of our real money.”
“Thank fuck we didn’t go in with Damien.”
“It wasn’t like he offered,” Lance noted. “He was smart to recommend we keep our money apart from his. You and I probably should’ve kept ours separate, too.”
“Ours is safe,” Whiskey Jake replied. “The only connection was through the lawyer in Mexico. He got those files out of the office long before the Federales came by.”
“I still question how the cops got on to Damien’s secret account.”
Whiskey Jake looked puzzled. “What’re you talking about? Damien’s lawyer had another client who got busted and ratted out the lawyer. Rather than go down for money launderin’, the fuckin’ lawyer then ratted out Damien.”
“So it appeared, but with Taggart involved, I’m always suspicious.”
“What makes you so leery of Taggart?”
Because I was once his rat and know how he operates. “He’s on the RCMP Intelligence Unit. I always wonder what they’re up to.”
“You’re paranoid.” Whiskey Jake nodded suddenly. “The man’s arrived.”
“Hey boys, what’s up?” Pure E asked as he approached. Lance slid over on the picnic bench to make room.
“Wait’ll you hear this,” Whiskey Jake replied. “Buck came back with some interesting shit.” He then told Pure E that Buck had discovered it was Vicki who set Damien up for them to kill.
Pure E looked taken back, then grinned. “Sounds like she doesn’t like rats, either.”
“She manipulated us,” Lance said. “What do you want done?”
Pure E glanced toward Hackman, Trapp, and Buck. He paused, then turned to Lance. “Normally I’d be pissed off, but if it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t have known who ratted out our boatload of coke.”
“Still, do you want the boys to take care of her?” Whiskey Jake asked.
“No. She did us a big favour. Too bad she didn’t come to us direct, but either way, she did the right thing.”
“She told Buck that she saw the guys take him away,” Whiskey Jake said.
“So what?” Pure E scoffed. “It wasn’t like he put up a fight. It even fits in with the story that we snuck him out of the country. It’s not like the cops will ever find his body.”
“But she knows we killed him,” Lance stated.
“Fuck, who cares?” Pure E replied. “She’s part of it. She’s not gonna say anything. If word ever leaks out he was killed, we could say it’s a rumour we started to keep the cops from trying to find him.”
“Guess that’d work, too,” Whiskey Jake said.
Pure E snickered. “Wish I could’ve seen Taggart’s face today when he called to warn Damien.”
“I still think that was a big mistake,” Lance said. “Pokin’ the bear with a sharp stick is never a good idea.”
Pure E stared at Lance. “I looked in that fuckin’ minivan of yours as I walked past. You’ve got a baby seat in the back.”
“Yeah … so what? It’s for my grandson.”
“Yeah, grandpa, great fuckin’ image for a chapter president. What’s even worse is sitting here and listening to you talk like an old man.”
“An old man with a lot of experience,” Lance said evenly.
“I can’t believe you’d worry about Taggart. Sure he knows we killed Damien. I wanted him to know. But knowing and proving are two different things.”
“But what you did to him … twice in one day. First the message on the wall and then answering Damien’s phone when he called to warn Damien.”
Pure E sneered. “So what?”
“You’ve just moved from Winnipeg, so you don’t know Taggart. We’ve dealt with him before. He’ll go crazy and he isn’t beyond stepping outside the law. All you did was paint a big target on your back.”
“You want to speak to me about targets? Think about your buddy Damien. This shit wouldn’t have happened if Taggart hadn’t messed with his family. Threatening to put Buck in jail — that’s what drove Vicki to take a shot at him.”
“Yeah, and so?”
“If Taggart’s gonna make me a target, then maybe it’s time to put him in his place.” Pure E paused to flick an ant off the table. “I heard he’s married with a couple kids?”
“His wife’s a doctor,” Whiskey Jake offered. “They got two young sons.”
“Perfect.”
Oh, shit. “What’re you thinking?” Lance asked.
Pure glanced at his watch. “I’m thinking if we light a fire under Hackman and Trapp’s asses, they can be at Taggart’s house when his kids come home from school.”
Shock registered on Lance’s face. “You’re not —”
Pure E shut Lance up with a look of contempt, then said, “I’m gonna give Taggart a present he’ll never forget. That fucker cost us a tonne of coke. It’s payback time!”
Lance swallowed. Oh, fuck.
Chapter Three
Jack fidgeted with a pen as he spoke on the phone. Exhaustion and stress had put him in a daze and he had to make a conscious effort to focus on his conversation with his wife. “I should be home about four-thirty,” he mumbled.
“Perfect timing. I’ll probably have the fall cleanup in the yard finished by then,” Natasha said brusquely.
“I’m sorry.”
“Come on, I’m teasing. I need something to keep me busy for the next week before I go back to work.”
“Looking forward to working at a new clinic?”
“I think so. It’s a safer neighbourhood. The doctor I’m replacing told me she loves it there, but she’s too ill to work and is scheduled for more chemo.”
Jack looked at a streak of soot on the cuff of his shirt. Christ, what they must have gone through. What would it be like, being tied to a chair and watching your wife being burned to death?
“The other two doctors seem really nice. I think I’ll fit in well.” Natasha paused for a response. When none came she asked, “Are you okay?”
Jack sighed. “It’s been a hell of a day.”
“When you called earlier you said it went well in Victoria. I expected you home
