LITMIR.BIZ

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great. I was worried when she turned thirteen that her hormones would kick in and maybe give us a challenge. Just the opposite. She’s now top in her class. Not bad for a kid who was on the street last year and ... you know, getting into that sort of life. The adoption is coming along great. She’ll soon be officially ours.”

      “That’s fantastic, Liz. I needed to hear some good news for a change.”

      Once Liz had plugged in the kettle, the three of them sat at the kitchen table.

      “When you called this morning,” said Ben, “you said a guy with your name was murdered. You here because of that?”

      “Are you in danger?” asked Liz.

      Jack shrugged. “Nothing new on that. The infant who was shot is going to live, but...” Jack stopped. He knew he couldn’t finish without losing control of his emotions.

      “But what?” asked Liz.

      “But ... that’s not why I’m here. The brass received a report today that the Mexican police found Bishop’s body. They suspect accidental drowning.”

      “Good,” said Ben.

      “Glad, that’s over,” added Liz. “Do you want a cookie?”

      Marcie burst through the kitchen door. “Hi, Jack!”

      He stood as she came, and she gave him a strong hug and a kiss on his cheek. “You here for dinner?” she asked, taking a seat.

      “No, I can’t stay long. Natasha will be off work at five. I want to be home.”

      “Those your friends out on the road?” asked Marcie.

      “What friends?”

      “Two cops driving by in an unmarked car. Really eyeballed our mailbox. Either cops or Jehovah’s Witnesses, but this is only Tuesday, not the weekend, so they gotta be cops.”

      Everyone exchanged glances and nobody spoke for several seconds. Then Jack said, “Heard it’s supposed to rain tomorrow.”

      chapter five

      Jack awakened feeling groggy. The memories of Bishop had been reawakened and it had been a long, restless night. He knew today wouldn’t go any better when Natasha looked across her breakfast and said, “I hadn’t told you before ... but I bumped into a Mexican policeman less than a kilometre from Bishop’s home the day before he died. I used the opportunity to practise my Spanish.”

      Jack felt a piece of egg rise from his stomach and swallowed again before asking, “Why?”

      “I didn’t know at the time what you were up to. I thought we were just on our honeymoon.”

      “No. Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? After ... it happened?”

      “I didn’t want you to worry. Now that they’ve said it’s an accident, it’s no big deal, right?”

      Wrong! It is a big deal! Jack looked at Natasha and thought, Why let her worry? “You’re right. I think it was just routine to follow me out to the farm. Tying up loose ends.”

      “Do you think they will continue to follow you?”

      “No. It wouldn’t gain them anything. As far as Ben and Liz go, that makes sense.”

      “I just thought ... what about the phones? Would they —”

      “They would never get grounds for a wiretap. It’s hard enough to get grounds on people with criminal histories, let alone us.”

      Natasha let out a deep breath and then smiled. “It’s finally over,” she murmured.

      Jack nodded, but his stomach continued to churn. The black coffee and eggs seemed more infused with grease.

      “You still look like something is troubling you,” said Natasha.

      “I just have a lot on the go. I’m okay.” “You don’t look it. This thing with Bishop — it could exacerbate the stress from last year. Now this thing with Holly’s husband.... I’m worried about you.”

      “I can handle it.”

      “I’ve heard that before. Usually from people who are on their way to a nervous breakdown. You should take some time off.”

       Boatloads of cocaine due to arrive any day. Lance now president of the west-side chapter. A debt to be repaid to Damien. A family destroyed who shared my name. Take a holiday! Don’t I wish!

      “I’m fine! If you want to worry about someone, worry about Charlie. That’s the little guy who needs help.”

      “No need to snap at me.”

      Jack stared at her and then said, “I’m sorry.”

      “It’s okay. But it proves my point. You are under a lot of stress.”

      Jack sighed. “I know you’re right. I’ll watch myself, but there is too much happening right now for me to take a break. There is nothing going on that I can’t handle. I still have control. You’ve taught me that.”

      Natasha smiled and said, “The advice I once gave you about post-traumatic stress was simplified. It’s more complicated than that.”

      “Duly noted,” said Jack. “I’d love to stay and talk, but I have to pick up Danny. We’re meeting a source this morning. See if he can help shed some light on things.”

      Natasha followed him to the door, where she gave him a passionate kiss and said, “Just remember. I love you. I also know you’re not made out of iron. I wouldn’t love you if you were. I love you because you are human, and all humans have a breaking point. Just look after yourself, if not for you, then for my sake, will you?”

      Jack kissed her again and then left.

      Staff Sergeant Legg walked into Isaac’s office and got right to the point. “He went straight to his sister’s place. Everything seems legit.”

      “He may have suspected that he was being followed,” said Isaac.

      “Always possible. Do you want us to bring him in for interrogation and see if we can wrap it up, one way or the other? Shouldn’t take long to corroborate when and where he went in Mexico.”

      “Not yet. Get your ducks in line first. Obtain photos of him and his wife and send them to the Mexican authorities. They can check with the local police where Bishop was staying. The place is so small that any grin-gos are bound to stand out.”

      “I doubt that there are more than a couple of policemen there to show pictures to,” said Legg.

      “Then there’s also not much of a population base. Shouldn’t take them long. If Taggart was there, we’ll find out soon enough.”

      Jack and Danny crossed a small knoll in the cemetery and saw Lance waiting at the usual location.

      “Any heat over the labs?” asked Jack.

      “Not a bit. Too Mickey Mouse to worry about. Besides, we still have two labs going full tilt and it’s a good excuse to jack the price way up.”

      “Anything on the Taggart murder?” asked Jack.

      Lance shook his head. “Don’t think it was connected. The dumb schmucks running the labs are too stupid to keep something like that quiet. We would have heard.”

      “What about the cargo ship taken down in San Diego?” asked Danny.

      “Not a peep about it. Everyone thinks it was just a casualty from the war on terrorism. Our money is riding on the next ship, which should arrive soon. I’ll get a couple of days’ notice to find a stash site and make sure the deliveries are lined up.”

      “Anything else?” asked Jack.

      “Whiskey

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