Above Ground. Don Easton

Colombia has. He’s sending two more ships our way. Our deposit was just applied to the second ship. We pay the other half when it gets here. Then we get a couple of weeks to pay another $3 mil for the third ship and the rest on delivery. This time the ships are coming direct to Vancouver. A place where we got some control of the docks. Might be a bit dicier for me then, as I’ll be in charge of the initial warehousing.”

      “We’ll look after you. I’d let the coke go rather than burn you.”

      “Yeah, I know that. I trust ya.”

      “I want to nail Damien, though.”

      “Forget it. He won’t be anywhere near the action.”

      “I don’t care!” said Jack, trying to control his anger. “He’s still pulling the strings.”

      The tone of Jack’s voice did not go unnoticed by either Lance or Danny.

      Lance frowned and said, “A lot is happening in the club now. Damien seems more obsessed with what the Indos are up to. Now that I’m prez, I’ll be in the know a lot more.”

      “It’s great what took place today,” said Danny. “You did good!”

      “That you did,” added Jack. “I’m pleased. A tonne of coke three weeks ago and five labs today. We make one hell of a good team.”

      “Don’t know if being drafted makes me a good team member or not. I’ll just be glad when I’ve paid my dues and am finished with all this.”

      “You figure out a way for us to take down these other two ships and I’ll say we’re even. Might even buy you a gold watch as a retirement gift.”

      “Forget it! Not if it’s got ‘For loyal service to the RCMP’ stamped on the back of it! Besides, as I said, I’ll be in the middle of things. I’d rather follow through on our agreement and work for you for another four and a half years.” Lance gestured to the tombstones and added, “That would be better than retiring early and ending up in here.”

      Jack’s cellphone vibrated and he answered it. It was Connie Crane. Connie had once worked for the Homicide Section in the Major Crimes Unit. Now the homicide sections from the B.C. lower mainland, with the exception of Vancouver and Delta, had combined into what was known as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, or I-HIT, as it was commonly called.

      “To what do I owe the pleasure of a call from IHIT?” asked Jack. He heard Connie’s sigh.

      “Just called to let you know that I think there was a consequence to you taking down all those biker labs today,” she said.

      “What’s that?”

      “You were just murdered!”

      “What are you talking about?” Jack let out a chuckle and added, “I might have one foot on a grave right now, but I assure you, any rumours of my death are premature.”

      “I’m at a homicide in Surrey. Looks like two professional hitters. Silencers used along with motorcycles for their escape. Shot a guy through the heart and then through the head. Also wounded his infant son, who is in critical condition at B.C. Children’s right now.”

      “What’s it got to do with me?”

      “The victim’s name was Jack Taggart.”

      Jack gave Lance a hard stare as he continued to talk. “Maybe it’s a coincidence. Surrey, the guy is probably a —”

      “He looks as pure as bottled water. No record. Not even a speeding ticket. Was about to graduate from UBC. Left a wife and two kids. If the little one survives, that is.”

      “He was just a student?”

      “Older than most. He held a management position with a company five years ago but it dissolved with the economic times. He then went to university to better himself. They were struggling but they both held down part-time jobs and saw it through.”

      “What are the mom’s and kids’ names?”

      “Holly is the mom. She has a toddler by the name of Jennifer and the baby is named Charlie.”

      “Not related to me.”

      “Holly said she hadn’t intended to get pregnant with Charlie, as it added to their money worries, but from what I can tell they were still thrilled with Charlie’s arrival.”

      Jack didn’t respond as he stared at Lance’s face, waiting for any sign that he knew about the hit.

      “Jack? You still there?”

      “I’m here, CC.”

      “Taking down five labs today — can’t see that being a coincidence. Your name was on all the search warrants.”

      Jack watched Lance closely as he spoke into the phone and said, “If Satans Wrath tried to kill me today...” He saw the surprised look on Lance’s face and added, “Hold on.” He walked away so that he could talk in private. “I can’t see Satans Wrath screwing up like this,” he continued. “They know what I look like! It’s either amateurs or just a coincidence.”

      “These weren’t amateurs. They were too calm. They’ve done this before. Two guys, each with small-calibre pistols equipped with silencers. Both wearing motorcycle helmets with face visors. Two accomplices were waiting on motorcycles out front. The dad was holding his toddler. They shot through him to get the dad, then took their time and put one in his skull right in front of his wife and four-year-old daughter.”

      “But the bikers know me,” was all Jack could think to say, as he looked over at Lance, our supposed inside man at Satans Wrath!

      “If it’s not Satans Wrath, it has to be somebody you know! Who is it, Jack?”

      “I don’t know.”

      “Bullshit! I know you. What have you done?”

      chapter two

      What have I done! The words echoed in Jack’s head as he walked back to where Danny and Lance were standing. He told Danny what CC had told him, while staring at Lance for his reaction. He didn’t have to wait long.

      “Jesus Christ! It wasn’t us! I’d have known!”

      Neither Jack nor Danny replied.

      “Maybe some stupid fuckers connected to the lower end of the labs. We’ll whack ’em ourselves if it was.”

      “I believe you,” said Jack. “Do some digging. If it was meant for me, find out who is behind it!”

      “Maybe Bishop is behind it,” offered Lance. “I know he left the country, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t come back or isn’t pulling the strings from someplace else.”

      “It’s not Bishop,” said Jack.

      “You can’t be sure. Just because —”

      “I’m sure,” said Jack firmly. He gave Lance a look that meant there was no doubt about the words he spoke.

      Lance had seen that look a few times before. It had been given by men he knew in Satans Wrath. It conveyed a message that could not be said aloud.

      Jack and Danny watched Lance leave before heading back to their car. “What do you think?” asked Danny. “You sure it’s not Bishop?”

      “Satans Wrath wouldn’t make a mistake like that. I bet when CC digs a little deeper she’ll find out the guy owed money for drugs or gambling or something.”

      “We going to call it a night?”

      “I was going to drop in on Lucy at the lab. Tell her I appreciate all the extra hours she’s putting in. I heard she already found speed residue on the money that was seized from Silent Sam’s pockets.”

      “Let me do that. With what just happened,