At no time did they appear to meet with anyone of interest—a fact Jack was all too conscious of as he continued to delay calling Quaile to debrief him. Eventually he knew he could delay no longer. He left Laura with Eduardo and went to his room. He found that the phone lines were not working, but after a twenty-minute delay and some apologies from the hotel switchboard, he was able to connect.

“So they’re just down there on a holiday!” exclaimed Quaile.

“Something has made them paranoid,” said Jack.

“So you’re telling me you screwed up the surveillance?”

“The Costa Rican police have been good. Professional enough not to have burned us. Something else must ...”

“So you’re saying they’re just partying and acting like tourists. Obviously then, they weren’t up to anything in the first place.”

“At the moment they’re not, but ....” A knock on Jack’s door interrupted him and he said, “Hang on, someone’s at my door.”

Laura was quick with the news. “When you left they went up the street to a place called De La Costa Travel Agency. Eduardo just found out they booked a flight to Cuba. They leave tomorrow and fly to Havana. The agent tried to book them a hotel, but they said they would find one when they arrived. They’re booked to come back to Costa Rica, arriving in San Jose five days later and will then head back to Canada.”

Jack relayed the news to Quaile as Secord stood next to him, listening.

“Where do you plan on going on holidays next? Spain? Forget it. You and Secord be on the next plane available back to Vancouver. You’re finished with this scam!”

Jack didn’t reply, his mind racing to find a solution. He knew Quaile wouldn’t allow him to pursue the investigation any further. Phone the Cuban police? They would probably think it was a hoax. Or at the very least, contact Ottawa—and eventually Quaile. Nope, this has to be personal.

“Did you hear me, Taggart?”

“Staff, I’m feeling really burnt-out. I’ve got a lot of annual leave to use before year’s end. I’d like to take a week off and stay here. I’ll pay for it myself. Okay with you?”

A week off, thought Quaile, remembering the short time frame that Isaac mentioned as a deadline to get results. “Go ahead. It’s your money. You won’t exactly be missed around here.”

Laura grabbed the phone from Jack’s hand and said, “The same goes for me. I’ll be back in the office when Jack is.”

“Suit yourself, but realize I’ll be checking every penny of your expenses when you get back. As of right now, you’re on your own money.”

As soon as Laura hung up, Jack said, “Thanks, but no! It’s my neck on the chopping block, there’s no need to put yours there as well.”

“Forget that!” said Laura. “We’re partners. It seems to me I’ve had to remind you that before. Quit trying to cut me out of things. This affects me, too. If we don’t get results and go home empty-handed you’ll end up being transferred. That will leave me to go begging to Staffing to be transferred as well. Who knows where I’ll end up.”

“But this could be expensive. I don’t ...”

“From here, it won’t be that expensive.”

Jack felt the knot in his stomach. “Thanks, Laura. I really mean that, friends like you are hard to come by, but ...”

“Good friends are hard to come by. Wouldn’t you do the same for me?”

Jack sighed. “You know I would.”

“Enough said. I’m going and if you want to join me, you’re welcome.”

“If I want to join you!”

“Separate rooms, of course.”

Jack smiled as he envisioned trying to wrestle Laura off the plane. He looked at her and said, “If we’re caught, it could end both our careers.”

Laura laughed and said, “Compared to other things we’ve done? Come on, this sounds like a cakewalk. We’re not Americans, so it’s not illegal for us to go there. What we do on our time off is our own business.”

“We won’t be able to do it without help from the Cuban police. We’ll need them, otherwise we’re liable to lose them as soon as they leave the airport.”

“Yeah, so we tell the locals and ask for their help.”

Jack put his hand on Laura’s shoulder and said, “Think about it. Cuba is a communist country. Going there and contacting them without first getting permission from Ottawa would end our careers. If we did that in the States, we might get away with a slap on the wrist, but Cuba is different.”

“Guess we’d better not get caught. I’ve never been to Cuba before. I’d like to see it.”

Jack smiled and lowered his hand. “I haven’t been there either. I heard the Cubans are really friendly. We’d better hustle. Cash only.”

Laura nodded in agreement.“No paper trail.”

On the last red-circle day, Hang had been tortured from items out of the cardboard box. Now, a day later, she held her hand over one eye, hoping to ease the pain as she squinted at the calendar.

Today was marked with another red circle. She had the dates memorized, but kept hoping she had somehow made a mistake. That the circles would magically be gone. They weren’t.

Will he hurt me—or bring me a warm meal?

After today, it was five days away until the next date that was circled. Is he giving my body time to heal?

Pops had made that circle extra thick as he had gone round and round with the red felt marker several times on the calendar while grinning at her.

She wondered at the significance of this particular circle—and then she knew.

That is when Linh arrives!

She slowly and painfully eased herself off the foam mattress and took the top off the toilet tank and stared inside for a long time, trying to build her courage. It is the only possible way to get a message out. I must!

A creak of the passage door opening told Hang she would have to wait. She quickly replaced the lid and stood, shaking uncontrollably as she stared at the cardboard box.

chapter twelve

Quaile’s briefing with Isaac was short.

“It appears that the Russians aren’t up to anything. They’re just down there partying and laying around by the pool. I told Taggart to return, but now he’s begging for time off. He’s stressed and can’t handle the pressure.” “Stressed?” asked Isaac, suspiciously. “With the situations he has been in, most members would have flipped out—but he’s always remained cool. Are you sure?”

“He told me so. I bet it’s over the bogus call he arranged. Probably thought about it later and realized I wasn’t the sort to be fooled for long. It confirms my assessment of him.”

“Corporal Taggart has always been right in the past. I question how he does things, but it is not like him to go running off on a wild goose chase. Are you sure the Russians aren’t up to something?”

“Certainly doesn’t appear so. Taggart and Secord both have annual leave coming and asked to take a few extra days off while they’re there. Knowing how deceitful he can be ... and after he complained of being burnt-out, I decided it was prudent to okay his little holiday. Otherwise I could see him coming back and putting in for six months’ stress leave or something.”

Isaac sat quietly for a moment, one hand unconsciously rubbing the top of the Bible on his desk while his mind ruminated over what he knew about Jack. Or what I think I know ...

“Sir?” interjected Quaile. “Perhaps now would be an opportune time to have Staffing find him a uniform position somewhere. If your past suspicions about him are valid and—I mean, I’m sure they are valid, it would place him in a position where he could be more easily monitored.”

Isaac nodded, as if in agreement, but said, “Sometimes good investigations still go astray, not that I’m condoning his trip to Costa Rica. Also, we’ll never prove he was responsible for your bogus call from Ottawa. Saying he’s stressed ... time off ... what else is he up to?”