Jack Taggart Mysteries 7-Book Bundle

by Easton, Don

  “Mom, look closer at his eyes,” pleaded Noah. “He even has the same freckles on his nose.”

  Gabriel looked again and after a few seconds she brought her face closer to the screen. “Good heavens, you’re right,” she said in amazement. “It is him!” She looked at Jack and added, “But his hair is short now and he is clean shaven.”

  “Told you so,” said Noah, looking pleased with himself.

  Jack knew the man in the photo. Herman Varrick. A year and a half ago Varrick ran one of seven labs on which Jack orchestrated raids after receiving information from an informant inside Satans Wrath. An informant he no longer had.

  To make matters worse, Satans Wrath had an informant of their own. Someone working in Drug Section had tipped off some of the labs prior to the raid. Those who were arrested were released the following day. Some were still awaiting trial, including Varrick. So far, the dirty narc had never been identified.

  Jack reflected upon the time of the raids and the time that Varrick moved into Gabriel’s home. Varrick relocated here as a result of what I did. I’m responsible for —

  Faith coughed and started to cry.

  Jack stared at Faith. His brain tried to protect him from what his actions may have caused. Maybe she has a cold. Could be nothing — the cold air return under her bed … still …

  He continued to stare as his thoughts gave in to the more likely reason for her illness. He clenched his jaw in an effort to control his own tears of frustration and sadness.

  Chapter Four

  Jack and Laura stood in the backyard and quickly told Connie what they knew.

  “Herman Varrick,” Connie said. “So he’s a member of Satans Wrath?”

  “Not a member,” replied Jack. “They wouldn’t risk having a club member take a chance like that. But Varrick was under their control before. I’m sure he and his fellow lab rats are still receiving their orders from Satans Wrath. Last time the bikers had a prospect handling the lab rats to act as a go-between with a member of the club. Things have changed since then, but Satans Wrath will still be in control … only more insulated.”

  Connie looked pensive so Laura said, “A prospect is like a probationary member of the club. Sometimes they call him a striker.”

  “Yeah, I know that,” replied Connie dismissively. “I was deciding how to approach the situation. If Satans Wrath are handling these guys, I know I won’t get any confessions, even if I do find traces of blood.”

  “You don’t think traces of blood up some guy’s nose and in his ears would be enough to convict?” asked Laura.

  “I doubt it,” replied Connie. “Defence would have their client say they were there and tried to stop the assault. Turn the murderer into a hero. I want more than blood drops if we’re dealing with Satans Wrath.” She turned to Jack and said, “What do you think? You’re the expert on these guys.”

  “You’re right about not getting a confession from them,” said Jack. “Last time we caught them their lawyer was waiting at the office before the narcs got back with the prisoners.”

  “Wasn’t that the same lawyer who later disappeared?” asked Connie, looking at Jack with suspicion. “Rumoured to have been murdered by a Colombian drug cartel?”

  “That’s the one,” replied Jack. “Having to obtain a new lawyer is a standard excuse the bad guys use to drag out their court cases.” He stared momentarily at Connie and added, “And for your information, the lawyer was murdered —”

  Connie’s eyebrows furrowed.

  “— by bad guys,” continued Jack. “At least, according to a reliable informant we used to have.”

  Connie felt a little relieved. Not that he wasn’t involved somehow …

  “Enough chit-chat,” said Jack. “I’m taking Gabriel and her kids to the Children’s Hospital. She’s in no shape to drive. I’ve spoken with Natasha. Everyone who has spent time in the house needs to be checked, as well.”

  “We have priorities,” said Connie. “We need to find these guys. I’ll get uniform to take her. I want you to —”

  “No, I’m taking her,” replied Jack firmly. “For the next hour, Faith is my priority. I’ve got Natasha pulling some strings for us. It’s better if I do it. In the meantime, Laura can go back to the office and start digging.”

  Giving in was not one of Connie’s traits, but she had dealt with Jack before. Giving in was not one of his traits, either. She decided not to waste time arguing. Besides, with Jack, I’ll lose, anyway. “Okay,” she replied. “I’ll save the statement taking for some other time.”

  Jack looked at Laura and added, “Grab a ride back to the office with uniform.”

  Laura nodded and said, “I’ll talk to the narcs and see if we can come up with an address for Varrick. Also go through our intel and see who he was with when he was arrested last time.”

  “Careful about who you talk to in Drug Section,” cautioned Jack.

  “I know. I’ll use Sammy’s team and tell them to be discreet.”

  “You, uh, mind filling me in on that?” asked Connie.

  “This stays between us,” answered Jack. “A year and a half ago when we raided the labs, someone in Drug Section tipped off the bad guys and two of the labs had been cleaned out.”

  “Bastard,” replied Connie. “Who did it?”

  “Never identified as far as I know,” replied Jack, looking at Laura for confirmation.

  “That true, Laura?” asked Connie who knew that Laura’s husband, Elvis, worked for the Anti-Corruption Unit, which handled the heavier cases coming out of Internal Affairs.

  “Not yet,” replied Laura. “I spoke to Elvis about it. He says they’re narrowing it down. The office is broken into teams who work on different projects. By moving members around to different teams it basically becomes a process of elimination to figure out what is being leaked and who knew about it.”

  “The old shell game,” commented Jack.

  “So far they still don’t know,” added Laura. “Elvis does assure me that Sammy’s team is clean. In fact, Sammy has been helping disseminate bogus info for Elvis on occasion.”

  “So we have a dirty narc to hinder us. Isn’t that lovely,” said Connie sarcastically.

  “Do you want Varrick arrested if I locate him?” asked Laura.

  “We need to identify his two playmates,” replied Connie. “If you find him, do surveillance and see who he hangs with. I’d like to give Forensics a chance to see if they come up with something. The more nails we have to put in their coffins the better.”

  Jack sat with Gabriel at her kitchen table while Noah and Faith were in the living room. “The men in your basement were running a clandestine lab,” said Jack.

  “You found an illegal drug lab in my basement!” said Gabriel in astonishment.

  “All their equipment and chemicals are gone, but they were definitely running a lab.”

  “No, you don’t understand,” said Gabriel. “I told you before. They were running a janitorial supply service. What you smell is —”

  “No,” replied Jack firmly. “I know the man that Noah identified. He is a criminal. I’m sorry, but I am positive they were not operating a janitorial service.”

  “Oh, dear,” said Gabriel. She glanced toward the living room and said, “I really am dense.”

  “These guys are good at deceiving people,” said Jack. “They easily manipulate judges and juries. It’s their profession. We have found lots of labs operating right under people’s noses.”

  Gabriel looked at Jack and muttered, “I really am stupid.”

  “No, you simply aren’t familiar with how criminals operate. Hind sight is 20/20.”

  “They seemed so nice …” Gabriel sighed and added, “My sister often commented that I was a little too naive.”

  “Our concern is that these labs can be very carcinogenic,” said Jack. “My wife feels it would be a good idea for everyone to be checked out as a precaution. I would like to drive you and your children to B.C. Children’s Hospital
.”

  “You want to drive us to the hospital now?” asked Gabriel, glancing nervously at Faith who was back lying on the sofa. She paused and stared at Jack briefly. “What is it?” she demanded. “What haven’t you told me? You looked in her room, under her bed … what … what is it? Tell me!”

  Jack took a deep breath and said, “There is a cold air return under her bed that leads directly to a room in the basement that the men used for their lab.”

  “But you said everything has been cleaned out,” replied Gabriel as her brain went into denial. “You can’t be sure. You said the man used to be a criminal. It doesn’t mean he still is.”

  Jack shook his head to show she was wrong.

  “Father Brown said that there is not enough forgiveness in society,” said Gabriel accusingly. “That we often expect the worst of people, making it difficult for those who have truly repented to be welcomed back into society.”

  “The person Noah identified is someone I arrested for running a meth lab a year and a half ago. It appears he moved to your house after he was arrested. I checked downstairs. There are still signs of what they were doing. I’m experienced in these matters. I have no doubt.”

  Gabriel looked at Jack as the realization sunk in. “You mean you knew about him a year and a half ago and let him go?” she said harshly. “Why didn’t you keep him in jail? You’re telling me that you allowed him to come here and murder Father Brown. Maybe hurt my family! How could you do that? What kind of person are you to —”

  “Mom! What’s wrong?” interjected Noah as he bounded into the kitchen at the sound of his mother’s yelling. When he didn’t get an answer, he stood between the two adults and looked defiantly at Jack.

  Jack eyed him briefly. You feel you had to become the man of the house when you dad died. Protective … “Son,” said Jack quietly, “A terrible thing has happened. People, even adults, are upset. It will be okay.”

  “I’m not your son,” said Noah defiantly. “Don’t ever call me that.”

  “You’re right,” said Jack, “and I apologize. You’re the one who found the bad guy for us. Pretty impressive that you could keep your cool after what has happened.” Jack looked at Gabriel and said, “I bet you’re awfully proud of him.”

  “I am,” replied Gabriel. “I’ve always been proud of him.”

  Jack nodded. The break from the previous conversation served to calm Gabriel’s voice.

  “About the bad guy,” said Jack, “the choice to keep him in jail was not mine to make.”

  “But if he didn’t quit, why didn’t you arrest him again? Why did you let him stay here?”

  “I’m sorry,” replied Jack sincerely. “About a year and a half ago, seven labs were raided by the police all in one day. Many people were arrested. They were all released shortly after appearing in court. I work for an intelligence unit dealing with organized crime. The majority of the people arrested that day were too low on the criminal ladder for me to keep track of. There are far more criminals than there are police officers. We simply don’t have the manpower to keep following everyone we would like.”

  “These men commit murder and you’re telling me they are too low on the ladder for you to work on?” she replied bitterly.

  Jack sighed and said, “Maybe you have a right to condemn me, but I still need to drive you all to the hospital. My wife works in a medical clinic, but she has made arrangements to see that Faith receives priority.”

  Gabriel did not utter a word during the forty-five minute drive to the hospital. Noah was a little more inquisitive, but was content to hear that it was a matter of routine for everyone to be checked by a physician under such circumstances.

  When Gabriel took her children to meet with a physician, Jack spoke to a grief counsellor at the hospital by the name of Phyllis. He gave her his business card and asked her to help Gabriel and let him know if there was anything he could do.

  “I’ll be glad to,” replied Phyllis. “Gabriel is lucky to have you involved. So tell me, how are Holly and Charlie doing? Do you see them?”

  Jack was taken back. He did not know Phyllis, but during a previous investigation he had dealt with Holly and her young son, Charlie, who had become paraplegic as a result of a bullet. A bullet meant for Jack.

  “Holly opened up a small restaurant on the North Shore,” said Jack. “I still see her on occasion. She and Charlie, and her daughter, Jenny, seem to be doing okay.”

  “Good to hear,” Phyllis replied. “I saw her about a year ago when she brought Charlie in for a check-up.”

  “Have you and I met?” asked Jack.

  “No, but I saw you coming to visit Charlie. Holly thinks the world of you, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” said Jack. “Holly is a nice lady. So is Gabriel, so I would appreciate anything you can do for her. I would also like to be kept in the loop.”

  “I’ll do what I can for her, but as far as keeping you apprised of anything medical … well, I shouldn’t really do that without Gabriel’s permission.”

  “I’m not exactly in her good books. One of the men running a lab in her basement is someone I had arrested before. I never kept track of him after the arrest and he simply changed locations and set up a new lab in Gabriel’s basement. He’s still awaiting trial. Indirectly I am to blame for this.”

  “You’re responsible? What about the man you arrested? Seems to me we should hold the criminals responsible for their actions.”

  Jack snorted and said, “Novel idea. You should suggest that to our judicial system.”

  “The point is, it wasn’t you who would have released him.” She pointed her finger at Jack’s chest and said, “You’re not responsible. Indirectly or otherwise.”

  Jack smiled politely. “Thanks, I guess you’re right.” Except I know he was released to an unsuspecting public. Knowing all that and I still didn’t do anything …

  Phyllis agreed to keep in touch. Before Jack left the hospital, he once more met with Gabriel and handed her his business card.

  She took it reluctantly and said, “I called my sister. We’ll spend the weekend with her.”

  “My cell number is on the card,” Jack said. “Call me when you need to go home.”

  “I don’t need your help,” she replied bitterly.

  Jack stared at Gabriel momentarily and said, “I promise you that I will get who did this.”

  “That will not bring Father Brown back,” replied Gabriel, “nor will it help my children. God will decide what mercy these men should receive.”

  Jack thought about Gabriel’s comment on his way back to the parking lot. His self-incrimination became replaced by something else. Rage. Rage at a justice system he knew to be inept. By the time he arrived at his car, he lost his ability to hold his emotions in check. It resulted in a couple of bruised knuckles and a dent in his car door.

  The trouble is, lady, your religious placebo might work for you … but I don’t believe in gods … or showing mercy to people like Varrick.

  Chapter Five

  It was late afternoon when Jack returned to the office.

  “How did it go?” asked Laura.

  Jack shrugged and said, “Did what I could. Put Gabriel in touch with a grief counsellor. It’ll be a few days before the doctors know anything. How did you make out?”

  “The only address on Varrick is the one he gave when he was arrested last time. It’s his parents’ house in Port Coquitlam. He has the same address on his driver’s licence, but doesn’t have any vehicles registered to him. He was released without any reporting conditions. Connie has a team sitting on the parents’ house, but it doesn’t look good.”

  “I’m sure it’s not. When’s his next court appearance?”

  “He’s had his prelim and is scheduled for trial at the end of April.”

  “Three months away.”

  “Connie wasn’t happy when she heard.”

  “We’ll find him before then,” replied Jack.

  Laura gestured to a moun
d of reports on her desk and said, “I’m trying. I’ve collected every scrap of info I can on him and anyone he has been known to associate with.”

  “He could still be taking orders through some prospect with Satans Wrath.”

  “I know, but nothing is popping up to indicate who. I’ve been trying to triangulate any common denominators, phone numbers, anything I can find. Keeping track of Satans Wrath and their associates was bad enough before. Now that they are affiliating with all these street gangs it is worse. This is a mess,” she said, gesturing at all the reports. “It didn’t sound like he actually lived in Gabriel’s basement, but where he is staying is anybody’s guess.”

  “He probably didn’t sleep at Gabriel’s because of the danger to his health,” said Jack. “Also it was booby-trapped, so that’s another sign that they weren’t there all the time.”

  “With what we’ve got it seems hopeless,” lamented Laura.

  Jack swept half the mound of paperwork onto his desk and looked at Laura. “We will find him,” he said determinedly.

  It was early evening when Connie stopped in.

  “Anything on the surveillance?” asked Laura, glancing up from her desk.

  Connie shook her head. “The parents are there, but no sign of Herman yet. He could be in the house, but the only car in the driveway is registered to his parents. I’ve got a feeling he isn’t home. Let’s hope he shows up later.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” said Jack. “How did Forensics make out?”

  “No prints,” replied Connie, while wheeling an office chair over and sitting down. “Not even a footprint or tire track.” Her face brightened a little and she added, “Did find one black hair stuck to a piece of skull out on the lawn. Father Brown had grey hair, so it’s not his.”

  “Varrick has red,” said Jack.

  “Yeah, I know,” frowned Connie. “That’s why I’m here. How are you making out? Did he have a buddy with him last time he was arrested? Someone he might be staying with?”

  “He did,” replied Laura. “I checked him first. Confirmed that he’s been in jail for the last two months for assault.”