LITMIR.BIZ

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should be at work by now. Someone toss me a phone book and I’ll call his office.”

      “I suggest everyone jump on this,” said Jack. “As soon as the Colombians know we’re on to them, they’ll head for the border.”

      Randy quickly learned that Leitch had not shown up to work and had missed a scheduled meeting with a client that morning. His girlfriend reported that he hadn’t come back to his apartment last night.

      Four hours later, Leitch’s secretary went to her bank and tearfully turned over records to ADP involving the laundering scheme. It didn’t take them long to search the warehouse and several businesses. It was apparent that the Colombians had already fled.

      Bloody bolt cutters with traces of human tissue, along with blood on sacks of coffee beans, were located at the warehouse. The investigators submitted the evidence for DNA examination and believed that Leitch had paid the ultimate sacrifice for his crime. Later the DNA was found not to match, but that did little to undermine the Colombians’ violent reputation.

      Elvis watched Laura as she quietly ate her dinner. Her eyes were distant and her face was without expression.

      “Seems you did well today,” he said.

      “Yeah, it tastes good,” she replied.

      “I’m not talking about the chops I just cooked. I heard what you and Jack did at work today.”

      The focus returned to her eyes. She leaned back in her chair and asked, “What do you mean? What did you hear?”

      “I was talking to someone in ADP. Heard they’ve frozen $2.4 million in Colombian drug money. Not bad for your ... second official day at work.”

      “Oh, that. Yeah, it’s a good start.”

      Elvis noticed that Laura’s eyes returned to some distant view. A view that he wanted to see.

      “Menu?” asked Holly, while pouring Jack a cup of coffee.

      “No, thanks. Just on my way home for supper. Natasha’s expecting me.”

      “You just pop in to say hi?”

      “Came to ask you a question.”

      Holly took a seat in the booth across from him and said, “Go ahead.”

      “Do you believe in capital punishment?”

      It was a question Holly hadn’t expected, and the surprise registered on her face. “I never really thought about it before, but ... yes, I believe in it now. Why? It doesn’t really matter. Even if you catch the guys, it’s not done here.”

      “People don’t always know what is done and what isn’t.” Jack reached in his pocket and took out a twenty-dollar bill and said, “Remember this?”

      “That the same one?”

      Jack nodded.

      “I told you I wouldn’t accept it until you caught the guys.”

      Jack nodded, stood up, tossed some coins on the table, and said, “This is for the coffee.” He then ripped the twenty-dollar bill in half and dropped one piece on the table. “I’m working on the second half. Appreciate it if you keep this between the two of us.”

      Holly sat in a stunned silence as he walked away.

      The following day, Isaac summoned both Jack and Laura into his office and gestured for them to take a seat.

      Isaac smiled and said, “I’ve been apprised by ADP and I-HIT about the intelligence you two gathered this week. A lot of money and assets have already been frozen. It would appear that you’re responsible for destroying a major organized crime family before they could get too established. Well done!”

      “Thank you, sir,” said Jack and Laura in unison.

      “However,” said Isaac, “there are still a few loose ends. For one, that lawyer is still missing and presumed murdered. For another, when it comes to the Colombians, it is obvious that none of the main players have been apprehended.”

      “I warned our units that they would likely flee for the border once the investigation started,” said Jack. “Unfortunate, but not really anyone’s fault. I think the Colombians took that precaution after Leitch was kidnapped.”

      “Your informant in this matter, is it the same person you cultivated last year with O’Reilly?”

      “No, sir. This one just came on board yesterday, but obviously his information is proving to be both valuable and accurate.”

      “Obviously,” said Isaac. “Who is it?”

      Jack paused to take a deep breath and slowly exhaled before saying, “It’s the national president of Satans Wrath.”

      “What?” yelled Isaac.

      “His name is Damien,” continued Jack.

      “I know his name! Why ... how ... why is he talking to you? This is absurd! I don’t believe it. How did you ever convince him to cooperate?”

      “I had approached him the other day, trying to find out if he would tell me anything about the Indos. He wasn’t all that cooperative, but it must have got him thinking. He contacted me and we set up a meeting with him yesterday morning. He said he wants to retire, but the club won’t let him.”

      “He’s the national president. Can’t he quit when he wants? This has to be a trick!”

      “He’s the boss for Canada,” said Jack, “but the club is international. There are still people above him. Some with grandiose ideas.”

      “You expect me to believe that he would turn on his own club? After all these years?”

      “No, and he made it clear that he won’t. He’s willing to cooperate to expedite his own interests, which would also benefit us.”

      “How so?” asked Isaac, leaning forward in his chair and looking closely at the two faces in front of him.

      “He’s been ordered to import tonnes of cocaine into Vancouver from Colombia.”

      “Why him?”

      “B.C. basically has the lowest sentencing rate in the world for drug traffickers. Not only is this the safest place to set up an international distribution centre, but cargo leaving here doesn’t get the same scrutiny it does in Third World countries.”

      “That I understand, but why is Damien cooperating?”

      “He simply wants out. He’s fifty-three years old and has a wife and three children. His values are changing and he doesn’t like to be pressured into doing anything. He’s also worried about the new anti-gang legislation.”

      “Section 467.13 of the Criminal Code. That hasn’t even been tested here yet. I understand that won’t be before the courts until almost Christmas.”

      “I know, but Damien is a visionary. He wants to retire now while things are still good. He thinks that if a major dope deal or two went sour here, then some other location would be selected instead and he would be free to retire.”

      “Is that why he handed over the Colombians?”

      “Yes. He wants to slowly extricate himself from everything. He’s been ordered to go down to Cali, Colombia, and order a tonne of cocaine. He is willing to take us along, providing we don’t burn him and seize the ship before his own people get involved.”

      “From the Carlos cartel? The man we think is responsible for the lawyer’s disappearance?”

      “Satans Wrath think they’re too hot now with how they mishandled this business with Leitch. He’s been instructed to meet with the Diego Ramirez cartel. Damien has met with him before but opted for Carlos because

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