LITMIR.BIZ

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entered the hotel lobby and did not see anyone she recognized. Moments later, she got off the elevator and paused in the hall and knocked on Jack’s door. There was no answer so she entered her own room and closed the door behind her. She took a few steps and abruptly stopped. Her room had not remained empty in her absence. She was in trouble and she knew it. Before she could move, a sharp knock landed on her door.

      chapter thirty-six

      Jack parked the car a couple of blocks from the shoe store and lagged behind Damien as they walked. He used his cellphone to discreetly take a picture of Damien from behind, then another of his profile as he crossed the street. The third picture was of Damien passing a newsstand. Today’s headlines were taped to the wooden structure in the background.

      When Damien entered the shoe store, Jack remained outside while he placed a call and sent the three pictures.

      As discreet as Jack tried to be, his actions did not completely escape the sharp eyes of Jean-Louie. He was not sure that Jack had actually taken pictures, but there was no doubt that he had made a phone call. Jean-Louie’s thoughts were interrupted when he received a text message from the Anti-Corruption team who were detailed to follow Laura:

       Information just received. Reference the four men associated to the Carlos cartel sought in the disappearance of a Vancouver lawyer. These men connected to a warehouse near Vancouver where spent bullets were recovered from a wooden beam used for target practice. Lab matched these bullets to the same gun used in the unsolved murder of a man in Surrey last April. The victim was named Jack Taggart. His one-year-old child, Charlie, was left a paraplegic as a result of the murder. Believe this murder was a botched assassination attempt on Cpl. Jack Taggart. If there is any indication that Cpl. Taggart is connecting with the Carlos cartel, have the Colombian police arrest him immediately and detain for interrogation.

      Jean-Louie read the message carefully. The name Charlie did not escape his attention. In a way, Jean-Louie was pleased with the message. Jack and Laura are not dirty ... at least not in a moral sense. But if they think they can seek justice on Carlos, then they are fucking insane!

      Carlos was inclined to dismiss the telephone call. It was not possible. But when he studied the three pictures he knew that he was wrong. Damien was here! He had the nerve to come to Colombia to hire an assassin to kill him!

      Carlos had been busy plotting to send a team of professionals to Canada to seek revenge. Fantasizing about how he could inflict the most pain before killing Damien had become an obsession. Now Damien shows up in my own backyard!

      “I understand that you would like to ... speak with this man,” said Jack.

      “Very much,” replied Carlos. “Face to face!”

      “I would expect a fee to arrange this. Say $1 million in American?”

      “You show me where he is and I will agree to that.”

      “I also want your assurance that you will never come after me or my family again.”

      “For this, you are my amigo.”

      “Good. I am told he will only be in Colombia tonight. I have someone close to him. He fears you. He said he would never be taken alive.”

      “I want the last face he sees to be mine!”

      “I will know later where he is staying. My friend may be in a position to assist. I am told he always likes to take a shower after having sex. Perhaps my friend will signal when he is in the shower. Do we have a deal?”

      “Si, Señor Taggart. We have a deal! How may I contact you?”

      “I will contact you. I suggest you have people standing by. Time is of the essence. It will have to be tonight or early tomorrow morning.”

      Damien left the shoe store and met with Jack.

      “Went great,” said Damien. “They tracked down Ramirez and I spoke with him on the phone. He invited all three of us to his villa for lunch. I declined. It’s noon now. We need more time to get organized, so I said we would be there at two.”

      “Excellent. Good work.”

      “Everything okay out here?”

      “Perfect,” said Jack.

      Jack and Damien entered the hotel lobby just as Laura stepped inside the elevator. They caught the next elevator, and moments later Jack knocked on Laura’s door. He saw the movement as she checked the peephole, then opened the door.

      Jack saw the look of concern on her face as she held her finger to her lips.

      Damien, standing behind Jack, did not see Laura’s finger and asked, “You sneak out and rent a place to use?”

      Jack grabbed Damien by the arm but was too late. Both men silently followed Laura inside the room.

      Laura pointed to her pillow.

      Jack saw the coin and picked it up. A Canadian penny!

      Damien frowned and looked at Jack and Laura for an explanation. Jack used a piece of hotel stationery to write “We’re bugged.”

      Damien briefly closed his eyes and slapped his forehead. His question to Laura was a serious mistake.

      “So, I didn’t really hear you,” said Jack, while turning to face Laura. “Were you able to sneak out and rent a place without anyone knowing?”

      Laura was startled but saw the slight nod of Jack’s head.

      “Yes, I did,” she said. “Three of them. A place called Maria’s Cabinas.”

      “Good,” said Jack somewhat loudly. “I feel bad not letting anyone know, but it is for our own protection. Jean-Louie may trust his people, but I don’t. If anything goes wrong and we need a safe place to hide, that will be it. You pay cash and use a fake name like I told you to?”

      Laura took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She then replied, “You bet. How did it go with you? Did you connect?”

      “Went smooth,” said Damien, glancing around the room and wondering if video had also been installed. “We’ve been invited to meet Ramirez at his villa at two.”

      “I better let Jean-Louie and the narcs know,” said Jack, looking at Damien. “Why don’t you grab a table in the restaurant downstairs for lunch. Laura and I will pay them a quick visit and then come down.”

      When the trio left the room, Jack turned to Laura and said, “I thought Elvis was still at home?”

      “He is. I talked to him last night. He took the call on the first ring. He wouldn’t lie to me about that!”

      “What the hell is going on?” growled Damien. “Who is Elvis?”

      “Laura’s husband. Works Anti-Corruption,” said Jack.

      “You’ve got to be kidding!” said Damien, looking at Laura.

      “He’s a great guy.” Laura shrugged.

      “Yeah? Well who are you working on?” asked Damien.

      “Enough,” said Jack. “She’s solid. We wouldn’t have been warned if it hadn’t been for her husband. Someone is suspicious. You can bet they’ve got bugs in at Maria’s Cabinas and everywhere else they can.”

      “I’m used to that,” grunted Damien. “Now you know how it feels. Shouldn’t change anything.”

      “We’re in too deep to back out,” said Jack.

      “Good,” said Damien. “Besides, what could really go wrong? All you do is make a phone call and we head for the airport. Let Ramirez take care of loose ends.”

      Laura rolled her eyes and thought,

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