LITMIR.BIZ

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person said that these two knew each other. That info was good.”

      “I was pretty thorough, boss,” said Rellik. “I really don’t think they knew him. At least, not under that name.”

      Damien thought about this, then asked, “What about trying to drown the cop’s kid?”

      “Ray says that Carlos figured they could neutralize the cops by messin’ with their brain cells. Scare ’em all into doin’ nothin’. After that, he said somethin’ about giving them a choice of silver or lead.”

      Damien looked at Ray and said, “For your information, the cops in Canada are paid a fuck of a lot more than the cops where you come from. They’re not easily bribed here, and if you offer them silver or lead ... I guarantee they’ll give you lead!”

      “There’s another thing with Leisure Boy,” said Rellik. “Ray paid him a hundred grand to backstab us. Leisure Boy gave him reports from the rat cop before we even saw ’em. Also set up companies for Carlos to launder money here.”

      “Maybe that was The Toad’s interest in Leitch,” suggested Lance. “Using him to move the money out of Canada for him!”

      Leitch shook his head from side to side and let out a muffled protest. It brought him another kick in the ribs from Damien, who then asked, “How many guys they got here?”

      “Twenty-one people,” said Rellik. “But only four besides Ray that got balls to do stuff. The rest are mom and pop types used for laundering.”

      “Names and addresses?”

      Rellik nodded and said, “Phone numbers, too. The four tough asses live in a rented house together. Got someone watching it now. Don’t think anyone is home yet. Ray has his own apartment. We got someone lookin’ in it now.”

      “Anything else?”

      “Yeah. Before we got Ray, Carlos was planning to have you personally deliver the last payment down to Colombia. Wanted to see if you would give your life to save Vicki and Katie.”

      Damien stared down at Ray for a moment, then said, “Untie his arm. The one that’s broken. He can still use it to hold a phone.”

      Rellik untied Ray’s wrist, and a moment later Damien punched in the numbers on the cellphone. He waited until Carlos answered and then said, “Carlos, your brother wishes to talk with you.” He handed the phone to Ray and said, “I’ll let you say goodbye.”

      “Carlos!” screamed Ray, then rapidly spoke his native tongue.

      Rellik’s face betrayed his wishes as he looked at Damien.

      Damien stared briefly at Rellik and thought, You disgust me. He then said, “Yeah, go ahead. Do your thing. Leitch first.”

      Ray looked back in panic as Rellik put on a pair of coveralls and surgical gloves before picking up the broken broom handle. He held it with both hands and closely examined the spiral of barbed wire, then looked down at Leitch’s upturned face and grinned.

      The high pitch of Ray’s voice made it almost unrecognizable as he relayed the details of what was happening as Rellik twirled the broom handle slightly between Leitch’s buttocks.

      Leitch’s body writhed and squirmed against the restraints while he emitted muffled screams. Rellik then thrust deep and Leitch’s eyes and fists closed tight as his body arched. His scream was muffled by vomit. A moment later, his body went limp.

      Rellik slowly pulled out the broom handle, then walked around and knelt in front of Ray, holding the bloodied implement close to Ray’s eyes. He looked at Damien and said, “I better tape his mouth.”

      Damien nodded and took the phone from Ray, who pleaded until Rellik applied the tape.

      Rellik then looked at Ray and said, “For you, I will not be so kind. It will be much slower.”

      Damien held the phone close to Ray’s mouth. The gag that Ray wore did not block out the screams broken by the intermittent whimpering of a dying man. In the background, the sound of Carlos’s voice could be heard on the phone as he alternated between pleading, offering money, and then screaming when Ray quit speaking.

      Damien put the phone to his mouth and said, “How does it feel, Carlos?” before smashing the cellphone on the floor and grinding it with his heel. He then hurried out of the building.

      Lance followed and stood silently as Damien vomited before getting in the car.

      Jack was awake when he received the text message from Damien. They were to meet at six o’clock.

      Jack called Laura and asked, “You awake?”

      “Already showered.”

      “We meet him in an hour and forty-five minutes. I’ll pick you up. It’s on the way to the meet.”

      “An hour and forty-five! He could have let us sleep longer.”

      “I’ll buy you breakfast. Something other than olive soup.”

      Elvis’s eyes were closed, but he was awake when he heard Laura rummaging in the bureau dresser. She then went to the bathroom.

      He listened to the sound of her refilling the bullets in her clip ... and then the backup clip. What the hell happened yesterday? Moments later, he felt her warm kiss on his cheek, then she was gone.

      Jack and Laura were just pulling into a coffee shop parking lot when Jack received another text message. It was from Lance.

      “Our friend is still up,” said Jack. “Better cancel breakfast. We don’t have much time.”

      “Cemetery?” asked Laura.

      “You trying to pick up another date? Forget it. We’re using a parkade.”

      Twenty minutes later, Lance climbed into the back seat.

      “The Brit is Ray,” said Jack, before Lance could speak. “Carlos’s brother.”

      “Yeah, I fuckin’ figured you knew that,” mumbled Lance. “I thought I was about to be done with all this bullshit of havin’ to work with you, until Damien met ya at the hospital last night. Thought he would tell ya. Didn’t know you two were so tight.”

      “Actually we figured it out before then,” replied Jack. “So what happened? I know Damien had both Leitch and Ray grabbed.”

      “They were more than grabbed.”

      Lance recounted what happened and Jack and Laura listened quietly to the grim fate of Leitch and Ray. When Lance finished, he stared quietly at Jack for a moment and then said, “So you knew that Ray was the guy before Damien talked to ya in the hospital?”

      Jack nodded.

      Lance frowned and said, “Shit! I was close to winning this time.”

      “Winning what?” asked Laura.

      “An agreement with your partner here. He said if I could identify the Brit before he did, I wouldn’t have to work for ya anymore.” Lance looked at Jack and said, “Okay, I better go. I’ll be in touch when I need to be.”

      “Don’t bother,” said Jack.

      “What ya talkin’ about?”

      “We’re even,” said Jack. “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve more than repaid your debt. This is the last time I ever expect to hear from you.”

      Lance’s eyes opened wide. “You mean it?”

      “I mean it,” said Jack, while extending his hand over the back seat.

      Lance was quick to shake his hand and then said, “Man, you don’t know what a relief this is! Don’t

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