A Delicate Matter Read online

  “We’ve been interested in finding out, too.” Damien reached for his pants and began to pull them on. “I’d be willing to help you, but I don’t know much about it. Besides the one on Bowen, last year we had two others ripped off.”

  “I’d like to know the details of who was running those so I can try to cross-match any names or phone numbers with the operation on Bowen Island.”

  “I don’t know details like that,” Damien replied. “If I were to ask, especially now that I’m retiring, it’d definitely arouse suspicion.”

  “I understand,” Jack replied.

  “I can tell you that one of the grow-ops ripped last year relocated to Aldergove. It was being run by a Vietnamese couple and was busted three months ago by your uniform people. As far as the other grow-op goes, it was relocated to Kelowna.”

  “Vietnamese tending the crop in Kelowna, as well?”

  “No … and we looked for a connection there already. I was told that the guy running the Kelowna operation is white and had no connections whatsoever with any Vietnamese.” Damien reached for a shirt and pulled it on. “Guess it’s possible that more than one set of guys ripped us.”

  Jack nodded.

  “So do you want to hear the details of our European investment or not?”

  “Yes — we’ve got a deal,” Jack said.

  “Figured so.” Damien began buttoning his shirt. He didn’t speak.

  “I’m ready to listen. Talk.”

  “I will, but …”

  “But what?”

  Damien sighed, his hands falling to his sides. “You’ve destroyed everything I’ve ever stood for. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate you. I know you’re just doing your job, but turning on my own brothers, losing every dollar I’ve ever made after years of fighting to stay on top … well, I never thought it would end like this.”

  “At least you’ll still have Vicki and Buck,” Jack said.

  Damien nodded. “Guess I should be thankful for that.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  It was noon and Jack and Laura were pulling into their office parking space when Jack received a phone call from U.S. Customs Special Agent John Adams.

  “Well, you all were right about Lopez,” Adams said as soon as Jack answered.

  “John, sorry, I should’ve called you this morning,” Jack replied. “Things got a little busy here. I sort of forgot about you.”

  “Forgot about me?” Adams asked. “I get up at four o’ fucking clock in the morning and drive down to Chihuahua to park my ass outside Lopez’s office and you forget about me? What were you doing? Sitting around drinking that olive soup of yours or out feeding your horse?”

  Jack chuckled.

  “You might be interested to know that at eleven this morning, Lopez hustled out of his office with two file boxes and stashed them in his trunk. Then he drove over to some little hole-in-the wall real estate office called Realty Rápido. He came out with a guy and put the boxes in his trunk.”

  “Were you able to stay with the boxes?”

  “Yup. Lopez took off and the other guy drove in the opposite direction. I followed him to a vacant house that’s for sale. He carried the boxes inside, then left.”

  “Good going,” Jack said.

  “So right now I’m northbound and should be back in El Paso in about two hours. What do you want me to do with ’em when I get there?”

  “You’ve got them?” Jack asked excitedly.

  “Yeah, well, I’m not as smooth as you at opening doors. You never did teach me how to pick locks, but the sole of my shoe seemed to work okay. The place didn’t have a stick of furniture in it, so it didn’t take me long. Found ’em stashed in a cupboard.”

  “Did you get a chance to look at them?”

  “No, I popped the lids when I found them, but kind of thought I shouldn’t hang around. Besides, they’re in Spanish. I speak a little but don’t read it that well. When I get back, I’ll have my wife go through them.”

  “How is Yolanda?”

  “Doin’ good. There’s a lot of paper so it might take her a week or two.”

  “I’d be interested to find out the details. Considering how you got them, I couldn’t use them in court, but I’d still like to know the details.”

  “You couldn’t use ’em even if they were sent to your office anonymously?”

  “I doubt it. Defence would start calling everyone to ask them about it. Wouldn’t take long for them to get around to calling me.”

  “Might work down here. What with them dealin’ with the West 12th Street gang, I could send them anonymously to our office in Dallas.”

  “If the evidence supports conspiracy charges down there, that’d be fantastic. Damien might get some real jail time compared to what he’d get here.”

  “I’ll let you know once Yolanda reads them.”

  Jack passed on the information he’d received to Laura as they walked to their office. They hadn’t arrived yet when Jack received another call. This time from Ed Gosling. After a quick introduction Gosling said, “I’m representing Mrs. Vicki Zabat and have just spoken to her husband. He didn’t say much, but told me to call you.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “I’ve been told that serious charges against Mrs. Zabat are being held in abeyance pending the veracity of new information you’ve been provided?”

  “That’s correct. Do I need to emphasize the need for secrecy?” Jack asked.

  “I’m fully cognizant of Mr. Zabat’s reputation and realize the need to keep this between us. You may rest assured that I’ll be keeping the file in my personal safe.”

  “Glad to hear that.”

  “I understand that the situation may be resolved next week. At that time I’d like to receive confirmation. If it turns out that charges are to proceed, I’d ask you to provide me with fair warning so that I may properly address the matter with my client.”

  “I promise I’ll let you know,” Jack said, before hanging up.

  Jack and Laura then went directly to Rose’s office. They found her tucking her glasses into her purse. “Back so soon?” she asked. “I was about to go for lunch. How are the searches going?”

  “Great,” Jack replied as he and Laura sat down. “We’ve heard from the BVI and they’ve seized all sorts of financial records and have put a freeze on the bank account. Turns out Vicki underestimated what was in there. The figure is closer to eighteen point seven million, not eighteen point four.”

  “Super!” Rose replied. “And here?”

  “Cummings had all the records exactly like we were told,” Jack replied. “There’s little doubt that he’ll be charged once everything is reviewed by the prosecutors.” If he lives that long.

  “That’s great. What about the house?”

  “Nothing … with the exception of a crack pipe found inside a brass bedpost of what had been their daughter’s room. She’s apparently in rehab in Italy. The pipe has probably been there for years.”

  Rose looked quizzically at Jack. “Okay … so out with it.”

  “Out with what?”

  “You know what. How’d Damien handle it? Was he giving Vicki any hard looks?”

  “Not at all,” Jack replied. “If anything, he was protective of her. We did mention that we weren’t in any hurry to search the lawyer’s office in Mexico due to corruption.”

  “You think he bought that?” Rose said. “I would’ve thought he’d have been smart enough to realize you were trying to pin the blame on Lopez.”

  “I told you I wouldn’t chance busting Damien if it put Vicki at undue risk,” Jack said.

  “Yes, I remember quite distinctly. You said that I needed to trust you.”

  “There’s more.” Jack was starting to feel uncomfortable with Rose’s tone. “To save his son from going to jail, Damien finall
y decided to co-operate. He gave up their new connection in Europe.”

  “Are you serious?” asked Rose in amazement.

  “Yes. Very.”

  “That’s fantastic!”

  “They’ve spent over a year setting it up and making inquiries with different European connections,” Jack said, while taking out his notebook to look at what Damien had told him. “Their first shipment, which is a metric tonne of cocaine, is —”

  “A metric tonne? Wow!”

  “Yes, it’s due to arrive on a sailboat next Wednesday or Thursday at a marina on the French island of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. It’s a small island joined to the mainland of France by a bridge.”

  “Next Wednesday or Thursday … I better jot this down.” Rose removed her glasses from her purse and scribbled notes on a pad.

  “Want the spelling?” Jack asked.

  “No, phonetics is good enough for now. I’ll get your report later, but I want to call Isaac and let him know. Continue.”

  “One full-patch Satans Wrath member from the Eastside chapter in Vancouver and one from their chapter in Bogotá will be on board. Meeting them when they arrive will be another Eastside Vancouver member, along with a member from the chapter in Holland. I’ve got all their names … but it probably doesn’t mean anything to you.”

  “Not really. Knowing they’re full-patch is enough,” Rose replied, not bothering to look up.

  “Having four full-patch Satans Wrath there is a one-time thing to celebrate the inaugural voyage. After that, the plan is to turn over future shipments to prospects and other criminals.”

  “There must be more Europeans involved than the one biker from Holland,” Rose said.

  “There is,” Jack replied. “I’ve got eight other names in my notebook. Representatives from Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Damien wasn’t sure how many of them will actually be there when the boat arrives, but expects at least half of them will show up. As far as Satans Wrath goes, only the ones directly involved know the exact details.”

  “So he really put himself at risk by telling you.”

  “Enough Europeans know that we can deflect the heat there,” Jack said. “Damien knows that and is okay with it.”

  “Good. Go on.”

  “He said that a few days before the boat arrives, everyone will be booking into the Hôtel de Toiras, which overlooks the marina.”

  Jack put his notebook back in his pocket, but waited until Rose finished writing. “That’s about it,” he said when she glanced up.

  Rose put her pen down. “This is totally unexpected,” she said. “I’m absolutely astounded that Damien rolled over — even if it was to save his son from jail.” When neither Jack nor Laura replied, she leaned forward, clasping her hands on the desk. “Is there anything else that influenced his decision to talk?”

  It’s that tone again. She knows something. “Like what?”

  Laura jumped in. “He knows he can’t do anything with the charges that’ll be brought against him from today. All his money, assets, home … everything will be seized. None of that was part of the deal.”

  “Yes, the deal,” Rose said. “Odd that you offered him that deal last weekend and he refused.”

  “Maybe he needed time to think it over,” Laura suggested.

  “Or today, was it including Vicki as part of that deal that convinced him?” Rose asked.

  Jack was taken aback. Crap. How’d she find out? He and Laura exchanged glances.

  “Cut the theatrics,” Rose said. “The two of you’ve done terrific work. Don’t spoil it now. Inspector Pollock called me earlier to give me an update.” She focused on Jack. “He told me that Vicki had been arrested for assaulting you. I was told you weren’t injured but that she’d been brought in and was meeting her lawyer.”

  “Oh, that.” Jack brushed it off with a wave of his hand. “It was nothing. I had her arrested to shake Damien up.”

  “Nothing?” Rose raised an eyebrow. “I was told the lawyer was Edward Gosling. High-priced help — for nothing.”

  “I was checking a picture frame as a possible hiding spot for a computer flash stick. Turns out the picture was of considerable emotional value to Vicki. It was a photo of the daughter who’d died. She yelled at me and I dropped the picture and the glass broke. She reacted by giving me a pretty good shot in the chest.”

  “I see,” Rose said.

  “Laura grabbed her and calmed her down,” Jack added.

  “Is that how you saw it too, Laura?” Rose questioned. “Exactly as Jack said?”

  “Absolutely,” Laura replied, locking eyes with Rose in response to her intense scrutiny.

  “So, yes, I guess you could say that Vicki was part of the deal,” Jack said. “I told Damien that neither Vicki nor Buck would be charged. Provided, of course, that arrests and seizures are made in Europe as promised.”

  “If that happens, I’d say we got the best end of the deal.” Rose looked satisfied.

  “He also gave me some info on a couple of grow-ops that were ripped last year. He doesn’t know much in the way of details, but said one the grow-ops relocated to Aldergrove and was busted by uniform three months ago. I’m going to get Laura to see if she can cross-match any names or numbers with I-HIT’s investigation into Dwayne’s murder. Maybe find a common link. While she’s doing that, I’ll get the ball rolling with Interpol to deal with the investigation in France and give them the names of the players involved.”

  “With the boat arriving in five or six days, it doesn’t give us a lot of time,” Rose noted. “I’ll let Isaac know, but I’d like a full report on my desk by the end of the day.”

  “You’ll have it,” Jack promised.

  “It’s also Friday,” Rose said, “which means by normal standards Ottawa won’t even see your report before Monday. I’ll ask Isaac to pull some strings.”

  “Good point. I’ll get started on the report.” Jack stood up to follow Laura out the door.

  “Oh, Jack, there’s one more thing,” Rose said.

  Jack paused in the doorway. “Yes?”

  “About the bullet hole in your sweater … directly over your heart. I’d agree with you when you said it was a pretty good shot — and obviously planned for.”

  Jack peered closely at his sweater. “Funny, it does look like a bullet hole. Come to think of it, I did see a moth fly out of my closet.”

  “Moths don’t leave powder burns. I’d suggest that you don’t try to get the force to pay for the damage. It might not bode well for your career.”

  “I, uh, don’t know what to say.” Jack felt like an idiot.

  “I do,” Rose said harshly. “If you pull a stunt like that again, I’ll kick you in the nuts so hard you’ll need a surgeon to retrieve them.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  “I agree with Rose on that,” Laura said, as they walked down the hall. “Except I thought nuts swelled up if they were kicked. I was thinking you’d need a wheelbarrow to walk around with.”

  “Forget the wheelbarrow. I’m not going through that experience again.” When they entered their own office he put his hand on Laura’s shoulder, causing her to face him. “We’ve finally caught Damien!”

  “I know.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “To heck with this, I feel like a hug. Maybe even dance a jig.”

  “The hug I’ll do.”

  “After all these years, the loose ends are tied up,” Jack murmured as they hugged. He then stepped back and spoke solemnly. “If I never catch another criminal, I’ll still be content knowing we brought that monster to his knees.”

  “That’s how I feel, too,” Laura said. “Ever wonder how many murders he’s been responsible for?”

  “We’ll never know. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t an atheist.”

  “Why?”

  “So I could fan
tasize that when he dies, he’ll burn in hell.”

  “Speaking of murder, what about Cummings? Are we going to leave him hung out to dry?”

  Jack frowned. “Tomorrow’s the big day for Damien to step down and Buck to get his patch. Maybe the club will kill Cummings as a retirement gift for Damien.”

  “Should we warn him?”

  “If we warn him and he tells Damien we did, wouldn’t Damien clue in that the butt call was a set-up?”

  “I don’t think he would,” Laura replied. “In Damien’s mind Cummings is panicking. Damien might think it’s a desperate attempt by Cummings to feel him out to try and get assurance that he doesn’t suspect him. It could make Cummings look even guiltier.”

  “I think you’re right. It will also make him look guilty if he flees.”

  “More added protection for Vicki,” Laura noted.

  Jack sat at his desk and called Cummings’s office. I-POC were still there, but an investigator put Cummings on the phone and Jack identified himself.

  “I’m not talking to anyone without the presence of my lawyer,” Cummings said abruptly. “If you’ve something to say, I suggest —”

  “I suggest you shut up and listen,” Jack said. “I heard from a reliable source in Satans Wrath that you’re being blamed for Damien’s money being seized.”

  “Me? That’s preposterous!”

  “If you don’t believe me give Damien a call and feel him out. You’re a lawyer. You should be smart enough to sense what he thinks of you. I wouldn’t recommend meeting him in person, though. They’re calling in their hit team to take you out — and I’m not talking for dinner.”

  “I know I’ll … I’ll be charged, as well,” Cummings stammered. “Why would they think that?”

  “Possibly something either Lopez or Bentley said. As far as you being charged, the bikers think that’s a ruse. They think your charges will either be withdrawn or that a deal will be struck where you don’t go to jail. The thing is, it doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t be alive long enough for it to go to trial. Are you married and do you have children?”