A Delicate Matter Read online

  “Better than his dad ever got.”

  “Damien,” Jack said as if the word itself was bitter. “I’m very much aware of that — which is why I don’t want Buck charged.”

  “You don’t want him charged?” Laura was surprised. “What’re you thinking? That we can turn him into an informant?”

  “I don’t think he’d turn,” Jack replied. “He’s too young, gung-ho and impressionable. He’s been brainwashed all his life by Damien that loyalty to the club supersedes anything else in life.”

  Laura heard the far-off sound of sirens approaching. “So what, then?” she asked. “In a couple of minutes this place will be crawling with uniform and then VPD Homicide.”

  “It’s not Buck I’m after,” Jack said. “How do you think Mr. Damien Zabat and Mrs. Vicki Zabat will feel about their son going to jail?”

  “You’re going to try to turn Damien? No way!”

  “I’ll use Vicki to put the heat on him,” Jack said.

  “You actually think Damien would turn against the club?”

  “The chances are low, but despite being ruthless, he’s still a family man. If he co-operates, it’ll be worth a lot more than putting Buck away. If he doesn’t, we still have that option — and it’ll definitely put a rift in their marriage.”

  “A legacy of murders and all we can do is cause a rift in his marriage?” Laura said. “That’s just depressing.”

  “I know, small satisfaction,” Jack admitted, “but anything that’ll make Damien’s retirement years more miserable makes me happier. Worrying about how his son is surviving in prison will be part of that.”

  Laura’s reply was without enthusiasm. “I guess.”

  “There are a few things we need to consider.”

  “Such as?”

  “If this does go to court, defence will do their utmost to rule our video inadmissible. They’ll try to block our testi-mony by saying we didn’t have the right to trespass on King’s property. A jury would never know what we saw.”

  “We had grounds because we believed bodily harm was about to befall King and Weasel.”

  “I know, but there’s always the possibility that a judge would decide our informant wasn’t a reliable person and that we shouldn’t have acted on the information. Another consideration is Damien might decide that Weasel is a loose end. He might not live to testify.”

  “Bet you’re right. Weasel better pack his bags. You said a few things to consider. What else?”

  “Hang on, I just got a text,” Jack said, reaching for his phone. He scanned the message quickly. “It’s from Sammy. The DEA in Dallas say that the semi has arrived and is parked at a truck stop. Looks like Bob and Roxie went to bed in the sleeper. They’ll stay on them until delivery is made.”

  “Good,” Laura said. “Back to what we were talking about. What else should we consider?”

  “Damien is going to wonder how we knew about it.”

  “Think we might be putting Weenie Wagger in jeopardy?” Laura asked.

  “No, there were plenty of Gypsy Devils present. I think Damien will blame them.”

  “Cause a little animosity amongst the ranks,” Laura said musingly. “Sounds good.”

  Jack’s voice became sombre. “There’s something else. Damien may decide that the two of us are loose ends.”

  Oh, man. “Meaning we’ll be transferred to some remote spot for protection. Are you telling me I might be eating whale blubber and reindeer meat the rest of my life?”

  “Whale blubber? Hell, no. I’d kill him first before putting that in my mouth. Besides, I hate snow.”

  “What then?”

  “I’m going to tell him that another member of the Intelligence unit was with us and say that the original video is at our office. If it were true, killing us wouldn’t solve his problem.”

  “If it were true,” Laura repeated. Wonderful.

  It was 2:00 a.m. when Jack parked under the powerful security lights outside the electronic gates to Damien’s estate. Beyond the gates, the interior of the mansion was in darkness, but the landscape around it was lit up.

  “Maybe he won’t let us in,” Laura commented as they got out to approach the intercom.

  “He will when I tell them it’s about one of their children. They used to have two daughters, but one died of meningitis. The pain of losing one child … the panic they’ll feel. We’ll get in,” he said confidently, then buzzed the intercom.

  Moments later the closed-circuit security camera hummed as it zeroed in and they turned to face it.

  “Taggart!” Damien’s voice sounded hollow over the intercom. “What do you want? Show me your warrant … or considering that I only see Secord with you, I’m guessing you don’t have one.”

  “We’re not here with a warrant,” Jack said. “We’re here on a family matter. Let us in. We have some … bad news to talk to you and Vicki about.”

  “Oh, my God!” Vicki’s voice cried over the intercom. “Something has happened to Katie or Buck!”

  Damien was waiting in the front doorway as Jack and Laura exited their SUV and approached. He was wearing a white terry housecoat that, coupled with his physic, made him look like a polar bear. Vicki stood in the foyer behind him. She was also wearing a housecoat, but hers was a clingy cream-coloured silk affair patterned with blossoming Japanese plum trees.

  Jack gestured to his laptop. “It’s better if we come inside and show you something. It’ll answer a lot of questions.”

  Damien looked at the laptop. “You said this was a personal family matter. Why do I get the feeling I should be calling my lawyer?”

  “Can if you want,” Jack replied. “But I think it’s in your best interests to see a short video first.”

  “Is it about Katie or Buck?” Vicki asked in a trembling voice.

  Jack nodded.

  “Did one of them …?” Vicki apparently couldn’t bring herself to say the word.

  Jack remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on Damien. He knew he was being cruel by not telling them that both their children were alive. He told himself that the reason he was tormenting them was not because of his hatred for Damien, but to gain an edge. The more Damien was rattled, the more he might realize how much he loved his children and be more inclined to provide information in exchange for Buck’s freedom. Jack told himself that was the reason, but he did enjoy seeing the look of anguish on Damien’s face.

  “Oh, my God!” Vicki cried again. She clutched Damien’s terry robe for support. “Katie’s dead, isn’t she? A drug overdose?”

  “A drug overdose?” Jack gave Damien a puzzled look.

  “We’ve put her in rehab,” Damien said tersely. “Nobody knows.”

  “Well … this isn’t about her,” Jack replied.

  “Oh no, it’s Buck!” Vicki said.

  “Yes, it’s about Buck.”

  “Oh God, oh no, oh no, oh no!” Vicki wailed.

  Jack saw Damien close his eyes to suppress the pain he felt.

  “What…? How…?” Vicki asked.

  “How?” Jack responded. “Oh, he’s not dead, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “He’s alive?” Vicki said.

  “Then why the hell are you here?” Damien demanded.

  “Buck is in trouble.”

  “Trouble?” Vicki asked fearfully.

  “The sooner you watch the video, the sooner you’ll understand what happened — and could happen.”

  “Let’s go into the kitchen,” Damien said. Vicki’s fear was contagious and his face had paled. He wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and gestured with his head for them to follow.

  Damien and Vicki sat together on one side of the kitchen table and Laura took a seat across from them. Jack put the laptop on the table and sat on the end, close to Damien.

  “Well?
Let’s see it,” Damien said impatiently.

  Jack reached for the laptop, but let his finger linger over the start button as he spoke. “Four hours ago, an officer who will remain unnamed, along with Constable Secord and me, had occasion to record this video. What we brought is a copy of what we have back at our office. In the event something should ever happen to the two of us, it wouldn’t jeopardize the evidentiary process.”

  “You think I might kill you for whatever it is you want to show me?” Damien asked, looking puzzled.

  “Murder does appear to be one of your family traits,” Jack said coldly.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The tension was palpable as the video played. When it reached the point where the Gypsy Devils rushed into the room and beat King and Weasel, Vicki turned to Damien to see his reaction. “These guys aren’t even with our club,” he said.

  Vicki gave Jack a smug look, but when Hammer appeared, wearing his full Satans Wrath colours, she looked at Damien again. He ignored her, choosing instead to direct an angry scowl at Jack.

  Jack’s face remained impassive. Putting it together, Damien?

  Upon Buck’s appearance, his back to the camera, Damien looked at Jack again and the two men locked eyes. This time Damien’s eyes revealed his rage. You recognize your son’s colours — great. A vein on Damien’s temple throbbed visibly as he turned to watch the video.

  Vicki showed no sign of recognition and her face remained stoic, even when Weasel’s leg was shattered with a baseball bat. Guess violence doesn’t bother you as long as it isn’t against someone in your family.

  It was after Buck smashed King’s temple with his pistol, then kicked and stomped on him before turning toward the camera, that Vicki recognized her son. She gasped, then her mother’s instinct to defend took over. “That guy asked for it. He shouldn’t have tried to grab the bat. Buck was only —”

  “Shut up,” Damien said tersely, “and listen.”

  Vicki’s eyes betrayed her panic as she continued to watch.

  Jack leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. Soon he got the response he expected. Vicki’s eyes widened in terror when she realized that her son had murdered a man. She looked at Damien, no doubt hoping for some sign that everything would be okay, that somehow he’d make it all go away.

  Damien shut his eyes and briefly placed his hand over them in a failed attempt to hide his anguish. Seconds later his beefy paw fell to the table. He swallowed, then looked at Vicki. “I’ll call Basil.”

  “Don’t be in a hurry to do that,” Jack said, ignoring the look of fury that Vicki gave him. “At least, not him.”

  “Why not?” Damien growled. “I presume you haven’t picked Buck up yet, or I would’ve heard. But I’m sure you’re about to —”

  “Basil Westmount is the lawyer you keep on retainer for the club,” Jack explained. “His loyalty lies with Satans Wrath — which might not be in your son’s best interests.”

  “So that’s why you’re here.” Damien glowered. “You’re hoping to turn Buck into a rat. You want us to convince him to go along with you.”

  “Uh, that’s —”

  “Forget it!” Damien said, slamming his fist on the table. “Satans Wrath is family! I didn’t raise my son to be a squealer. We don’t turn on our brothers.”

  “It isn’t him I’m looking to cut a deal with,” Jack said. “It’s you.”

  “Me?” Damien looked shocked. He snorted a laugh, but his throat was dry and it sounded forced. He swallowed and cleared his throat. “You’re out of your fucking mind.”

  “Give me something worthy and I’ll make all this go away,” Jack said calmly.

  Damien shook his head, but Jack could see fear in his eyes.

  “Damien?” Vicki put her hand on her husband’s cheek.

  “Don’t talk to me now,” he said, twisting away.

  “Come on, Damien,” Jack coaxed. “You say Satans Wrath is your family. What about your real family? Your children?”

  Damien continued to glower at Jack.

  “I can only imagine the grief each of you felt when you lost a daughter to meningitis,” Jack said softly. “Now with Katie in drug rehab … I hope it works out, but of course, when it comes to addicts and their overdoses … well, some things are beyond our control.”

  Vicki threw him a filthy look. She turned to Damien for support. He acted like she wasn’t even there.

  Jack continued, “That being said, you still have Buck. His fate is something you can control.”

  Vicki released a tearful sob and gripped Damien’s wrist in an attempt to connect on an emotional level. Her eyes were pleading and she gave a slight nod toward Jack, urging her husband to accept Jack’s offer.

  Damien continued to ignore her. He looked at Jack. “I’m retiring at the end of the month,” he said bluntly. “It’s a done deal. I couldn’t help you even if I wanted.”

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Who are your trying to bullshit? Are you hoping to convince Vicki that you’re unable to help — rather than tell her that your loyalty to the club is greater than your love for your children?”

  Damien clenched his jaw.

  “Damn it, Damien!” Vicki cried. “He’s our son! You don’t leave him hanging out there!”

  “Yeah … and what do you think would happen when the club found out?” Damien shook his head. “You really think a video like this would be kept secret? It’s probably already on YouTube.”

  “More excuses,” Jack said. “If you’re worried about someone finding out about the video, I could tell the prosecutor that I didn’t know that either of the two victims were going to be hurt — which means we didn’t have grounds to go on the property. The video wouldn’t be admissible and neither would our testimony. It’d be an easy victory for civil liberties. The case would never go ahead and be written off as police incompetence.”

  “That’d work!” Vicki exclaimed excitedly. She looked earnestly at Damien. “Give him something!” Damien didn’t respond so she turned to Jack. “What do you need? What would it take for you not to charge Buck?”

  “Vicki, shut the fuck up!” Damien ordered harshly.

  Vicki looked taken back. It was evident she wasn’t used to being spoken to in that manner.

  “Buck is her son, too,” Jack went on. “Besides, like you said, you’re retiring next month. Isn’t Buck’s future more important? I know there’s a new European connection being set up for you guys to distribute coke.”

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” Damien said.

  Jack continued as if he hadn’t heard. “The delivery has to be by boat or air. Give me the details. Let me arrange the busts to sever the connection in Europe and I’ll say we’re even. Then you can retire and go about enjoying life the way you intended.”

  Damien gazed stone-faced at Jack, not betraying his thoughts, but the fact that he hadn’t immediately dismissed the notion gave Jack hope. “Come on, Damien,” Jack urged. “This is your own kid here. Being your son will make it tough for him in jail. You’ve got a lot of enemies. What’re his odds of surviving ten or twenty years in prison?”

  “Oh, my God!” Vicki looked at her husband again. “Damien, come on!”

  Damien sneered at Jack. “Ten or twenty? That’s a load of crap and you know —”

  “We’d lay charges of belonging to a criminal organiz-ation on top of the murder one,” Jack said. “That allows for a life sentence.”

  “B.C. has never declared us to be a criminal organization,” Damien countered. “Other provinces have, but not here.”

  “He was with the Gypsy Devils. They’re not as sophisticated. I’d say there’s a good chance of getting them declared. If that happened and the judge decided Buck was there to supervise the GDs, he’d get more time.”

  “Even if you did lay charges, there’s no fucking way he’d d
raw more than a fin,” Damien replied.

  “Five years? For this?” Jack chuckled. “I don’t think so, but say you were right. It’s a matter of semantics. Would you chance one minute of allowing your son to be killed, let alone years?”

  Damien gritted his teeth and a muscle rippled up the side of his jaw.

  “Besides,” Jack continued, “I’m damned certain you’ve made your millions, so what’s Europe to you? I could cover off the arrests by leaking a false news report to say the investigation started over there.”

  Damien hesitated and Jack could see the pain in his eyes, which changed to anger. “You came here tonight to poison Vicki with your fucking bullshit! You think I don’t see that?”

  “We came here because Buck is your son. Yours and Vicki’s.”

  “Get the fuck out of my house!” Damien roared, leaping to his feet and sending his chair toppling over.

  “Have it your way,” Jack replied, getting to his feet. As Laura picked up the laptop he looked at Damien and tossed his business card on the table. “I know this came as a shock, so I’ll give you two days to think it over. Same as the two days your guys gave King. My cell number is on the card. If I don’t hear from you by Tuesday morning, it’ll be too late to save your son.”

  “I don’t need two days! Thirty minutes with you has been long enough. The answer is no. Get the hell out of my house!”

  Jack nodded. You think thirty minutes with me is a long time? Wait until you spend the next two days with Vicki and see how that goes.

  Once Jack and Laura stepped outside, Damien slammed the door behind them. As they walked away they could hear Vicki screaming at Damien, demanding that he do something.

  Laura glanced over her shoulder. “If she keeps that up, he’s liable to kill her.”

  “Good. It’d be just reward for her living a life of luxury based on money earned from the misery and death of others.”

  “Maybe we should hang around,” Laura suggested. “We might get him for murder.”

  “He won’t go that far. He knows she’s upset. Besides … I know he loves her.”

  “Once she cools off, she has to realize that her son isn’t some innocent kid caught up in the wrong crowd. He’s a killer.”