by Easton, Don
“Half an hour late,” commented Jack.
Giang shrugged, his right hand holding a pistol that rested on his lap. “Accident on the Port Mann Bridge. Down to one lane,” he said.
Giang reached under his seat with his other hand and passed Jack a white plastic bag. “Take a look,” he said. “Two baggies. Each half a key, just like you wanted.”
Jack peered in the plastic bag and saw two clear bags of sparkling white powder. “This better not be baking soda,” he said.
Giang grinned and said, “No, go ahead. Test it if you want.”
Jack shook his head and said, “It looks good.”
“Then go get the bread,” said Giang.
Jack smiled and opened his jacket to reveal a paper bag shoved in the inside pocket of his coat. “Got half of it right here,” he said, passing the bag to Giang.
Giang smiled as he looked inside at the money. “Thought you were going to stash it until you saw the coke?”
“If you were setting me up for a rip, you would think I didn’t have it on me. You’d also bullshit and say you wanted me to go get the money before showing me any coke.”
Giang nodded and said, “You know this business.”
“I like staying above ground,” replied Jack, as he removed one of the clear plastic bags and put it inside his jacket pocket. He gave the rest of the cocaine back to Giang and said, “Now, give me about ten minutes or so, and I’ll come back with the rest.”
A minute later, Jack put the half kilo of cocaine in the trunk of his car before giving the thumbs-up sign for the surveillance team to meet him back at the I-HIT office.
It was a quarter to one when Jack walked inside the Orient Pleasure and approached Dúc, who was behind the counter.
“Hey, you!” said Jack. “Where is Giang?”
“He’s not here. Who are you?” asked Dúc.
“You obviously work for him,” said Jack. “Tell him I’ve changed my mind. I want to purchase two girls for my parlour in Alberta now. Not just one.”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Dúc.
“I bought the one from him ... what’s her name? Jade? Now I want ... oh, never mind,” he said, glancing at his watch. “He told me to meet him in the alley behind Billiard Bill’s. I was just hoping to catch him before he left. I’ll tell him myself.”
Jack left the premises as Dúc hurried to the rooms at the rear.
“Where is Jade?” screamed Dúc, at the young woman in the room next to where Jade worked.
“She left an hour ago. She said Giang was going to buy her lunch.”
Jack stood in the alley and paid Giang for the second half of the cocaine. He was about to make some idle conversation, but the sound of voices and running feet coming down a stairwell told him it was time to leave.
chapter twenty-four
Jack walked into the I-HIT office and placed the two bags of cocaine on top of a desk.
“Mind if I sit here to write my notes?” he asked Connie.
“No, go ahead,” she replied, glancing at her watch. “What took you so long? Stop for gas on the way back? We were getting worried.”
“No, sorry,” replied Jack. “I just took the long way. Wanted to make sure I wasn’t being followed.”
“Everything go okay?” asked Laura.
Jack gestured to the kilo on the desk and said, “Smooth as silk. Giang trusts me now. I don’t think it will be a problem to get him to introduce me to Dúc.”
“Yeah,” replied Connie. “Then figure out how the hell you bring up the subject of Hang without making him suspicious.”
“I’ll think of something,” replied Jack. “Now, please give me an hour or two of peace while I make my notes.”
An hour later, Jack was still writing when Randy Otto came out of his office and said he received a message from some uniform members that they wanted Homicide to attend a car fire in an industrial area.
“An off-duty fireman was driving past and saw the smoke,” said Randy. “He had an extinguisher in his car and put the flames out before things got too badly burned. Partial crispy critter slumped over in the passenger side. Looks like knife wounds to his throat and face. The fire was started less than fifteen minutes ago, so let’s get on it.”
Connie started to get up but Randy said, “Connie, you’ve got too much to do and still have a trial to prepare for. Wells, you take the lead on this.”
“What kind of car was it?” asked Jack, glancing up from the notes he was writing.
Randy picked up a portable radio off a desk and said, “I’ll find out.” He radioed and asked the officers at the scene.
“Red Pontiac GTO,” came the reply.
“Giang’s car!” said Connie, looking at Jack for a response.
Silence descended over the I-HIT office as everyone turned to look at Jack.
After several long seconds ticked by, Randy said, “How did you piece that together, Jack? What made you ask what type of car it was?”
Jack shrugged and said, “An hour ago I handed Giang more money than most of the punks he hangs out with would see in a lifetime. If Giang is the crispy critter ... I’m guessing he doesn’t have the money now.”
“You know,” said Laura, “he did do the deal in the alley behind Billiard Bill’s. A lot of the gang who work for Dúc hang out there. Wouldn’t take much for someone to look out a window from above and see the deal go down.”
“Damn it,” said Jack, throwing his pen down on the desk. “If it is him in the car, we just blew a lot of money for nothing.”
Connie stared at Jack. I always did think it was for nothing ...
It was four o’clock when Jack saw Natasha and Jade sitting at a table at the Red Robin restaurant in the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby.
Jade was now wearing slacks and a blouse that was buttoned up to her throat. Her long black hair that once hung halfway to her waist had now been cut to just below her ears.
“Hi, honey,” said Jack, before kissing Natasha on the cheek and sitting down beside her. He looked across at Jade and said, “Hi. How are you holding up?”
The stress had brought dark circles to Jade’s eyes. “Okay,” she replied, with little enthusiasm, before asking what was really on her mind. “Mister Dúc, he angry?” she blurted.
“No, not with you. Everything went well. Dúc has ... received a lot of money from Giang for you.”
“He angry with Giang?”
“Don’t worry about Giang. The important thing is that you’re okay. Dúc does not think you ran away and he has received a large amount of cash as compensation.”
The relief was evident on Jade’s face and she gave a genuine smile for the first time in several months.
“You like?” she asked, gesturing to her clothes.
“I like it very much,” replied Jack. He looked at Natasha and said, “I see you got her a haircut. Not a bad idea, although where Holly lives, it wasn’t ...”
“That was Jade’s idea,” said Natasha.
“It looks nice,” said Jack, smiling at Jade.
“I no have to look pretty for men,” replied Jade.
Jack gestured to the shopping bags piled next to Jade and turned to Natasha and said, “Hey, honey, it looks like you girls have been having fun.”
“It has been fun,” said Natasha.
“I pay you back, Jack,” said Jade. “Much money you honey pay for me.”
“No, Jade,” said Natasha. “I told you, this is our gift to you.”
“No,” replied Jade. “Too much. I pay back some day quick. You no worry.”
“We’ll talk about that later,” said Jack. “I’ve called Holly, the woman you’ll be working for. We’re to meet her at five. We have to get going.”
“In North Van’?” questioned Natasha.
Jack nodded and said, “But she wants to meet me at a place in some strip mall near her house. She said she has a surprise to show me.”
“What place?”
“She wouldn’t say.
She said I would know when I got there.”
Minutes later, they placed the shopping bags in Jack’s car and Jade sat in the passenger seat while Jack said goodbye to Natasha.
“Did you know she didn’t even have any underwear on?” whispered Natasha.
“How would I know that?” replied Jack.
Natasha paused, smiled and said, “Correct answer, Officer.”
Jack drove slowly through the strip mall, grinned, and parked the car.
“You see Miss Holly?” asked Jade.
Jack shook his head and said, “No ... but she’ll be in that coffee shop over there.”
As they approached the coffee shop, Jade said, “It closed. Sign say grand open ... something.”
“Grand opening, tomorrow,” said Jack, as he knocked on the door.
Holly was quick to unlock the door and hugged Jack and beckoned them inside. After Jack introduced Jade, Holly said, “So what do you think? My own place now!”
Jack looked around. The room was spotless and redand-white checkered tableclothes were already in place. “This looks great,” he said.
“I’ll have flowers on every table tomorrow morning. What do you think of the name?”
“The Torn Twenty,” said Jack. “I like it.”
Holly gestured to an item on the wall behind the cash register. Jack saw that it was a framed twenty-dollar bill that had been torn in half. The glass held it in place and allowed for a small space between the two halves.
“Why you put money in picture?” asked Jade.
Holly smiled and said, “I used to work for someone in a coffee shop. That was the best tip I ever received,” she said, glancing at Jack. “It came in two pieces. It brought me luck. Now I have my own place. Speaking of which, we should get going. I’ve got a girl babysitting from next door. I said I would be back in time for her to be home for dinner.”
A short time later, Holly and Jack watched as Jade sat on the living room floor playing with Charlie and Jenny.
Charlie sat on the floor propped up with his back to the sofa while Jade pretended to drive a small plastic car up his arm and onto his tummy where she said, “Oh, car stuck!”
Charlie squealed and giggled as Jade tickled his stomach. Linh saw that Pops was about to leave the room and she shook as she crawled naked toward the toilet to wash the urine from her head. The chain rattled on the floor and he looked up.
“You worthless little beast,” said Pops, “tonight I have a treat for you. It’s not a red-circle day, but here,” he said, reaching into the box at the far end of the room.
Linh glanced at the calendar on the wall and back at the box. Her clothes were in that box ... along with metal objects that Pops would sometimes clang together while he looked at her, telling her she would have to wait until her first red-circle day to find out what surprises awaited her.
He pulled out a jacket and threw it at her.
Linh put it on. It wasn’t her jacket, but it looked familiar—a look of horror crossed her face and she looked up at Pops.
It was the response Pops wanted. He laughed, and moments later Linh heard the passageway door creak shut and she was alone.
She slowly put her hand in the pocket and felt the tissue paper containing the pearl necklace from Ha Long Bay.
chapter twenty-five
At nine o’clock Monday morning, Randy drove Jack and Laura to the Vancouver International Airport.
“What do they use for money over there?” asked Randy.
“The Vietnamese dong,” said Jack. “A hundred dollars Canadian is worth approximately 1.5 million dong.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, dead serious. When I checked with the bank I figured I’d need a wheelbarrow to pack it around,” he chuckled. “Apparently they have really large denominations. They also don’t allow you to take the dong out of Vietnam, so you don’t want to get more than you’re going to spend. Banks outside of the country don’t carry it, but you can get it at ATMs in Vietnam. I’m also told that the American dollar is widely accepted.”
“I’d like to go there someday,” said Randy. “Hell of a long flight, though.”
“Tell us about it,” said Jack. “Leaves at noon and we don’t arrive until ten-thirty tomorrow night. Even with the time difference, it’s still twenty-and-a-half hours’ flight time.”
“We’re going to be tired puppies,” said Laura.
“At least the Russians will be in the same boat when they fly out tomorrow,” said Randy.
“I’m impressed you got permission for us to go this fast,” said Jack.
Randy grinned and said, “A lot of phone calls to a lot of people who aren’t used to working weekends. It was good to let them know how the rest of us work. What was really nice was being able to tell them to call Isaac direct if there were any problems. There weren’t. Funny how that works.”
“You’ll confirm the Russians do board tomorrow?” asked Jack.
“I’ll do it personally. Any changes and I’ll let you know. Are you being met at the airport in Hanoi?”
“Yes, the Canadian Consulate arranged for a local to pick us up. I think the title was a Doctor Son, from the Interpol desk of the General Department of National Police.”
“A doctor?”
“Probably in criminal behaviour. He speaks English.”
Randy gave Jack a sideways glance and asked, “Has Quaile had anything to say to you about this?”
“Haven’t spoken with him, or seen him since last Wednesday when he sent me to Staffing.”
“Good. Consider yourself on loan to our office until this is finished.”
“With pleasure.”
Isaac called Randy Otto later that morning and Randy updated him on the investigation. When Randy told him about Giang being murdered, Isaac shook his head. So it begins ...
“This is right after he met with Corporal Taggart?” asked Isaac.
“Yes, sir. It had to have been within the hour.”
“And where was Corporal Taggart when Giang was actually murdered?”
“In our office making notes. He certainly wasn’t responsible.”
No, he never is. It’s always a coincidence ...
“We’re checking the possibility that Giang may have been responsible for Hang’s death.”
With Taggart involved, that would explain why he’s dead. Of course, it would just be a coincidence ...
“But it doesn’t appear likely,” continued Randy. “He doesn’t have any previous history of deviation that would fit the profile. Long record for violence, drugs, extortion and the like ... but I don’t think he’s our man.”
“What about Dúc or the Russians as viable suspects?” asked Isaac.
“Dúc doesn’t fit the profile, either. We’re not sure about the Russians. Still waiting to hear back on their history, but on the surface, I would say not. I think it is someone they know, however.”
“Keep me apprised. If anything happens to the Russians when they arrive in Hanoi, I want to be called, day or night.”
“If something happens to the Russians, sir?”
“I meant with the Russians,” replied Isaac, before hanging up.
It was eleven-thirty Tuesday night before Jack and Laura retrieved their luggage and arrived at the Vietnamese customs counter. The customs agent motioned with his arm and a man quickly came forward and introduced himself as Doctor Son.
Doctor Son was a short, stocky man and Jack estimated that he was in his mid-fifties. He looked friendly and gave a firm handshake. Soon after, Jack realized that Doctor Son was of average height in his country.
“Your name is like the star up in the sky?” asked Laura. He smiled and said, “No. It is S-O-N. In Vietnamese it means ‘mountain.’ I like it if you just call me Sonny.”
Minutes later, they stepped outside the airport to face a cool breeze and a light mist.
“My image of Vietnam was jungle, heat, and humidity,” said Laura.
“Down south it
is,” said Sonny. “Hanoi is much like Vancouver in the winter. Cold and wet.”
“You have been to Vancouver?” asked Jack.
“Six years ago. I worked there for two weeks with narcotics investigators to learn how the police work in Canada.”
“What did you think?”
“You are fortunate. You have lots of money. Most of us have scooters, old cameras, very few radios ... mostly cellphones. Mostly what we have for listening ... bugs, you call them, is old equipment the Russians gave us during the war with the Americans. You are very lucky. Today, I was able to borrow a car because of your status.”
“We have status?” murmured Laura.
Sonny whisked them along their way. Once in Hanoi, Jack and Laura saw that many of the women wore conical hats, suited for rain and sun. Many of the men wore green pith helmets, something else that was left over from past conflicts.
The streets were mostly packed with motor scooters and bicycles. Pedestrians appeared to walk blindly in all directions as they crossed the street. The blare of horns was almost non-stop.
“Aren’t these people afraid of being run over?” asked Jack.
Sonny smiled and said, “It is different here. We are a poor country and do not have as many streetlights. It is the driver’s responsibility not to hit the pedestrians. It is a good idea to walk slowly when you cross the street and maintain the same speed. Drivers will judge as to which side of you they will pass on.”
“Do you get a lot of traffic fatalities here?” asked Laura.
“Oh, yes. Very many.”
It was midnight when Sonny checked them into the Hotel Happy Holiday. It was located on what was now a fairly deserted street, a couple of blocks out of the mainstream of traffic. The hotel looked quaint and the lobby was open to the second level where the hotel operated a small restaurant.
“We are on the third floor,” said Sonny, pushing the button for the lobby elevator.