LITMIR.BIZ

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      “I’m just saying that your time could be better spent than hassling a few of my boys who might have crossed the line once in a while.”

      “May have crossed the line once in a while?” said Laura, sarcastically.

      Jack gave a slight shake of his head to Laura, signalling for her to be quiet. Damien sent the shoes because he wants us to know something ... but what? Jack looked at Damien and said, “Set our sights higher? On who?”

      “I don’t know. I’m not a rat, but—just for example—I did hear of a couple of Russians who were asking a lot of questions about how to bypass something through the Port of Vancouver. Maybe you should be looking at them.”

      “And what do they intend to smuggle?” asked Jack.

      Damien stared intently at Jack for a moment, and said, really don’t know. I’m not having anything to do with them. Neither is anyone in the club.”

      Jack sensed a look of fear in Damien’s eyes. What is he afraid of?

      “Russian mafia?” asked Laura.

      “Probably connected,” shrugged Damien.

      Jack watched Damien nervously look around as he spoke.

      “You talk to them personally?” asked Jack.

      Damien nodded and said, “For some reason they seemed to think that we had a connection at the Port.”

      “You do,” said Jack.

      Damien flashed an irritated glance at Jack and said, “We met briefly. It was real brief. I did all the talking. I told them we would have nothing to do with them. If you guys, or whoever, were watching—I’m just telling you that we are not involved with anything they might be up to.”

      “And you don’t know what they are up to?” asked Jack.

      “That’s right! I don’t!”

      “Who are they?” asked Jack. “What do they look like?”

      “I don’t remember. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

      “I thought so,” said Jack. “You are involved with them and are protecting them while trying to cover yourself.”

      “I’m not a liar!” said Damien, before clenching his jaw.

      “Then quit playing games. You didn’t call us here for nothing. What is it? Something is eating away at you.”

      Damien glared at Jack for a moment. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Okay, okay. I know I owe you for what you both did in Colombia last year,” he said, lowering his voice. “So I’ll tell you a little something about them. This is just between us, right?”

      “You’ve got my word on that,” replied Jack, glancing at Laura, who nodded her head.

      Damien stared at Jack, nodded in return and said, “They’re both about my age.”

      “And you turned fifty-three last April,” said Jack.

      Damien frowned and Jack added, “It’s like you said, know your enemies.”

      “Yeah,” replied Damien gruffly. “Early fifties. One guy is tall, thin, short grey hair, grey moustache, and a prominent nose that sticks out like a beak. The other is short, fat, and bald with hairy arms. Looks like an orangutan. They mentioned they used to be schoolteachers in Russia.”

      “Schoolteachers!” exclaimed Laura.

      “They’re lying,” said Damien. “These guys are different.”

      “How so?” asked Jack.

      “I know authority types. The tall one for sure has government written all over him. Maybe military ... maybe police ... something. They’re sure as hell not schoolteachers.”

      “So, what are you suggesting?” asked Jack.

      “I’m suggesting that you should be working on them rather than bothering a bunch of working stiffs who occasionally like to get together and ride bikes.”

      Jack started to laugh but Damien interrupted and said, “No, seriously. Whatever they’re up to, I’m not interested. And neither is anyone in the club. Understood?”

      “I understand what you’re telling me,” said Jack.

      “Damn it, Jack! I’m telling you the truth. We are not involved with them!”

      “How do I find them?”

      Damien glanced around and after not seeing anyone, he handed Jack a slip of paper. The names Petya and Styopa were on the paper, along with a cellphone number and an apartment address.

      “There are only three guys on this planet that make me ... uncomfortable,” said Damien. “You,” he said, pointing a finger at Jack, “and these two.”

      Jack studied Damien’s face as he spoke. He is nervous ... so what the hell is going on?

      Damien gestured to the slip of paper in Jack’s hand and said, “They think the cell number is cool so it could prove interesting to you. They also don’t know I know their address. It’s a penthouse suite backing onto Stanley Park. Fairly lavish. Two bedrooms, mini-bar, plasma television, one desk with a laptop computer and ... a bunch of textbooks.”

      “And they don’t know you know their address?” commented Laura, with a bemused look on her face.

      Damien ignored the comment.

      Textbooks? wondered Jack. Odd comment. “What type of textbooks?” he asked.

      “They were in Russian.” Damien stared at Jack and said, “So I don’t know for sure.”

      Jack sensed that there was more to this than Damien was letting on. Or is he uncomfortable admitting that he had his guys break into the Russians’ apartment?

      “You might be interested in who visits them there,” Damien suggested.

      “And who would that be?” asked Jack.

      “How the hell should I know?” Damien pointed to the paper in Jack’s hand and said, “Don’t lose that. I didn’t make a copy and will have nothing further to do with these guys. That’s all I’ve got to say on the matter.”

      Damien turned away and took a step, but stopped and added, “Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. The shoes didn’t arrive how you might think. But I guess if you had toxicology check them for powder you probably already know that.” He handed Laura another piece of paper and walked away.

      “Customs declaration,” said Laura. “The shoes were mailed to him directly. No cargo ship involved.” She stared after Damien. “So, what was that all about? Do you think he’s trying to sidetrack us into working on someone else instead of them?”

      “I don’t think so.”

      “Maybe he wants us to get rid of the competition for him.”

      “He has his own surveillance team and hit squad for dealing with the competition.”

      “Complete with locksmith,” added Laura.

      “Probably the one they call Sparks, from the east-side chapter. He does bugging as well.”

      “Figure he’s bugged the Russians?”

      “I don’t think so. Not after telling us. He’d be afraid we’d find out. No, I think he’s telling the truth when he says he doesn’t want anything to do with them.”

      “So what do you think? That these guys are with the Russian mafia and have got him rattled?”

      Jack shook his head. “Satans Wrath had a problem with the Russian mafia a few years ago. Four Russian brothers were the ringleaders. It took a year or so, but when

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