radio, but if he had not known better, he might have deduced it came from some other home in his neighbourhood.
“Yes!” he shouted with elation, while punching his fist into the palm of his other hand. The heavy thickness of soundproofing worked! He opened the passageway door and ducked back inside to retrieve the radio.
The room he had built was basically a smaller room within the space. It was like a huge rectangular plywood box with an igloo-style passageway that led into it. There was a drain on the floor, along with a foam mattress, a toilet, and a set of shackles and chains fastened to the floor at each end of the room.
chapter two
Corporal Jack Taggart glanced at Constable Laura Secord as she patiently sat at her desk while flipping through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette. Her desk butted up to his and space was at a premium.
The Intelligence Unit targeted organized crime, which meant gathering information on secretive societies. Investigations often fanned out like inverted pyramids. One criminal would lead to others and these others would lead to others and so on, as investigators tried to determine who were involved in criminal enterprises and who were just associates.
Jack and Laura’s office slowly collected more and more file cabinets that in themselves became like Pandora’s boxes for those who would look inside to try to grasp the nature of the beast.
It was late Friday afternoon and their shift should be just about over. Should be, but wouldn’t, grimaced Jack, while waiting to receive a text message on his BlackBerry. He knew Laura wouldn’t complain. Personal life often took a back seat as they adjusted their hours to match the hours of people who worked without schedules. At least it did if you were to be effective. Effective in your work. Not effective in your personal life.
His thoughts went back to the person he was waiting to hear from. Why? Why would Damien make such an obvious faux pas? The National President of Satans Wrath .... You didn’t end up in charge of the top organized crime family in Canada by being stupid. So why?
Satans Wrath had chapters in dozens of countries. They operated like an international corporation with paramilitary discipline. In many countries, including Canada, they were at the top of the list when it came to organized crime. Each chapter had its own president and each country had one national president. In Canada, that was Damien.
Jack felt a vibration on his belt. Finally ...
Laura saw Jack grab for his BlackBerry. She studied his face as he read the text message. Jack was more than her boss. Next to her husband, Jack was her closest friend.
He glanced up and said, “It’s him. Montrose Park in forty-five minutes.”
“I don’t know it,” replied Laura.
“Near Second Narrow Bridge.”
“I’ll call Elvis,” said Laura. “You mind dropping me off at home later? We rode in together this morning.”
“Hopefully he’s not already waiting outside to follow us,” said Jack.
Laura pursed her lips to hide her grin. Her husband worked on the Anti-Corruption Unit, which handled the more serious investigations directed to Internal Affairs. Jack’s name was familiar to everyone in her husband’s unit. He had been the subject of more than one investigation.
Not that it did them any good, mused Laura. Jack does operate under his own set of rules and his methods are unorthodox—okay, illegal—but never corrupt.
It sometimes left Laura in an awkward position with Elvis, but he trusted her own moral judgement ... and she trusted Jack’s. Her marriage was something of a balancing act, not just for her, but for Elvis, too. They had elected not to discuss work at home.
Since being transferred to work with Jack on the Intelligence Unit last year, Laura really appreciated just how necessary it was to have an Anti-Corruption Unit. Organized crime specialized in turning what were once good cops into dirty cops. Elvis did not have an easy job. Something that made her love him all the more.
“Sure I’ll drop you off,” said Jack, continuing their conversation. “I’ll give Natasha a call, too.”
Laura dialled Elvis, who put her on hold. She watched as Jack called his wife. Natasha was a doctor who worked in an emergency clinic on the downtown east side. Not an easy job, either.
Laura heard the first few words of Jack’s conversation to Natasha. “Hey honey, I’m going to be a little late. Maybe around seven. Laura and I have to go meet a friend ....”
Laura’s thoughts went to who they were really meeting. Meeting a friend meant meeting a confidential source. Real names were never used. Jack was extremely protective of any of his sources. Their friend in this case was Damien. Not actually an informant, but as a top criminal, Damien and the police sometimes had common enemies. Laura knew that only too well.
Last year a Colombian drug lord by the name of Carlos planned to murder Damien and had tried to kill Jack. The biker’s rules stated they would never phone the police or cooperate with them. Last year was different. Damien was scared for his own family and reluctantly agreed to go along with Jack’s plan to neutralize Carlos. Can’t believe my mind thought the word neutralize —Jack’s influence no doubt. I should have thought murder.
Jack convinced the brass to let them travel to Colombia on the pretext of arranging an undercover purchase of a shipment of cocaine by using Damien as an informant. His real plan had Damien introduce them to a rival Colombian drug lord by the name of Diego Ramirez and convincing Ramirez to kill Carlos. The plan worked. Ramirez never did find out that Jack and Laura were undercover police officers.
Ramirez used a string of shoe stores and leather factories to launder his money and aid in his exportation of tonnes of cocaine. When they all met last year in Colombia, it was obvious that he was attracted to Laura.
At Christmas, Ramirez sent a box full of expensive shoes to Damien to pass on to Laura. Damien held on to them for over a month before sending them to her house. Laura thought Damien should have known better. Gifts from Damien or a Colombian drug lord would definitely attract the attention of the Anti-Corruption Unit. She was glad that Elvis was not home when they arrived and did not see her take them out to the trunk of the car.
This resulted in another secret that she kept from him. Keeping secrets from her husband bothered her immensely. Elvis always knew when she was up to something ... but was kind enough not to probe too deep when it came to the job.
When Laura finished talking to Elvis, Jack said, “Come on.
We’d better tell Quaile something.”
Moments later, Jack walked into Staff Sergeant Quaile’s office with Laura at his heels. Quaile was in charge of their particular Intelligence Unit, having arrived from a Commercial Crime Section in the fall.
Quaile was pegged as a high flyer. Someone who was rapidly climbing the corporate ladder. Jack knew that Quaile obviously had the backing of some high-ranking officer from somewhere in his career. His transfer to the Intelligence Unit was just another step in balancing his experience. Which means he won’t be here long.
Jack waited until Quaile looked up and said, “Laura and I are heading out to meet a source.
