Above Ground (11 page)

Jack smiled and gestured for Spider to sit down.

“So this is him!” said Laura sarcastically. “Doesn't look like you described!”

Spider looked a little taken aback, but before he could respond, Laura said, “So you two have known each other for over ten years, is that right?”

Jack quickly interjected, “He's okay, sweetie. Honest, we go way back!”

“Really? Tell you what, babe, I'll talk to him alone for a few minutes. Go sit on the other side for a bit.”

Jack hesitated, and then Spider leaned over and whispered in Jack's ear, “It's okay, man. It'll be better this way.”

“You sure?” asked Jack.

“Yeah, I can handle her. I trust my instincts.”

Jack took his coffee and moved to another table. He watched as Spider talked earnestly with Laura. Less than two minutes later, Spider reached into his pocket and handed Laura a gold chain and heart-shaped pendant.

Laura motioned with her finger for Spider to lean forward so she could whisper something to him. When he did, she grabbed him by the hair and smashed his face into the table while sticking the barrel of her 9mm in his ear.

Jack was on his feet, as were Connie and three of her colleagues who had been sitting at a couple of other tables.

They need not have rushed. Spider was too shocked to move. He would never trust his instincts again.

Late that afternoon, back at the office, Connie called Jack to thank him.

“The dumb shit gave Laura the pendant he stole. Told her it was a birthday present for her. Tried to file off the numbers on the back but the lab will pull them up. He's confessing to everything he's done, hoping to get concurrent time.”

“That's good. Obviously he doesn't have legal aid yet.”

“He waived it. The judge will probably be pissed off that we didn't force him to get one. Makes it easy for his lawyer to say he was intimidated and rule it inadmissible. Hope the DNA pans out. I know his lawyer will tell him to say he bought the pendant from someone else.”

“You've still got Laura and me to give evidence.”

“Yeah, but you know how that goes. They'll say he made up the story, either to impress you or because he was scared of you.”

“The normal defence to an undercover operation on a murderer. If the jury believes it, they deserve to live with spiders.”

“I know. Still, I prefer to see justice.”

“Me too. Sounds like you've done everything you can. Let's hope the DNA is a match.”

“That would be nice. Unfortunately your good friend Spidey had nothing to do with killing Holly's husband.”

“I figured that.”

“He said he hopped the commuter train to go to the suburbs and do some break-ins. He saw Albert go to an ATM and picked him because he was old. Said he needed the money because the price of speed went up after all those labs got taken down last week.”

Jack briefly closed his eyes and massaged his temple with one hand. So if I hadn't taken the labs down, Albert Dawson would still be alive...

“Anyway, I have one other thing to ask,” continued Connie. “Don't know if you heard the news this morning on the radio, but there was a murder outside the Black Water last night. I called City. That was what the sirens were about when we were leaving. It had to have happened when you were there. Do you know anything that would help?”

Jack let out a long sigh, then said, “I might have a possible lead. Let me check it out. I'll pop down there tomorrow. There might be someone I could chat with.”

The next afternoon, Jack told Danny he had some personal business to take care of and left the office. He stopped at a red light and thought about why Albert Dawson had died.

A blast from a horn behind him caused him to jerk, and the tires squealed as he drove through the intersection. When he arrived at the Black Water, he parked in the rear alley.
If Ophelia isn't here, I'm not waiting around!

Jack strolled through the bar. He saw Ophelia and motioned her to come and sit with him at table near the rear exit.

“Yeah, what do ya want?” she asked.

“Have you heard from Spider?”

“Naw. Haven't seen 'im yet today.”

“You're not going to,” said Jack, showing her his identification.

“Oh, fuck,” said Ophelia, her voice sounding like the blade of a snow truck on a bare street.

“You know why I'm here?”

“Can't believe I was that stupid to ask you to pipe that guy with me. That's my fuckin' luck!” she added.

“The young girl with you. What's her —”

“Aw, man, leave her be. She had nothing to do with it. Didn't know what was going on.”

“Yeah, right. Do you think I'm blind?”

“Come on, man. Give her a break. She's just a kid. Here, take me,” she said, holding her wrists out over the table to be handcuffed. “I won't cause a fuss.”

“I know you're the one who dropped a quarter on Spider.”

Ophelia's eyes widened. “Fuck! Don't say that too loud,” she said, glancing around. Then she admitted, “Yeah. Glad you got him.” She slowly put her hands down and then asked, “You did get him, right?”

“We did. So tell me, why did you turn him in ... for free?”

“He's scum. What the news said he did to that old guy.... Just because I'm an addict doesn't mean I don't give a shit about people.”

“Where was your compassion when you killed an innocent man two nights ago?”

“Innocent! That fucker wasn't innocent! You see the age of the girl he wanted to fuck?”

Jack nodded.

“And she was older than some of the ones he's had. Do you know what that's like for a kid to go through?”

“I can only imagine.”

“Yeah? Well you're lucky, cuz I do know what it's like to turn tricks at that age!”

“That's what I figured,” said Jack.

“Yeah, well ... life sucks.” She held out her wrists
again and said, “Go ahead. For the time I have left, maybe three meals a day won't hurt.”

Jack shook his head and said, “Child molesters aren't high up on my Christmas list. As far as I'm concerned, justice has been served. See you around.”

Jack stood up to go, and Ophelia said, “You mean you're not going to arrest me?”

“No, but keep this conversation between the two of us. Have a nice day.”

“I owe ya one,” she said.

“Yeah, I'll hold my breath waiting for the phone to ring,” said Jack. He pushed open the rear door to step outside.

A woman with two preschool children stood in the back alley. She was weeping while placing a bouquet of flowers on the ground.

“Ophelia, come here.” Jack motioned her over.

Ophelia came to the door and looked out.

They listened as the woman explained to the children that Daddy was in heaven now.

“Fuck,” whispered Ophelia. “Her ol' man paid extra to ride bareback. That's why he liked them young. Thought he wouldn't get AIDS. What a chump. I know the kid has it. Maybe you should tell his ol' lady there to get checked.”

Jack watched as Ophelia turned and walked back to her table.

He was just stepping out the door when he received a call on his cellphone.

“Hi ... uh, it's Holly,” she said, not wanting to say his name. “You said you would help me, so...”

“What is it, Holly?”

“I'm sorry. I'm at the hospital but my car won't start. Then I went and locked my keys inside. Jenny needs to be picked up from daycare. They won't wait. Can you ... I don't know what to do.”

“Stay at the hospital. Call the daycare and tell them I'll pick up Jenny. We'll meet you at the hospital. If we can't get it started, I'll give you a ride home.”

“You sure? If you're busy...”

“A taxi would cost a fortune and buses would take longer. I'm not busy. I'm really glad you called. I need a break from work.”

“Thanks.” She gave Jack directions to the day-care. When she was finished, she said, “There's one other thing.”

“What's that?”

“Is it okay if I don't call you Jack? Like ... do you have a nickname that you wouldn't mind being called?”

“My middle name is Bruce. Sometimes my friends call me J.B.”

“Like the scotch?”

“Yes, like the scotch,” said Jack, watching as the woman led the children down the alley.

“Well, guess I'm your friend ... so that's what I'll call you.”

Jack paused for a moment, then said, “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“I think you know.”

Jack's thoughts were on Ophelia and the woman in the alley as he drove to the daycare. He grabbed his cell-phone and called Connie Crane.

“I checked out the Black Water regarding the guy found in the alley,” said Jack.

“Any luck?”

“Dead end.”

“Well, thanks for trying.”

“Victim Services involved with the wife?”

“I presume so. It's a City case. He was married?”

“Yes. His wife and two kids were laying flowers where his body was found.”

“Too bad. Hope they solve it.”

“Pass on to City to have Victim Services contact the wife's doctor. She should be checked for AIDS.”

“I know the bar is sleazy, but just for having a beer?”

“It was more than beer,” Jack said, then hung up.

Connie stared at the telephone still in her hand.
Tell me again it was a dead end ... lying son of a bitch.

Jack picked Jenny up on schedule and explained that they were going to meet her mommy at the hospital.

The trip was uneventful as Jenny tried to impress Jack with everything she knew, including her ability to count and to sing nursery rhymes.

They were just pulling into the hospital lot when Jenny asked, “Are you going to be my new daddy, now?”

Jack felt a pang of guilt, then said, “No, I'm married to another lady. But if your mom says it's okay, I could sort of be like an uncle to you.”

“What's a dunkle?”

“Not ... never mind, there's your mom now.”

Locked cars were something that Jack was experienced with. It took him only a few seconds to gain entry.

“Why do I even bother to lock it?” asked Holly.

“Keeps the honest people out,” replied Jack.

“Not that. I mean it's just a piece of junk. No decent car thief would want to be seen in it.”

Jack made a quick examination under the hood and discovered that the battery was as old as the car. He told her that she would just need a boost and that he would call a tow truck. He suggested that Holly and Jenny wait in the hospital. It was rush hour and the tow truck might be a while.

Jack sat briefly in his own car to use his cellphone. A tow truck would be along in an hour, as soon as the new battery was charged. He gave them his cell number and told them to call when they arrived.

Jack met Holly in the reception area and they went to see Charlie. Jenny clung to her mother's leg, sucking her thumb as they walked.

Jack heard Charlie before he saw him. He was under enough medication to stop him from crying, but not from whimpering.

Tears filled Holly's eyes. She desperately wanted to pick him up and hold him, but he was still too fragile. Instead, she held his hand in hers and tried to soothe him. It was the longest hour Jack ever endured. He felt ashamed at his relief when the tow truck arrived and he hurried out ahead of Holly to look after the matter.

He was embarrassed further when Holly demanded that she pay for the boost. Jack accepted the fifteen dollars that he told her it cost.

When Jack arrived back in his own apartment parking garage, he shut off the car and sat for a moment, then reached for the sun visor. He removed the picture that Holly had given him at the hospital when she told him about Charlie's paralysis. It was Charlie taking his first steps.
Will you ever walk again?
He placed the photo back in the sun visor and went to his apartment.

Natasha wasn't about to let him retreat into his own thoughts. Dinner had barely started when she looked at him and said, “Okay, what the hell is going on? Are you upset with something I said or did? Talk to me!”

Jack looked at her and said, “It's not you.”

“Then what is it?”

Jack's anger flooded his brain.
Doesn't she appreciate what I've been going through?
He put his fork down on the table and said, “Let me tell you about
what has happened in the last week and a half! A husband is murdered because he had my name. I take down a bunch of speed labs and an old man is murdered because the price of speed went up! I help catch the guy who did that but let another fellow get his skull bashed in the process!”

Jack paused and returned Natasha's stare. He felt the anger drain. “It seems that the harder I work, the more grief I bring on everybody,” he added, quietly.

Natasha was accustomed to grief and sorrow. Anger too. It didn't matter that Jack was her husband, the man she loved. She was a professional, as was her response: “Consequences are not always easy to predict. Could you ever have predicted that Holly's husband would be murdered?”