Loose Ends (19 page)

Jack closed his eyes for a moment while massaging his temples with his hands, then he walked back to the telephone.

Jack politely declined to join Ben and Liz for dinner but did accept a cup of tea while they ate. He knew that they could tell by his demeanour that he had something to say, so he said it.

The blood pressure immediately rose in Ben's face. He shoved his plate back and stood up from the kitchen table. “You brought her here? Damn it, Jack! I told you on the phone that we couldn't do this!”

He went to the kitchen window and looked out at Jack's car, then turned to Liz. “She's sitting in his car, right now.” He looked at Jack and said, “I want you to leave. You've got no right to be asking us to do this after what happened. Get her out of here!”

Jack stood up from the table and said, “I'm sorry. I thought maybe if you just met her…”

“What did you think you were doing?” asked Liz, wiping tears from her face. “Trying to replace Maggie?”

Jack sighed, then said, “This isn't about you or Ben. It's about Marcie. She's been sexually abused most of her life by her father. She ran away from that only to be attacked by another pervert. She just turned thirteen and is living on the street and chipping heroin. If she doesn't get a break now, she's dead. It might already be too late.”

“Call Social Services,” said Liz.

“As I told you on the phone, it's too risky. If you heard the news about the young woman blown up on the freeway two days ago, that was her friend.”

“The news said that was a prostitute,” said Ben. “You're telling me that her friend was a prostitute?”

“Yes. Marcie has been working the street, too.”

“What? You expect us to take in a drug-addicted prostitute? You're out of your mind!”

“I said she was chipping. It means she's just starting — an occasional user. I don't think she's addicted … yet. That's another reason why being way out here on a farm would be better for her. It won't be so easy for her to get a fix.”

“But she's a prostitute!” said Liz.

“She's still a child. Since she was an infant, the only person she had to protect her was her father. All that bastard did was use her for his own sexual perversion. Now she's on the street. Is it any wonder?”

Liz went to the kitchen window and peeked out at Marcie, who was getting out of the car. As Liz watched, Marcie approached a pair of geese. The gander felt protective of his mate and honked and flapped his wings as he charged toward her. Marcie ran back to the car.

“Doesn't she have clothes?” asked Liz. “That looks like your shirt, Jack.”

“She's wearing all her clothes underneath. Miniskirt and a tank top.”

“Has she eaten?”

“Not for a while, but…”

“You're not bringing her in here,” said Ben.

“Ben! If she hasn't eaten…”

“Liz! No!”

Liz thought for a moment, then said, “We'll give her some of Maggie's clothes. It's the least we can do. She looks to be the same size.”

Minutes later, Ben and Jack each carried a box of clothes out to the car and put them in the trunk. Liz watched from the kitchen window.

Ben looked at Jack and said, “Sorry, it's just…”

“It's okay, Ben. You're right. It is too much to ask. We'll take our chances with Social Services.”

“Our emotions are really eaten up right now. She's the same age and size as Maggie. It would be a constant reminder. Even their names are similar. We just can't handle…”

“It's okay, I understand. You're right. I should have listened to you on the phone.”

Jack got in the car and slowly drove away.

Ben watched as Marcie absent-mindedly used her finger to draw a big unhappy face in the condensation on her window. He wondered if she liked to doodle. His eyes brimmed with tears. He turned and looked at Liz. She had seen it too. Their eyes met; Liz gave a slight nod.

It was late in the evening when Red walked into the Black Water. The music was vibrating from the stage, and she looked up at the young stripper.

Red yelled, “Hey, little girl! Why don't you take off and come back when you can grow some tits!”

A few laughs from the crowd didn't drown out the girl's response. “Fuck you! I don't see you standin' up here!”

Red paused until she had the crowd's attention before pulling her black singlet T-shirt up over her head to expose her bare chest to the crowd. “Because if I did get up there, cupcake, I'd put you out of a job!”

Red soaked up the applause for a moment, then replaced her T-shirt and strutted to the rear of the tavern. She casually looked around before sitting at a table with Jack.

“It took you long enough,” said Jack.

“Yeah. Sorry, Eddy. I got your page but had some business to take care of. Took me a little longer than I thought. So, are ya lookin'?”

“As a matter of fact, I am. Business has been going good. So good, I'm lookin' for half a pound.”

Red let out a low whistle. “That's a lot! When? Right now?”

“Not now. Tomorrow afternoon or the next day at the latest.”

“I don't usually handle that much.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “Too bad. I'm done fuckin' around with this small shit. Maybe I'll have to find someone else.”

“I can check with my man. Maybe he'll front me four ounces at a time. Do it in a couple of deals.”

“Naw, as I said, I don't want to be fuckin' around. Two deals means twice the risk. Tell you what, put me in touch with your man and I'll make it worth your while.”

“How much worth my while?”

“Enough. Depends how smooth things go and what I gotta pay for it.”

Red thought for a moment, then said, “Wait here, I'll make a call.”

Red went to the lobby and then sprinted upstairs and knocked on a door.

“Who is it?” asked a gruff voice.

“Wizard! It's me, Red,” she whispered.

Seconds later, Red was inside the room. Wizard, with his goatee and muscled arms covered in large tattoos, towered over her. Rolly was lying on the bed. In the corner of the room sat a third biker. A light behind him cast shadows down over his face. His forehead had a large circular scar from an incident years earlier when someone had caught his attention with the broken end of a wine bottle.

“Well?” asked Wizard.

“Yeah, he's here right now,” said Red.

“Did he hit you up?”

“Oh yeah! Wants half a pound. I told him I'd make a call.” She looked at her watch. “And that was, like, not even five minutes ago.”

“Good,” replied Wizard.

“I think maybe I'll cut his balls off instead of his tongue,” said Rolly. “We were too easy on Lenny!”

“Shut your trap!” hissed Wizard.

There was a brief silence in the room before Wizard continued, “So what's he wearin'?”

“You can't miss 'im,” replied Red. “Jeans and a red sweatshirt with a big white band around the chest and arms.”

“Okay, you know what to do,” said Wizard. “Give us twenty minutes to set up.” He flashed her a roll of money and said, “When you're done, go home. I'll drop over after.”

“Thanks, Wizard,” replied Red, casting one more quick glance at the man sitting in the corner. He hadn't spoken a word the whole time. Then she turned toward the door.

“Red! One more thing. Make sure you keep your yap shut about this!”

“About what?” replied Red, smiling as she left the room.

When she was gone, Wizard turned to the biker in the corner and said, “Lance, you get the car and cruise the block until you see Red, then hit the alley.”

Minutes later, Red joined Jack back in the bar.

“You're in luck,” she said. “My guy is a little nervous, but he said he's willin' to meet you, just to check you out.”

“Good. He's got nothing to be nervous about. When can we meet?”

“In about twenty minutes. He wants to talk to me out front first. Give me about five minutes just to reassure him, then I'll get him to drive me around back and you can meet us in the alley.”

A few minutes later, Jack gave Danny a subtle nod and they met in the men's room. Jack explained what was happening, and Danny said, “Just in case they want to take you for a little drive, I'll get the car and stand by.”

“Good idea.”

“Think it will be Halibut?”

“Maybe. Or some other striker. We'll soon find out.” Jack returned to the table. Red left on time and headed out the front door. Jack looked at his watch and waited five minutes.

Danny sat in his car and watched from the parking garage. He eventually saw Red walk out the front door of the bar and approach a green Volvo parked nearby. The Volvo drove to the end of the block and turned into the alley. He caught the plate number and noticed Red walk back toward the bar.

Danny drove in the opposite direction and parked on the street at the end of the block to cover off the other end of the alley. If the Volvo did take Jack for a
ride, this was the direction it would drive out. He radioed in the plate number. The name that came back wasn't one he recognized.

An arc of light briefly cut into the back alley when Jack opened the rear door to the alley. He stood in the doorway for a moment before stepping out. His red sweatshirt blended into the darkness, but the white stripe stood out like a beacon. He saw a car drive slowly down the alley toward him, then stop a short distance away. He walked toward it, using his hand to shield his eyes from the headlights.

As Jack approached a Dumpster, Rolly silently moved in behind him, unsnapping a leather thong and removing his hunting knife from its scabbard while quickening his pace.

Rolly was in striking distance when Wizard stepped out from the Dumpster and said, “Hey! Eddy!”

Jack felt the adrenaline rush to his limbs as his brain told him to run. He tried to act calm and said, “Yeah? Do I know you?”

“Pest control!” Rolly snickered when Jack spun around to look.

Rolly brandished the knife at throat height and gave an evil grin when the lights from the car reflected off the knife and into Jack's eyes. Wizard stepped forward and pointed a .22-calibre pistol at the back of Jack's head. The headlights cast dark shadows on Wizard's face as Jack turned and found the barrel of the pistol entering his nostril.

“Goodbye, rat!” hissed Wizard, as his finger slowly squeezed the trigger.

Jack chopped the inside of Wizard's wrist with the edge of his hand, flinging the gun from Wizard's grasp. It
bounced off the side of the Dumpster with a loud clang. Rolly immediately plunged the knife toward the back of Jack's neck, but Jack ducked while shoving two fingers into Wizard's eye, and the knife glanced off his shoulder blade instead. Jack darted past Wizard toward the car.

“Get him!” yelled Wizard, scrambling to pick up his gun. Rolly ran after him while Wizard wiped his eye with one hand before raising his gun with the other hand. Then he hesitated, fearing he might hit Rolly.

Lance lurched the car forward, smashing the passenger side fender into the alley wall. The interior light went on as he stepped out of the car, blocking the alley. The snarl on his face further accented the scar on his forehead as he moved around in front of the driver's door. His face didn't look any prettier when his mouth gaped open as Jack ran up over the hood of the car.

A bullet ricocheted off the car's windshield as Jack dove over the roof and continued running.

“Out of my fucking way!” yelled Wizard, running up to the car. He fired four more shots at the crouched figure zigzagging down the alley. His target ran faster.

Wizard held the gun with both hands and rested his arms on the roof of the car, aiming toward the end of the alley. Briefly, his target was silhouetted in the light at the end of the alley. Wizard fired one more shot and watched as the body crumpled and fell.

“Got 'im! Quick! Get in the car!” he ordered, grabbing Rolly by the arm and shoving him inside. He looked at Lance and said, “Back down the alley fast! Drive right over the rat-fucker! Make sure he's dead!”

Lance stepped on the throttle, and the tires squealed as the car hurtled backwards down the alley. Sparks flew off the side of the car as it briefly scraped along the side of a brick building, knocking the mirror off the passenger side door.

Wizard and Rolly grabbed the dash as they tensed, waiting for the crunch of broken bones and the thump of a mangled body as the car bounced out of the alley.

As Danny waited, he saw Red walk across the intersection.
Why isn't she meeting with Jack?

His question was answered by the sound of gunshots from the alley. Adrenaline slammed through his body like a tidal wave. His car leaped out of his parking space, but the traffic was heavy and he had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision. He fumbled under his seat to retrieve the red light to toss on the dash. He cursed as the cord for the light became entangled in the seat springs. Seconds later, he yanked it free and plugged it into the cigarette lighter. He reached for the hidden switch to turn on the siren.

Lance slammed on the brakes and brought the Volvo to a stop facing the sidewalk and entrance to the alley. The headlights picked up a puddle of blood and the smear of tire tracks where he had backed through it.

“I didn't feel nothin',” said Lance. “He ain't hung up underneath.”

“You fuckin' missed him!” yelled Rolly, clenching his knife.

“Out of the fucking car!” screamed Wizard, waving his gun in all directions.

The three men scrambled from the car and looked at the blood.

Wizard pointed to a trail of bloody marks along the sidewalk. “He's gone this way, and you can bet he hasn't gone far.” He stepped out on the street to look behind some parked cars.

“He's got to be right here somewhere,” said Lance. “He hasn't had time to make it to the end of the block,” he noted, while following splatters of blood to the edge of the curb.