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mention revulsion.”

      “Her feeling of helplessness will pass once we do something about it,” Jack replied.

      “And if you can’t do anything about it … how will she feel then?”

      Jack was incensed. “Can’t do anything about it? You know me better than that!”

      Rose’s face hardened. “I don’t like your tone — but will attribute it to exhaustion.” She paused, then added, “Don’t let anger cloud your judgment. You’re better than that.”

      Cloud my judgment? It’ll hone it like a knife.

      “Furthermore, I suggest you display a more professional attitude when we meet with Assistant Commissioner Isaac.” She glanced at her watch. “Which will be shortly, so get it together.”

      Jack sighed. “Okay, I admit I’m tired. It’s difficult to stop thinking about the farmhouse.” Who wouldn’t stop thinking about it? Two grotesque figures … blackened and twisted, tied to chairs. The third disembowelled … He looked at Rose. “It makes me feel nauseated just thinking about it.”

      “The same feeling I’m sure everyone has.”

      Not Pure E. He ordered it.

      “It’s bad enough hearing what happened in that farmhouse. You and Laura saw it. The both of you smell of … well, you know. If we weren’t meeting with Isaac, I’d send you home. I am sending her home right away — or at least as soon as she calms down.”

      Jack nodded in agreement.

      “Then there was the message left at the crime scene,” Rose added. “Seems right out of a horror movie.”

      Yes. The 4 U JT painted across the wall with a broom dipped in blood. Jack felt his rage rise to the surface again. “Pure E made it personal. That’s something Damien would never have done.”

      “Purvis Evans,” Rose said. “The new national president of Satans Wrath. After what happened, I’d say his nickname ‘Pure Evil’ or ‘Pure E’ is deserved.”

      “‘Sick Bastard’ would suit him, too,” Jack replied bitterly.

      Rose gestured with her hand for Jack to calm down. “Let’s continue. I think I’ve covered Laura’s feelings of helplessness and revulsion. Let’s talk fear. Six days ago you took down Damien Zabat when he was national president.”

      “I took him down? His wife, Vicki, did that. She’s the one who made a bogus phone call and intentionally leaked it that he’d provided me with information. I was simply stupid enough to put the nail in his coffin by trying to call and warn him. Then to have Pure E answer Damien’s phone and goad me …” Jack shook his head in self-recrimination.

      “The point is,” Rose said, “Damien’s been replaced by a psychopath. Damien was dangerous, but Pure E is far worse. The message at the triple murder in the farmhouse was directed at you, but Laura has every right to feel threatened as well.”

      “Okay … I can see why she’s scared.”

      “Why she’s scared? What about you? If you don’t feel scared, then you’re definitely in denial. And if that’s the case, I seriously question whether you’re fit for duty.”

      “Of course it scared me. I’m married with two kids. I worry about my family — but we can’t back down. If Pure E gets away with leaving a message to taunt me at a murder scene, it’ll give him the confidence to do worse things.”

      “Yes, and we’ll talk about him when you’ve had time to rest and think things through. We’re discussing Laura. I want you to understand why you shouldn’t talk to her at the moment. It would only trigger another emotional outburst. Give her time.”

      I feel like shit. She’s my partner. I should’ve —

      “Are you listening to what I’m telling you? If she comes to you, fine, but don’t you go waltzing into the women’s washroom and —”

      “I won’t. I trust your judgment on that.”

      “Good.”

      “When you sum things up the way you have, I realize what an ass I was. I’m her boss. I should’ve done a better job of looking after her.”

      “You must be doing something right. I know she cares deeply about you.”

      “The feeling goes both ways, but I was so pigheaded about catching Damien that I trampled over anyone I thought was getting in my way. And for what? I thought he was a monster. Turns out I’d no idea what a monster was.”

      “Do you think that weenie-wagging informant of yours would know anything about what they did to Damien?”

      “He doesn’t know about it yet. I called him when you went to talk to Laura. He’s already drunk and I suspect he’s swallowed a handful of pills to get high. You think Laura and I had it rough seeing what happened at the farmhouse? Imagine what it was like for him. He was there and watched it happen. He was so shaken by what took place that he could hardly tell me the details.”

      “If he’s combining drugs and alcohol, he’s liable to —”

      “I know. I’ve been trying to get him to straighten out. He’s on the verge of a mental collapse, what with being an informant and then seeing three people murdered the way they were.”

      Rose glanced at her watch again. “We’re meeting Isaac in fifteen minutes. Have you calmed down enough not to come across sounding like a cowboy in a lynch mob?”

      “I’ll behave. As far as a lynch mob goes, I’d love to, but I’ve got a family. Pure E’s proven he’s not averse to killing family members to spite someone. He has the backing of his club. Any action against him will have to be carefully thought out.”

      Rose nodded. “Sounds like you’re regaining your senses. Isaac told me that his replacement, Assistant Commissioner Mortimer, will attend. First impressions and all … I want you to be on your best behaviour.”

      “I thought Mortimer didn’t start until a week from this coming Monday.”

      “Yes, but today he met Isaac for lunch while waiting for the moving truck to show up from Ottawa. Isaac thought it would be good for him to sit in on the debriefing as a way to bring him up to speed. He’ll be in again next week, too, before officially taking over the reins the following week.”

      “Great,” Jack replied, scowling. “This is a guy who spent the better part of his career in an admin job in Ottawa. He’s never been on the front lines. I can only imagine what he’ll think.”

      “Jack —” Rose eyed him briefly “— are you sure you’re up to the meeting? Isaac only wanted you to know that the triple murder was a consequence of his decision and not yours. I could tell him that I relayed that to you.”

      “He doesn’t know what happened afterward … with Damien?”

      “Not yet, but I know enough of the details that —”

      “Thanks, but no. It’s best he hear it from me. I need to face up to what I did.”

      “What you did was try to warn Damien. We’d all have done the same.” When Jack didn’t reply, Rose went on, “I’m going to check on Laura and send her home.”

      “Tell her she’s not alone. I’m so frustrated I could put my fist through a wall.”

      “Maybe I should take that as a good sign,” Rose said.

      “How so?”

      “Your frustration indicates you plan to play by the rules and aren’t planning to do something foolhardy.”

      “You think I’m prone to acting foolhardy?”

      “It’s more polite than saying homicidal.”

      “Yes,

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