Samurai Code (7 page)

“Thanks, Rose. I appreciate this.”

“No problem.”

Jack was leaving when Rose said, “Jack!” She waited until he turned to face her before lowering her voice and saying, “If you solve it, I’d appreciate it if the bad guy makes it to trial.”

Jack nodded quietly and left.

***

Two hours later, Jack and Laura received a visit to their office from Connie Crane.

“Okay, Jack! What the hell gives?” she shouted as she strode in.

“Hi, CC. Haven’t you gone to bed yet?” replied Jack.

“Don’t give me that shit! I talked to Dallas. Why are you sticking your face into my homicide?”

“Because I told him to,” said Rose, walking in behind her.

Jack quickly made introductions and CC cast a suspicious glance at Jack before turning to Rose and saying, “Why? What business is it of yours?”

“International gun smuggling,” replied Rose.

“International gun smuggling!” replied CC. “Jesus, this is just kids! Not organized crime!”

“Kids?” asked Jack.

“Yeah, we found a footprint made by the perp. Not clear enough to match to a shoe, but from the size of it, we think it was a young teenager. We’ve already got the school liaison officers checking out the youth gangs.”

“The gun was left at the scene,” said Jack.

“So what?” replied CC.

“Most kids would value a handgun. Dropping it at the scene is something a pro would do.”

“A pro? That’s a laugh. Sounds like you need some sleep. This is just some kids who used a cheap pistol to whack a wino. A thrill kill, that’s all.”

“A thrill kill?” replied Jack. “Why drive him all the way out there for that? Except for the victim, the hit matches a lot of organized crime type hits.”

“Organized crime! Get off it! This isn’t
The Sopranos
! I don’t see what business it —”

“Cool the attitude,” said Rose quietly. “We are all on the same team. Gun smuggling from the U.S. into Canada is a major concern. Perhaps you aren’t aware of it, but our office was instrumental in seizing several automatic weapons last weekend.”

CC paused and said, “Sorry. And yes, I’m aware of that case. Randy and I talked to Mad Dog about it after he was arrested.” She glanced at Jack and Laura and added, “Good going, by the way.” She turned to Rose and said, “But this is different. No Mac-10s and Uzis here.”

“Maybe you’re right,” said Rose. “But if it is a juvenile gang, let’s put a stop to them before they do become
The Sopranos
. I really don’t see what the problem is.”

CC eyed Jack suspiciously.
With you, there is always a problem.

“Our office will concentrate on following the trail of the gun and your office can handle everything else,” continued Rose.

“Okay,” sighed CC. “You work on the gun. Good luck. I think you’ll find it to be a dead end, but if you do discover something, I expect to be notified immediately.”

“Naturally,” replied Jack. “By the way, Dallas told me Melvin had a clear garbage bag over his head and upper torso. Kind of unusual.”

CC pulled up a chair to sit in while Rose perched on the corner of Jack’s desk.

“Kids watch a lot of
CSI
these days,” replied CC. “Maybe they thought it would stop us from finding any DNA in their van.”

“Van?” asked Rose.

“No witnesses to anything, or tire tracks. We’re guessing he was hauled out of a van by the way his heels were dragged in the parking lot.”

“Why would anyone kill Melvin?” asked Laura.

“Kids … no conscience,” replied CC. “Probably their way of getting an adrenaline rush.”

“You seem certain that it was kids,” said Jack.

“We’re checking into the possibility that it was someone who knew him, but it doesn’t look like it. The cheap pistol found at the scene was sold to some guy in the States who didn’t have a record and has since died of old age. I meant it when I said good luck on finding anything out about it.”

“We’ll give the gun a shot,” replied Jack.

“I’m so tired, I actually think that is funny,” said CC. “But I’m sure we’ll discover the murder is connected with a youth gang. Kids won’t keep it a secret for long. Eventually somebody will talk.”

“Yes, or eventually someone else will be murdered,” suggested Jack.

“Yeah, well, there is always that possibility,” said CC, getting up to leave. “Nice to have met you, Rose. Sorry if I sounded off before. I haven’t had much sleep.”

Jack followed her into the hallway and said, “Listen, CC. I don’t have any intention of looking over your shoulder. I only want to help out a bit.”

“Help out a bit? Yeah, I’ve heard that one before. Can you blame me for being a little paranoid? Last night I find Natasha’s name on the victim. An hour later I watch you kill a cat at the crime scene. Speaking of which, that really shook you up, didn’t it?”

“It bothered me,” admitted Jack.

“I know. You were shaking afterwards.” Connie shook her head and said, “You’re a hard guy to figure out sometimes. Which is why I’m not exactly ecstatic that you’ll be part of the investigation. I’ve been down this street before and it wasn’t pretty.”

“This is different. All I want to do is lend a hand. If I can trace the gun it might help.”

“So you don’t know Melvin Montgomery? Never met him?”

“No. He was only a friend of my wife.”

“A friend?”

“I mean, patient,” Jack hastened to say.

CC gave Jack a hard look.
Oh, fuck.

10

The next week drifted past with Jack and Laura getting bits and pieces of the information they sought through the police in Georgia in an attempt to track the pistol. There wasn’t much. They learned that the gun was bought new eleven years ago by a man who lived in Savannah Beach, Georgia. The man had no criminal record and was sixty-four years old when he bought the gun. Records showed he bought a second handgun two years later — a Smith & Wesson revolver.

The revolver was now owned by the man’s son and he was interviewed by the police. The police learned his mother died of ovarian cancer when his father was sixty-seven. Four years ago his father died of a heart attack and the son inherited all of his father’s belongings. The son said he only found the Smith & Wesson in his dad’s belongings and had no idea what happened to the other pistol. The police said the family was respected in the community and they believed the son was telling the truth.

“What do you think?” asked Jack when Laura finished reading the report they had received from Georgia.

“Doesn’t look good,” replied Laura. “I wonder what prompted him to wait until he was sixty-four to buy a gun? Bet his house was broken into,” she added.

Jack shook his head. “No, I checked. He lived there all of his life. No reported break-ins before or after his gun purchases.”

“Joined a gun club?” suggested Laura.

“Not that, either. I do have another theory.”

“Which is?”

“He bought it shortly before turning sixty-five. What do a lot of people do when they turn sixty-five?”

“Retire, buy the biggest car they can find, and drive it slowly up and down the street in busy traffic.”

“Exactly!” replied Jack.

“You mean I’m right? What’s that got to do with it?”

“They retire and travel. They’re Americans. Think about it. Remember that motto from an old TV Western? ‘Have gun, will travel’!”

“Guess I’m not that old, but I get your point. And when he was sixty-six he bought a second gun because —”

“He lost his first one or it was stolen. But why didn’t he report it?”

“Because he brought it someplace where he wasn’t allowed to bring it?”

“That’s my guess. I’m going to call the son myself.”

“Today’s the fourth of July. American Independence Day. He might be home.”

Laura listened as Jack dialed and then spoke.

“Yes, sir. That’s right. A Mountie from Canada.… Yes, I know the police spoke with you … no, actually I’ve never ridden a horse … yes, I’m a real Mountie. … Thank you, I like to think my English is pretty good, too. It is mostly only one province, what you would call a state, that speaks French.… Um, about seventy Fahrenheit right now … no, I’m not spoofing you …”

Laura watched as the conversation continued and listened to Jack when he asked the questions he wanted answered.

“A motor home, did they? To Niagara Falls, Canada, in early September … ten years ago.” Jack smiled and gave Laura the thumbs-up sign. “I see, well, that is unfortunate. I hope it didn’t ruin the rest of their holiday.”

When Jack hung up, he gave Laura the details she had already heard, plus he said, “They only stayed one night in Niagara Falls because someone vandalized their motor home. He said they were upset about it and returned to the States the next day.”

“In other words, if whoever did it got caught with their gun, they didn’t want to be around to face the music.”

“You got it. He remembered asking them if anything had been stolen and said they were a little vague about that.”

“So we have a pretty good idea on how the gun arrived in Canada,” said Laura. “Now what?”

“Start tracking down places where you would stay with a motor home in Niagara Falls and see if there are any records of break-ins ten years ago. Other people could have been robbed and reported it. Maybe there were suspects or arrests.”

“Heck of a long shot. Also not what you would call organized crime.”

“I know, but Natasha is afraid it will fall by the wayside. I promised her I would look into it. Besides, I think we both could use a bit of a break from —” Jack stopped to answer his phone. It was CC and he quickly jotted down notes as he spoke with her.

— Ten years ago (September) gun used in a coffee-shop robbery in Regina. Bullet fired in ceiling.

— Nobody hurt. Small amount of $ taken. Suspect in his 40s, wearing ball cap, swarthy complexion — mole below left eye.

— Four years ago (August), a suspected drug dealer (Bernie Wingham) in Trail, B.C., was shot in the knee at his house. Bernie would not co-operate with police. No suspects.

— Two years ago (April), gun used in a mugging in Vancouver. Two men tried to rob an employee of an antique store of the day’s receipts when he stepped out to go to the bank. Victim shot through the arm. Bullet went through a window of a restaurant halfway down the block and lodged in a wall. Police were inside having dinner. Suspects got away in a car with stolen plates. Both with collar-length black hair, tall, early 20s.

— Same gun used to murder Melvin M.

“So, somehow I think the gun ended up in the hands of some kids,” said CC in conclusion. “I’ll send you copies of the reports I have on what I just told you. Maybe it was someone’s older brother who tried to rob the antique store.”

“Wasn’t this Bernie character in Trail re-interviewed after the antique store mugging?” asked Jack. “It sounds like blind luck that he didn’t get killed.”

“He was re-interviewed, but wouldn’t co-operate. Too afraid. Four years ago he was growing and selling pot. The members in Trail think he’s gone straight. He has since married and has two toddlers. The guy hobbles around with a permanent limp. I guess he counts himself as lucky to be alive.”

“So, now that he is married, he is even less likely to risk talking.”

“For sure. I just got off the phone with one of the members in Trail who tried to talk to him last time. Basically had the door slammed in their face. Now that the gun was used in a murder, I’m not optimistic that it will alleviate his fear at all. I guess we could try again but I think we’re wasting our time.”

“Do you mind if Laura and I try?”

“Fill your boots.”

“Does Bernie still live in the same house as when he was shot?”

“Yes. The member mentioned that the house used to be a junk heap, but now that Bernie is married, he actually has a white picket fence and flower beds. Why? What are you thinking of?”

“I’m thinking I’ve been drinking too much.”

***

The following day, it was suppertime when Jack and Laura approached Bernie Wingham’s house in Trail.

Jack did up the top buttons of his golf shirt on the way to the house and whispered, “How do I look?”

“Like you’re on your way to church,” replied Laura.

“Good, I’ll ring the bell and be right back.”

A moment later, Bernie’s face appeared in the door window. He saw Jack and Laura facing each other at the bottom of his porch steps and opened the door.

Jack was talking quietly and solemnly to Laura, but his words could be overheard. “God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

“It’s time,” replied Laura, glancing up at Bernie. “I’ll wait here. Go do it. Your eighth step.”

“What are you guys? Jehovah Witnesses? I’m not interested!” said Bernie through a half-opened door.

“Bernie, no, wait!” said Jack.

“You know my name? Who are you?” asked Bernie, limping out onto his porch. “What do you want?”

“I came to make amends,” said Jack, walking up the stairs to meet Bernie. “It is an important step in the program.”

“Amends for what?” asked Bernie. “What program?”

“My name is Jack,” said Jack, offering his hand.

“I said what do you want?” asked Bernie, ignoring the intended handshake.

Jack sighed and looked to Laura as if for support. She nodded encouragingly, and he turned to Bernie, and said, “I’m an alcoholic. I’m in recovery.”

“What the hell does that have to do with me? Did my wife put you up to this?” he asked, glaring back into the house.

“No. This isn’t about you. It’s about me. I came to apologize.”

“For what?”

“It was my idea to have you kneecapped four years ago.”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” roared Bernie.

“Please, let me explain,” pleaded Jack, after giving Bernie a few seconds to recover. “I used to drink a lot back then.”

“Maybe you drank too much … because I don’t ever remember seeing you before,” said Bernie suspiciously. “And who’s she?” he asked, with a nod toward Laura.

“She’s my sponsor.”

“Yeah? For her, I’d join AA myself.” Bernie then glared at Jack and said, “I’d definitely remember her … and I ain’t never seen you before, either.”

“You probably haven’t. I scored some weed once from a guy who made me wait in the car while he came to see you. Later, I got to thinkin’ that you must have a lot of money.”

“So you put Angelo and Dominic up to it?”

“I was so drunk back in those days, I hardly remember much.” Jack looked around at the yard and said, “I wasn’t even sure if it was the right place. Somehow I thought it looked different. I don’t remember the fence.”

“How did you know them?”

“Know who?”

“The brothers. Angelo and Dominic. How did you know them?”

“Is that their names? I don’t even remember. I met them in a bar and one thing led to another. As I recall, I thought they may have already known you.”

“Yeah, they did. But … you’re telling me that it was your idea to rob me?”

“Sorry about that,” said Jack, hanging his head in shame. “I didn’t think anyone would get hurt. I stood six and was supposed to beep the horn if the cops were coming. It seemed like a good idea when we were drinking.”

“Jesus Christ,” sputtered Bernie. “Do you know I’m forever gimped now?”

“I didn’t know, man. I’m really sorry. Guess I should find Angelo and Dominic and apologize to them, too. I remember stealing their car radio a few days later.”

“You what? Jesus, you’re lucky they didn’t kill you.” Bernie paused and muttered, “Fuck, I should never have told you their names.” He cast a worried look at Jack and said, “Forget about them if you want to stay alive.”

“Stay alive? Why? Are they dangerous?”

“Dangerous! What the fuck do you think? Look at my leg!”

“Oh … yeah.”

“Not only that, the cops were around a couple of years ago, asking questions. The same gun was used to shoot somebody in Vancouver. More than that, two years ago Angelo and Dominic killed some guy in Vancouver.”

“With the same gun?” asked Jack.

“Nope. Sliced him up instead. I don’t think the cops ever did connect them with the gun.”

“Who did they kill two years ago? What guy?”

“Don’t know, but the cops have been looking for them for that. Let’s just say that Angelo and Dominic aren’t the forgiving type and wouldn’t appreciate being found. My advice is to keep your yap shut and get the fuck off my porch.”

“So, you forgive me?” asked Jack, giving himself a self-satisfied smile.

Bernie’s face turned red and he said, “Do I look like I fuckin’ forgive ya?”

“Oh … guess not. Sorry, I thought you did because you warned me about Angelo and Dominic.”

“I don’t give a fuck about you! I just don’t want you to do something that might bring Angelo and Dominic back to see me.”

Jack hung his head and turned and walked back down the steps while Bernie glared at him from the porch. Laura placed her arm around Jack’s shoulder to console him as they walked back to their car. In reality, she hoped that the shaking of their shoulders from snickering would be mistaken for grief.

“Hope ya end up back on the bottle!” yelled Bernie, as they drove away.

***

Twenty minutes later, Jack and Laura met with Constable Sarah Hundt in the Trail RCMP office. Sarah knew immediately who the brothers were. “There are Canada-wide warrants on them for murder,” she said. “Going back two years. Their mom still lives in Trail. We’ve still got their photos up on the bulletin board. Hang on and I’ll get them and pull the files.”

Like both their parents, Angelo and Dominic had lengthy criminal records with numerous offences for violence, robbery, and possession of stolen property. A Vancouver RCMP Drug Section informant had linked them to the torture and murder of a high-level heroin dealer in Vancouver two years prior. The heroin dealer bled to death from multiple slash marks made by a knife while he was tied to a chair. A search was made for the brothers, but they had vanished and the informant was unable to obtain any further information.

“Two years ago was about the same time that gun was used to rob an antique store,” commented Jack, while reaching for his own file to cross-reference when the antique store was robbed. He felt a rush of excitement as he compared the details. “The heroin dealer was killed on the same day and only a couple of hours before the robbery of the antique store!”