Текст книги "Jack Taggart Mysteries 7 - Book Bundle"

Автор книги: Don Easton

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Текущая страница: 138 (всего у книги 141 страниц)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Before answering Laura’s call, Jack turned to Oskar and said, “Excuse me, it’s my ex. Unusual for her to call this time of night from where she is. I better answer.”

Jack answered his phone while climbing up the stairwells and returning to the bow area in front of the fly bridge. “We’re clear,” he said, talking in a hushed tone.

“Good news, bad news,” said Laura.

“Peaks and valleys,” replied Jack. “What’s the good?”

“I’m in the MCU office. Guess who’s been arrested.”

“You got him?”

“He made his move tonight. We nailed him. Used Mike and Steve earlier in the day. Talk about two little operators, they played their parts perfectly.”

Jack smiled to himself and took a moment to savour the pride he felt.

“Still there?” asked Laura.

“Still here,” replied Jack. “Did you catch him cold?”

“You might say that. He was naked and standing beside the bed with a knife in one hand and a garrot in the other. Not to mention a hard-on.”

“A garrot?”

“He made it out of a piece of broom handle and sash cord. McCormick is convinced from his profile that he intended to kill her.”

“Bet she’s right. Is the bad news what I think it is?”

“Yup. He’s got a lawyer. We’re told if we don’t let him go, Oskar will be notified.”

“Who’s the lawyer?”

“Basil Westmount. Remember him?”

“Yes. Two years ago he defended the guy with the speed lab. He brought the accused’s girlfriend to court with a pillow under her blouse as a ploy to get sympathy from the jury.”

“It worked. He got off.”

“I don’t think his client will get off this time,” replied Jack.

“Never be too sure. He’s already claiming entrapment.”

“They claim that with every undercover operation. Let a judge or jury decide.”

“How long do you need on your end?” asked Laura.

“Tomorrow is when Oskar meets the boss. At the same time I’m supposed to check out a company in a place called Hat Yai. I don’t think they figure I’ll be coming back from there.”

“There is no way we can hold Virgil incommunicado that long,” said Laura.

“It wouldn’t matter if you did. Westmount knows. You can’t stop him from making a call.”

“What do we do? If we don’t cut him loose, it will blow your case out of the water.”

“Tell Westmount that Oskar is about to go into a meeting where it is anticipated that he will be arrested immediately after.” Jack paused as he saw Barfoot, Oskar, and Pike enter the wheelhouse, then said, “Make it abundantly clear to Westmount that there is no way we will cut Virgil loose.”

“He’ll call Oskar immediately.”

“I know,” replied Jack.

Jack shut off his phone and went back to the wheelhouse where Barfoot was navigating the yacht away from the pier, while Oskar and Pike looked on.

“Everything okay?” asked Barfoot.

“I’m not sure,” replied Jack. “My ex called to say my little guy got up in the night for whatever reason and fell down the stairs. She thinks his leg is broken.”

“My God, the poor little guy,” replied Barfoot. “Is he at the hospital?”

“I don’t know,” replied Jack. “My phone died when we were talking. Guess I forgot to charge the battery. Oskar, could I borrow yours for a few minutes?”

“Sure,” replied Oskar, handing Jack his phone.

“Jack, give me your phone,” said Barfoot. “I have the same type. I’ll charge it up for you.”

Jack nodded and passed his phone to Barfoot, while pretending to make a quick call on Oskar’s phone. “I got voicemail, so she must be on the line,” he said, “I’ll try again in a minute.”

“Maybe she’s calling an ambulance,” offered Barfoot.

“Maybe,” replied Jack. “Or a neighbour to babysit. I’m going to go back out on the deck. It might take some time to calm her down and get things looked after.”

Jack didn’t have to wait long for the call.

“Hello. Oskar Cruickshank?”

“Speaking,” replied Jack.

“My name is Basil Westmount. I’m a lawyer representing your brother, Virgil.”

“Oh? Well whatever he is involved with, it has nothing to do with me.”

“Actually you’ll want to listen to what I have to say,” said Westmount. “First of all, let me caution you about what you say. I suspect it may be very buggy where you are in southeast Asia.”

“Really?” said Jack.

“At this very moment, I am walking out of the RCMP Major Crime office in Surrey. Your name came up tonight as being under investigation.”

“Me? That’s absurd,” replied Jack. “I’m not involved in anything illegal.”

“No, of course not and I, uh, understand your need to be prudent, but I am calling as a favour for Virgil.”

“Virgil doing me a favour? That’s a laugh. Let me guess, you’re charging him some outrageous amount and he needs money. What was he caught with, running dope across the line?”

“No. For your information, he is being charged with multiple counts of sexual assault. He is not requesting money, he —”

“Rape! Well that doesn’t surprise me. What a piece of degenerate shit. Wish somebody would lob his balls off and feed them to the dogs.”

“He is doing you a favour,” said Westmount, letting the irritation show in his voice. “He found out that somebody you recently hired, a man who goes by the first name of Jack, is actually an undercover RCMP officer.”

Jack did not reply.

“Did you hear me.”

“I heard you.”

“I understand you are about to go into a meeting.”

“How did you know that?”

“The RCMP informed me. They are holding your brother incommunicado so he can’t call and warn you.”

“How did he know?”

“He told me he overheard them talking. Laughing that they were about to catch both brothers. You and him. Once they discovered he knew, they tried to cut a deal, but Virgil wouldn’t go for it.”

“That has to be bullshit,” growled Jack. “I know Virgil. He’d sell our own mother to make a buck. He only has one guy he looks out for, and that’s him. More likely he already told them about me and is reneging and trying to cut another deal.”

“Uh, well —”

“You tell that piece of shit if I ever see or hear from him again, I’ll be taking out an insurance policy on him!”

“I don’t understand.”

“He will.”

“Well, uh, I’ll pass the message along, but your brother aside, if you are in legal difficulties and are being brought back to Canada, I would be glad to handle —”

“Did you say your name was Westmount?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard about you.”

“I have had good success with many high-profile cases,” replied Westmount optimistically.

“That’s not what my friends say. They say you don’t have the brains that God gave a goat and you rip off your clients. If I need a lawyer, I’ll get one myself, you slimy weasel.”

Jack hung up and glanced up at the wheelhouse and saw Oskar watching him. Jack gave a thumbs-up sign and turned his back while deleting the log of the incoming call before dialing Laura’s cellphone to make it look like he had called his ex. Moments later, Jack smiled as he headed back to the wheelhouse.

That should hold Virgil and Westmount off for a day or two. Then what’s the worst that could happen? They plan on killing me tomorrow regardless …

Jack was wrong on that count. They planned on killing him today.

Chapter Forty

Back in the wheelhouse, Jack handed Oskar back his phone.

“Everything okay?” asked Barfoot.

“I suspect it’s only a sprain, but she is taking him to get checked out at Emergency.”

“Takes after his dad in the athletic department, I take it,” said Pike with a smile.

“I guess so,” Jack replied, looking sheepish. “So, where are we going?”

“I thought we would cruise around a few of the islands,” replied Barfoot. “Maybe do a little fishing and drinking. Perhaps some snorkelling and spearfishing, as well, if anyone wants. I have all the gear on board.”

“Count me out of the snorkelling,” replied Jack. “But a cold beer sounds great.”

“Not a problem,” replied Barfoot. “I have to use the head, so I’ll grab you one on the way back. In the meantime, how about taking over the wheel while I’m gone?”

“You’ll trust me to handle this?” said Jack.

Barfoot smiled and said, “You look like the trustworthy type. Try not to steer it into any islands or other boats. I’ll give you a quick course on some of the instruments if you like.”

“I think you better,” Jack said with a laugh.

“Actually, Ben is well-versed with the Princess,” added Barfoot. “He can keep an eye on you.”

Yeah, that makes me feel better …

The next hour slipped past with Jack and Barfoot at the helm, while Oskar and Pike sat below on the lower deck drinking beer. It was a moment when Jack wished Jim Purney was part of the crew.

Barfoot pointed to an island to the east. “That’s Ko Tarutao. It’s a marine national park in Thailand.”

“Thailand?” Jack asked. “I thought we were in Malaysia.”

“We’re just over the border. Set a direction due west and we’ll come to some more Thai islands.”

“Don’t we have to clear customs?”

“They never bother me unless I stop at an island that’s inhabited,” replied Barfoot. “I feel safer here than to the south, where the pirates hang out.”

During the next hour, Razak appeared and took over steering the yacht while Jack and Barfoot joined Oskar and Pike on the stern. The sky had a few clouds clinging to some of the islands they passed by, but for the most part, the weather was hot and even the breeze off the ocean felt warm.

After passing a cluster of islands, Barfoot glanced at his watch, then stood up and used his hand to shield the sun from his eyes as he peered out at the last island Razak had circled. Then he stared at a piece of kelp floating in the water.

“What’s up?” asked Jack.

“See that island about half a mile away?” said Barfoot, pointing. “The closest one?”

“Sure. That little one that we went around a few minutes ago,” replied Jack. “It looks deserted.”

“That’s the one. Do you think the tide is going in, out, or neither right now?”

“Can’t tell,” replied Jack. “The water is pretty choppy. Why?”

Barfoot grinned. “The three of you pups might be young, strong, and full of vitality, but this old boy is going to teach you a thing or two about fishing. Hang tough while I tell Razak to lower the anchor.”

When Barfoot left, Pike turned to Oskar and said, “I should teach him how to fish like I did in the marines. Toss a grenade in the water and pick ’em up when they float to the surface.”

“I think John prefers to give the fish a sporting chance,” replied Oskar.

“Sporting chances are for suckers,” replied Pike.

“Okay, gentlemen,” said Barfoot upon his return. “The first thing I’ll teach you from my experience, is fish like to feed more when the tide is going in. We’ll each get a rod. Last one to catch something does the supper dishes.”

“I thought your two crew members would do the dishes,” said Pike.

“Did you now?” replied Barfoot. “Well let me tell you something, right now I consider you part of the crew. If you don’t like it, I’ll have Razak and Khalid toss you overboard. Then you can swim to that island and try to find your own dinner to eat.”

Pike looked serious as he studied the distance to the island, then said, “Does seem a bit far to swim.”

“Not that far,” said Barfoot. “If the tide is going in, you’d show up there in about two and a half hours.”

“Actually, I don’t really mind washing dishes,” replied Pike.

Barfoot chuckled and called for Khalid, who soon handed a fishing rod to each of them.

They split up so Barfoot and Jack were on one side of the yacht, while Oskar and Pike were on the other. Barfoot gave them the option of being able to cast their line, or simply lower it in the water and jig. Jack decided the latter would work best for him.

The lines were barely in the water when Oskar caught a fish and reeled it to the side of the yacht where Khalid hauled it in with a fish gaff.

“Barracuda,” noted Barfoot. “Good eating.”

Barracuda on both ends of the line, thought Jack.

Khalid disappeared into the galley with the fish, but seconds later, Pike had a bite. Everyone watched as he pulled on the rod in short bursts while reeling madly. Seconds later, the reel malfunctioned and it was evident that the fish was no longer hooked.

Pike cursed and gestured to a mass of tangled line around the reel.

“Well, I’ll tell ya what,” drawled Barfoot. “I’ll blame that one on the reel. There’s a small plastic toolbox in the cubbyhole beside you. Cut the line and I’ll give you my rod. I have to use the head anyway.”

“Likewise,” said Jack, putting his fishing rod in a holder. “Where is it, by the way?”

“That’s right, I never did give you the tour,” replied Barfoot. “Come on. Once you do your thing, I’ll introduce you to the Princess.”

After Barfoot and Jack each used a washroom on the lower deck near the stern, Barfoot gave Jack a tour of the yacht.

One large guestroom was near the stern, complete with a king-size bed and private bathroom. Walking toward the bow, Jack passed a galley complete with Italian marble counters. Next came two smaller bedrooms on each side of a hallway.

“For Razak and Khalid,” said Barfoot.

“This is absolutely gorgeous,” said Jack. “I’m stunned by the beauty.”

“And my bedroom is here at the bow,” said Barfoot, opening up two French doors to reveal the largest bedroom.

Jack stared at the wall above the headboard, speechless.

Barfoot saw what Jack was looking at and gestured to the huge marlin mounted on the wall and said, “Caught that monster on a trip to Mexico. The guys still call me Mr. Marlin sometimes. It took me six hours to reel it in.”

Jack looked at Barfoot and knew he was looking at the real monster. A man capable of being a charming manipulator. It hid the fact that he was a psychopath.

Jack stared back at the marlin, stuffed and mounted on the wall. He felt like he had been reeled in himself.

Chapter Forty-One

Jack followed Barfoot back toward the stern. On the way he asked, “Where is my phone? I expect it should be charged by now.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, that’s right,” replied Barfoot. “I forgot all about it. I think I left it up in the wheelhouse. I’ll go get it and put it in the charger right away.”

“It might not have been the battery,” replied Jack. “I’ve had trouble with it lately. Sometimes it cuts out when the battery is still good. Let me try it again.”

As soon as they went outside, Barfoot said, “Yup, I would say the tide is going in. I think it’s time to reel in the lines, guys. I’m going to move the Princess to a different position.”

“It’s time?” Pike asked, giving a sideways glance at Jack.

Barfoot nodded.

Jack knew then what was in store for him. The comment about the tide taking two and a half hours to float someone to shore was about him. Insurance companies were averse to paying out if they didn’t have a body for proof. He turned quickly and climbed the stairwell.

“Where you going?” asked Oskar.

“To the wheelhouse to get my phone,” replied Jack.

A quick scan of the wheelhouse told him his phone was not there. He looked at the island off in the distance. A good swimmer might be able to cover the distance easily enough. The trouble was, if they saw him swimming, he would not be given that option.

He slipped out one of the side doors leading onto the bow of the boat, where a rope used for moorage lay curled neatly on the deck. Jack tossed it into the water and hurried back to the wheelhouse as Pike and Barfoot arrived.

“What are you doing?” asked Barfoot.

“Couldn’t find my phone and got distracted by the beauty. It feels so wonderful, especially when you are out on the bow. Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“It certainly is,” Barfoot said, smiling. “Oh, and I remember, I did bring your phone downstairs. It’s on the counter in the galley. In the meantime, go reel in your rod. I’m going to move to another location.”

Jack made his way back down to the lower deck. When he arrived he saw that his rod had already been taken in and heard the yacht power up.

Oskar looked at him and said, “Jack, did I ever tell you what an asset I think you are to the company?”

Before Jack could reply, he was grabbed on each arm by Razak and Khalid.

“Hey, guys! What —”

Pike buried his fist deep into Jack’s stomach, doubling him over.

Seconds later, Jack was tossed off the back of the yacht. The ocean water surged over his head before he flapped madly to the surface, screaming for help as the yacht pulled slightly away from him, before cutting power.

“I can’t swim!” he cried. “Throw me the life preserver!”

Oskar picked up a life preserver ring hanging on a hook at the back of the yacht and shouted back to him. “You mean this one?”

“Throw it, quick!” spluttered Jack, going under the surface momentarily, before sticking his head out of the water again. The Malaysian Princess had coasted to about the length of two swimming pools away.

“Sorry,” Oskar yelled back at him. “I would like to, but you’re too far.” He tossed it at Pike who laughed and tossed the preserver back on the hook.

Had the yacht been closer, Jack would have swum underwater to the far side where the bowline dangled in the water, but the distance was too great. Even with the choppy waves, he would be seen if he popped his head up partway.

Jack floundered in the water for a moment more, taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling to build up his stamina, before slipping beneath the surface. When he did, he swam underwater at a right angle to the yacht.

When his lungs screamed for air, he surfaced with only his mouth above water, before continuing. This time he went parallel to the yacht.

The second time Jack surfaced for air, he risked sticking his head out of the water for a peek. He was midway along the yacht and caught a glimpse of the men still at the stern, gazing out to where he had been thrown in.

Moments later, Jack made his way to the far side of the yacht and held on to the bowline. The sleek curvature of the bow kept him hidden if someone looked down from above or from the stern.

Jack thought his plan was relatively simple. He presumed they would move closer to the island and wait for the tide to bring him in. He would then swim to shore and remain hidden. He figured that eventually they would give up looking for his body and leave. The small island was deserted, but sooner or later someone would find him.

Jack could hear the murmur of voices, but was too far away to hear what they were saying. A splash in the water, followed by another splash, told him that something was up and he risked peeking around the bow.

Razak and Khalid had each donned bathing suits, swim fins, and goggles and were swimming out to look for his body.

Half an hour passed before they returned to the yacht. Moments later, the vessel powered up and headed towards the island. It did not go at a high speed, but Jack was forced to pull himself waist-high out of the water to avoid being dragged like a lure and drowned.

Minutes later, the yacht powered down and Jack felt a brief moment of panic from the sudden noise of the electric anchor as it rumbled past him.

Jack studied the island. There was a sandy beach backed by coconut trees facing him. One end of the beach could be walked to the other within ten minutes. The beach itself was bordered with boulders and rock cliffs.

Jack could swim to the island in about twenty minutes, but didn’t want to risk it in daylight hours. The sun was low in the horizon and he knew it would be dark enough in another hour.

Minutes after the engines were shut off, Jack heard the sound of the tender being lowered in the water where it soon roared to life. He quickly positioned himself directly in front of the bow so he could hide on one side of the yacht or the other, depending upon where the tender was driven. The incoming tide had caused the yacht to slowly swing around so that the bow was facing out to sea.

Jack watched as Razak and Khalid roared back out to sea on the tender, where they drove around in circles searching for his body. Jack then heard Barfoot and Oskar on the bow above. It was evident that they were watching the tender, as well.

“If they don’t find him, we’ll go to shore and wait,” said Barfoot.

Jack swam farther back along the bow where the curvature would still hide him, but in a position where he was directly below the two men. He noticed that the bowline he had left dangling over the side was being hauled back on board.

“The trouble with hiring soldiers and not sailors,” joked Barfoot, from above.

“Doesn’t look like they’re having much luck out there,” commented Oskar.

“No problem. We’ll wait and let nature do its thing. Tell you what, I’ll call them back and get them to take us to shore. You up for a little target practice? It’ll be fun.”

“Target practice?”

“I’ve got a stash of weapons hidden on board. You never know when you’ll need them in these waters.”

Jack heard the squelch from a walkie-talkie as Barfoot ordered his men to return. When the tender came closer, Jack held his breath and went under the water until he knew which side of the yacht the tender would pass on as it made its way to the stern.

A few minutes later, the tender headed to shore with Barfoot, Oskar, Pike, and Khalid. Jack watched as several items were unloaded, including folding chairs, a cooler, and a large duffel bag. Khalid then got back in the tender and slowly cruised back out to sea, scanning the ocean with binoculars as he went.

It was getting dark when Pike lined up several coconuts on a piece of driftwood on the beach. The sound of gunfire erupted moments later as the three men took turns with pistols. This was later followed by the sound of fully automatic machine-gun fire.

Jack decided the distraction would be a good time for him to swim to shore. He took a deep breath and swam as much of the distance underwater as he could. Despite the darkness, he did not want to chance Razak spotting him from above, who would no doubt also be scanning the ocean for his body.

By the time Jack had reached a rocky outcrop at the far end of the beach, the men had stopped firing and he could see Pike collecting driftwood to make a bonfire.

Jack settled in amongst the rocks and waited while Barfoot, Oskar, and Pike sat in their folding chairs around the fire. It was dark enough that he knew they would be able to see little beyond the fire and he felt comfortable in his position.

He knew Razak was somewhere on board the yacht and Khalid was using a spotlight mounted on the front of the tender as he cruised back and forth.

I’m safe. Just sit tight until I’m rescued. As Jack waited, he went over the evidence in his mind and the horrible reality of the situation hit him.

What can I prove about Barfoot? He was in the wheelhouse when I was tossed overboard. Defence will claim it was a prank. The guys were just horsing around and didn’t realize he couldn’t swim until it was too late. Barfoot even sent his men out in fins and goggles to look for him …

Jack stared at the men around the bonfire. If he was going to convict Barfoot, he knew he needed more evidence.