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I’m not scared. I’m angry.”

      Mike looked at his brother. “They’re in a lot of trouble,” he said seriously.

      You got that right.

      Chapter Eight

      It was 7:30 a.m. when Jack picked Laura up in front of her house. As she fastened her seat belt she said, “Amazing what twelve hours of sleep can do for a person.”

      “Glad you’re feeling better.” Jack pulled away from the curb. “Have you given more thought about asking for a transfer?”

      “Wow, you don’t waste any time.”

      “Sorry … good morning. Are you putting in for a transfer?”

      Laura hesitated, then said, “Jack, I’m sorry.”

      Shit. I’m going to miss you something awful. “Don’t be sorry. You have to do what’s right for you. Besides, we’ll always be friends.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile but realized she knew how he felt.

      “‘Friends’ isn’t the right word. You’re like family to me, but this thing with Pure E leaving that message on the wall … I think I should stay until —”

      “Don’t worry about it,” Jack said, trying to sound casual. “Like I said yesterday, there’s always something.”

      “I know, but how about I stay until January? That’s three months away. By then I’ll have a pretty good idea about how you plan on getting Pure E.”

      Jack gave her a sideways glance. “You thinking you’ll be able to keep me out of trouble?”

      “Someone has to.”

      “You sure? I don’t mind if you want to leave before then.”

      “I’m sure. Besides, I’m really embarrassed about the meltdown yesterday. It’s not how I want you to remember me. Three months might give me time to redeem myself.”

      “You don’t need to redeem yourself. Not after all you and I’ve been through. There’d be something wrong with us if we didn’t have the occasional meltdown.” He paused, then went on, “In our line of work there comes a time when you need to extricate yourself from the stress and be smart enough to realize it. It takes more than hiding out in the women’s washroom and a night’s sleep to fix that. I think a transfer is the right decision.”

      “And you?”

      “Actually, hiding out in the women’s washroom seems to work for me.”

      “Funny man.” Laura paused, then said, “Look at me a sec.”

      Jack glanced at her. “What?”

      “You look worse than you did when you dropped me off yesterday.”

      “It was a long night,” Jack replied. “I doubt I got more than a few hours’ sleep.”

      “You upset because of me?”

      “No, that wasn’t it.”

      “Oh … you told Natasha about the farmhouse. I bet she was upset.”

      Jack shook his head. “I better update you on what happened after I dropped you off yesterday. It’s one of those good news, bad news things. The good news is I spoke with John Adams. One of the file boxes he took pertains to Lance Morgan and Whiskey Jake. I’ll know more details within a week or so.”

      “Fantastic! That’s great news. You turned Lance once before — think you can do it again?”

      “Hope so. If there are enough details to link him with money laundering, we could threaten him with extradition. He’d serve big time in the States.”

      Laura’s voice became grave. “What’s the bad news?”

      “Pure E thinks he has a sense of humour … other than what he showed at the farmhouse.”

      Laura’s voice became edgy. “How? What’s going on?”

      “I-HIT called me at suppertime, telling me that Damien’s phone had been turned back on. They got an address to where it was.”

      “Where? Did you go out? You should’ve called me.”

      “No, I stayed home. It was my address. Someone dropped the phone in my mailbox.”

      “Jack!” Laura was obviously shocked.

      “There were photos on it. You can see for yourself.” He dug the phone out of his pocket and passed it to her.

      Laura flipped through the photos. “Oh, man. Jack … your kids … you and Natasha.”

      “Like I said, Pure E has a real sense of humour. Natasha isn’t amused, though.”

      “She must be terrified,” Laura replied.

      “Not terrified — angry. Told me she was fed up with the bullshit.” Jack paused, then added, “I said I’d deal with it.”

      Laura was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, her voice sounded grave. “How, exactly, do you plan to on doing that?”

      “Don’t worry. I can’t step outside the law and make it personal. There’d be retaliation. That being said, we need to send a message. What I want to do is submit a plan to have Drug Section, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Integrated Proceeds of Crime, and any other relevant section to focus their attention on Satans Wrath. Traffic Enforcement, as well. I don’t want these guys to be able to move without being hassled. Show the assholes what their new leader has brought down on them. Given what happened, I’m sure the brass will approve it.”

      Laura looked at the pictures again.

      “They weren’t emailed to anyone,” Jack noted. “Bet they used their own phones and sent copies to Pure E, though.”

      Laura scowled. “We can’t let him get away with this.”

      “I won’t.”

      “We won’t,” Laura said forcefully. “I told you, I’m with you on this. Forget the three months. If it takes longer, so be it.”

      Jack felt the lump in his throat. “We’ll see. If you change your mind and want to go, I’ll be okay. To be honest, I don’t know how you held on this long.”

      Laura chuckled. “Maybe because I’m as pigheaded as you are.”

      “I’ve no idea how long it’ll take.”

      Laura cast him a sideways glance. “With the home visit you got yesterday, I don’t see you letting Pure E get away with it for long.”

      As soon as Jack and Laura arrived at work, they met with Rose in her office and Jack told her about finding Damien’s cellphone in his mailbox.

      Rose’s jaw slackened, then concern crossed her face.

      She’s worried for my safety. “Don’t worry. As my ten-year-old-son figured out, Pure E was just trying to scare us.”

      “Scare you!” Rose exclaimed. Her face hardened. “Pure E doesn’t know you, but I do. What are you intending to —”

      Christ! She’s concerned for his safety! The rage Jack felt was instant. “What the hell?”

      Rose stared at him.

      “You’re worried about his safety?” he said.

      “And —”

      “My family is the victim here! Yes, I’m pissed off, but I don’t plan on running off half-cocked.”

      “I am worried about you and your family. That worry includes how you’ll respond.”

      Jack forced himself to calm down. “If anything,” he said, “my anger makes me more focused

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