helping the forests to grow. I will plead guilty to whatever charge you wish to lay, Mr. Game Warden, but I will not testify in court,” he finished.
Elias put his pen down and looked at all three men before settling on Rejean. “Did you dump where the prospector died?” he asked.
Rejean answered quickly, “Yes, twice, but Alphonse dumped the last load just before the man died,” he answered as he looked down at the floor. “One week apart for all three. I am very sorry,” he added. He lifted his head and asked Gabriel, “Are we done? I would like to go home to Lac Ville now.”
Elias nodded. “That’s enough for today. Thank you for coming in,” he said extending his hand again. Rejean shook it and left with Gabriel.
Smits watched them from the window as they got in their car. Without turning around, he said, “If and when you want to be a police officer, Elias, I will be the first to approve your application.” He picked up his hat and added, “I better get back to the office,” and left.
Mary found what she was looking for in the box of her letters to Elmer. She cried more times than she could count as she opened each folded page. Some letters she recognized and remembered. Other letters she had forgotten what was written until she started reading them again. She found a small, yellowed paper she had never seen before. The page was lined like in a school notebook. She started reading and wondered how she could have ever doubted Elmer’s and Gil’s ability to have a contract. It was a simple document. Dated November 15, 1946, it read, “Gilbert Bertrand and Elmer Wabason on this date agree to start Gil’s and Elmer’s Septic and Sewage Company. Ownership will be fifty/fifty. All profits will be thirty-five/thirty-five with the remaining thirty to improving the business.” Both men had signed it. Mary recognized Elmer’s signature. She went to the store and called Frances. When Frances answered the phone, she had the same document in her hand. She read it to Mary word for word. Frances had taken her copy to the railway station where her friend worked. He said it looked like it came from an old CNR train orders book. The copy Frances had was a carbon copy, but the signatures were not. Frances told Mary the document was in the letters Frances had sent to Gilbert during the war. After Frances got off the phone with Mary, she left a message for Lyle Bates at the McDonnell law office.
* * *
When Gabriel Cote and Rejean Bertrand arrived in Lac Ville, Jean was waiting at Cote’s law office. He got out of his truck and walked towards them as they were getting out of Gabriel’s car. He smiled and asked, “Well, how did it go? Did you stick to what I told you?”
Looking at Rejean and Gabriel’s expressions told him most of what he needed to know. Rejean walked to his truck without a word, jumped in and drove off. Gabriel unlocked his office door and Jean followed him in. Jean asked sarcastically if Gabriel had anything to drink. Gabriel surprised him by pulling a bottle of gin from his desk drawer as he sat down. Gabriel produced two tumblers and filled them to the brim. He handed one to Jean and noticed a phone message on his desk. He picked it up. After reading it, he drank half of his tumbler. Lyle Bates from the McDonnell law office wanted a phone call as soon as possible; both the office and his home number were on the message. “Christ, what now Gabriel?” Jean asked.
Gabriel finished his drink and poured another before saying, “First, let me tell you what happened today.”
When Jean left Gabriel’s office, he had a clear idea of what needed to be done. His grandson had let him down in the biggest way he could imagine. Rejean would never live this down with him. He had lost his grandson as surely as he had lost his daughter and wife. No matter, Jean thought, the fight ahead would make his life interesting again. He had begun to lose his fire, he realized. He was letting little people push him around. Jean did not become one of the richest men in Lac Ville by being a push over. “No, my darling Frances, I will fight you, the Indian widow, and your high-priced lawyer from Winnipeg. I will bankrupt us all before a dollar lands in your hands,” he said to himself while driving home. Jean decided he would take whatever hits came with pleading guilty to the charges. He would send one of his men to explain to his clients how Alphonse and his grandson had been dumping illegally without his knowledge. He would say as a good corporate citizen he would take responsibility to preserve the good name of the company. He had long ago arranged that the services of the company had no rivals in the region. He would offer temporary discounts to ensure the clients stayed with Gil’s Septic and Sewage Company. His net worth, his accountant told him, was well over a million dollars. I can ride out the storm and crush anyone in my way, he thought. He began whistling as he pulled up to his empty house.
