Evil in Hockley (9 page)

Harry couldn’t help it.

“Talk about cheating. You and Karma
last night.”

Sandy shot back.

“I wasn’t cheating. We never touched.
Just a couple of girls having a pyjama party. You’re jealous. Admit
it.”

“Pyjama party? You should have seen
your face.”

“Harry, shut the fuck up about it
okay.”

He laughed because she was embarrassed
he saw her that way.

Harry drove to Toronto in his Hemi Cuda
and Karma with Sandy in her Chrysler sedan. They were on their way
to a bar on Lakeshore Avenue where motorcycle types hung out. It
was also a place where drug deals went down.

There was no chance of nabbing Bobby
Mercer on the way into the bar due to the fact they wouldn’t know
when he was to arrive. Traffic might detain him or he could make a
detour along the way. Basically the bar was frequented by wary
gangsters who would spot anything unusual and a two unknown
occupied cars in the parking lot would appear
suspicious.

Nabbing him inside would be akin to
suicide. Bobby would be in his domain surrounded by business
associates, his back watched by his right hand man,
Danny.

That left his exit, the point in time
at which he would be about to get into his car, and was at his
farthest point away from the club. That was the plan in any case.
Karma would run interference and deal with Danny. Harry was not
opposed to danger but kidnapping was new to him: Having to take a
live captive with him during flight. In the past he left his prey
in a horizontal position and escaped on his own. One man could lose
himself in almost any environment.

They passed the bar twice and on the
third run noticed Mercer’s vehicle. According to Karma there were
times when Bobby would be in the place less than a half hour so
they’d have to set up immediately.

Harry parked in the lot. Bobby would be
tied and tossed into the back seat then secured so he couldn’t
move. The reason for using his car was simple: Once on the road no
one would catch him. His Hemi was the old kind: The 426 cubic inch
version with tree stump pulling power and 7,000 RPM.

Sandy parked in the lot next door, her
sedan idling, ready to run interference. Karma stood near the
sidewalk leaned against a tree acting as though she was engaged in
a conversation on her cell phone, less than fifty feet away from
Harry.

Harry did the same as Karma acting as
though he was making a call on his cell phone as he sat in his car
in the parking lot. After fifteen minutes he had to make a move or
risk being obvious to the ingoing bikers. He entered the club, head
bent low, then approached the bar and ordered a beer. Bobby or
Danny would recognize him if they saw him in a brightly lit section
of the bar.

Bobby finally left with Danny a few
feet behind. Harry’s heart sank when he saw that a couple of big
bikers left with the pair. They followed Bobby to his car where he
opened the trunk and gave them a satchel. One biker opened it,
leafed through it, and after a minute nodded his head. Danny was
already in the driver’s seat then Bobby climbed into the
passenger’s side. The two bikers stood watching then waved
goodbye.

Zero chances to nab Bobby.

Harry was on his way to his Cuda when
his cell rang. It was Karma.

“Get in and catch them. The first
traffic light you come to will be red. Grab him then. I’ll handle
Danny.”

“How do you know the light will be
red?”

“Harry, the light will be
red.”

Harry walked as he spoke and was
already in his car when she hung up. He roared out of the lot then
passed a few cars until he was on Danny’s bumper. They came to a
red light where Harry’s Cuda kissed the bumper of Danny’s sedan.
Harry got out as did Danny. Harry moved in on the passenger side,
opened the door, and punched an unsuspecting Bobby in the side of
the head. He dragged Bobby out of the car and cuffed
him.

Danny drew a weapon and moved to
intercept. He suddenly bent low and dropped the gun as though it
was red hot. Harry suspected Karma was screwing with Danny’s mind.
Harry slammed Bobby into the door frame then into the back seat of
his car. He tied him securely with rope which was fixed to the rear
seat belts. Then he tied Bobby’s feet and secured them to the floor
with another rope.

Soon as Harry jumped into his car the
light turned green. Horns sounded as he backed up and moved around
Danny’s sedan. Sandy was on his tail. He looked out the rear view
and saw Danny jump into his sedan. It appeared as though he was
having trouble getting mobile. It was Karma with another of her
tricks. Horns sounded in the distance as angry motorists sat behind
Danny’s stalled car.

Plans don’t always work out the way
they’re supposed to and this one had its share of quirks. To add to
the crap they’d already encountered the two bikers had seen Harry
grab Bobby and were now in pursuit on their Harleys. It didn’t take
them long to weave around obstacles and one was soon at his side.
Harry had anticipated a bike chase, who wouldn’t at a biker’s bar?
It was one scenario where he couldn’t win especially in traffic. In
the empty passenger seat lay a chain. He grabbed it and tossed it
out the window into the front spokes of the Harley beside him. The
bike went ass over tea kettle across three lanes. The other biker
stopped to help his comrade.

They slowed so as not to attract the
law. They were soon north on Airport Road through Malton. Bobby was
not only stirring he was fighting the ropes trying to break
free.

“Bobby, you tear a hole in the seat and
I’ll go back there and kick the shit out of you.”

He stopped fighting his
bonds.

It was an hour later when they arrived
at the cabin and took Bobby in. Sandy had dropped behind in case
they were being tailed. She called an all clear on Harry’s cell
then drove into the lot. Bobby was already tied to a stout chair in
the cabin’s living room.

It seemed a strange thing for Karma to
do. She slapped Bobby hard a couple of times, hate in her eyes. She
could have hexed him in a dozen ways. Rage contorted her face and
physical action seemed to appease her.

She hissed,

“Tony called you his
friend.”

Bobby sat staring at the
floor.

Harry would never want to get this
witch mad.

Harry couldn’t wait and got straight to
the point.

“You’re going to tell me what you know
about Jarrod’s death or I’ll take you out and shoot
you.”

Bobby raised his head and
said,

“Shoot me now then cause I don’t know
squat. You want me to make up something?”

Karma approached with a candle chanting
words foreign to Harry as she sprinkled a powder on Bobby. Bobby
appeared to freeze and his eyes stopped blinking. Karma lifted the
candle under Bobby’s chin. Harry smelled burning flesh but the man
didn’t move. She removed the candle then asked,

“Tell us about Jarrod, what you know of
his death.”

Bobby mumbled,

“I know he died. Drove his bike in a
ditch.”

Karma asked more questions but the
conversation still went nowhere.

Finally she said,

“I don’t think he knows
anything.”

Harry was frustrated. It all led
nowhere.

“What about Shelley?”

Bobby answered,

“She’s half dead. Can she answer
questions? I have no idea how far along she is.”

Harry hissed,

“This is going nowhere. We can exchange
Bobby for Shelley but will it get us anywhere?”

Karma said,

“I can try but know I can’t bring her
back. Like Tony all I can do is send her to the spirit
world.”

Harry paced then said,

“Let’s do it. At least it’s a
chance.”

He’d taken Mercer’s cell and removed
the battery so it couldn’t be tracked. He plugged the battery in
and called Joe Sharky’s number. He didn’t answer but recognized the
voice. It was John Dean.

“Hello Harry. How are you this fine
day?”

“No bullshit Dean. I want to trade
Mercer for Shelley if she’s still alive.”

“She is but what if we don’t want Bobby
back?”

“Then say so and you’ll hear the shot
that ended his days before you can take another breath.”

“All right. As much as I hate to do
business with kidnappers Joe wants Bobby returned. Where do we do
the exchange?”

“Oh no. We do this my way. We make the
exchange at midnight. You get underway and head south at half past
eleven. I’ll give you directions.”

“So you can kill us?”

“Don’t be stupid. You’re the one who
wants me dead. All I want is Shelley and the name of the man who
killed Jarrod. The rest of you mean shit. You can live die or do
whatever you want. Just give me Shelley and you get
Bobby.”

“All right Harry. See you at
midnight.”

Chapter 17

Sandy brought coffee for everyone but
Bobby. He was given a glass of water.

“So where do we do the exchange?” asked
Sandy.

“On the Humber river bridge near the
intersection of Hockley and Airport Road. It’s not as open as I’d
like but there’s traffic. Enough to keep them from making a major
assault. Besides there are a few houses nearby. Not close enough
for neighbours to see exactly what’s going on but enough that if
they start shooting the police will be called in. I only want
Shelley, nothing more for now.”

Sandy said,

“After we give them Jimmy we can’t
bring Shelley here.”

“I’ll tell you where we’ll take her,
later.”

At eleven o’clock that night Harry
parked his car near the corner of Airport and Hockley Road. He
walked to the bridge and scouted the area. At half past eleven he
called John Dean to verify his position. He told the preacher to
proceed south on Airport Road. Fifteen minutes later he gave Dean
the exact location for the trade. Ten minutes after that a car
parked at the side of the highway. The driver John Dean walked to
the passenger side of the sedan and escorted Shelley over the
bridge toward Harry. As arranged Karma led the handcuffed Bobby
Mercer toward the bridge.

There was only twenty feet of space
separating Mercer and Shelley. Harry noted she was still bound,
hands clasped, with leather lacing. A pencil was shoved deep into
each of her eyes. She appeared placid, almost comatose.

It happened quickly.

Shelley ripped the leather lacing
binding her hands then pulled the pencils from her eyes. Blood
gushed from her hands and her eyes. Her face transformed along with
her body features.

It was Lenea.

Lenea held up an effigy and chanted
several words. Harry turned to see Karma’s wide eyes as she tumbled
to the ground. Harry knew she’d been taken completely off guard.
Bobby ran toward the preacher. On the way he body butted Harry
sending him to one knee. Lenea put both hands on either side of his
face and loudly chanted. Her cries echoed through the
night.

Harry felt drugged and as though he
were tied with invisible ropes. John Dean led him to the sedan and
pushed him into the back seat then sat beside him. Lenea removed
the cuffs from Bobby who jumped into the driver’s seat of the
sedan. Harry felt groggy but he could see Lenea approaching
Karma.

“Well dear sister, it seems you’re
indisposed at the present time. Did you really think you could
vanquish the combined powers of John and I? You’re little more than
a joke.”

Karma lay helpless on the side of the
road.

Headlights appeared from the south side
of the bridge and aimed at Lenea. She calmly returned to the sedan
and climbed into the passenger side then gestured Bobby to
drive.

It was Sandy and she had wedged her car
between Karma and Lenea. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Karma and
Sandy were both safe and it appeared Lenea and John were content
with the rescue mission and his capture. They drove north toward
home.

Lenea held her hands high and chanted.
Blood stopped flowing and the wounds where the lacing had bound her
bones together healed. He suspected her eyes did as well. It must
have been a illusion. No one could heal that quickly.

She turned to him then said,

“We’ll have a homecoming celebration
for you tonight. You’ll be the guest of honour. Sounds exciting
don’t you think?”

She spoke as though a child going to a
birthday party.

Harry felt every punch and kick assault
him as Bobby Mercer giggled like a maniac. Both he and Joe divvyed
out the punishment. Harry passed out from time to time but was
awaken with pails of water. John Dean and Lenea sat at a table
sipping drinks, talking to each other as though nothing else was
happening in the room.

Harry woke in a basement shackled to a
cement wall. He attempted to explore his surroundings through
swollen eye lids. He saw only a few feet of the place, the rest a
blur. He did after a time make out Shelley near him propped against
the wall. Her hands were still bound with leather lace, stitched
around bones, holding them together in a praying fashion. Each eye
had a pencil shoved deep. He wondered if she was still alive. The
basement was too small to be the one in the bar so he assumed it
was the one in Joe Sharky’s house. Harry eyed his chains then
realized he was in deep shit.