LITMIR.BIZ

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didn’t reply, so Jack added, “This is still the beginning. We’re barely started. With our friend in the position he is in, we can really do some damage to these guys.”

      “I don’t know,” said Danny. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” The anger had gone from his voice. He sounded tired and beaten.

      “Things don’t always turn out the way you figure,” said Jack. “When you first start this job you envision yourself wearing a white Stetson and riding in to catch bad guys. You tend to think things are either black or white. That’s a fantasy. In real life, if you’re effective in this job and expect to survive, then your Stetson tends to get a little grey after awhile.”

      “Yeah? Well I think your fucking cowboy hat has turned black!”

      Jack was quiet for a moment, then said, “You’re tired ... I’m tired. It’s almost four. It’ll take you half an hour to get home. Go now and I’ll tidy up in the office. Spend some time with your family and get some rest. Let’s both just calm down and we can talk about it on Monday.”

      Susan gasped and her eyes widened with terror when she saw a third man appear, holding Jimmy in his arms. She tried to scream but sucked saliva into her lungs and gagged and coughed as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

      “I’m thinking that your little one would fit in your outside grill ... then again, I don’t know if I have a match. Hmm, let me think. Perhaps the pool? Yes! Perfect! Which baby do you choose? Tell me now ... or I will presume that you want them both killed.”

      Susan continued to cry and shake her head.

      “Oh, how silly of me. You can’t talk.” He took Tiffany from the other man’s arms and held her up and said, “Shall I drown this one? Or ... oh, I see by the way you are shaking your head that you’ve obviously chosen the little one.”

      It was almost four o’clock when Susan watched the man carry Jimmy out into the backyard. He flipped up a corner of the pool’s blue plastic cover and turned and looked at her. Seconds later, she watched as he dropped Jimmy into the water. Briefly she saw the shape of his body wriggling at the bottom of the pool before disappearing from view. The man waved at her and then they all left.

      chapter sixteen

      “Hey, babe! I’m home.” Danny didn’t get a response but he heard a thumping sound coming from his kitchen. He entered and saw Susan, taped to a chair that was lying on its side. She was banging her head against the floor. Tiffany was taped to the pedestal of the kitchen table.

      He drew his 9mm and rushed over to kneel by Susan. She stared up at him. He expected her eyes to look frantic. They didn’t. They looked glassy ... lifeless. He grabbed the telephone on the kitchen counter and dialled 911 while covering off the entrance to the kitchen with his pistol. He was conscious of Susan’s methodical banging of her head on the floor. Sorry, babe. Just a few more seconds ...Tiffany crying and squirming ... everything is going to be okay.

      Danny gave quick instructions into the telephone, and then left it off the hook as he knelt beside Susan and peeled back the tape from her mouth.

      “Jimmy!” she choked. “They killed our Jimmy!”

      Caution disappeared in a flash as panic sent Danny racing across the kitchen toward Jimmy’s room.

      “No!” cried Susan. “Outside,” she added softly. “They drowned him half an hour ago.”

      Danny turned abruptly. He saw the blue cover on the pool flipped back and drooping over the edge.

      Assistant Commissioner Isaac thought about the meeting he’d had a few minutes earlier. Inspector Crana was sharp. His position on the Vancouver RCMP Drug Section demanded it. Isaac brooded over what he had been told. No, the narcs hadn’t heard of any large influx of cocaine hitting the streets this week. It was the opposite. Many major players were pulling a disappearing act.

      Inspector Crana had assured Isaac that he would tell his people to canvas all informants and sources to find out what was going on. He would also check with VPD to see if they had heard anything unusual.

      Isaac was just putting on his raincoat to head home when Inspector Crana called.

      “Sir, I checked with VPD. Their Vice Unit doesn’t have anything, but their Homicide does. Three high-level cocaine dealers have been murdered within the last two days. A couple more are missing. The dealers don’t appear to be connected with each other.”

      “Are they affiliated with any groups? Satans Wrath, Indos, Russians...”

      “No, sir. Not that anyone knows of. It might be coincidental.”

      “I don’t think it’s coincidental,” replied Isaac, with a noticeable edge to his voice. “You said earlier that many major players were pulling a disappearing act. What do they know that we don’t? Get on this!”

      Isaac thought about it as he drove home. Taggart has a secret meeting with Damien, who then returns in a van that had been used to transport cocaine. Now dealers are being murdered? Isaac shook his head in frustration. There always seemed to be one common denominator when people were murdered. Taggart!

      Jack was also on his way home when he received a call on his cell.

      “Jack! What’s going on?”

      He recognized Connie Crane’s voice. “Hey, CC. I was just thinking about you. Anything new on whoever sent the note? I’ve been in contact with Holly and —”

      “Forget Holly! What the hell is going on with you and Danny?”

      “What are you talking about? I’m just on my way home. Danny left over half an hour ago.”

      “You haven’t heard? He didn’t call you?”

      “Who?”

      “Danny! Damn it! There was a home invasion at his house this afternoon. Bunch of guys. Tied up his wife and toddler, then decided to kill their baby and dropped him into the swimming pool. He didn’t call you?”

      “No.” Jack heard his own voice but for a moment it sounded mechanical, like someone else was speaking. “Where are they?” he heard himself ask.

      “BCCH. I’m on my way there now. I want to talk to you.”

      Jack hung up and quickly dialled Danny’s cell.

      Eventually Danny answered, “Yes.”

      “Danny? Is that you? It’s Jack. I don’t recognize your voice. What —” The line went dead. Jack redialled but found that Danny’s phone was shut off. He called Natasha and was relieved to hear her answer.

      “You okay?” asked Jack. “Where are you?”

      “Sure, I’m okay. Just about home.”

      “Danny and Susan had a home invasion this afternoon. Someone —”

      “A what? Are they okay?”

      “I don’t know. They’re at BCCH. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. I’ll call you, but watch yourself. I don’t know what is going on.”

      Jack parked at the emergency entrance and ran inside. Moments later, he located Danny and Susan at the intensive care unit talking to an I-HIT investigator. Danny and Susan numbly stared at him as he rushed up.

      “I just heard. Got here as fast as I could,” stammered Jack. “What —”

      “Get away from us,” said Susan, her voice sounding raspy and bitter.

      Jack felt stunned. His mouth opened to speak but no words came out.

      “You heard her, Jack! Get the fuck away from us!” screamed Danny.

      “Danny ... I don’t understand. Why...” Jack stopped and stepped back when he saw Danny clench his fist and pull his arm back.

      Both

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