Jack Taggart Mysteries 7-Book Bundle. Don Easton

remained silent.

      “So that’s the story. Do you want to help me ... or arrest me?”

      Laura continued to remain silent.

      Jack stared at her, then said, “I can’t take the stress any longer.” He withdrew his gun and dropped it in her lap and said, “I’m exhausted, burnt out ... and this conversation is killing me. If you want to call and have me busted, go ahead.”

      Laura sighed, then said, “This is absolutely nuts. Maybe it’s not too late. Let’s haul the body back to the motel. We can’t be doing this. It’s wrong.”

      “What’s wrong about it? The guy is even getting a proper burial — almost.”

      Laura glanced at her watch and saw that they didn’t have much time. Even taking the body back could land us both in jail. She thought for a moment and then said, “Just a minute,” and went to the trunk and took another look.

      “What were you doing?” Jack asked when she returned.

      “Small calibre that plugged him. Hardly any blood,” she said, while handing Jack his gun back. “Obviously wasn’t your piece.”

      “I told you I didn’t shoot him.”

      “So you said, but you also lie to people. Let’s take him back. There’s still time.”

      Jack tried to wipe the sleep and stress from his eyes, then turned on the interior light and said, “Take a look at the picture stuck in the sun visor.”

      Laura removed the picture.

      “That’s Charlie taking his first steps. I want you to imagine him in a wheelchair, maybe for the rest of his life. I want you to picture his mother. Stuck with raising a paraplegic baby and another child who is only four years old.”

      Laura looked at Jack.

      “Don’t look at me! Look at the picture! Right now there is no cure, but research indicates that spinal cord repair and regeneration is possible. A cure for paralysis could be as close as ten years away, but it takes money! Tell me again that what I am doing is wrong! You really think we should turn this money over to the politicians! Come with me now if you’re not convinced. We’ll go to BCCH and I’ll introduce you to Charlie face to face! After that you can drop in and have a tea with Susan O’Reilly.”

      Laura was silent for a moment, but her hand shook as she held the photo. Then she put the photo back and said, “You know how to get to my under-belly, don’t you?”

      “Yes ... because my feelings are the same as yours.”

      “You’re lucky I was stationed in Alberta. I know the expression ‘shoot, shovel, and shut up.’ Looks like the shooting is done. Time now to shovel and shut up.”

      “You’re sure?”

      Laura ignored him and continued, “There is one condition. If we find the Brit, we turn him over to I-HIT.”

      Jack took a deep breath and then let it out. “Thanks. I agree. From what Danny says, you’re probably right on that account.”

      Moments later, Laura followed Jack’s car in her own through the cemetery gate and along a narrow path lined with tombstones. He parked over a small hill, near a grave laden with flowers. They both got out of their cars to talk.

      “This one is fresh,” said Jack. “I’ll have to remember exactly how the flowers were laid, as well as how the sod was re-laid. It shouldn’t take me long to shovel and I’ve got spare blankets so the dirt won’t show.”

      “Too bad you didn’t find a fresh hole. Bury him a little and have the coffin go on top.”

      “I’ve checked. They have liners that go inside with a cover on top. Someone would know if it was tampered with.”

      Laura glanced at Jack and said, “Out of curiosity, how long have you really been planning this?”

      “As I said, I didn’t know what was going to happen until tonight.”

      “Then ... do you have other people buried in here?” Jack nodded.

       Oh, man...

      “My niece and nephew.”

      “Oh! Right,” she said, and then blurted, “I heard Bishop was killed in an accident in Mexico.”

      “Yeah, I heard that too. Come on. Help me with the blankets and flowers. Maybe the sod, too. Then get down by the gate and park at the entrance. Security came through when you first arrived. We should have about three hours. I should be done by then, but if I’m not, you stop him.”

      Laura nodded and said, “I’ll be the grieving lady in distress. I should be able to handle it.”

      Jack opened the trunk and turned to Laura and said, “Welcome to your first shift on Intelligence. Looks like you and I are about to become good friends.”

      Laura gave Jack a hard look and said, “Don’t make fun of this. Would your wife stick by you if she knew what you were doing?”

      “She wouldn’t be happy, but I think she would agree with it.”

      “Maybe that’s because she doesn’t work in Anti-Corruption.”

      Her words were not lost on Jack. It’s easier to be brave when you don’t have so much to lose. It occurred to him that Laura might be one of the bravest people he ever met.

      In Colombia, Carlos flung his telephone against the wall and swore. Because Damien lives in Canada, he thinks he can spit in my face! His orders were clear. Retaliation would be immediate!

      Jack had made two serious miscalculations. First, he had presumed that Carlos was a businessman and relatively sane. Second, he knew Damien as a pragmatist and had expected him to react calmly and logically to a situation that would see his power restored.

      chapter twenty-three

      It was taking Jack much longer than he had expected. More than three hours passed before he lifted The Toad out of the trunk and placed him in the grave. He was exhausted. It would take at least another hour to finish.

      He was just starting to shovel the dirt back in when an arc of headlights over the hill and the sound of a horn at the gate caused his body to tense.

      Laura pretended she didn’t notice the small white car with SECURITY printed on the door as it slowed down on the street before turning in and parking behind her. She discreetly unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse, then held her face in her hands and started crying.

      Moments later, the beam from the security guard’s flashlight hit her face. Her mouth and eyes opened wide with apparent shock. Her elbow hit the horn as she scrambled to roll the window down.

      “Miss, what are you doing here? I’m going to ask you to move your car immediately. You’re blocking the entrance.”

      “Oh, sir. I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “Can’t you just drive around me?”

      “It’s pretty tight,” he replied. “Still, would you mind explaining to me...” He stopped when his flashlight beam fell upon Laura’s sleeves.

      Jack had provided her with surgical gloves to help roll back the sod, but they had not protected her arms. Now she saw dried mud on both sleeves.

      “I want you to step out of the car, now!” he ordered.

       Oh, man...

      Laura stepped out and the security guard shone his flashlight over her body, then saw that her shoes were also muddy. He held the flashlight above his head and slowly shone a beam of light across the cemetery grounds. “What have you been doing in here?” he demanded.

      “I’m sorry,” sobbed Laura. “I’m sure I killed it. I don’t know what to do,”