The Glacier Gallows by Stephen Legault Page A

gazed out over the sweep of fractured country to the west, where the Whaleback Ridge rose and fell like a beached cetacean. Beyond its beveled spine, the Livingstone Range dragged its jagged edge along the bottom of drifting clouds. On Monday, Walter went back to work. In the summer, he rented a room in Waterton to avoid the long drive back and forth each night. On Tuesday, Cole and Nancy had supper with his mother, and he was just beginning to think that he had dodged the bullet when the telephone rang.
    Cole looked at his mother and at Nancy and got up from the table to answer it by the sideboard.
    â€œBlackwater,” he said.
    â€œMr. Blackwater, this is Inspector Reimer from the RCMP .”
    â€œWhat can I do for you, Inspector?” Cole turned to catch Nancy’s troubled gaze.
    â€œCole, we’d like you to come into Claresholm RCMP in the morning, please.”
    â€œAm I under arrest?”
    â€œYou aren’t right now.”
    â€œIs it a likely outcome of our conversation in the morning?”
    â€œWe need to follow up on some of the information you provided during our last interview.”
    Cole turned away from the table and dropped his voice. “Cut the bullshit, Inspector.”
    â€œBe here at eleven.”
    â€œMy lawyer and I will see you then.”

FIFTEEN
    OTTAWA, ONTARIO. MARCH 9.
    â€œTHE ONLY REASON WE’RE HERE, Brian, is because you’ve helped us in the past,” said the Minister of Natural Resources. “My parliamentary secretary seems to think you’ve still got something to offer, but I think you’ve gone round the bend, to be frank.” David Canning sat behind his desk in his Centre Block office. Parliamentary Secretary Rick Turcotte was in a leather club chair next to Brian.
    â€œI appreciate you seeing me, Minister.”
    â€œI haven’t forgotten the stunt you pulled at the reception. The YouTube video. Those were private remarks.”
    â€œAs I told you then, Minister, that’s not my style.”
    The minister waved a dismissive hand and looked at his watch. “I have caucus in ten minutes, Brian. It takes me three minutes to walk there. Start talking.”
    â€œI think the AEG has made a reasonable proposal around tar sands. It gives your government the opportunity to use the tar sands to transition to a new energy future and still reap the rewards of long-term development.”
    â€œI have to stop you there, Brian.” The minister held up his hand. “Your proposal had a significant flaw that makes it a nonstarter with this government. You want to put a cap on development that is far below what is needed to allow for a reasonable return on investment by the major players.”
    â€œTwo million barrels a day is two hundred million dollars’ worth of oil. Every day. That’s more than seven trillion a year, Minister. How much more return on investment is needed? If you can’t make a reasonable ROI with seven trillion dollars gross a year, times must be pretty tough.”
    â€œI’m not going to debate this with you,” said Canning. “I’m just telling you that two million barrels is a nonstarter. It’s not enough to feed the market.”
    â€œYou mean it’s not enough to feed China.”
    â€œ This country has energy. China needs energy. This is simple economics. Have you been so hoodwinked by the environmentalists that you’ve forgotten the basic rules of the game?”
    Brian drew a deep breath. “Minister, with all due respect, this has nothing to do with the environmentalists. This is about what’s in our national interest.”
    â€œDon’t tell me what’s in our national interest. In”—the minister looked at his watch—“four minutes, I have to sit at the table with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence and discuss the current state of global geopolitical events. Don’t lecture me on