by Don Easton
“You were afraid that if you had told me that, I would clue in that I was dealing with spies.”
Mia nodded. “I don’t know who retrieves it out of my computer or how that works.”
“Thanks for telling me now,” said Jack. “I’d like to know what your specific assignments were?”
“My job was to befriend fellow students, particularly any whom were going into technological or political fields. It was anticipated that I would get a job, perhaps in Ottawa with a public relations firm catering to politicians. What is commonly called a spin doctor.”
“Have you supplied any information or come up with something of value for the Chinese to date?” asked Jack.
“Yes,” sighed Mia. “About two weeks ago for the first time. I met a Member of Parliament … Sterling Wolfenden.”
Jack saw Rose and Laura exchange a glance, then Laura shook her head and muttered something about her cat as she continued to drive.
“It was during a house party at the Rolstads’ place,” continued Mia. “I seduced him and recorded it all and passed it on to Frank. Wolfenden told me he has been meeting with military people and going to the Boeing plant in Seattle. He is flying in from Ottawa on Sunday and wants to meet me.”
“Imagine his disappointment when I show up,” said Jack, dryly.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Jack stood outside Jia-li’s apartment and rang the buzzer. When she answered, he said, “It’s Jack Taggart. I was with Mia tonight and something happened. I need to talk to you.” He heard her panicked response as she quickly allowed him access.
Jia-li hurried to Jack in the hallway. “Is she okay?” she asked, fearfully.
“Mia will be okay,” replied Jack. “Things got a little out of hand tonight, but she didn’t get hurt. Let’s go inside. The two of us need to talk in private.”
Jia-li looked at Jack sharply. It was obvious from what Jack said that he knew Mia had confided in her about meeting Wong. She nodded and gestured for him to follow her back inside her apartment. Once there, Jack sat on the sofa and Jia-li sat across from him.
“Okay, first of all,” said Jack, “listen to what I have to say. I know your instincts and training will urge you to interrupt and lie, but please don’t say anything until you hear what I have to say first.”
My instincts? My training? Jia-li was about to deny she knew what he was talking about, but saw that he was reading her mind and opted to stare at him in stony silence instead.
“Mia said she has told you everything leading up to the meeting tonight with Wong and her case officer, Mr. Frank.”
Jia-li cringed inwardly at Mr. Frank being identified as a case officer, but remained stoic.
“So, with that in mind, I’ll start from where she and I were directed to a small restaurant where the meeting was to take place,” continued Jack.
Jia-li listened intently and sat rigidly in her chair as Jack told her everything that had happened, up until he ended up in the basement with Mia and Zhang.
“That was when she admitted to me she was a spy,” he said, “but at the same time she denied you were involved. I knew, but didn’t say anything then.”
Jia-li’s face looked as if it were carved from stone, but she kept quiet until Jack told how they escaped the basement and that he went out the back door after Mr. Frank.
“You left my daughter with the gun and went after Mr. Frank without a weapon?” she asked.
“Yes, I wanted her to have protection, but it was a mistake. It turned out that Frank had a gun.”
Jia-li was quiet as Jack told her about Mr. Frank pointing the gun at him and the conversation they had. “He told me then that Lok Cheng was your case officer,” said Jack. It wasn’t exactly true, but Jack did not want to give Jia-li an opening to lie and say that Mr. Frank was referring to someone else.
Jia-li’s mouth opened and she started to shake her head in denial, but Jack said, “Please, there is more.” He then told her about the Chinese woman who saved his life and had Mia brought outside. He said his conversation with the woman confirmed his suspicion of who Lok Cheng really was.
“That was when Mia was there,” blurted Jia-li. “Does she know Cheng was my case officer?”
“Not yet. I purposely referred to him in front of the woman as a Chinese Intelligence officer to hide the fact from Mia that it was your case officer.”
“Why?”
“To give you the opportunity to tell her yourself,” said Jack. He saw Jia-li momentarily close her eyes to try and shut out the stress she felt. “However,” he continued, “Mia is not stupid. She will soon figure it out … but as she is your daughter, I think it best she hear it from you first.”
Jia-li’s only response was to massage her temples with her fingertips.
“After that we ran like we were told to do and flagged down a police car.” Jack was silent for a moment, then let out a sigh, leaned forward, and said, “On her way to the police station, Mia told me she seduced one of our Members of Parliament two weeks ago. She also realized I knew about you and wanted to call you in the belief that you would confess once you found out who murdered your husband.” Jack paused, then added, “Of course, she doesn’t yet realize that you murdered that person.”
Jia-li stared sadly back at him. “I don’t want a lawyer. Arrest me and take me in. I will tell you everything.”
“There are some things I would like to know first.”
“About what?”
“How long have you been spying in Canada?” asked Jack.
“For over thirty years,” admitted Jia-li. “I was a spy long before I came to Canada.”
“Long before?” asked Jack.
“Both my parents worked for an Intelligence Unit in the People’s Liberation Army. As a child, I was taught to report anyone with views contrary to what the benefactor said was appropriate.”
“And your spying continued when you moved to Canada,” said Jack, matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t want it to. I was in love and wanted a family. I wasn’t interested in politics … but life isn’t always what you want it to be,” she added, bitterly.
“Sometimes bad things happen to good people,” said Jack. “Tell me about who you targeted.”
Jack listened as the words poured out of her. She told him she had spied on seven men, counting her husband. Jack was sombre as he wrote down the names. One was a Supreme Court judge, two were politicians, one of which worked for the Minister of Justice. Three, including her current target, were involved in scientific or commercial research projects, including a company that contracted out to the military.
Jia-li continued to talk and gave Jack a brief overview of spying and espionage. He heard how the benefactor hoped to influence the licensing of foreign powers to be able to control Internet providers and phone companies. She explained how journalists were corrupted or used without their knowledge to collect sensitive information.
By the time she warned Jack about the potential for the benefactor to utilize the services of the triads in Canada to bug and video massage parlours, he felt overwhelmed with the information he had collected, but knew he had more to learn.
“What can you tell me about computer hacking?” he asked.
“That it goes on every day. Company secrets are stolen. Major companies in Canada have actually gone bankrupt as a result of the secrets we have stolen from them. The last three names I gave you … I can tell you that every one of their personal laptops has been compromised.”
“Do you know anything about the actual technology of the spyware? How it works?”
“Not really, other than sometimes it is like a Catch-22. Using it to hack computers that have high protection could alert people to its existence. Like a fisherman casting his net, one must decide when the net is full before taking action.”
“Such as a time of war?”
“Perhaps, or if the spyware is discovered or if new technology can be developed … then they may not have to worry about
the discovery of the old. I am only talking about ultra-secure computer firewalls. Many computer systems are not a problem and the information can be gathered easily. But as far as my knowledge of the technical side of it, I simply know how to install it by using a memory stick. I have one I can give you.”
“In a moment. First I am wondering how the benefactor found out about tonight? Mia said she only told you and Frank about it. Frank wouldn’t have said anything and Wong only knows the benefactor through Frank. I have also been careful not to put anything on a computer. That leaves you. Did you tell the benefactor about tonight’s meeting?”
“Yes, I did,” admitted Jia-li. “Come with me into the den,” she said, getting up, “and I’ll show you an email I sent to the benefactor this afternoon.”
Jack followed Jia-li into the den, saw a computer, and grabbed her by the arm. “No way, you’re not touching it,” he said. “We’ll be getting a warrant and seizing it.”
“I don’t intend to touch it,” she replied. “As far as a warrant goes, I’ll give you full permission to take whatever you like. What I want to show you is a hard copy of an email I sent. It’s under the blotter on top of the desk.”
Jack let go of her arm and retrieved the email himself. “What’s this?” he asked. “I can’t read it.”
“It’s simplified Chinese,” replied Jia-li. “Keep it and get it translated.”
“Isn’t it coded?” asked Jack.
“Not by me. I simply prepare it and put it in the draft folder of my email and it disappears. I don’t know who retrieves it. What you are holding is a copy I printed for myself.”
“Why did you print a copy? I’m sure that isn’t allowed.”
“I will give you the gist of the main points; then you will understand.”
Jack took out his notebook as they stood in the doorway to the den. “Give them to me one at a time.”
“Point number one,” said Jia-li, bitterly. “I know my daughter is facing a drug charge because of Mr. Frank’s stupidity in trying to drug and seduce her, leading to her arrest by the police.”
“She told me,” replied Jack.
“Which leads to point number two,” said Jia-li, pointing to some text on the email. “I said I know Mr. Frank went to Benny Wong to have him murder a Canadian national who was a witness to the drug charge. It resulted in the wrong person being murdered by mistake.”
“A seventy-four-year-old woman by the name of Betty Donahue,” said Jack.
Jia-li swallowed to try and maintain her composure before pointing to another indentation on the email. “Point number three. The police implicated my daughter in the botched murder and she is pretending to allow the police to use her. Tonight my daughter will complete the ruse Mr. Frank has arranged for her by taking an undercover RCMP Intelligence officer by the name of Corporal Jack Taggart to meet Wong in exchange for having her charges dropped.”
Jack wrote her comment in his notebook, then looked at Jia-li. “It looks like there is more,” he said, indicating another indentation in the email.
“Yes, there is more.” She did not need to read from the email to continue. “I wrote that I know who killed my husband … all so that I could be manipulated because I had expressed a desire to quit. I also said that if anything ever happens to Mia … or myself, that I have a detailed account of every asset I know who was turned or compromised and that a lawyer will turn that information over to both the news media and the police upon my death.”
“But you’ve told me,” said Jack, “which means your life — and Mia’s — could be in danger.”
Jia-li shook her head. “With what happened tonight, they know you will have figured it out … leading to a detailed investigation of my past, along with everyone I have ever associated with. I’m sure the benefactor is taking immediate steps to get as much information from anyone I have told you about, or if not them, at least their computers, before counter-measures are taken.”
“Large-scale computer hacking on an unprecedented scale started a few hours ago,” said Jack. “Government and military systems both in Canada and the U.S. are being hit.”
Jia-li nodded knowingly. “I’m sure other countries as well. The technology used to hack won’t be limited to North America. Knowing that it is about to be discovered would cause them to grab as much information as they can.”
“Time to pull in the net,” said Jack.
“Exactly.”
“Front-page headlines tomorrow,” noted Jack.
“Possibly, but I doubt it,” replied Jia-li. “Perhaps in time it will make the news, but Intelligence agencies are not anxious to cause embarrassment to the officials who govern them, particularly in cases of sexpionage.”
“Sexpionage?”
“The old term is ‘honey-pot operations.’ Regardless, informing the public is also a double-edged sword. If the public were informed, it would alert them to their own naïveté and potentially pave the way for other things.”
“Such as?”
“Like allowing for easier monitoring of email, electronic devices, or the need to protect commercial enterprises … particularly in the communications sector. However, not informing the public prevents a political backlash. In these tough economic times, money and jobs are a huge political factor. China has the money … and can dangle it like a carrot in front of the politician’s faces.”
“There is another factor to consider before laying accusations out to the media,” said Jack. “You’re a journalist. You must know that to make accusations against anyone … let alone a member of the government … could result in an expensive lawsuit unless there is strong evidence. Knowing what is going on and proving it are two different things.”
“Spoken like a policeman,” replied Jia-li, with a hint of contempt in her voice.
“Yes, I am a policeman … and getting back to that, how did you feel when Mia told you she seduced Wolfenden? A man who is much older … and married with children.”
Jia-li swallowed and turned her head to look away.
“As a matter of interest,” said Jack, intentionally sounding casual, “were you really proud of her for doing that? I’ve known other mothers who have turned their daughters into prostitutes, but they were usually drug addicts or —”
“No!” shouted Jia-li. Tears welled in her eyes. “I am anything but proud,” she said quietly, then glared at Jack and added, “You do not shock me or make me feel worse with those words. I know what I have done. I will never forgive myself and your attempt to humiliate me is like sprinkling water on a garden during a monsoon.”
“I can see that you are angry with yourself,” said Jack. “I’m sure you were angry at the man who started you down this path as well. The man who killed your husband.”
Jia-li stared blankly at Jack in response.
“At the moment, a very talented detective is interviewing Mia,” continued Jack. “He is also investigating Lok Cheng’s murder. I have not told him anything yet, but it won’t take him long to discover your connection. He will suspect that Mia was an accessory because she had to have shown you his photo in the first place. Did the two of you conspire together to kill him?”
“Leave Mia out of it,” said Jia-li angrily. “You do not have to threaten me with her. She has been through enough!” She gave Jack a hard look, then her face mellowed. “Can’t you see I am willing to confess to everything? It is the one decent thing I can do for her.”
“You’re doing the right thing,” said Jack, softly.
“A lifetime of prison will never be enough punishment for how I raised my daughter,” added Jia-li, as tears clouded her vision.
“Well, the thing is, I don’t completely agree with you,” said Jack. “Your daughter saved my life tonight. You must have done or taught her something that was good.”
“It was always within her spirit to try to be good,” said Jia-li, letting out a sob. “To do what she thought was right and to please me … despite the terrible path I forced her to trave
l.”
“And pleasing you didn’t include killing Lok Cheng?” asked Jack.
Jia-li looked sharply at Jack. “I murdered Lok Cheng by myself,” she said, abruptly. “I stabbed him in the throat and stole his cash receipts to try and make it look like a robbery.”
Jack stared silently at her, hiding his thoughts.
Jia-li misread Jack’s moment of silence as a sign he did not believe her and said, “Okay, Mia did send me a photo of him when I was in Calgary, but she did not know that I knew him. I flew back on Wednesday afternoon, but had told Mia I wouldn’t be arriving until midnight. Unless she found out tonight, she doesn’t even know the man is dead.”
Jack swallowed as his conscience played havoc with his brain.
“Write down what I told you!” Jia-li snapped at him. “I will sign it. You should have given me the police warning, informing me of my right to counsel, but no matter. Give me the warning now and I will repeat what I said.”
“Your email saved my life tonight,” said Jack.
“I guess you were lucky,” she replied. “I didn’t know that when I sent it.” She frowned. “We are wasting time. I know you will want to take my statement immediately out of fear that I will change my mind. Let’s return to the living room and I will give it to you. Then put me in jail without seeing Mia.”
“I don’t mind you talking to her.”
Jia-li shook her head. “I cannot bear to face her. She must feel utter contempt toward me for what a fool I have been.” Tears flowed from her eyes and she covered her face with her hands as she stood, slowly rocking her upper body back and forth to try and alleviate the pain. “I even slept with Cheng after my husband died,” she uttered, before lowering her hands and looking at Jack. “It sickens me,” she said in a half-whisper, letting her words trail off.
“Mia’s decision to save my life tonight was intentional,” said Jack.
Jia-li shrugged.
“I think we each owe her something,” said Jack, softly. “You could start by telling her the truth about what you did. You murdered the man who killed her father and your email to the benefactor effectively removed her from the spy game. She needs to hear that from you … and she needs to hear it now.”