Race (24 page)

“Okay.”

I went and sat in the corner facing the doors.
 

A few minutes later the girl placed a tall glass with a straw on the table.
 
I looked at it.
 
It was sort of pinkish.
 
I took a sip and waited.
 
Then took another sip.

***

Martin gently shut and locked the metal door and went upstairs.
  
He moved passed Susan and stopped.
  
Sitting in the corner was someone he recognized, sipping a strawberry tea.
 
Yes.
 
He was a police officer.
 

John Rupert or something along that line was his name.
 
Their informant in the police force had provided names of all the members of Operation Anti-RACE.
   
What was
Rupret
doing here?
 
Inspecting the premises, perhaps.
 

There must have been a leak.
 
Someone must have tipped the police.
 
They were after him.
 
No.
 
Stop. He controlled his composure.
  
It was just a coincidence he was here.
    

Martin took a deep breath.
 
This was absurd.
  
He shouldn’t be acting like this.
 
He was a lawyer, a reputable business advisor.
 
Not a criminal.

Martin relaxed, but tensed up again when, in the distance, he saw Kong get out of his car and approach the shop.

He knew the police had a picture of Kong.
  
If this police officer saw Kong, their cover might be blown.

He had to do something, but what?

***

This tea wasn’t half bad. I sipped.
 
I was glad I had come here.
  
I could finally relax and chill out.

There were a few more customers in the place now.
 
A man in a suit stood behind the counter, staring at me.

Once he realized I saw him, he smiled and began walking toward me.
  
I turned around but there was a wall behind me. I was cornered.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hello,” I replied.

“Is this your first time at the BUBBLE T SHOP?” he said.

“Um…yes,” I said.

“Oh, forgive my rudeness, I’m the owner of this shop,” the man said.
 
He was standing very close.
  
“How do you like our establishment?” He had a wide smile.

“Nice. Good
tea
,” I held the half glass of strawberry tea in the air.

“We want all our customers to be fully satisfied.
 
If there is anything you don’t find to your liking you just let us know and we’ll do everything to have it corrected.”

“Thank you,” I said.
 
It’s good that these days businesses aim to please their customers
.

“What do you think of the wallpaper?” he pointed behind me.

I wasn’t sure what he wanted but I turned, “Very nice.”
 

“Do you think the
colour
is pleasing?”
 

It was brown.
 

“Um…I think so.”
 

“Have a closer look.”

He was very keen on my answer.
 
“Yes…now that I have…um…a better look, I think it’s good.
 
But it could be a little…darker.”

“Darker? Oh, dear.”
 
He looked heartbroken.

“No-no, just a little.
 
Overall it still gives the place a cozy…touchy…feely…” I was searching for more words.
 
“Touchy, friendly feeling.”

“I’m glad,” he said, wiping at his forehead.
 
“This is my first venture and I want it to be a success.”

“I understand,” I said, raising my hand in protest.
 
“I’m more than happy to provide my insight.”

“Thank you,” he said, looking around, more relieved.
 

I’m always glad to help those in need.

“The next time you come back,” the man said.
 
“Anything you like will be complimentary—on the house.”

“Hey, thanks.
 
Sure, I’ll come back.
 
Many times.”

At that moment my phone went off.
 
It was
Beadsworth
.

I thanked the owner and left.

***

Martin’s shoulders sagged when the officer was out of the premises.
  
He adjusted his tie.
  
During the entire ordeal he had been sweating profusely.
 
He felt wet and sticky.

He barged to the back and confronted Kong, who was standing with his huge arms folded.

“What are you doing here?” Martin snapped.

Kong did not answer.

“That was a police officer.
 
We could have been shut down.
 
For all we know there could be a surveillance van waiting outside recording our every move—
recording you entering here
.”

There was no reaction.
  
Kong stared back.

Martin adjusted his tie once more and smoothed his coat.
 
It was useless talking to him.
 
If he wanted anything done he would have to talk to Ms. Zee.

***

Beadsworth
was sitting alone when I got into the passenger seat.
 

“Done with your private conversation?” I said.

He didn’t answer.

“Come on,” I snapped.
 
“I see what’s going on.”

He turned to me. “What
is
going on?” he said.

“Stuff…secret stuff.
 
Stuff you don’t want me to know.”

“Officer
Rupret
, let me just say, things were happening before you arrived.
  
These things may continue to happen even after you leave.”

“I have no idea what you just said.”

“Precisely, and I prefer it be kept that way.”

I was ready to say something when he said, “Constable Terries and Detective
Nemdharry
are in Niagara Falls.”

“Niagara Falls?”

“The U-Haul briefly stopped in Hamilton and moved onto Niagara Falls.”

Something occurred to me.
 
“Could
Nex
be made there,” I pointed to the building across.
 
“And then distributed in Niagara Falls?”

“Maybe.”

Something else occurred to me.
 
“From Niagara Falls it might then be passed through the border and into the States.”

He thought about it and his face went grave.

I was going to say more when another car drove up and parked right beside us.
  

“We’re being relieved,”
Beadsworth
said.

***

I entered my house and headed straight for my apartment.
 
I was halfway up when the ground-floor door opened and my landlady popped her head out.

“Jonny?” she said.

“Yes,” I said, then realized I was supposed to have dinner with her.
  
“Am I too late?”

She had a gentle smile.
 
She handed me a white container.
 
“I left some
mechado
for you.
 
I know you’re very busy.”

I thanked her and went upstairs.

I opened my door, walked down the hall, and placed the container in the microwave.
 
I walked back and stopped, “Sorry, Mike.
 
I missed you, too.”
 
I’m proud to say that Michael Jordan never got angry with me.

I pulled out Elizabeth Taylor’s Black Pearls and wrapped it in a flowered wrapping paper.

I leaned back on the sofa with the container of
mechado
in my hand and began watching the fourth quarter of the basketball game.
          

EIGHTEEN

Early in the morning I showered, shaved and made breakfast.
 
From the closet I pulled out a suit, pressed shirt, dry cleaned pants, a tie that had belonged to my father, and recently shined shoes.
 
I dressed as if I was going to a high profile business meeting.
 

With the package under my arm I waited outside.
 
When
Beadsworth’s
GM pulled up I got in the passenger side.

The car did not move.
 
Beadsworth
was staring at me.

“Something wrong?” I said.

He was wearing his three-piece brown suit, which was what I wanted for this occasion.
   

He did not speak.
 
He just kept staring.

“What?” I said.

“I’m sorry, did someone die?” he asked.

“No, no.
 
Is that what you think?”

He shrugged slowly.
 
“You don’t normally…dress.”

“Today is my mom’s birthday,” I beamed.
 
“You and I are going to meet her.”

“Where?”

“Guelph.”

“I don’t think we are authorized to go there,” he said.

“I know,” I said.
 

“Sergeant Aldrich would not be too pleased…”

“I don’t care.
 
Listen, I am going to meet my mom. Either you come with me or I’m going there by myself, which means you won’t be able to watch over me.”
 
I hoped the last part would get him.

He thought about it. “All right.”
        

***

Guelph is an hour’s drive from Toronto.
 
Beadsworth
did not say a word during the ride.
 
Every so often he would flip an occasional glance in my direction.
  
I don’t think he believed what he was seeing.

He parked on the side of the street like I instructed.
  

He was ready to get out when my hand stopped him.
 
“Before we go in, there are a few things I would like to tell you.”

He waited.

I considered my words very carefully.
 
“We were a very close family when I was young, very close…but…after my father left us…well…my mom became very protective.”
 

Beadsworth
nodded.

“So.” I paused.
 
“My mother is a little sensitive when it comes to law enforcement.
 
So let’s not mention any of the…complications that are happening in our case.”

He listened.
 
“Yes, of course.
 
The incident at the House of Jam.”