LITMIR.BIZ

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his plate. Susan looked like she was about to burst into tears.

      Natasha was shocked. “What did I say?”

      Susan’s voice was a whisper. “Jack’s sister did have kids. A boy and a girl. They were murdered less than a month ago in an abandoned farmhouse up the Valley.”

      “Those kids in the news? They were his niece and nephew?”

      Jack washed his face with cold water. The solace he sought in the men’s room vanished as Natasha strode in.

      A man at a urinal said, “Hey lady, this is —”

      “I’m a doctor,” she snapped. “You look like you’re done.”

      “I — I guess so.” He left without washing.

      Natasha then approached Jack and put her arm across his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Susan just filled me in. I’m so, so sorry.”

      “It’s not your fault.” He squeezed the rim of the sink with both hands, then splashed more water on his face. “It’s not your fault.”

      She grabbed him by the shoulders and made him turn and look at her. His hair was askew and his face dripped water.

      What happened next came without warning or reason … and shocked them both. Two people who had walked through that valley of death too often had, within themselves, suddenly unleashed a primal lust for life. They kissed each other hard and passionately on the lips. Passionately enough, for a moment, to block out the world around them. It was their first kiss.

       chapter thirteen

      Monday evening came, and Danny told Susan that he needed to go to the store. He used a payphone to call Wigmore.

      “I made a mistake. Jack isn’t breaking the rules. I know I —”

      “What the hell are you talking about! You told me last week that Taggart left his gun in the car and went in the bar to buy dope! Bullshit, O’Reilly! What are you trying to pull?”

      “Nothing, sir. I saw him take off his holster, but I later discovered that he has two holsters. He switched his gun into an ankle holster. I just didn’t realize it at the time.”

      “You also said he went in the bar alone. What have you got to say about that?”

      “He had an informant in there and was just catching the person’s attention so they could meet outside. His informant is a little paranoid and Jack wanted to meet alone to start with.”

      “The story I heard was that the so-called informant came about as a result of being caught with drugs — after you started working down there.”

      “That’s someone else. That’s who Jack’s first informant tipped us off about.”

      “Is that a fact?”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “I see. Well … all the more reason for you to keep me posted so that I fully understand what is going on. Dealing with informants is acceptable, but you are aware, aren’t you, that you and Taggart are not to do anything other than surveillance down there?”

      “Yes, sir.”

      Wigmore paused, then said, “Don’t wait until Monday night to call me anymore. It will be up to you to call me as soon as possible if Taggart is not obeying orders or following policy.”

      “I’ll do that, sir.”

      “Keep up the good work, Danny. I expect to hear from you soon.”

      Danny felt a sense of relief flood over him when he hung up the telephone. No more weekly calls needed — as long as Wigmore didn’t find out what Jack was up to.

      It was 8:15 Tuesday morning when Superintendent Wigmore called and spoke to the inspector in charge of Internal Affairs.

      “Yes, we need to meet,” he said. “We now have two rogue officers to discuss.”

      Mid-week, Jack and Danny started making periodic visits to the Black Water, but there was no sign of Red or Leonard. Marcie was not around either.

      It was not until the following Saturday night that Red showed up.

      “Where ya been?” asked Jack. “I’ve been lookin’.”

      “I had other business to take care of. You want another two?”

      “How long would it take to get me three? I don’t want to wait around all day like before.”

      Red went to the lobby and then returned a few minutes later. “It’ll be here in about an hour, maybe an hour and a half.”

      A few minutes later, Jack had a quick visit with Danny in the men’s room.

      “Make your anonymous call,” said Jack. “I don’t have the money for this!”

      Leonard cautiously made his way down the darkened alley. He took three ounces of speed out of his boot and carefully slid the brick out of position. Then he saw two shadows appear on the wall in front of him and he darted to the left.

      Leonard had about as much chance as a baby lamb being jumped by a grizzly. Bart’s large, muscular hands compressed his throat while the force of his body simultaneously smashed him down into a puddle of water.

      “Police! Open your mouth! Open your fuckin’ mouth or I’ll rip your throat out!”

      Leonard automatically tried to pull at the hairy hands holding his throat. The grip tightened. He was stunned and blinked his eyes. A smear appeared on his lips. He had bitten the end of his tongue when the back of his skull bounced off the wall. His legs jerked a little as his brain told him to run before realizing it was impossible.

      Bart sat on his chest, choking him. Water in the puddle slopped around his ears and up his back. His eyes bulged as his lungs fought for air. He blinked, then obediently opened his mouth.

      “Move your tongue around so I can see if you’re hidin’ somethin’!”

      Leonard moved his tongue.

      “Never mind, Bart, it’s in the wall.”

      Bart released his grip, and Leonard made a gasping, gurgling sound as air rushed back into his lungs.

      Leonard was jerked to his feet and slammed back against the wall. He didn’t realize until later that the warmth he felt in the crotch of his jeans was from his own body.

      Leonard was completely soaked, and a combination of fear and cold made him shake.

      Bart barked, “Put your hands on your head and don’t fuckin’ move, asshole!”

      Leonard watched silently as Rex removed three small plastic baggies from the hole in the brick wall. He squirmed a little when he heard Bart’s deep voice comment on the putrid odour.

      “Oh, Christ, Rex! He shit himself! So help me, this job makes me wanna puke sometimes! An’ my jeans are wet from the knees down!”

      Rex turned his head slightly away so Bart wouldn’t see him grinning.

      “Next time, you do the honours. I’m gettin’ too old for this bullshit. What’ve we got?”

      “I’d say about three ounces.” Rex waved the baggies in Lenny’s face and said, “Care to confirm this for us? We’re going to have it analyzed anyway.”

      “I want my lawyer!”

      Their moment of silence as they went through the papers in his wallet gave him a little more courage.

      “Besides,” he added, “I don’t think you got reason’ble and proper beliefs to grab me in the first place! You’ll be lucky if my lawyer don’t sue you or somethin’.”

      “Shut up, asshole, or I’ll make you eat your shorts,” growled

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