The Benefactor

by Don Easton

  The woman frowned, then yelled something in Chinese.

  Jack saw Mia open the back door and he yelled, “Don’t come out! Run! Escape out the front!”

  Mia looked apologetic, then was shoved out the door by the tall, thin Chinese man who stopped and stood in the doorway, pointing a gun at her. Jack saw that he had Mia’s gun tucked in his waistband.

  “For your information,” said the woman, still pointing her pistol at Jack, “my colleague picked the lock and went back in the restaurant several minutes ago. If we had wanted to kill her, she would already be dead. No more talk. Get the hell away from here now!”

  With Mia present, Jack couldn’t resist one last remark. “So you’re saying that the Chinese Intelligence officer who murdered Mia’s father twenty-five years ago did it without the approval of the benefactor?”

  “What?” exclaimed Mia.

  “Start running!” snarled the Chinese woman, as she stepped back inside the rear exit to join her colleague. “I am sending Wong’s bodyguards after you!” she said, as she closed the door.

  “What were you saying about my dad?” cried Mia, grabbing Jack by the front of his shirt.

  “Not now! Run!” yelled Jack, grabbing her by the hand.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Rose and Laura heard the sound of a siren several blocks away and looked at each other.

  “Who knows?” said Rose. “We’re in a busy area. I think we should sit tight unless we hear from Wilson.”

  Seconds later, sirens echoed off the buildings from several different locations, including two marked VPD cars that went racing past them. “Forget Wilson, this has got to be Jack,” said Laura, putting the car in gear and screeching out on the street to follow.

  They had only driven about four blocks when they saw Jack and Mia appear from around a side street, running at full tilt. Jack held up his badge and flagged down one patrol car that pulled over to the curb.

  Laura parked in the street behind the patrol car and ran to check on Mia who stood on the sidewalk, covering her face with her hands, and sobbing. “You okay?” whispered Laura.

  “They killed my dad,” she cried.

  “You guys on your way to a shooting in an alley?” asked Jack, through the open window of the patrol car, as Rose came up beside him.

  “You got it,” replied the officer. “Was it her father?” he asked, indicating Mia.

  “No, forget her, she had nothing to do with it. She’s having a reaction because her dad died years ago when he was run over by a Chinese guy. This is different. In a nutshell, I was in the alley working undercover and witnessed the shooting you’re on your way to. The guy is dead. There are two suspects.”

  The officer quickly jotted down the description of the Chinese woman and her tall companion. He then glanced at Rose and asked, “Anyone else see it?”

  “No,” interjected Jack.

  “I’m his boss,” explained Rose. “Myself and the other member on the sidewalk were parked a few blocks away.”

  The officer turned his attention back to Jack. “Is the shooting connected to the UC you were doing?”

  “Yes, and there is something you should know. Both suspects work for a Chinese Intelligence service. So did the victim in the alley.”

  “You’re saying they’re spies?” asked the officer, looking at his partner in disbelief.

  “Yes … and the woman doesn’t fit the James Bond image. Short, fat, and toothless … but I can tell you she is a crack shot.”

  “And you’re saying you saw her shoot the guy?” the officer confirmed.

  “I was talking to the victim when I heard the shot come from behind me. The bullet went past my head. I turned and she was holding the gun and was the only person there. She also admitted it to me. I know the victim only by the name of Mr. Frank. He had a gun and was going to kill me when this Chinese woman intervened and saved my life.”

  “She saved your life?”

  “Yes, but don’t rely on any sense of compassion from her. If she’s cornered, I’m sure she’ll try to shoot you, too.”

  “Tactical has been called already,” replied the officer. He glanced at Mia, who was being comforted by Laura and asked, “What about her? Did she witness it?”

  “No, she came along after,” replied Jack.

  The officer nodded, thinking he understood. “Memories. They can come back to haunt you unexpectedly,” he said, softly. “Sorry about your dad.”

  “You only get a call about the shooting in the alley?” asked Jack.

  Oh, man, thought Laura.

  “Yeah, switchboard says three calls. All with Chinese accents. Two were anonymous.”

  “A restaurant backs on to the alley where the body is,” continued Jack. “Inside an office in the restaurant is another body. That victim is Benny Wong.”

  “The triad leader?” asked the officer.

  “The one and only. He’s got a receipt spike rammed through his eye, shish-kebabing his brain.”

  “Oh, Christ, Jack,” muttered Rose.

  The officer glanced at Rose, then looked at Jack. “You do it?” he asked.

  “No. The dead guy in the alley did it shortly before he was killed. I was going after him to arrest him when he got the drop on me. One more thing: last I saw, Wong had four bodyguards in the restaurant. They are also armed, but will probably ditch their weapons when they see you guys arrive.”

  “Alright, hop in with us,” the officer ordered. “We’ll head over.”

  “Can’t right now,” replied Jack.

  “If you think I’m going to let you walk away, you better think again.”

  “Time is of the essence. I have a source I need to meet who might tell me where the suspects went.” It was a lie, but one Jack felt he had to tell to get away and do what he planned to do.

  Rose heard her phone ring and saw that it was Wilson. She answered immediately. “We’re on it! We’re with Jack and a couple of your guys now.”

  The officer in the car shook his head at Jack. “You’re not going anywhere until I get some more answers. To start with, I want to see your complete identification. You, too, ma’am.”

  Rose handed her phone to the officer and said, “Talk to this guy.”

  Seconds later the officer handed the phone to Jack and said, “Okay, I’ve been told to let you go, but Wilson wants to talk to you.”

  “Hey, Jack,” said Wilson. “Sounds like you had a little excitement tonight?”

  “More than a little,” replied Jack.

  “Understood, but I’ll need to meet the both of you in my office right away to get full statements. Is that okay with you? Or, uh, do you need time to, uh, calm the young woman down so she can give a statement? I know how finicky your people can be over little details sometimes. Connie in particular.”

  Jack smiled to himself and breathed a sigh of relief. Wilson gave him more trust and understanding than most of his own people would. “I hear what you’re saying … and don’t think I don’t appreciate it, but what happened is straight up. I’ll send Mia over with Laura immediately. As far as I go, there is someone I need to meet with first. Someone who might point us in a direction to look for the suspects. I can meet you immediately after. Shouldn’t be more than an hour or two.”

  “Man … that’s great to hear. Do what you have to do. Tell Laura that I’ll be at my office in twenty minutes.”

  Jack hung up and gave Rose her phone back. As the patrol car drove away, she eyed him curiously. “I got the feeling that you and Wilson are close?”

  “I’ve had a couple of cases with him in the past,” said Jack, shrugging. “I really respect the guy. Sounds like the feeling is mutual.”

  “Can’t say I like the idea of a VPD Homicide cop buddying up to you.”

  “If he thought I was dirty, I would be in cuffs right now. Besides, you heard what I told him. There’s nothing to hide.”

  “Good,” replied Rose, sounding like she meant it. She eyed Jack briefly, then abruptly
asked, “Where were you when Benny Wong was skewered through the eye?”

  “Sitting across from him at his desk,” he answered, promptly.

  “Damn it, Jack!”

  “Honest, I didn’t kill anyone,” he said, defensively.

  “Well, that would be a pleasant change,” she said dryly. “If it’s true.”

  “Rose is my boss,” Jack said to Mia. “Please tell her who killed Wong.”

  Mia looked puzzled. “It happened like he said. I was there. Why are you doubting him? You do work together, right?”

  Rose stared at Mia, but didn’t answer.

  “Thanks, Mia,” said Jack. He looked at Rose. “My trust in Mia has grown considerably tonight.”

  “I bet it has if she is vouching for you,” said Rose.

  “It’s not that,” replied Jack. He glanced at Mia and gave her an affectionate pat on her back. “Tonight she saved me from being killed. Probably twice. First by shoving me out of the line of fire down a set of stairs and then again right after when she scooped up a bad guy’s gun.”

  “Really?” said Rose in surprise.

  “Yes, I’ll tell you all the details later,” replied Jack, “along with a bunch of other things.” He looked at Mia out of the corner of his eye to indicate he did not want to talk in front of her, but at the same time, did not want to destroy the level of trust that had been built by excluding her himself.

  “Laura, take Mia back to the car. I need to talk to Jack,” said Rose, picking up on the cue.

  Once Laura and Mia were out of earshot, Rose said, “So you found out that we’re dealing with Chinese spies.”

  “Mia told me. Mr. Frank was her case officer.”

  Rose glared back at Mia. “So the little bitch was playing us. She isn’t some hapless kid who didn’t know what she had got herself into.”

  “It started out that way, but she did save my life tonight. I think that is worth something.”

  “Was it her who tipped off the others about the meeting tonight? The ones who showed up to kill Mr. Frank?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m kind of curious about that myself.”

  “I wonder how long she has been doing it,” said Rose, nodding toward Mia.

  “She told me she was recruited last year, but she is lying to protect someone.”

  “Do you know who?”

  “Her mother. Mia has been trained all her life.”

  Rose looked at Jack as she put it together. “A moment ago Mia said it was them who killed her father. Is she talking about Chinese Intelligence?”

  “Yes.”

  “My God! They did that to recruit Mia’s mother … who then turned her own daughter into one!”

  “I’m positive, although it may have been done by a rogue officer. Earlier, Mia didn’t think I knew her mother was involved, but she must realize I’ve clued in. I want to confront Jia-li without Mia being around or getting hold of her. I think I can turn Jia-li and my chances of success are better in a one-on-one situation. The Chinese will know we’ll be on to her, but she could still be a wealth of information.”

  “Maybe they’ve already killed her,” said Rose.

  “I doubt it. They let Mia and I live. If they killed Jia-li, we would know. They wouldn’t want the economic and political fallout that would come from that. Also opening up the public’s eyes would ultimately generate more funding for counter-intelligence services.”

  “Then go for it, but there is something else going on tonight that you need to know.”

  “More? After what Mia and I have been through … you’re telling me there’s more?” said Jack, feeling exasperated as his brain told him he had enough to deal with.

  “Not involving us directly. There is some major computer hacking taking place tonight, all over North America. Government and military computers are being hit. Little doubt that it’s the Chinese who are behind it. The techs on our side are throwing everything they have at the problem to try and stop it. If Jia-li co-operates, ask her about it. I don’t know much about that stuff, but I bet she uses computers to relay info to her people. Maybe she knows something that will help.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “You seem confident that you can get her to turn,” noted Rose.

  Jack nodded grimly as he glanced at Mia sitting in the car. He knew who killed Lok Cheng. He also realized that the killer had not told her daughter about the murder. “Sometimes I can be quite charming,” he said.

  Rose knew by his tone of voice that charm would have nothing to do with it.

  Jack stared at Rose and added, “Especially when I’m holding a trump card.”

  Rose’s thoughts went to Lok Cheng’s murder in the flower shop. She saw Jack reading her mind. “Your trump card is last night’s murder, isn’t it?”

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Jack nodded grimly at Mia as he got in the back seat and sat beside her, while Rose got in the front with Laura. Mia stared at Jack, tears running down her face, as she waited for an explanation.

  He held her hand between his and said, “I found out from Frank right before he was shot that it was a Chinese Intelligence officer who murdered your father.” He purposely didn’t tell her it was a case officer. Her mom’s case officer, no doubt …

  More tears welled up in Mia’s eyes and he squeezed her hand, hoping to absorb her pain. “I think it was done as a ruse to befriend your mother and have her become indebted to … the benefactor,” he added.

  “You know,” replied Mia, lamely.

  “Yes, I know.”

  “Mom was a spy to start with, but wanted out,” she said, pulling her hand away. “They must have done it to bring her back into the fold.”

  Jack paused as Mia used her fingertips to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Her body was shivering from shock. “You going to be okay?” he asked.

  Mia shrugged. “I’m okay. What my body is experiencing is a normal reaction following a tragic or shocking event.”

  Jack was taken back at her clinical response, but realized she had her master’s in psychology. Then again, her training started long before university … “I’m having Laura go with you to give a statement to a Detective Wilson,” he said. “When you’re done there, you and I will talk some more.”

  “Is my mom going to be arrested?”

  “As soon as you’re dropped off, I’ll go over to meet with her. If she co-operates, I think everything will work out okay.”

  “Tell her it was a Chinese Intelligence officer who killed Dad. She’ll co-operate. If you like, give me a phone and I’ll tell her myself.”

  “Perhaps later, but not until I am with her.”

  “Of course. That was stupid of me. You think she might have evidence she’ll dispose of or something.”

  “Possibly,” admitted Jack.

  “What should I tell the police in the meantime?” asked Mia.

  “The truth. What else?” replied Jack.

  “No, but how far back do I go? What do I tell him about things not related to tonight?”

  “Laura will tell Wilson that you are our informant. I have worked with him before. He is trustworthy and his interest is only in tonight’s homicides. Start by saying you were introducing me, through Frank, to Benny Wong. Give all the details and everything you can remember from the time we left your car. I see no reason for you to discuss anything else with him at this time. If you feel uncomfortable, ask to speak with Laura.”

  Mia nodded.

  “There is one thing I need to know,” continued Jack, “and we can talk as Laura drives,” he said, with a nod at Laura to get going. “How is spying carried out here?”

  Mia took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Well, basically, much of the spying in Canada used to rely on information gathered by selected students who were only in Canada for a short time. Some was done by others who were working toward their doctorates and offered to work for free for certain companies for a year or two on the pretext of gaining experience.”

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p; “And I gather many Canadian companies are naive enough to jump at the opportunity for free labour,” mused Jack.

  “That, and it makes them feel good to think they are helping a foreign student.”

  “Who is helping themselves to the technology,” noted Jack.

  “Of course, or corrupting their computers for future purposes,” said Mia. “In China, of course, spying on Westerners is different. Hotel rooms are bugged and have hidden video cameras. Blackmail or even false allegations of rape are made to compromise people, but to my knowledge that generally wasn’t tried in foreign countries.”

  “Wasn’t?” asked Jack.

  “I have no personal knowledge that what I just described is taking place in Canada, but things are expanding rapidly. I wouldn’t count it out. Industrial espionage is huge and there’s new technology.”

  “Like computer hacking?” asked Jack.

  “Definitely. That takes place on a daily basis,” Mia replied.

  “How about police computers?” asked Jack. “I know you expressed concern before about us mentioning you in reports.”

  “I don’t know if the police computers are safe. I worried about it when you first interviewed me. I panicked a little, wondering whether or not to tell Frank the truth.”

  “And did you?” asked Jack.

  “Yes. The plan was not to tell Wong, but Frank knew.” She glanced at Jack’s face to see if he was angry. “I also told my mom everything.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Your actions tonight saved my life. I owe you. At the moment, is there anything else you know about computer hacking?”

  “No, but in China new technology is a priority, especially if it can be stolen and save the country millions in research. I think it is common knowledge, at least with all Intelligence agencies, that there is technology to surreptitiously switch on the camera in your mobile phone, as well as audio.”

  “Do you have any special gadgets?”

  “Not really. All I have ever been given is a spy pen that is sold commercially to anyone these days.” She paused, glancing at Jack and said, “I also lied to you before about getting ahold of Mr. Frank through a computer chat room. If I want to send a secret message, all I do is prepare it and put it in the draft folder of my computer. A short time later it disappears.”