Chapter 1

Eight and a half hours. That is how long she'd been driving north, or more specifically, eight hours and thirty-eight minutes. She started keeping track somewhere near North Bay as the kilometres passed her by, and time started to feel like it was standing still. She realized she was heading away from the more densely populated areas, but she never imagined that she'd be able to drive this long, along a provincial highway, without seeing a convenience store. Or truck-stop. Or a sign that indicated there was one approaching. Hell, she'd settle for a lemonade stand operated by two eight-year olds; anything to just pull over and stretch her legs. She'd seen nothing for the last hour but trees, rocks, and the occasional vehicle passing her by.

By the time her beat-up Sunfire rolled to a stop in front of her new apartment, it was well past dark and considerably later than she'd thought it would be when she arrived at her new home.

Home.

It had hit her with a sense of finality that, at least for the next 12 months, Timmins, Ontario would be where she laid her head at night. She laughed aloud when she passed the aging "Welcome to/Bienvenue à Timmins" sign that had announced her arrival to the new town. It either was laugh or cry -and she really wanted to cry- but she'd be damned if she showed one ounce of regret over this decision, even if there wasn't a soul to witness it.

XXXXXXXXXX

She had known she would be a police officer her entire life. Or rather, she knew she'd never have the courage to stand up to her mother and do anything other than go through the Academy and join the Metropolitan Law Enforcement of Toronto. So it was with a defeated yet determined attitude that she'd applied to, and been accepted for, the Academy the summer after finishing her Criminology and Sociolegal Studies degree from the University of Toronto.

At the Academy it was expected of her to be top of the class, which she was, and create contacts with the higher ups, which she had. It was the latter that had sent her down the rabbit hole that she was now finding herself tumbling down.

The second to last external lecture was titled Policing Outside of the City which was given by a Constable James Beatty of the Ontario Provincial Police. The lecture was interesting enough, mostly about how rural policing was a lot more hands-on and a lot less dangerous than that of city patrol. Or at least that's what she thought it was about.

She didn't pay close attention to what the Constable had to say-she wouldn't have to worry about how to safely shuffle moose across the highway or how to pull a tongue off frozen metal (how often did that really happen and why the hell were the police called? is what she really wanted to know). Elaine Peck's plan did not involve Gail wasting her time shooing raccoons from cabins; she needed her to focus her attention on getting collars and networking so she could apply for the earliest detective rotation. Elaine had even scoffed when Gail mentioned that she thought it would be an interesting lecture.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gail. Rural postings are filled by men and women who aren't qualified for city police. They give this lecture so the bottom of the class can join without the embarrassment of being denied a position with a metropolitan force. The Provincial Police is no place for a Peck".

And with that it was decided.

But something about Constable Beatty really struck a chord with Gail. It wasn't the fact that he was handsome- "if this is rural policing, I'll grab a pitchfork and meet you by the barn, Constable Beatty" was exactly how Tracy put it- but he spoke with such a conviction for helping others that Gail decided that there was no harm in talking to him after class. If her mother ever asked, it was a networking opportunity and not a genuine curiosity for this sort of police work.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one in her class who wanted to talk to him, but Gail could tell she was the only one of the stragglers that didn't have googly eyes for this man. She was already irritated that she would have to ask her questions in front of the others, who obviously didn't care what he had to say so long as he was still in their eye sight, but the fact that their interest in talking to him was so thinly veiled irked the blonde even more.

"Constable Beatty, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for your lecture today. It was very… interesting" McNally said to him as she bat her big brown eyes at him, her voice sweet as honey. Gail rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, it was very informative! Like, who knew moose could cause so many problems?!" babbled Price in her sing-song tone.

"Oh, God" thought Gail, "this might not be worth it".

And just when she was about to give up and go to lunch without having had the chance to talk to the Constable, Dov came through the lecture hall doors, winded from having run back from the dorm rooms.

"Ladies, I hate to be the bearer of bad news" he wheezed, "but there is a surprise room inspection in 10 minutes. Whoever doesn't pass has their permission to leave campus revoked this weekend". He reaches into his pant pocket to grab his inhaler.

A series of "oh, no!" and "shit!" and general moans and groans are uttered by McNally, Price, and Nash simultaneously as they make a hasty dash for the door, calling out their apologies to the Constable as they ran to their dorm rooms, hoping they could clean up in time to keep their weekend of freedom.

The Constable just chuckled as the women ran out the door. He was putting his notes away when he noticed he wasn't alone.

"No big plans this weekend? Or a you just a glutton for punishment?" the man said as he noticed the lone student left behind.

"One of the perks of being raised in my family: no breakfast unless your room is clean" the blonde replied.

"Ah. Makes sense that you're at the Academy then. I'm assuming you come from police?" he said while he actually took her in for the first time. It was then that he noticed her piercing blue eyes, eyes he'd seen before but quite some time ago. Just like the last time he'd seen these eyes, they were attached to a slim woman, with the athletic build that comes from years of running, but unlike last time the woman had platinum blonde locks that couldn't be natural. But there was no mistaking those eyes.

"You must be Elaine's daughter" he said with a knowing smile before she had the chance to answer.

Momentarily confused that this man would know her mother, Gail simply looked at him and said "I am". Her mother's reach in policing went much further than she had thought if even provincial constables knew her.

"You have your mother's eyes".

Gail wasn't sure how to respond to this man who clearly knew her mother but in more than a professional sense, made obvious by the wistful look in his eyes. He seemed to be around the same age as Elaine Peck, time being as kind to him as it had been to her. Her intrigue further piqued by the Constable, she decided to tread lightly, but prod none the less.

"Do you know her?" she inquired, as innocently as she could.

"Knew her. We went through the Academy together. We actually signed up for the same detachment when we graduated."

"Oh, so you were in the Metropolitan Police Force too?"

"No, actually, I have always been a part of the Provincial Police." His sentence hung between them, the senior officer looking uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Your mother and I, well, we, ah, we were something of an item back in our days here" he stuttered, the first time the confident man showed any sign of not being controlled and relaxed. He glanced back at Gail who was stunned at meeting a former boyfriend of her mother's- men she assumed existed in the world somewhere, just never having given them much more than a passing thought.

It was then that the weight of his statement hit her. Her mother, Inspector Elaine Peck of the Metropolitan Law Enforcement, the woman who yesterday spoke so poorly of anyone who considered policing outside of a major city, had nearly followed a man into the Ontario Provincial Police herself! Gail just stared at the man who nearly changed the course of her mother's life.

"Why didn't she go?" she finally managed to ask the man who was becoming more uncomfortable having this conversation with a past girlfriend's daughter.

"Well, ummm, we were set to join on with Sudbury when told me she wouldn't go. Elaine was stubborn and nothing I said would change her mind. Last I heard she had married Bill Peck" he said as he started packing his things more quickly. "Your father" he sputtered, in case she had forgotten who Bill Peck was.

Gail was usually one to revel in people's misery, and she would have enjoyed Constable Beaty's obvious discomfort with her presence had she not been so caught up in all the new intel she'd just gathered on the woman who built her life on reputation.

"Here" he shoved some pamphlets in Gail's hand as he gathered up his briefcase and jacket. "I'm sorry I don't have more time to chat with you, but I have go get going. Hopefully these can answer your questions… uh, you know, if you had any." He rushed past her and out the door.

Gail didn't move. She just looked at the pamphlets then back at the flustered man as he left.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Home, sweet home" she sighed as she pulled her keys from the ignition. Deciding that everything could stay in the car until morning, she grabbed her purse and her overnight bag and headed into the small apartment complex to her new place.

The one bedroom apartment was small-that was the first thing she'd noticed. She knew that the apartment wasn't going to be luxurious, but coming from her parents McMansion in suburban Toronto, it was a hard pill to swallow. The room she grew up with- the only room she'd ever had- was bigger than her living room and kitchen combined. She poked her head into the bathroom and saw that it too was cramped, with only a shower stall, toilet, and small sink and vanity.

Her new bedroom wasn't much better. At least it had a decent sized closet and didn't look out onto the parking lot. Instead she had a simple view of the street two stories below, lined sparsely with trees.

A second tour of her new abode came with a realization. She should have noticed the first time she looked around-it had taken less than 30 seconds to take the entire place in- but there was no furniture in the apartment.

"Shit!" she swore aloud. "Where is everything?". She thought back to the conversations she'd had with the landlord when she'd found the apartment online. The photos he had posted showed the simple apartment she was now standing in, but hadn't there been a couch? A dining room table? She definitely remembered a bed because who could forget that super tacky comforter?

She fished her phone out of her purse and dialed, forgetting the time. A groggy voice finally answered on the fifth ring.

"Hello?" said the baritone at the other end of the line.

"Hi, um, my name is Gail Peck. I am the new tenant at number 5, 860 Suzanne street. I just got here and, um, the furniture is gone!" Gail was trying to keep her growing sense of panic out of her voice, but wasn't succeeding.

"Ms. Peck, it's midnight. Why are you calling me about furniture?" the obviously unimpressed landlord replied.

"Because when you sent me the pictures, the apartment was full of ugly furniture and now it isn't here!" she snapped. "I don't have any of my own furniture so do you see why this might be a problem for me?!"

There was silence at the end of the line. Finally the man sighed and said "Ms. Peck, the apartment isn't furnished. The photos I took included the previous tenant's furniture and décor. That's why there aren't any pictures on the walls and why there is no couch in the living room. This was plainly stated in the ad you saw. Is there anything actually wrong with the apartment?"

It was Gail's turn to be silent. How could she have been so stupid? Why did she think an apartment came with furniture? Was she thinking of dorm rooms? They were surely furnished… weren't they?

This move was making her aware of how focused on joining the police force her childhood had truly been. By the age of 12, Gail could hit a moving target with such precision that she'd actually won awards for her sharp shooting. She could recite passages from the Criminal Code, could run a mile in four and a half minutes and she could live in the woods for days with nothing more than her instincts and a knife, but day to day activities that most people learned were a struggle for her. Looking for an apartment had been one such activity, this late night conversation making that painfully obvious.

"No" she replied in a much softer tone. "Sorry for waking you" she practically whispered before ending the call without waiting for man to say anything else.

She looked around the apartment once more, the conversation with the landlord sapping what little energy she had left. She washed up quickly and changed into yoga pants and a hoodie before pulling her jacket around her and resting her head on her overnight bag.

"My first night in my own place and I'm sleeping on the floor like a squatter" she thought to herself. She let her mind wander. It hit her, definitely not for the first time, that she might have bitten off more than she could chew. As she tried to get comfortable on the wood flooring of the living room, because she'd be damned before she put more than the bottom of her feet on the carpet that covered the floor of the bedroom, she tried to let her tense muscles relax.

"Shit" she said again, knowing this wasn't going to be the last bump in the road. She finally let silent tears fall.