Текст книги "Jack Taggart Mysteries 7 - Book Bundle"

Автор книги: Don Easton

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 123 (всего у книги 141 страниц)

Chapter Five

Laura, who was simulating two people walking by holding her arms outstretched from her sides with a flashlight in each hand, heard Jack yell for her to return. She stopped the one-sided conversation she had been having and headed back. When she arrived, she saw Jack standing over a man who was lying on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Laura watched as Jack got the man to his feet. He had a shaved head with a large diamond stud in one ear. She guessed him to be in his early thirties. They marched him back out to the road and Jack then took the man’s wallet and checked his driver’s licence.

“Virgil Cruickshank,” said Jack, smiling at Laura.

Laura smiled back. Virgil was in all probability the Big V who was Peltier’s boss.

“What’s more,” said Jack, hauling a set of car keys out of Virgil’s pocket, “is we have keys to a BMW. A silver BMW I bet,” he added, while staring at Virgil.

“Big deal, I like to go for a walk at night in the forest,” said Virgil. “Brings me back to nature. You don’t have any grounds to arrest me for anything.”

“Where’s your car, Virgil?” asked Jack.

“Hidden in some bushes about a ten-minute walk down the road.”

“Hidden?” replied Laura.

“Can’t be too careful when you go for a walk,” sneered Virgil. “Could be criminals out this time of night. Which is why I ran from you guys.”

Twenty minutes later, Virgil sat handcuffed in the back of the SUV. He was being guarded by Laura while Jack searched the BMW.

Jack found a booklet in the glove box that contained maps of the lower mainland. He checked it to see if there were any marks to indicate areas of interest along the border. There weren’t, including the area they were in. He did notice one oddity: five of the pages in the booklet had the page number crossed off, not in sequence, but between four and five pages apart. He made a notation in his notebook of the general locations on the map of each page that had been crossed off. He then put the booklet back and searched the trunk. Under the spare tire he found a scabbard that held a large jungle knife with a serrated back.

Jack returned to the SUV. “Hey, Virgil, mind telling me what you use this for?” he asked, sliding the knife out of the scabbard.

“Yeah, no problem. I like to go camping. Like I said, I enjoy nature. Now, if you are going to arrest me, then do so and let me call my lawyer. Otherwise, let me go.”

“Laura, step out for a minute, there’s something we need to discuss,” said Jack, shoving the knife back into its sheath and sticking it into his belt.

“What now?” asked Laura quietly, when she got out of the SUV and closed the door. “Is the knife all you found?”

“He did have a map booklet with a few page numbers crossed off, but nothing to do with the border areas.”

“We’ll never get a conviction without something more than him being in the area. Even if we get phone records … it won’t be enough.”

“I know,” replied Jack.

“Peltier was careful enough not to store any dope at his house,” noted Laura. She gestured with her thumb toward Virgil. “He’s even farther up the chain than Peltier. You can bet we won’t get much from searching his place, either.”

“I agree, but he doesn’t know how much we know.” Jack eyed Virgil, who was sneering at them from the SUV. “He’s putting on a tough act, but you can bet his ass is puckered. Let’s try and turn him.”

“Pull a bluff?” asked Laura

“You got it.”

Jack opened the door to the back of the SUV and grabbed Virgil by the arm and hauled him out.

“You letting me go?” said Virgil, optimistically.

“No, you’re going down for drug trafficking,” said Jack.

“Drug trafficking? That’s bullshit!” said Virgil, giving a fake laugh. “You got nothing on me. Go ahead, throw me in the slammer for the night. I’ll be out by morning.”

“Boy, do you have that wrong,” said Jack. “Any idea how much time you’re going to get for masterminding shipments of meth into the U.S.? Your buddy Peltier is looking at a minimum of ten years if he cooperates, which of course he will. But he was only a courier. You’re looking at double what he will get.”

“There’s no way,” replied Virgil, not sounding as confident as he did earlier. “Am I supposed to know Peltier?”

“You would be surprised at what we have,” said Jack. “And the judges in the U.S. aren’t quite as gullible or lenient as the ones up here.”

“The U.S.?” Virgil asked.

“Guess you’re not familiar with how much time you serve in the U.S. when you co-operate versus when you don’t. Your contacts down there will be fighting with each other to be the first to rat. You being caught watching the deal go down is icing on the cake.”

“Watching what?” Virgil protested. “Like I said, I was out for a walk. I like owls and try to see them at night. If you’re saying some criminals got caught in the States, well, they’re criminals. Who would believe what they say? Like I said, you don’t have the grounds to arrest me, let alone get me deported.”

“Yeah, yeah,” replied Jack. “Come on, we need to walk down the road.”

“Where ya taking me?”

“Someone else will be taking you to jail,” replied Jack.

Minutes later, Virgil looked more apprehensive when they turned off the road and crossed the ditch toward the U.S. border.

“Now what are you doing?” Virgil demanded.

“Just a sec,” said Jack. “I was talking to the DEA when I was chasing you. They don’t know I’ve caught you yet.”

Jack walked a short distance away and pretended to use his phone. “Yeah, listen, the guy I’m chasing just entered the U.S. He’s right in front of me. I could have him within ten seconds if I jump the border. Want me to grab him and hold him for you? … Got it.” Jack looked at Laura as he put his phone away and said, “Permission granted!”

“What the fuck! You can’t do that! I’m a Canadian on Canadian soil. This is Canada,” Virgil said, stomping his foot on the ground for emphasis.

“You’re confused,” said Jack. “You obviously got turned around in the dark when you tried to elude us. Isn’t that right, Laura?”

“Oh, for sure. If you listen close, the wind in the trees even sounds like it is saying, y’all.”

“You might want to brush up on your American jailhouse slang,” said Jack. “Things like, ‘Yo’ bitch, I drop da soap. Y’all bend over and pick it up for Papa.’”

“You … you can’t do this,” pleaded Virgil taking a step backwards.

“Can and we will,” said Jack, while placing a simple wrist-lock on Virgil’s wrist with which even a slight amount of pressure brought him enough pain to rise to his tip-toes. “Now, be a good boy and keep walking south.”

“No, please …” said Virgil, trying to push backwards. After emitting a yelp of pain he stopped resisting.

“I guess there is one thing that could save your sorry ass,” said Jack gruffly. “I do hate giving the Yanks all the glory. Do you know someone more worthy than you that we could bust in Canada?”

“What do you mean?” asked Virgil. “Are you saying you won’t bust me if I give you someone?”

“That’s what I’m saying. But you would have to come clean with us on everything. Whoever you give us has to be a lot bigger than you. Not some peon you have running a lab somewhere. I’m talking big.”

“Oh fuck,” mumbled Virgil as his brain reeled over what he should do.

“Don’t have all night,” said Jack.

“I know some guys … but if they ever found out …”

“I promise, if you are completely straight with us, we will never burn you and your identity will be kept secret.”

“So you’re not asking me to testify or something?”

“No, not if you don’t want to,” said Jack. “As long as we catch who we’re after.”

“We would need to know everything about what you have been doing,” said Laura.

“Everything?” replied Virgil.

“As long as you’re being straight with us, we don’t care what you are up to, as long as the end result is putting a bigger fish in jail,” said Jack.

“But then you would bust me,” replied Virgil.

Jack shook his head. “Any criminal acts you have done up to now, you can tell us about and we won’t bust you for them or turn you in, but at the same time, you won’t have immunity if you are caught by some other cop. We both work for an Intelligence Unit. Knowing how things work … different trends, is important to us. It is also crucial to coming up with a plan.”

“A plan for what?”

“A plan to prevent you from being identified if we bust someone you give us.”

Virgil’s expression said he liked that idea.

“Any future criminal activity some organization might expect you to do would have to be cleared through us first,” continued Jack. “This is strictly between the three of us. What can you give us?”

“I … I’m not sure where to start. How to get you the proof.”

“Let us worry about that,” said Jack. “Right now any conversation is off the record. Start by telling us how many kilos of meth were delivered tonight.”

Virgil swallowed and said, “Twenty-eight.”

“And how many altogether so far this year?” prodded Jack.

“Ah … I’m not sure. About twenty or thirty keys a month so … this is May … so maybe about a hundred and twenty-five counting tonight.”

“Simple math,” said Jack. “Who can you give us that deals in, say two-hundred and fifty kilos in about the same amount of time?”

“It isn’t that simple,” said Virgil.

“You must know other dealers who are bigger than you,” said Laura.

“Not really,” whined Virgil. “I stay independent from the gangs. Figure it’s safer. From them and from you guys.”

“Too bad,” said Jack. “Guess we may as well keep walking south.”

“But I know about something else,” said Virgil quickly.

“I’m listening,” replied Jack.

Virgil paused, hesitant to talk until Jack grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a shove to start walking again. “Okay, okay,” he said. “I know about some murders. Isn’t that more important than running meth?”

“Maybe … maybe not,” replied Jack. “Thought you said you weren’t into the gangs. What are we talking? Is it related to all these gang shootings we’ve been having?”

“No, no. Nothing to do with that. I’m talking straight dudes being killed for money by some guys.”

“Straight dudes?” questioned Laura.

“Yeah, yeah. Citizens.”

“Exactly how many murders are we talking about?” asked Jack.

“Five so far and three more are planned.”

“Over how long of a time frame?” asked Jack.

“Uh … gotta think. I’m not a hundred percent certain, but I think it started about eight years ago. It was Christmastime, I remember that.”

“And you’re saying the victims had nothing to do with criminal matters?” said Laura.

“No, I told you. These are straight dudes. Some were married and had kids. They were chumps.” Virgil looked at Jack and said, “If I tell you who is doing it, is that enough?”

“Not if I don’t get the evidence to charge them,” said Jack. “I need to hear more. I want details so I can get proof and know you’re being straight with me. Give me the names of the victims so I can at least check out the murders to know what you’re telling me isn’t complete bullshit.”

Virgil sighed and said, “I don’t know their names. I only met the first guy … and that was eight years ago at a hotel in Los Angeles. I don’t even remember his name, but what I am telling you is the truth.”

“These are American murders?” asked Jack.

“I was told three of the chumps were American, one was British, and one Canadian.”

“One Canadian?” queried Jack.

Virgil nodded. “A guy from Vancouver. Out of the next three planned, at least two of them will be Canadian, as well. The murders were all made to look accidental so there wouldn’t be much of an investigation.”

“This sounds like a load of crap,” said Laura. “Come on, Jack. Make him move faster for wasting our time.”

“It is true! I swear,” pleaded Virgil. His eyes filled with tears. “It is true, it’s just … I don’t know how you could prove it. I am only going by what I was told, but I know the guy who told me was telling the truth.”

“Maybe you think it is true,” said Jack, “but what if it was some goof trying to impress you? The whole story might be bullshit.”

“No way. I know him really well. In fact, I could maybe find out who their next victim is going to be. If you watch the guy, you will see he dies of something within a month or two after I point him out to you.”

“You’ll probably kill him yourself,” said Jack.

“No way! If you’re watching the guy, you would catch who kills him.”

Jack stared at Laura for a moment and shook his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t necessarily believe Virgil, it was because Virgil actually thought they would let someone be murdered.

Laura looked at Jack and gestured with her hands. What do we do?

“We need some form of credibility from you,” said Jack, stabbing a finger into Virgil’s chest. “What drug stash can you give us immediately? Something as a gesture of good faith.”

“I don’t have any,” blubbered Virgil. “Everything I had went across the border tonight. I need, like two or three weeks, then you’ll know I’m telling you the truth. I could find out who the next victim is. Then when he dies you would have your proof. Just hold off a bit from, uh, deporting me tonight.”

“If what you are saying is true, a murder investigation could take months or longer. How do we know you won’t use the time to run off to Venezuela or something?” said Jack.

“I won’t.”

“You need to give us something,” said Jack. “We need credibility to know you are not lying to us before we let you go. I don’t even care if … I don’t know, maybe one night you killed someone who was your competition. Anything. Something we can verify to know you’re being straight with us and then we’ll let you go.”

Virgil swallowed and looked closely at Jack and said, “You said you wouldn’t bust me for something I did, or tell any other cops … as long as I was giving you something more important … right?”

“That’s what I said! Quit screwin’ around. Out with it.”

“So, like some guys who have murdered five people and plan on doing three more is pretty important, right?”

“Yes, it would be important if it was true,” said Jack in exasperation.

“Okay then … so those murders would trump … say, a rape, right?”

Jack felt the bile erupt into the back of his throat as his stomach tensed in anticipation of what he knew he was about to hear.

Chapter Six

Amanda awoke and saw a figure moving toward her in the darkened bedroom. She screamed while hysterically pushing herself backward on the cot.

“Amanda!” yelled Wendy. “It’s me!” she added, while frantically clawing at the wall to turn on the light switch.

“Oh, God,” sobbed Amanda, covering her eyes with her hands. “I was asleep and woke up. I thought —”

“I’m sorry,” cried Wendy. “I heard one of the kids and went to check. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Mommy!” cried out Megan, running into the room and leaping on the cot to hug her mother. “Is the bad man back?” she asked, looking around in panic.

“No, sweetie,” replied Amanda, holding Megan tight while trying to get her own body to stop shaking.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?”

Amanda kissed Megan on the cheeks several times before using the corner of a sheet to wipe the tears from Megan’s eyes. “I was having a bad dream. Everything is okay.”

“Were you dreaming about the bad man?”

“No, honey. Forget about the bad man. Everything is okay.”

“What were you dreaming about?” persisted Megan.

“A real scary movie. I shouldn’t have watched it. That’s why I don’t let you watch certain shows.”

Tears streamed down Wendy’s own face as she watched. She felt sickened by the commotion she had caused and knew it would be a long time, if ever, before Amanda or Megan recovered from the horror they had endured.

Does murder trump rape? Jack’s brain felt numb as he questioned his own values. Can I go along with this? In his heart he knew if Virgil was telling the truth, then solving five murders and preventing the murders of three more innocent people left no doubt as to the decision he should make.

Virgil was intently focused on Jack’s face and did not see the dark scowl cross Laura’s face, but Jack did. To come down hard on Virgil would shut him up. He knew he had to act fast, or it would scare Virgil off from talking.

Jack cleared his throat and did his best to look calm and sound nonchalant. “Oh, yeah, for sure. Sexual assault is a far cry from murdering people.”

Virgil smiled. He felt like he was in control of the situation and decided to exert some confidence. “So I got your word?” he demanded. “The both of you?” he said, looking back and forth at them. “I tell you about something I did as credibility to prove I’m being straight and then we’ve got a deal?”

Jack saw Laura looking at him for a response. Her expression was solemn, her face ashen. For a moment, Jack wrestled with his conscience. Am I doing the right thing?

“Well?” asked Virgil.

“You’ve got my word,” sighed Jack. “We will keep this between the three of us and we won’t disclose anything to anyone to burn you. Our primary objective is to catch the murderers, if they exist.”

“Oh, they exist all right.”

“But like I said,” continued Jack, “you’re not immune if some other cop finds out what you did and you are not immune from any future criminal acts unless you have our approval.”

“Understood.” Virgil smiled. “And you, my lovely?” he asked, looking at Laura. “Do I have your word?”

Laura’s response was more of a deep-throated growl. She grabbed him by the throat while at the same time kicking him behind the knee and slamming him to the ground.

Virgil tried to cry out, but his Adam’s apple was being crushed by Laura’s grip and all he could do was emit a painful gurgle as she sat on top of him.

Jack placed a hand on Laura’s shoulder, but she ignored it and leaned down so her face was almost touching Virgil’s as he squirmed his head in the dirt in an attempt to break her grasp. “I am not your lovely,” snarled Laura. “You will treat me with respect! And yes, you pathetic little man, you have my word.” With that, she released her grip and stood up.

Virgil gagged and coughed for a moment, then lay there panting as he stared up at Laura.

“Get up,” said Jack. “You’re not hurt.”

Virgil rolled over onto his knees and staggered to his feet. He glared at Laura as he regained his balance. “You can’t do that!” He stopped, before coughing out some more words. “I was being honest with you guys! I want my lawyer! I’m not saying another fucking word!”

“We gave you our word we will not burn you,” said Jack. “Under the circumstances, it is the best option you have.”

“Yeah, right,” replied Virgil sarcastically. “If I say something, you two will turn me in.”

“Virgil,” said Jack, shaking his head. “We haven’t given you your rights. Anything you tell us, give us, or show us would be inadmissible in court. Also, we gave you our word.”

“Yeah? What about her word?” demanded Virgil, with a nod of his head toward Laura. “You saw what she did to me. What good is her fucking word?”

“She did that because she is angry. Angry that she will keep her word, even for a lowlife like yourself. If she was going to turn you in, she wouldn’t feel so angry.”

“I don’t know …”

“Quit procrastinating and start talking,” snapped Jack. “Otherwise I’ll let her take you into the woods while I hold back to make a phone call. After what you hinted at, I have a strong feeling she will be coming back out alone.”

“She couldn’t get away with that!”

“Really?” sneered Jack. “I can see her statement. She took your cuffs off to let you pee. That’s when you tried to grab her gun …”

Virgil looked nervously at Laura who did not blink as she gave him a cold, hard stare. Within seconds, Virgil’s shoulders slumped. “Okay, where do I begin?”

“Tell us about the rape first,” said Jack. “Who and where?”

“I don’t know her name,” said Virgil. “It was last Sunday. I don’t know her address, other than it’s in Surrey. I could take you to the place.”

“The one in the newspaper?” said Jack. “Where the reporters are speculating that the assault is linked to other rapes?”

“Yeah. I did others, too, but one should be enough for credibility.”

“Agreed, but I want details,” demanded Jack. “Something not in the papers.”

“Her place was on the second floor. I was able to stand on the railing of the balcony below and climbed up onto her balcony. She had left the balcony door —”

“The papers said entry was gained through the balcony,” said Laura.

“Yeah, well, I did a couple of things the papers didn’t say.”

“Such as?” asked Jack.

“I wore a condom. I didn’t want her to get pregnant or anything.”

“Bullshit, you wore it because you were afraid of leaving DNA,” said Jack, sarcastically.

“Yeah, well, that, too.”

“You ever lie to me about anything and the deal is off, do you understand!” said Jack, vehemently.

Virgil stared at the ground and nodded.

“What else did you do?” demanded Jack.

“Well, I kind of rattled my knife a bit on her headboard, just to tease her.”

“The papers said it was a man with a knife,” said Jack. “What else? You said a couple of things.”

Virgil swallowed and said, “Well … before I went in her room I was in the kitchen. In the past I always wore a ski mask, but I saw a container of flour on the counter so I uh, took the mask off and put flour all over my face. I was already hot and sweaty from climbing up the balcony, so the flour stuck.”

“Why did you do that?” asked Laura.

“I don’t know. I thought it would be neat. I always keep the light off, but I knew this would stand out.”

“That’s weird,” commented Laura.

Virgil gazed as though he was in a trance and said, “Imagine waking up in the middle of the night in your own bed and seeing a white face lookin’ down at ya …”

You’re a very sick bastard, thought Jack.

Virgil snapped out of his vision and turned his attention back to Laura and said, “Guess I did it for fun, to see how freaked out she would get.”

“You’re the freak,” muttered Laura, taking a step forward.

Jack stepped in between and looked at Virgil and said, “That is probably enough detail.”

“Yeah? So now what?” replied Virgil.

Jack grabbed him by the arm, propelling him around, and said, “We’ll go back to our vehicles and you can tell us about the murders. Then I want you to show me where this last rape victim lives. After that, I’ll read the investigative file to verify you’re telling us the truth. If you are, I’ll cut you loose.”

Once back to the SUV, Jack took the scabbard with the knife from his belt and shoved it in the glove box.

“You keepin’ it?” asked Virgil.

“For the moment,” replied Jack, as he placed Virgil in the back seat and sat beside him while Laura sat in the front.

“Let’s hear it,” said Jack. “Tell us about these murders.”

“Okay,” said Virgil, sitting back in his seat a little farther when Laura turned to watch him. “The guys who are doing the murders, well, one of ’em is my brother.”

“Your brother!” repeated Laura, shocked that he would turn in a family member.

“Yeah, Oskar.” He’s more of a high roller than me. He’s president of a company.”

“He owns a company?” asked Jack, for clarification.

“Yup. Actually he has been the president of several companies. He keeps changing the company names. Usually his companies are based out of Los Angeles, but he also works in Canada.”

“What kind of company?” asked Jack, making notes.

“An investment-type company. I don’t even know the current name, but it would be easy for me to find out. His company checks out something he calls ethical funds for other companies to invest in.”

“And who is being murdered?” asked Jack.

“Guys who work for his company.”

“You’re telling me he is killing his own employees?” said Jack. “Why?”

“For the insurance.”

“He insures his employees?” asked Laura.

“Some of them. I guess for corporations it isn’t uncommon. Once they go through head-hunter companies and the rest of the process to hire someone, they often take out a life-insurance policy on them.”

Laura looked at Jack and showed her skeptisim by raising on eyebrow.

“I have heard of it,” replied Jack. “I think it is properly called key executive coverage. In theory, it is designed to provide financial interm assistance to a company that might suffer a loss if a key employee were to die. It has also been called dead peasants insurance after it was found out some companies do it like gambling, hoping to make money off their employees’ lives. ”

Virgil leaned forward to ease the pressure on his handcuffed wrists and added, “You sure as hell won’t get me signing any life insurance policies.” After squirming in his seat, he leaned back again. “Anyway, then they whack the guys to make it look like an accident and collect the insurance. Pretty simple really.” Virgil paused, then muttered, “Probably better than runnin’ meth around the country.”

“Who, besides Oskar, kills these guys?” asked Jack.

“Oskar doesn’t do the dirty work himself. He only hires the right chump for his company. They got other guys who do the dirty work. Professionals who were specially trained in the military. They’re not with the company. My brother told me another guy he knows is the brains behind it. It’s that guy who sends the hitters in to do the job.”

“Who does Oskar work for?” asked Jack. “I thought you said he owned the company.”

“He does. The other guy isn’t with Oskar’s company. He is only Oskar’s boss when it comes to doing the murders. He’s the guy who came up with the idea and orchestrates the hits.”

“So who is this guy?” asked Jack.

“I don’t know. I’ve never met him. I did hear my brother call him one time. I think he called him Mr. Merlin or Mr. Marlin. Something like that. It was years ago, so I’m not too sure.”

“You said your brother did work in Canada, too,” said Laura. “Are you talking Vancouver?”

“Clients more than anything. He doesn’t have an office here. It’s a pretty small operation. Only a few people who work out of an office in L.A. Mostly secretaries. The others are legit and don’t know what is going on.”

“I take it your brother doesn’t hang around with the same kind of people as you do,” said Jack.

“That’s for sure. He mingles with a lot of high rollers from all over the world. People who got money to invest. Whacking people for insurance is sort of a sideline. Maybe it’s to help get them through these bad economic times.”

“Where is Oskar now?” asked Jack.

He lives on his sailboat, so he is kind of mobile. Sometimes he lives on it in L.A. and other times he stays in Victoria at a marina across from The Empress Hotel.”

“Where is he now?”

“Last I heard, he had left L.A. and was supposed to arrive at the Victoria marina sometime today.”

“Do you know the name of his boat?”

“Yeah, he calls it the Corporate Asset.”

“And you said they plan on committing three more murders?”

“That’s what Oskar said. Then he said he’s going to retire. He’s hoping to sell his company off to some older guy he knows who already has a similar company. Oskar told me that by Christmas, he will be sitting under a palm tree on some beach and enjoying the good life.”

“You said you met the first victim. When and where?” asked Jack.

“That was like, I don’t know. Eight or nine years ago at some hotel in Los Angeles. I don’t even remember the chump’s name. It was at a Christmas party Oskar’s company was putting on. He told me later the guy I had met would be dead before Christmas.”

“Can you remember what the victim looked like?” asked Laura.

“No, not really. I think he was wearing a Santa’s cap, but that’s all I can remember.” Virgil looked at Jack and asked, “Do you think there’s a chance you wouldn’t need to bust Oskar and just go after the other guys?”

“Probably not,” replied Jack.

“Oh, well,” replied Virgil. “Guess that’s life. Better him than me.”

Their conversation was interrupted when the police radio crackled to report the woman who had dropped off Peltier earlier, was driving back into the area.

Jack grabbed the portable radio. “Copy that. It’s dark enough that you could put a guy in the bush where she dropped Peltier off and have him jump in the car. He’ll have her in cuffs before she realizes it isn’t who she expected.”

“Yeah, copy that. Will do. In case it doesn’t work, I’ll put a car down the road in front to stop her if she tries to bolt.”

When Jack put the portable radio down he looked at Virgil. “Who is it?”

“That would be his girlfriend, Helen. She doesn’t have much to do with anything. I’ve never even met her.”

“Yeah?” replied Jack. “You can’t convince me she didn’t know what was going on.”

“Oh, I’m not denying she didn’t know,” said Virgil.

Laura frowned at Jack. “Knowing what was going on as opposed to being convicted for what was going on, are a little different in court.”

“Yeah, I know,” sighed Jack. “Still, we got enough to toss her sorry ass in jail for the night to shake her up a little. Maybe she’ll confess.”

“Like I did,” mumbled Virgil.

“Your ass, we had,” lied Jack. “I’m going to tell the Americans you got away, but they would be pissed if they ever found out I had lied to them and cut a deal with you instead.”

Virgil nodded in agreement.

“Once Helen gets busted and everyone clears out, you’re going to show us where your last rape victim lives.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Virgil sighed. “What about my car? Will you let me drive?”

“No, Laura will follow us in it. The cuffs are staying on you for the time being.”

“Are they really necessary? They’re kind of uncomfortable,” complained Virgil.

“Yeah, Jack,” said Laura, “why don’t you take them off him? Maybe I’ll get lucky and he will try something.”

“Actually, I guess they’re not that bad,” quipped Virgil, bending forward and shaking the cuffs to adjust them on his wrists.

Jack took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. At the moment he thought it would be a simple matter to verify the woman’s address and check with the Major Crime Unit to ensure that Virgil was being truthful. If he was, Virgil would be cut free as promised.

Having determined a course of action, Jack’s stress level had dropped a little, although in the back of his mind he still questioned and hated the decision he had been forced to make.

Laura got in the BMW and Jack glanced at himself in the mirror as he got in the SUV to drive. He had been at work since noon the day before. His goatee already gave him somewhat of a menacing appearance, but now with being unshaven, exhausted, and chilled from being in the bush, he could see he really looked awful.