LITMIR.BIZ

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turned to her brother. “You knew? Why didn’t —”

      McCloskey wasn’t finished. “I thought you were letting me wander into the lion’s den, and I didn’t care. But now I’m thinking it was more like you were sending me in do your dirty work for you.”

      That got Fields’ blood moving. “Hey, I fight my —”

      “You don’t want to go up against that kind of power, the kind of power a crusader cop and upstanding citizen like yourself bows down to every day.”

      Fields tried to get up but then sat back down before he fell down. For as alive as he was right now, he felt like that bullet might as well have gone straight through his head. McCloskey continued kicking.

      “You were counting on me to quickly make the connection and take out Davies, and why not? I got nothing to lose, not like you. You’re on the right side of the law, the right side of the tracks, the right side of everything, aren’t you, Henry? Davies’ cleanup crew has been tearing through the city ever since he arrived. You turned a blind eye at first because they were only killing their own — people like my pa, Billy, and Mo Lesperance.”

      Clara let out a little gasp. “Lesperance is dead?”

      McCloskey turned to Clara. “Yeah, and with the full cooperation of Ojibway’s finest.”

      The stench of corruption. McCloskey held it right under Fields’ nose.

      “So has your opinion changed now that you’ve seen how easily you and Clara can be targeted, now that there is no right or wrong side? Honestly, Henry, I can’t figure out if you’re naïve or just plain stupid.”

      Clara kept eyeing her brother. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised at his behaviour any more, but she was. To naïve and stupid she would add conniving and two-faced. McCloskey started pacing the room. Fields sat with his eyes closed and his hand bracing the side of his head.

      “No,” confessed Fields, “I didn’t tell you everything. Neither did I have a plan. I just knew that if I added you to the mix, something was bound to happen, and it might lead to an opportunity for me and the other boys.”

      He gave a heavy sigh and then spilled. He explained how Davies had wasted no time establishing himself in the city, winning over the chief of police, a good portion of city council, and a number of key businessmen. Old allegiances broke down and new ones were forming. Cops were talking about left and right, black and white, red and Richard Davies. He said that for Davies bootlegging was a means to an end rather than an end in itself, though Fields wasn’t exactly sure what exactly that end might be. McCloskey told Fields what Jigsaw said about the coal strike. Fields’ eyes went wide.

      A knock at the door cut the conversation. McCloskey instinctively receded into the room.

      “Are you expecting someone?” he said.

      Fields straightened up. “It’s Locke.”

      “What?”

      “He’s in the pro-Davies camp, so don’t even mention his name, all right?”

      “Jesus, Henry.”

      “Trust me.”

      Clara answered the door. Locke was in uniform. He almost drew his weapon when he saw McCloskey.

      “Whoa,” said Fields and raised a hand.

      “What’s he doing here?” asked Locke.

      “It seems we have a common enemy,” said Fields and then he looked to McCloskey to jump in.

      McCloskey felt like Fields had just pushed him into a corner. He had to think fast, and he had to make this work.

      “The Lieutenant,” he said. “He had my father and brother taken out last night. Apparently I was supposed to be part of that takedown, but something somewhere went wrong for them.”

      Locke must have felt the same. He was clearly uncertain. McCloskey continued to improvise.

      “They know I’m not going to walk away without a fight. But when it’s over I’ll leave the Border Cities for good, peacefully.”

      “We’re laying old grievances to rest, Tom,” said Fields. “We need to work together if we’re going to get through this.”

      Locke was still hesitating. Fields asked McCloskey to excuse them and then led Locke into the dining room for a heart to heart. He would have to leave out mention of Davies. That was okay; Fields knew what angle to play.

      “Look at this as an opportunity for us to change things, Tom. We help McCloskey take down his old outfit and there’s a good chance they’ll take down the dirt we have on the force with them.”

      Locke liked the idea but felt there was still a lot at stake. He would agree only if they’d make McCloskey the fall guy should anything go wrong.

      “Okay,” said Fields. He was expecting that. He wanted Locke to make the demand so that he felt like he was getting something for his troubles. The two cops went back into the front room. Fields gave McCloskey the nod.

      “Now,” said Fields, “what did you learn from the good doctor?”

      “He’s not a real doctor.”

      “My aunt could have told you that.”

      “I know. His lawyer stopped his mouth before I could get anything else out of him.”

      “Lawyer?”

      “Arrived minutes after we did. Somebody must have called from the jail.”

      “So we’ve got nothing.”

      “Not quite.”

      Locke pulled a photo from his breast pocket and handed it to Fields. “This him?”

      “Look familiar?”

      “I think so.”

      “He was at the Elliott.”

      Fields was still trying to sort out the morning’s events. It was coming back to him slowly, one piece at a time and in no particular order. “Yeah, he ran right past me.”

      “Was he the one that shot you?” asked Clara.

      “I’m not sure.”

      “Do you remember the photo I showed you last week?” asked Locke.

      “The guy you followed from the Prince Edward?” said Fields.

      “Yeah.”

      “It’s the same guy.”

      Fields studied the photo a little closer. Locke filled in McCloskey, gave him the nickel version.

      “A bootlegger I was shadowing met up with this guy in the picture a few days ago and passed him a thick envelope. I followed him to the Prince Edward. He resurfaced about an hour later, got back in his car and headed out to Riverside. He pulled into a waterfront property, opposite Belle Isle.”

      “Whose?”

      “Belongs to a businessman from Detroit. He rents it out in the summer months. That’s all I’ve been able to gather.”

      “We should check it out,” said McCloskey.

      “We?” said Locke.

      “Yeah, me and you.”

      “This is a police matter, McCloskey.”

      McCloskey knew how Locke operated. “Will you be wearing your uniform? Carrying a badge?”

      All eyes went to Locke, who swallowed bitterly.

      “I thought as much,” said McCloskey. “Meet me outside the British-American at ten tonight. We’ll take my car.”

      Fields slumped back in the chesterfield. He needed to get some rest. And McCloskey needed to get away from Locke. Clara came to

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