Jack Taggart Mysteries 7-Book Bundle

by Easton, Don

  Laura decided to ignore the remark and said, “So when you do find out who the Brit is ... what then? Turn him over to I-HIT?”

  “Something like that.”

  “What do you mean, ‘something like that’?”

  “Put yourself in Susan’s position. Imagine being tied to a chair while you watch your baby being tossed in a swimming pool ... then being left there to watch for the next half-hour.”

  “I’ve thought about that,” said Laura quietly. “Often.”

  “If that doesn’t get you, then think about Holly’s dead husband and a toddler by the name of Charlie spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.”

  “So what are you getting at?”

  “We have no solid evidence on the Brit to link him to anything. Just a picture of a guy in a van looking out while I’m getting a call on my cellphone. Even if he was convicted, do you really think that ten or fifteen years in jail is enough for what he did?”

  “So what are you saying? That we should just shoot him?”

  “Personally I think that is letting him off too easy.” Jack thought briefly about two other murders. His niece and nephew. They were killed by bikers, but someone else — Bishop — gave the orders. He looked at Laura and added, “We don’t even know if the Brit is responsible. He could be working for someone else.”

  Laura stared back at him without speaking.

  Jack waited for a moment, then said, “All I’m saying is we can cross that bridge together when we come to it. Who knows what opportunities will arise along the way.”

  “Opportunities? Like what?”

  “Take tonight. I didn’t expect to get this lucky, with the bad guys killing each other and me ending up with $3.5 million. Believe me, I understand your concern.”

  “This wasn’t luck. You orchestrated what took place tonight.”

  “I didn’t know for sure the bikers would get whacked. As long as I had the money, it would make The Toad look bad. My plan still would have worked as long as Damien was suspicious of The Toad.”

  “That aside, when the time comes to cross that bridge you spoke of, what then?”

  “If you are going to be my partner, we’ll discuss it then.”

  Laura sat in silence.

  Jack waited briefly and then said, “Today was a chance to give Satans Wrath a good kick in the balls. Besides losing the money, we’ve just cut off their Colombian connection.”

  Laura gestured to the sports bags in the back seat and asked, “What do you plan on doing with that?”

  Jack sighed, then admitted, “There was another reason I did this tonight.”

  “You wanted to pay off your Visa?”

  “I couldn’t stand the idea that the bad guys had this much money while Holly can’t even afford to buy a wheelchair. In a little while, when things cool down, $1 million goes anonymously to her. Later, in dribs and drabs over a year, the rest to spinal cord research.”

  “That should make Holly happy.”

  “It’s not that much when you consider the expenses she’s going to have. Even if she buys the most modest home, she’ll still be lucky if she has enough left over to cover expenses for the rest of Charlie’s life.”

  Laura nodded, then said, “Considering what she lost — her family, her baby — nothing could compensate for that.”

  “You got that right.”

  “The Colombians will still want the rest of their money back.”

  “Let Satans Wrath figure that out. They’ve still got the coke so it won’t take them long to repay. Maybe they won’t even bother. They’ll know the Colombians won’t deal with them again.”

  Laura remained silent.

  “So that’s the story. Do you want to help me ... or arrest me?”

  Laura continued to remain silent.

  Jack stared at her, then said, “I can’t take the stress any longer.” He withdrew his gun and dropped it in her lap and said, “I’m exhausted, burnt out ... and this conversation is killing me. If you want to call and have me busted, go ahead.”

  Laura sighed, then said, “This is absolutely nuts. Maybe it’s not too late. Let’s haul the body back to the motel. We can’t be doing this. It’s wrong.”

  “What’s wrong about it? The guy is even getting a proper burial — almost.”

  Laura glanced at her watch and saw that they didn’t have much time. Even taking the body back could land us both in jail. She thought for a moment and then said, “Just a minute,” and went to the trunk and took another look.

  “What were you doing?” Jack asked when she returned.

  “Small calibre that plugged him. Hardly any blood,” she said, while handing Jack his gun back. “Obviously wasn’t your piece.”

  “I told you I didn’t shoot him.”

  “So you said, but you also lie to people. Let’s take him back. There’s still time.”

  Jack tried to wipe the sleep and stress from his eyes, then turned on the interior light and said, “Take a look at the picture stuck in the sun visor.”

  Laura removed the picture.

  “That’s Charlie taking his first steps. I want you to imagine him in a wheelchair, maybe for the rest of his life. I want you to picture his mother. Stuck with raising a paraplegic baby and another child who is only four years old.”

  Laura looked at Jack.

  “Don’t look at me! Look at the picture! Right now there is no cure, but research indicates that spinal cord repair and regeneration is possible. A cure for paralysis could be as close as ten years away, but it takes money! Tell me again that what I am doing is wrong! You really think we should turn this money over to the politicians! Come with me now if you’re not convinced. We’ll go to BCCH and I’ll introduce you to Charlie face to face! After that you can drop in and have a tea with Susan O’Reilly.”

  Laura was silent for a moment, but her hand shook as she held the photo. Then she put the photo back and said, “You know how to get to my under-belly, don’t you?”

  “Yes ... because my feelings are the same as yours.”

  “You’re lucky I was stationed in Alberta. I know the expression ‘shoot, shovel, and shut up.’ Looks like the shooting is done. Time now to shovel and shut up.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Laura ignored him and continued, “There is one condition. If we find the Brit, we turn him over to I-HIT.”

  Jack took a deep breath and then let it out. “Thanks. I agree. From what Danny says, you’re probably right on that account.”

  Moments later, Laura followed Jack’s car in her own through the cemetery gate and along a narrow path lined with tombstones. He parked over a small hill, near a grave laden with flowers. They both got out of their cars to talk.

  “This one is fresh,” said Jack. “I’ll have to remember exactly how the flowers were laid, as well as how the sod was re-laid. It shouldn’t take me long to shovel and I’ve got spare blankets so the dirt won’t show.”

  “Too bad you didn’t find a fresh hole. Bury him a little and have the coffin go on top.”

  “I’ve checked. They have liners that go inside with a cover on top. Someone would know if it was tampered with.”

  Laura glanced at Jack and said, “Out of curiosity, how long have you really been planning this?”

  “As I said, I didn’t know what was going to happen until tonight.”

  “Then ... do you have other people buried in here?” Jack nodded.

  Oh, man...

  “My niece and nephew.”

  “Oh! Right,” she said, and then blurted, “I heard Bishop was killed in an accident in Mexico.”

  “Yeah, I heard that too. Come on. Help me with the blankets and flowers. Maybe the sod, too. Then get down by the gate and park at the entrance. Security came through when you first arrived. We should have about three hours. I should be done by then, but if I’m not, you stop him.”

  Laura nodded and said, “I’ll be the grieving lady in distress. I should be able to handle it.”

>   Jack opened the trunk and turned to Laura and said, “Welcome to your first shift on Intelligence. Looks like you and I are about to become good friends.”

  Laura gave Jack a hard look and said, “Don’t make fun of this. Would your wife stick by you if she knew what you were doing?”

  “She wouldn’t be happy, but I think she would agree with it.”

  “Maybe that’s because she doesn’t work in Anti-Corruption.”

  Her words were not lost on Jack. It’s easier to be brave when you don’t have so much to lose. It occurred to him that Laura might be one of the bravest people he ever met.

  In Colombia, Carlos flung his telephone against the wall and swore. Because Damien lives in Canada, he thinks he can spit in my face! His orders were clear. Retaliation would be immediate!

  Jack had made two serious miscalculations. First, he had presumed that Carlos was a businessman and relatively sane. Second, he knew Damien as a pragmatist and had expected him to react calmly and logically to a situation that would see his power restored.

  chapter twenty-three

  It was taking Jack much longer than he had expected. More than three hours passed before he lifted The Toad out of the trunk and placed him in the grave. He was exhausted. It would take at least another hour to finish.

  He was just starting to shovel the dirt back in when an arc of headlights over the hill and the sound of a horn at the gate caused his body to tense.

  Laura pretended she didn’t notice the small white car with SECURITY printed on the door as it slowed down on the street before turning in and parking behind her. She discreetly unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse, then held her face in her hands and started crying.

  Moments later, the beam from the security guard’s flashlight hit her face. Her mouth and eyes opened wide with apparent shock. Her elbow hit the horn as she scrambled to roll the window down.

  “Miss, what are you doing here? I’m going to ask you to move your car immediately. You’re blocking the entrance.”

  “Oh, sir. I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “Can’t you just drive around me?”

  “It’s pretty tight,” he replied. “Still, would you mind explaining to me...” He stopped when his flashlight beam fell upon Laura’s sleeves.

  Jack had provided her with surgical gloves to help roll back the sod, but they had not protected her arms. Now she saw dried mud on both sleeves.

  “I want you to step out of the car, now!” he ordered.

  Oh, man...

  Laura stepped out and the security guard shone his flashlight over her body, then saw that her shoes were also muddy. He held the flashlight above his head and slowly shone a beam of light across the cemetery grounds. “What have you been doing in here?” he demanded.

  “I’m sorry,” sobbed Laura. “I’m sure I killed it. I don’t know what to do,” she wailed.

  “You what?”

  “The cat,” said Laura, pointing down the street toward the corner of the cemetery grounds. “Down there, by the culvert. I was driving and it just ran out in front of me.” She put her hand on the guard’s arm and added, “I tried to stop! But I ... just couldn’t. I heard the noise of its little head under my car. My God, it was sickening. I can’t bear to think about it!”

  “Oh!” said the guard as he shone his light toward the corner. “I didn’t ... I’m sorry. Take it easy. It’s not your fault if...”

  “I, I pulled in here and ran back. I thought I heard it down in the culvert. I reached in, but I couldn’t find it. It’s so dark and dirty down there. I don’t know what to do. We can’t just leave it there!”

  The security guard allowed his flashlight to pan Laura’s body one more time before saying, “Come on, hop in with me. Show me exactly where. We can use my flashlight to look.”

  Laura rode with the security guard and directed him to park down the block.

  “It’s almost four-thirty in the morning,” noted the security guard. “You always out this late?”

  “Not usually. My girlfriend organized a singles party. By the time I helped her clean up, it was pretty late. She wanted me to sleep there. Wish I had.”

  “Really?” The security guard’s tone revealed his interest as he adjusted his rear-view mirror lower than it should have been. “Meet anybody interesting?”

  “No,” said Laura glumly. “Just the usual beaters, cheaters, and bottom feeders. Sprinkled with a few who were either emotionally or physically gimped. Then there were a couple of gays and lesbians. Wasn’t for me. The men I did talk to were wussies.” She then glanced at him and said, “Isn’t your job dangerous? Working out here all alone at night?”

  The first rays of sunlight were visible on some scattered clouds to the east when Jack slowly drove past Laura and the security guard. They were still parked at the end of the block and Laura was drinking out of a Thermos cup.

  Fifteen minutes later, Laura parked behind Jack and walked to his car. She turned her back briefly as she remembered to do up the buttons on her blouse, then got in.

  “What took you so long?” she asked. “If I had to sit another minute with that wannabe cop I’d be digging him a hole in there!”

  Jack allowed himself a grin, then said, “Sorry. It was a lot tougher to do than I thought it would be.”

  “Oh? So this is the first time you’ve done this?”

  Jack ignored the question and said, “Let’s find a washroom to clean up. Then go sit on the Spotted Owl.”

  “Speaking of that, how come you’re not dirty?”

  “Had an old pair of coveralls in the trunk. Bought them last year for Danny when he had to do surveil-lance from a pile of garbage.”

  “Would have been nice if you had thought to provide me with a pair,” she said, gesturing to the dried mud on her sleeves. “Not to mention, my shoes are ruined.”

  It was six-thirty when Laura used the binoculars to scan the motel from a lot across the street. “How long, you figure?” she asked.

  “There’s a bloody smear on the sidewalk outside the door. Someone should notice.”

  Damien thanked Vicki when she poured him another cup of coffee, then went back to reading the morning paper. It was nine o’clock in the morning. Buck and Sarah were still in bed, but Katie was up and chatting with excitement about going to an afternoon birthday party. Vicki had promised to take her shopping for new clothes for the event.

  Damien leapt from his chair when Katie toppled her glass of orange juice, sending the liquid over the edge of the table.

  “Sorry, Dad! It slipped!”

  “It’s okay,” he grumbled. “Quit talking and get a cloth.”

  Vicki smiled at her husband and said, “It’s a pretty big event. Not every day that your much older friend turns nine.”

  Damien rolled his eyes, then said, “Right. Older by what? Five months?”

  “We’ll leave in a few minutes, honest,” said Vicki, kissing Damien on his forehead as he sat back down.

  Damien received a message on his BlackBerry. It was from Lance. The message was coded but told him that the shipments had gone as planned last night.

  Is this good news or bad? Good news is I’ll be getting my money back. Bad news is there’s little doubt as to who will be the new national president.

  “See ya in about two hours, Papa Bear,” said Vicki, giving him another kiss on the top of his head.

  “Goodbye, Daddy.”

  Damien wrapped one arm around Katie and gave her a hug and then a kiss. “Tell Mommy that she’s not to spend more than five dollars on you,” he said.

  “Daddy!”

  Damien chuckled, but his joy turned sour as soon as Vicki and Katie left. The Toad isn’t the type to want anyone with brains around who could question his actions once he takes over. Surprised he isn’t here gloating right now.... Hope his hangover kills him.

  Vicki found a place to park, then opened her door to get out. She was thinking that her life had been blessed. Her family was happy and healthy, and her husband
had climbed his way to the top of the ... corporate ladder. She smirked when she thought of it as a corporation. But that’s what it is, isn’t it? An international corporation continuing to expand around the world. This thing with the new mortgage and The Toad ... somehow it would work out. It always did.

  She had turned in her seat and placed one foot out of the Hummer when a man’s fist buried deep into her midriff. The air exploded from her lungs and her body doubled over as the force of the punch rammed her backwards across the seat.

  Vicki gasped for air as she tried to scream, but the man’s fingers and thumb formed a claw to dig deep into her throat and squeeze until she felt her windpipe begin to collapse. She lay still, hoping he would stop. He stopped squeezing but kept the pressure on her throat.

  Vicki saw other men moving about. She saw a man gripping Katie by the throat. Katie’s bulging eyes briefly stared down at her as she was dragged out of sight to the rear of the Hummer.

  “Think we’ve got action!” said Laura. “The maid stopped her cart outside the door.”

  “Too bad,” replied Jack. “I was just starting to doze off.”

  “She’s kneeling down and looking up ... now she’s standing ... knocking.” Laura passed the binoculars over to Jack.

  “Using her pass key,” he said, then lowered the binoculars. “Guess you don’t need binos to see that!”

  The maid ran across the parking lot to the office. Jack and Laura looked at each other and then slumped low in their seats.

  Vicki and Katie were gagged, blindfolded, and bound, with their wrists taped together behind their backs. Vicki guessed that her Hummer had been driving for half an hour before it stopped. Then she heard the sound of a large overhead door close.

  Moments later they were both hauled out and the tape was ripped from their eyes. Vicki saw that they were in a small warehouse. The strong smell of coffee was in the air and burlap sacks were piled on various pallets.