Above Ground (21 page)

Laura snickered, then said, “Yeah, right. Good one. So what's really going on?” She saw Jack's face partially illuminated by a streetlight. It was a face that looked desperate. A sense of dread overtook her when she realized he was serious. “Does this have something to do with who tried to kill O'Reilly's baby?” she asked.

“Basically,” Jack replied.

Laura didn't speak for almost a minute.

Jack didn't interrupt her thoughts. What he was asking her was to risk everything she had.

Finally she spoke. Her words were a whisper. “If this is about the guy who attacked the O'Reilly family, then I could be a good friend.”

“Are you sure?” Jack asked. “I know you. I remember when I worked an operation with you in Alberta. You made me stop the car to rescue a gopher that was snagged on something.”

“That's cuz gophers don't kill babies.”

Jack nodded, then said, “Okay. We don't have much time.”

“Who, when, and where?”

“Right now ... and he's in the trunk.”

“You're not serious!”

Jack quietly handed her the keys and sat in the car while she went to look. She saw the man's body wrapped
in a yellow plastic police emergency blanket. A shovel was also in the trunk.

“Oh, man,” she mumbled, then got back in the car. “You killed the guy?” she asked.

Jack shook his head, then replied, “No. He was already dead when I found him.”

“And he's the piece of shit who likes to kill babies?”

“No, but he is a piece of shit. He's a — he was — a member of Satans Wrath. If he disappears, I expect we'll find out real fast who tried to drown Jimmy and murdered the guy who had my name.”

“What is going on?” asked Laura. Her voice sounded quiet but firm.

Jack quickly explained what had happened, along with his plan. Laura glanced into the back seat at the two sports bags, then reached over and unzipped one of them. She dug her hand briefly through a few of the layers of bundles of money before zipping the bag closed.

“If The Toad and the money are missing,” continued Jack, “it will look like The Toad ripped everyone off. I've already found a fresh grave. We'll just make it two for the price of one. It won't take long, but I need you to distract the security guard when he comes by.”

“Are you on medication?” asked Laura, sounding serious.

Jack shook his head and said, “I'm not crazy. This will work. Once I spread the rumour that The Toad was working with the Brit, it won't take Damien long to find out. When he does, my friend will also know. My friend thinks Leitch launders money so it would fit that he could be involved in the rip along with The Toad.”

“Have you tried following Leitch?”

“Ask Elvis about that. They did, along with I-HIT. They got burned. Leitch would have warned the Brit. Whoever this guy is, he has to have a lot of clout to get
Leitch to show him secret police reports before the bikers even see them. You can bet he'll be extremely cautious. I doubt that any future surveillance on Leitch would be successful.”

“But your friend could find out through Damien?”

“If Damien knows, then my friend will know. I want to put all the heat on The Toad and spread the rumour that The Toad, Leitch, and the Brit are in cahoots. With The Toad gone, Damien should step back into power. In the unlikely event my source isn't made privy to the Brit's identity, Damien might be willing to help me. He'll think it's in our common interests. He'll want the money and revenge, and we want the Brit.”

“Really?” said Laura. “Damien might help you?” Jack caught her suspicious look and said, “He's helped me before.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“Don't even go there.”

Laura studied Jack's face for a moment, then said, “So how do you get Damien to think the heat was on The Toad? He's not stupid.”

“I'll put word out that we were working on The Toad when he led us to the Brit and Leitch. One of our narcs is supplying info to Satans Wrath.”

“I know. Elvis told me.”

“If the info comes to Damien through the dirty narc, he'll be inclined to believe it's true. Especially with The Toad and the money disappearing. To protect my friend, I'll indicate my informant is a hooker who was servicing The Toad. I'll say she saw The Toad meet with the Brit who then met with Leitch that day in the park. Damien won't know what to think.”

“What about the Colombians?”

“They barely speak English. Everyone will be confused. It doesn't really matter. What counts is that
Damien will grab Leitch and find out who the Brit is. I know this isn't exactly by the book, but...”

“By the book? Oh, man! It is in the book. The Criminal Code of Canada! We'll both end up in the crow-bar hotel.”

“Not if we're careful. But I understand. If you want to back out, go ahead. This is the only plan I could come up with to protect my source and find out who the Brit is.”

“So you plan to lie to everyone about this hooker and the park thing?”

“Satans Wrath have too many of their own sources and are always developing new ones. I don't believe in telling our people anything that isn't necessary for them to know.”

“Did it ever occur to you that you might have a trust issue?”

“I always have a trust issue.”

“Glad you recognize it. Maybe there's a twelve-step program you could take.”

“There is. I can walk past a dozen tombstones of people who died because someone trusted the wrong person.”

Laura decided to ignore the remark and said, “So when you do find out who the Brit is ... what then? Turn him over to I-HIT?”

“Something like that.”

“What do you mean, ‘something like that'?”

“Put yourself in Susan's position. Imagine being tied to a chair while you watch your baby being tossed in a swimming pool ... then being left there to watch for the next half-hour.”

“I've thought about that,” said Laura quietly. “Often.”

“If that doesn't get you, then think about Holly's
dead husband and a toddler by the name of Charlie spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.”

“So what are you getting at?”

“We have no solid evidence on the Brit to link him to anything. Just a picture of a guy in a van looking out while I'm getting a call on my cellphone. Even if he was convicted, do you really think that ten or fifteen years in jail is enough for what he did?”

“So what are you saying? That we should just shoot him?”

“Personally I think that is letting him off too easy.” Jack thought briefly about two other murders. His niece and nephew. They were killed by bikers, but someone else — Bishop — gave the orders. He looked at Laura and added, “We don't even know if the Brit is responsible. He could be working for someone else.”

Laura stared back at him without speaking.

Jack waited for a moment, then said, “All I'm saying is we can cross that bridge together when we come to it. Who knows what opportunities will arise along the way.”

“Opportunities? Like what?”

“Take tonight. I didn't expect to get this lucky, with the bad guys killing each other and me ending up with $3.5 million. Believe me, I understand your concern.”

“This wasn't luck. You orchestrated what took place tonight.”

“I didn't know for sure the bikers would get whacked. As long as I had the money, it would make The Toad look bad. My plan still would have worked as long as Damien was suspicious of The Toad.”

“That aside, when the time comes to cross that bridge you spoke of, what then?”

“If you are going to be my partner, we'll discuss it then.”

Laura sat in silence.

Jack waited briefly and then said, “Today was a chance to give Satans Wrath a good kick in the balls. Besides losing the money, we've just cut off their Colombian connection.”

Laura gestured to the sports bags in the back seat and asked, “What do you plan on doing with that?”

Jack sighed, then admitted, “There was another reason I did this tonight.”

“You wanted to pay off your Visa?”

“I couldn't stand the idea that the bad guys had this much money while Holly can't even afford to buy a wheelchair. In a little while, when things cool down, $1 million goes anonymously to her. Later, in dribs and drabs over a year, the rest to spinal cord research.”

“That should make Holly happy.”

“It's not that much when you consider the expenses she's going to have. Even if she buys the most modest home, she'll still be lucky if she has enough left over to cover expenses for the rest of Charlie's life.”

Laura nodded, then said, “Considering what she lost — her family, her baby — nothing could compensate for that.”

“You got that right.”

“The Colombians will still want the rest of their money back.”

“Let Satans Wrath figure that out. They've still got the coke so it won't take them long to repay. Maybe they won't even bother. They'll know the Colombians won't deal with them again.”

Laura remained silent.

“So that's the story. Do you want to help me ... or arrest me?”

Laura continued to remain silent.

Jack stared at her, then said, “I can't take the stress any longer.” He withdrew his gun and dropped it in her
lap and said, “I'm exhausted, burnt out ... and this conversation is killing me. If you want to call and have me busted, go ahead.”

Laura sighed, then said, “This is absolutely nuts. Maybe it's not too late. Let's haul the body back to the motel. We can't be doing this. It's wrong.”

“What's wrong about it? The guy is even getting a proper burial — almost.”

Laura glanced at her watch and saw that they didn't have much time.
Even taking the body back could land us both in jail.
She thought for a moment and then said, “Just a minute,” and went to the trunk and took another look.

“What were you doing?” Jack asked when she returned.

“Small calibre that plugged him. Hardly any blood,” she said, while handing Jack his gun back. “Obviously wasn't your piece.”

“I told you I didn't shoot him.”

“So you said, but you also lie to people. Let's take him back. There's still time.”

Jack tried to wipe the sleep and stress from his eyes, then turned on the interior light and said, “Take a look at the picture stuck in the sun visor.”

Laura removed the picture.

“That's Charlie taking his first steps. I want you to imagine him in a wheelchair, maybe for the rest of his life. I want you to picture his mother. Stuck with raising a paraplegic baby and another child who is only four years old.”

Laura looked at Jack.

“Don't look at me! Look at the picture! Right now there is no cure, but research indicates that spinal cord repair and regeneration is possible. A cure for paralysis could be as close as ten years away, but it takes money! Tell me again that what I am doing is wrong! You really
think we should turn this money over to the politicians! Come with me now if you're not convinced. We'll go to BCCH and I'll introduce you to Charlie face to face! After that you can drop in and have a tea with Susan O'Reilly.”

Laura was silent for a moment, but her hand shook as she held the photo. Then she put the photo back and said, “You know how to get to my under-belly, don't you?”

“Yes ... because my feelings are the same as yours.”

“You're lucky I was stationed in Alberta. I know the expression ‘shoot, shovel, and shut up.' Looks like the shooting is done. Time now to shovel and shut up.”

“You're sure?”

Laura ignored him and continued, “There is one condition. If we find the Brit, we turn him over to I-HIT.”

Jack took a deep breath and then let it out. “Thanks. I agree. From what Danny says, you're probably right on that account.”

Moments later, Laura followed Jack's car in her own through the cemetery gate and along a narrow path lined with tombstones. He parked over a small hill, near a grave laden with flowers. They both got out of their cars to talk.

“This one is fresh,” said Jack. “I'll have to remember exactly how the flowers were laid, as well as how the sod was re-laid. It shouldn't take me long to shovel and I've got spare blankets so the dirt won't show.”

“Too bad you didn't find a fresh hole. Bury him a little and have the coffin go on top.”

“I've checked. They have liners that go inside with a cover on top. Someone would know if it was tampered with.”

Laura glanced at Jack and said, “Out of curiosity, how long have you really been planning this?”

“As I said, I didn't know what was going to happen until tonight.”

“Then ... do you have other people buried in here?” Jack nodded.

Oh, man...

“My niece and nephew.”

“Oh! Right,” she said, and then blurted, “I heard Bishop was killed in an accident in Mexico.”

“Yeah, I heard that too. Come on. Help me with the blankets and flowers. Maybe the sod, too. Then get down by the gate and park at the entrance. Security came through when you first arrived. We should have about three hours. I should be done by then, but if I'm not, you stop him.”

Laura nodded and said, “I'll be the grieving lady in distress. I should be able to handle it.”

Jack opened the trunk and turned to Laura and said, “Welcome to your first shift on Intelligence. Looks like you and I are about to become good friends.”

Laura gave Jack a hard look and said, “Don't make fun of this. Would your wife stick by you if she knew what you were doing?”

“She wouldn't be happy, but I think she would agree with it.”

“Maybe that's because she doesn't work in Anti-Corruption.”

Her words were not lost on Jack. It's easier to be brave when you don't have so much to lose. It occurred to him that Laura might be one of the bravest people he ever met.