The LO was finally able to rouse his Mexican contact, who complained about being called on a Sunday. Promises of another lavish dinner and expensive hotel room with his mistress seemed to appease him. He didn’t understand the urgency. Then again, he had never seen snow.

Early Monday morning, the LO heard back. They were in luck. A report identified a policeman who is certain he saw Jack and Natasha on the day Bishop died. Yes, arrangements had been made. They could leave immediately and the LO could talk to the policeman in person and show him the photos.

chapter twenty-eight

Normally at eight in the morning on the Monday of a long weekend, Jack would be enjoying the comforts of his bed. Not today. He had already been up with Natasha for an hour and a half. Neither one spoke much as they went through the motions of drinking coffee.

Expecting to be arrested any moment tended to numb the brain as well as the taste buds.

Jack received a message from Damien. He was surprised that the call came so early but was glad to be doing something. Anything was better than waiting.

Damien met him in a parking lot at Burnaby Lake and they took a stroll along a path.

“Any heat?” asked Jack.

Damien shook his head and said, “None that I could see. Fucking Carlos called at four o’clock this morning.”

“Time zones,” said Jack. “They’re a couple of hours ahead of us.”

“I made the drop two hours later.”

“How and where?”

“I put the money in my trunk and drove to the industrial area near the harbour at the end of Clark Drive. I left my car unlocked and went for a walk as instructed. Came back an hour later and the trunk was empty.”

“Really wish I had been there,” said Jack. “Forget it! Nobody does anything until they’re safe!” “I know. I understand. I take it that The Toad still hasn’t shown up at the bus depot?” asked Jack, pretending to look suspiciously at Damien.

“No. Our guys are still there, but I don’t think it looks good.”

“Why not?”

“If he ripped us, I can’t see him hanging around. Leaving the money this long ... I got a feeling that he may have spotted us. I’ll keep the guys there for a while longer, but something doesn’t smell right.”

“Well, at least you got the money.”

“Not all of it. There was only $2.5 in the locker. One mil was missing.”

“I didn’t think that it might not all be there,” said Jack. “You obviously had enough, though?”

“Yeah ... just barely. Which leads me to think that The Toad had an accomplice. The extra million could have gone to the guy you call the Brit, or maybe Leitch, too.”

“Sounds logical. Looks like we both want to find him. Have you talked with Leitch?”

“He’s out of town until tonight. That can wait. I want to find my family first.”

“Was there anything else in the shipping container with the coke?”

“No. That was all we were getting.”

“I mean legit.”

“Legit? Yeah, there were sacks of coffee. Why?”

Jack thought of the van he had been in outside of the motel. It reeked of coffee. Natasha said Vicki’s finger also smelled of coffee.

“What are you thinking?” asked Damien.

“I don’t know, just trying to find something that might add up. How about Wednesday? Figure you can come up with another $3.5?”

“Someone says they got the cash to invest in a bargain. Looks like Wednesday won’t be a problem. The market is going to be flooded for a while ... bargain basement prices. Maybe a good thing. Put more of the competition out of business.”

Jack and Damien returned to the parking lot and stood for a moment, scanning the area.

“No heat,” said Damien.

“That we can see,” replied Jack.

“When do you think it will happen?”

Jack let out a deep breath and then said, “Let’s just say I’m not looking forward to tomorrow.”

“Can they make you for it?”

“I don’t know. Things could get pretty hot.”

Damien nodded, then asked, “You ever been to Merida, Mexico?”

“No. Why?”

“There’s a hotel there called the Angeles de Merida. Suggest you check it out on the web today. Don’t use your own computer. Do it at library or internet café. I gotta go. Talk with you later.”

It was just before noon when Jack called Laura’s number. Elvis answered.

“Hi, Elvis. It’s Jack. How are things?”

“What do you want?” Elvis obviously wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

“Is Laura there?”

Elvis paused and then replied, “I’ll get her.”

Jack thought about the sudden change in Elvis’s attitude toward him. Guess I would be upset too, if my spouse was working with someone about to be arrested.

“Hi, Jack! What’s up?”

Laura was friendly. Means Elvis hasn’t told her. “We need to talk. How about we meet and I buy you lunch?”

“Not with —”

“No, not with Holly. Just the two us. Stuff happening that you need to know about.”

“Where and when?” asked Laura.

“Know the Gillnetter Pub on the Mary Hill Bypass?”

“Good spot. One hour?”

Jack brought Laura up to date on the kidnapping and told her how he had returned all but $1 million to Damien.

“That’s awful.” She thought for a moment and then added, “You must feel awful.”

“I do.”

“Have you notified I-HIT yet?”

“Can’t. Damien would never cooperate. All he wants is to get his family back. No cops involved.”

“You trust him to tell you who the Brit is when he finds out?”

“He’ll tell me. It won’t be long. He’s already paid the first instalment on the ransom. Second instalment will be made on Wednesday.”

“Will he be short of cash then too?”

“No. The coke is practically being given away to raise the money in time.”

Laura nodded.

“You on board with this? With what I just did?”

Laura nodded.

“Good. I appreciate your view. Thanks.”

“After the other night, this seems like small potatoes. I was afraid you were going to tell me to buy rubber boots and a pickaxe.”

“At the moment I agree with Damien. What’s important now is to get his family back. I think we can help. I have a theory.”

“To find them ... if they’re still alive?”

Jack grimaced and then nodded.

“If they’re dead, it would explain why Carlos won’t let Damien talk,” said Laura. “So he can’t verify if they’re still alive.”

“I considered that, but I think they’re alive. He’ll want Vicki and Katie alive so he can use them to make Damien come crawling to him — literally.”

“For a guy like that, I would be willing to do the digging. What’s your theory?”

“The Colombians wanted the money in Canadian funds. I think they’re already established here. Likely in the coffee industry.”

Laura reflected on it briefly and then said, “Would look legit. Good for laundering. Who is going to count cups of coffee, let alone figure out how many sacks of coffee are sold versus the money collected. Even sending the money back to Colombia would look legit!”

“Natasha said Vicki’s finger smelled of coffee. I’m thinking she could be stashed in a warehouse where the coffee is stored.”

“We should check Customs and see who is picking up the shipments.”

“Exactly. I also want you to check out a company registered to the plate I scooped off the van at the motel. It smelled of coffee too. We might get lucky and find a match.”

“Today is a holiday so...”

“I know. I don’t think you’ll find much out before tomorrow, but get on it as soon as you can.”

Laura took a sip of Rickard’s Red and then a bite of calamari. “I bet you’re right about the coffee connection. It all ties in. Find the warehouse and we find his wife and daughter.”