Текст книги "Jack Taggart Mysteries 7 - Book Bundle"

Автор книги: Don Easton

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Текущая страница: 124 (всего у книги 141 страниц)

He blinked his eyes as he imagined going home soon to a long hot shower and a clean bed, but a glance in his rear-view mirror at Virgil brought back the promise he had made. He went over it again in his head.

Yes, I am doing the right thing. It is a simple matter of letting one criminal go to catch worse ones …

Jack was about to find out it was not a simple matter.

Chapter Seven

On Thursday morning at eight o’clock, Amanda and Megan arrived at her apartment complex, as her brother Burt backed a U-Haul truck up to the back door of the apartment building. A car with three of Burt’s friends parked in the alley.

“Sorry I couldn’t get a sitter,” apologized Amanda when Burt got out of the truck. “Wendy had to take her own kid to a doctor’s appointment this morning so I thought I should —”

“Are you kidding? I’m glad she’s here.” Burt looked at Megan and pointed to the truck and said, “There it is! This is the big truck your Uncle Burt is going to give you a ride in!”

Megan looked at the truck and her eyes widened with excitement. “That is a big truck!” she exclaimed. “And I’m going in it!” she squealed.

“You betcha!” said Burt. “But first we have to get it loaded.”

Everyone went inside the apartment at which time Amanda announced she had left the coffee pot out, along with a few mugs for everyone to use. After switching on the coffee pot, Amanda stepped into the living room.

“Hot and stuffy in here,” mumbled one of Burt’s friends, as he walked over and slid open the door to the balcony.

Amanda looked at the sliding door and her body started to tremble and she hugged Megan.

“What’s wrong, Mommy? Are you afraid of the bad man?”

“Forget about the bad man,” said Amanda, gently placing a hand on each side of her face to hold her attention. “We’re moving to a new place. Away from bad men.”

“Maybe you should take Megan and wait outside in the truck,” suggested Burt. “Really, you don’t need to be, uh, in here. We’ll be done in no time at all.”

“Yes, Mommy! The truck! I want to see the truck!”

Amanda swallowed and nodded in agreement. She knew she would not be able to keep her emotions in check. She turned to Megan and said, “Okay, honey. Let’s go see the truck.”

Megan shrieked with delight and raced out of the room in front of Amanda.

Burt watched them leave, then turned to his friend as they each picked up a box of kitchenware and said, “I’ll kill him if I ever find out who it was.”

“I’d be glad to help you,” swore his friend.

Jack drove to Surrey and parked in an urban area as directed by Virgil. Laura parked Virgil’s BMW behind them and walked up and opened the front door of

the SUV.

Jack looked at Virgil and asked, “Which building? You said it was an apartment in the back?”

“Not these ones,” replied Virgil. “The best way for me to find it is to walk from here and follow the same route she took. I followed her from about this point on.”

“Why did you pick her?” asked Jack.

“It was Sunday and she wasn’t with a guy, so I thought maybe she lived alone. Especially as she lived in an apartment. I figured if she had a house she would probably have a guy.”

Jack glanced at Laura and said, “If I take his cuffs off, do you think he will try to run?”

“Hope so,” muttered Laura.

By the look on Virgil’s face, Jack was confident he would not try anything, so he took the handcuffs off. They then walked down a sidewalk for a block before cutting across a playground and heading down a path leading into some alleys.

Eventually they came upon a row of apartment complexes and Virgil stopped. “I think her apartment is on the other side of that U-Haul truck.”

“You think?” replied Jack. “Keep walking. I want you to be sure.”

As the three of them approached the front of the U-Haul, Jack saw a young girl run around to the front of the truck, followed by her mother’s cry of, “Megan! Come back here!”

Jack crouched down in front of Megan to block her from running out into the alley and said, “Hi, there. Your mommy wants you.” As he spoke, he glanced over his shoulder at Virgil.

Virgil’s mouth was gaped open in panic. Then he quickly turned his back and pretended to fuss with the zipper on his jacket.

Jack felt the goosebumps rise on his body. He knew the young woman he heard calling for Megan was the victim.

Jack glanced at Laura and knew she had also clued in. “Take him back to the SUV,” whispered Jack. “I’ll distract her.”

Amanda was at the back of the truck when Megan first ran around the front, so she darted to the other side, expecting to see Amanda circle the truck. When she didn’t appear, Amanda reversed direction and ran back.

“Megan, don’t be hiding on Mommy. Come here!”

Jack stood up as Amanda rounded the corner of the truck. She hadn’t realized he was there and let out a scream, while grabbing Megan by the arm and taking a couple of steps backwards.

“I’m sorry,” said Jack, rounding the corner of the truck and gesturing with the palms of his hands, trying to indicate she had nothing to be scared of. He smiled apologetically and said, “I hadn’t meant to startle you. I heard you calling for your daughter and wanted to stop her from —”

Jack heard a low guttural curse as a man grabbed him around the chest from behind and tried to throw him to the ground. Jack responded as he had been trained, by clasping the attacker’s arms to his chest so the attacker couldn’t let go, while simultaneously taking one step forward and bending his shoulder over. The result was he threw the man to the ground while landing on top of him. His training had also taught him to follow up with a karate punch to the man’s solar plexus, throat, and groin.

Jack automatically delivered the first blow to the solar plexus, before realizing the smack he heard was the man’s head coming in sudden contact with the asphalt. A quick glance said he was already stunned into submission.

Jack had little time to ponder the situation or stand up before another man rushed at him. Jack responded by kicking his knee. As the second man spun sideways, Jack leapt to his feet and assumed a proper karate stance to face his new opponent who put up his fists.

“No!” cried Amanda, from where she was kneeling and hugging Megan close to her chest. “Burt! It’s not him,” she exclaimed, looking down at her brother lying on the ground, before turning her attention to the other man. “It’s not the guy! This guy has a beard. The man who attacked me didn’t. I screamed because I hadn’t seen him until I came around the truck. He startled me.”

Jack saw the second attacker slowly lower his fists while Burt moaned and tried to sit up.

“He’s not the bad man, is he Mommy?”

“No, sweetie. Uncle Burt just thought he was.”

Amanda’s attention focused on the back of Jack’s jacket. It had ridden up and rested on the top of the pistol stuck in his holster. “He’s got a gun!” she gasped, pointing at Jack.

“I’m a police officer,” said Jack.

“Oh, fuck,” moaned Burt, holding the back of his head and gazing up at Jack.

“Mommy! Uncle Burt said a bad word!” said Megan.

“Everyone take it easy,” said Jack. “I’ll show you my identification.”

The second man took a step forward and looked at Jack’s badge and identification card before nodding at Burt and Amanda.

“I didn’t know,” said Burt, still struggling to sit up.

“It’s okay,” replied Jack. “You likely have a mild concussion. Don’t move for a moment and let me have a look at you.”

Jack knelt beside Burt and gave his head a cursory examination while introductions were made. Jack then moved his fingertip from side to side in front of Burt’s face and told him to focus on it.

“I think you’re okay,” said Jack, “but I’m no doctor, so watch yourself. If you’re feeling sick, get it checked out.”

“I’ll be okay,” said Burt, slowly getting to his feet. He looked at Jack and said, “I’m sorry, but you don’t look like a cop. I heard my sister scream and I thought you were attacking her.”

“Don’t worry about it,” replied Jack. “I think you got the worst of it.”

“Yeah, I got a heck of a goose egg already,” replied Burt, rubbing the back of his head.

“You may want to put a bag of ice or frozen vegetables on it,” suggested Jack.

“I’ll see how it goes.” Burt stared at Jack a moment and added, “You’re obviously here working undercover because of my sister. I hope I didn’t blow it,” he added, glancing around.

“Ah … no, I’m actually here because of another investigation,” replied Jack.

“Another investigation?”

Jack nodded.

“You do know what happened with my sister, right?” asked Burt.

Jack looked at Amanda and their eyes met. He could see the pain and grief in her eyes and on her face. His instinct told him to lie and say he knew nothing about it, but his conscience wouldn’t let him. “Yes, I know about it,” he said softly. “I am so, so sorry.”

She nodded in response.

“Mommy, I want to ride in the truck,” demanded Megan.

“After it is loaded, sweetie. Maybe in an hour.”

“Then let’s go play in the park. Can we? Huh? Can we?”

“That might be a good idea,” suggested Burt. “Why don’t you take her there. When we’re done, I’ll come and get you.”

“Actually, I’m going in that same direction. I’ll walk with you, if you like,” offered Jack.

Amanda took Jack up on his offer and after saying goodbye, they walked together up the alley. There was little conversation between Jack, Amanda, and Megan until they arrived at the park.

“Come here often?” asked Jack.

“Quite a bit,” replied Amanda. “Usually on my way home from work.”

“That’s nice. Family time is important.”

She glanced at Jack and asked, “Are you married? Do you have any kids?”

“Yes to both,” said Jack. “We have two boys. Steve turned two last month and,” Jack smiled, holding his hand lower than waist height, “his big brother, Mike, is three and a half.”

Amanda cast another glance at Jack’s appearance. “Your job must be kind of stressful.”

“It can be.”

“At least you have a partner to share things with. You’re lucky.”

“Are we lucky, Mommy?”

“You and Megan have each other, too,” interjected Jack.

Amanda caressed Megan’s hair and allowed herself a genuine smile for the first time since her attack. “Yes, sweetie, you and I are lucky, too.”

Megan smiled in return and ran to climb inside the plastic tube.

Jack was about to say goodbye to Amanda, when she asked, “You said you were here because of another investigation, yet you knew about me?”

“Yes,” replied Jack, silently wishing he had listened to the instinct he had earlier not to admit he knew about the attack.

“Does this other investigation … well, maybe you can’t tell me,” she said, looking furtively at Jack. “I was wondering if it was at all related to what happened to me. You know … the same kind of thing? Maybe the same guy?”

Jack took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “The man who attacked you might be connected to some other bad guys. These others are not involved in attacking women, but I think one of them knows the man who attacked you.”

“So if you catch them, you might find out who attacked me,” said Amanda, hopefully. “Maybe let the other guy off to give up the name of who attacked me. Isn’t that how it works? Or is that only on TV or something that —”

“No, that is often how it works,” said Jack.

“So these other guys … what are they suspected —”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t say any more than what I told you. Even what I did say was more than I should have.”

“I understand. I won’t tell anyone.” She put her hand on Jack’s sleeve. “Please, promise me you will catch him. I live in absolute terror every moment, knowing he is still out there.”

Catch him? He’s sitting in my car right now… Jack took a deep breath and clenched his jaw as he fought to keep his emotions in check. If I had any guts I would tell you the truth …

“It’s okay,” whispered Amanda compassionately, as she patted his back. “I can see you are doing your best. That is all I can really ask.”

Chapter Eight

“That was the woman,” said Virgil, as soon as Jack opened the front passenger door to the SUV.

Jack eyed Virgil who was sitting handcuffed again in the back seat while Laura sat sideways in the driver’s seat watching him. “I know it was,” he replied, getting in and closing the door.

“So now what? You gonna let me go?”

“You hadn’t mentioned that she had a child,” said Jack.

“What’s that got to do with it?” replied Virgil.

“I suppose for you, nothing,” said Jack in disgust. “Right now, we’re going for another little drive. I’m going to talk to the investigator who is handling her case and confirm a few details before letting you go.”

“But won’t he arrest me?”

“I won’t mention that you’re sitting with my partner out in the parking lot.”

“I don’t feel good about that.”

“You’d feel a lot worse if I did what I really feel like doing to you.” Jack paused and leaned over in the seat, bringing his face close to Virgil’s and added, “I guess that’s not really true … because when I was done, you wouldn’t feel anything ever again.”

Virgil swallowed nervously and stared silently down at the floor.

Jack entered the Major Crime Section and after a brief inquiry, was directed to the desk of Constable Sue McCormick who worked on the Sexual Offence Unit.

After introducing himself to McCormick, he stood across from her desk and told her he had received some information in regard to the rape that was mentioned in the paper earlier in the week.

Jack studied McCormick briefly as she spoke. She was exceptionally young to be handling these types of cases. A lack of a wedding ring and a picture of two cats on her desk told Jack who she lived with. She was strikingly beautiful and had long, blond curly hair. Did she bat her eyelashes at the right person to get the position? Jack soon discovered that she knew her stuff.

“Amanda Evans.” McCormick nodded. “Yes, that’s my case. What do you have?”

“Bits and pieces that might all be bullshit. Would you mind if I took a quick look at your file?”

“Sorry, the file is off-limits. Contains sensitive holdback information. Things that only the real perp would know.”

“I understand. Then could you verify for me if —”

“You said you worked organized crime.”

“That’s right.”

“Not exactly an organized-crime type of venture, so let me guess,” said McCormick, as she leaned back in her chair and clasped her hands behind her head. “You’ve probably got a snitch who threw a name at you.”

“Yes, what I have comes from an informant. Someone whose credibility is as of yet, still unproven.”

McCormick leaned forward in her chair, briefly running her fingers through her hair and shaking her head before clasping her hands on top of her desk. “Let me tell you something. So far we’ve had about twenty of them come forward, all hoping to get a cash reward. None of them know squat and are throwing out names of anyone they think could be capable, causing us to waste a lot of valuable time. Did your informant give you anything other than a name?”

“Well, it so happens that I —”

“Jack! You son of a bitch! What are you doing here? Dumping off more bodies for us to work on?”

Jack turned and saw Corporal Connie Crane smiling at him as she approached.

“Hi, CC. Yeah, if you’re short of work, I think I’ve got five bodies I could toss your way.”

Connie smiled and looked at McCormick. “With this guy he could be telling the truth.” She looked back at Jack and said, “Joking aside, what are you doing?”

“He told me he might have some information in regard to the Amanda Evans assault,” said McCormick.

Connie looked sharply at Jack and said, “Really?”

Jack nodded.

“That is one demented … sick puppy,” said Connie. “Everyone in MCU would like to get their hands on him.”

“He asked to look at the file,” said McCormick, “but of course I said no because of the holdback info.”

“What do you have, Jack?” asked Connie, gravely.

“Yes,” sighed McCormick. “You have another name to add to my list?”

“Not a name,” replied Jack. “But let me take a guess at what the holdback info is. Could it be that the bad guy grated a knife back and forth on her headboard during the assault, or was it that he masked his face in white flour?”

McCormick’s mouth dropped open and she gawked up at Jack. “That … that’s it,” she finally stammered. “Both those things. Who told you that?”

“Well, that’s a bit of a problem,” said Jack. “I can’t really help you with your case. I only came to verify what I heard.”

“You have to tell me,” demanded McCormick. “That really is the holdback information. Only the perp knows about it.”

“And you,” said Jack. “And whoever the perp told and whoever Amanda told.”

“Of course, but I told Amanda not to tell anyone … so … you have to tell me. I’ve got four other cases on my desk that I can link him to.”

“DNA?” asked Jack.

“Got it once. He wears condoms, but in one instance he was obviously aroused before putting it on, because we found semen on the floor at the foot of her bed. What links the other cases comes from the lab matching the marks left by the knife. If we catch him with the knife, his goose is cooked.” McCormick’s eyes watered with emotion. “God, finally. This is the break I’ve been praying for. Who is it?”

Jack paused, feeling the bile in his stomach surge as he thought of the knife outside in his glove box.

“Well?” prodded McCormick.

“Believe me, I would love nothing better than to tell you, but I can’t because … well, it’s one of those, uh, strictly on a need-to-know basis kind of things.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I need to know! I’m the chief investigator on this!”

“Sue, give me a minute to talk to Jack alone, will ya?” said Connie.

McCormick looked back and forth at Jack and Connie, then stormed out of the office.

“Okay,” said Connie quietly. “I know you … and you know I know you. So quit fucking around. Please don’t tell me that Amanda Evans is your friend or a relative or something. If we find the perp dead in an alley with a knife shoved up his ass, I’ll be coming down hard on you with both —”

“I’ve never heard of Amanda until today,” said Jack.

“So what’s the deal, then?”

“Do you remember me telling you that I had five bodies for you?”

“Yeah. You weren’t serious about that, were you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Christ,” Connie muttered.

“I don’t have the bodies in hand yet. I’m told five people were murdered over the last eight years on an insurance scam to collect money. The murders were made to look like accidents.”

“So what does this have to do with the rape? Did one of the murderers do it?”

“No. The informant who is giving me the details on the murders gave me the details on the rape to prove credibility.”

“Jesus Christ! I think I’m gonna puke! Are you telling me you’re letting a serial rapist off because of some story about a bunch of murders?”

“To start with, I didn’t say the informant was that person.”

Connie gave Jack a hard look and said, “If it wasn’t, it must be somebody that is in real tight with him. Either way, if we don’t bust him, it is the same thing as letting him go.”

“Even if it was the same person, except for reading a short blurb in the paper, I didn’t know about any of the details about the rape until the informant gave them to me. I only received those details after I gave my word that I would not tell anyone who had divulged that information to me. I made the decision to protect the informant in lieu of solving five murders and preventing three more. What would you have done?”

“Preventing three more?” said Connie in surprise.

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t mention that. I’m feeling a little groggy. Apparently they are going to kill three more victims between now and Christmas.”

“Ah, God, Jack. Are you sure you’re getting the straight goods on these murders? I presume your informant didn’t come forward to be a good citizen. If you’re holding something over your so-called informant’s head … like going to jail … all this talk of murders could be bullshit.”

“It’s obvious the details about the rape aren’t bullshit. I don’t think the information about the murders is, either. I’ll do some digging. If my informant is lying to me, I’ll gift-wrap the sick bastard who did the rape and deliver him to you, or better yet, stuff him in a crab trap someplace.”

Connie vented her frustration by giving the desk a kick, which raised a few heads in the office. “At least I understand your dilemma,” said Connie bitterly, “but it still makes me want to puke.”

“Can’t say as I like it, either,” said Jack. “Knowingly letting a rapist walk around … well, it makes it feel really personal to me.”

Connie reflected on past investigations that Jack had taken personally. “Uh, Jack, between you and me, I wish to make it clear that I prefer your gift-wrapping strategy over using a crab trap.”

“I was only joking about the crab trap.”

“Were you?” frowned Connie. “Don’t even go there with me. You’ve got far too much history of being around bad guys who keep turning up dead.”

“Like you said, let’s not go there.”

“I presume you’ll need a hand with the murders? Speaking of which, where is Laura?”

“She’s out in the car making a personal call. As far as the offer to help goes, I appreciate it, but they are not in your jurisdiction.”

“Can’t say that I’m not relieved to hear that.”

“Three are American, one is British, and one is from Vancouver. I’m told that at least two of the next three victims will be Canadian. If things check out, I’ll liase with Vancouver PD on the Canadian victim.”

“Oh shit,” muttered Connie, while looking over Jack’s shoulder. “McCormick went and got Inspector Dyck.”

“Who’s he?” asked Jack, turning to see McCormick approaching with a man who was dressed in a suit and tie. The man was tall and had a physique that said he worked out. He strutted across the room with the confidence of someone in charge.

“A new inspector transferred in from Ottawa,” whispered Connie.

“Are you Corporal Taggart?” asked Dyck, pointing his finger at Jack’s chest.

“Yes, I’m Jack Taggart,” he replied, extending his hand. “And you are?”

“Inspector Dyck,” he replied, ignoring the handshake. “What’s this garbage I hear that you know who is responsible for the sexual assault on Amanda Evans and are refusing to disclose who it is? Do you think this is some kind of a joke?”

“It’s no laughing matter,” replied Jack. “I have an informant who is providing me details on five murders, along with three more potential murders. The victims are apparently honest citizens murdered on an insurance scam. The informant supplied details about Amanda Evans to show credibility.”

“Who are the victims?”

“I don’t know yet. Some are American. One Canadian and a Brit. I need a few more days to check things out.”

“This is preposterous,” spluttered Dyck. “I demand that you give me the informant’s name immediately.”

“I promised the informant that I would not disclose or compromise his or her identity.”

“From what I have been told, either your informant is the rapist … or someone damned close to him. We need to know who it is and we need to know now!”

“Sir, I work on an Intelligence Unit targeting organized crime. Keeping my word is not only a moral issue I take seriously, it is also tantamount to maintaining my reputation as someone to be trusted. I deal with high-level criminals on a regular basis. They need to know that I will protect them.”

“For your information, Corporal, I am very familiar with the file. Let me tell you that this isn’t his first time. Knife marks left on the beds of other rape victims match. He is becoming more brazen and increasing his level of violence. The profilers believe he will graduate to mutilation and murder soon.”

“The profilers could be right,” said Jack, “but the current murders trump the sexual assault. I need to investigate the murders.”

“Current murders? Where’s your proof of that? You don’t even know who the victims are.”

“That is why a need a few days,” replied Jack.

“We may not have a few days. If your informant has already given you what he or she knows, then you don’t need the informant anymore. You shouldn’t have any qualms about giving me the name.”

“Maybe that is how you work, but I don’t work that way,” snapped Jack.

“Don’t you use that tone with me, Corporal!”

Jack sighed. “Sir, I gave my word. I will be in a position to monitor the rapist. If he tries to strike again, I will give you the name. My promise to the informant is only for past crimes.”

Dyck turned to McCormick and said, “Where is the file? I need to see it again.”

McCormick handed Dyck the file and he went through it and quickly opened a brown manila envelope. A second later, he thrust a picture in front of Jack’s face.

Jack blinked his eyes to control his emotion. It was a picture taken of Amanda Evans shortly after the assault. Her grief and tears were evident, along with superficial knife marks on her neck. Jack swallowed and clenched his fists to contain his own grief.

“Take a good look,” seethed Dyck. “She also has a three-year-old daughter who witnessed the assault! You are so hot on protecting your informant … who is protecting her, or the next victim?”

Jack momentarily closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before slowly exhaling. “It’s simple logic,” he sighed. “I’m willing to let a rapist go to catch someone committing murder. I really do hope you catch the person who attacked Amanda … but it won’t be with my help for crimes up to this point.”

Dyck’s face darkened. “I’ve had enough of your insolence,” he growled. “So listen very carefully. I am not asking. I am ordering you to tell me!”

“I do not burn my informants,” said Jack firmly.

“You will this time, or I’ll have you charged with obstruction of justice,” said Dyck matter-of-factly. “To make it very clear, you will not be leaving this office, except in handcuffs, unless you give me the name.”

Silence descended as all eyes were fixed on Jack. Eventually Jack nodded and took a piece of paper from the desk and wrote on it. He carefully folded the paper to hide the name and glared at Dyck a moment, then said, “Leave me out of it,” before handing the paper over.

“I’m glad for your sake that you came to your senses,” said Dyck, as he unfolded the paper to glance at the name.

“There is something you need to realize,” replied Jack. “More than my reputation is at stake. Most of my informants would be murdered if word leaked out that they were talking to the police. I would respectfully ask that you give considerable thought as to how you proceed with this.”

Dyck nodded and watched as Jack strode out of the office. “Crane, McCormick, the both of you into my office,” ordered Dyck.

A moment later, Connie and McCormick sat in front of Dyck’s desk as he toyed with the slip of paper in his fingers while thinking about his next step. “Okay,” he said, “Corporal Crane, it has been brought to my attention that you’re one of the best interrogators in the office.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I realize you work homicides, but I would like you to assist and take the lead for the interview in this matter.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Connie.

Dyck glanced at McCormick. “I hope you don’t take offence, but Corporal Crane does have far more experience than you.”

“No offence taken, sir,” replied McCormick. “I look at it as a chance to learn.”

Connie glanced at McCormick and thought, Believe me kid, with Taggart involved you’ll probably learn more than you will ever want to know …

“I expect the interview to take place as soon as possible,” said Dyck. “You can use whatever location you think is appropriate to try and maintain confidentiality.”

“So I won’t be interviewing the rapist?” asked Connie.

“No. The name and phone number he gave me is for a woman.” Dyck shook his head and added, “She must be one sad, demented soul to be hanging out with the guy we’re after.”

Connie accepted the piece of paper Dyck handed her. Goddamn it, Jack …

“Is there a problem?” asked Dyck.

“Uh, sir, the name on the paper that Jack … I mean Corporal Taggart gave you, uh …”

“Her phone number is there,” noted Dyck, sounding irritated. “Scoop her up as soon as you can.”

“It’s not that, sir. The name he gave you is Rose Wood.”

“I saw that.”

“That is Staff Sergeant Rose Wood. She is Taggart’s boss. The phone number is her office number.”

Dyck’s face reddened and he yelled, “Give me that paper!”