“It could be that they will wipe out anyone who they think will lead the police to them,” continued Rose. “Or maybe they did put him on a polygraph and he failed. What do you think, Jack?”

“I think I’m glad that I didn’t have a cover team following us yesterday,” he replied, staring at Connie who purposely avoided looking back.

“Which is another thing,” said Rose. “Until this matter is finished, Jack and Laura will not be coming into the office. These people are too dangerous to mess around with. We’ll rent a hotel room to meet if necessary.”

“Appreciate that,” said Jack. “Coming here does put us at risk. I wouldn’t have come except for Connie’s insistence.”

Connie ignored the remark and turned to Sammy and asked, “And you didn’t have any wire on Goldie? Nothing to help us?”

“We were working on getting some, but it was still a week away. Sorry about yesterday. Sounds like we really screwed up. Just didn’t know how much until now.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Jack. “You can’t blame yourself for their paranoia.”

“Yeah, I guess,” replied Sammy.

“What about the Chinese restaurant and the dealers down there?” asked Connie. “You said the ones following Goldie were Asian. The farmer said he thought whoever shot Goldie was Asian, as well.”

“Our UC operators haven’t heard anything. As far as the wire goes, nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Nobody making innuendos?” asked Connie. “Sounding angry? Scared? Anything?”

“Nope,” replied Sammy. “The closest thing we got to anger was some guy upset that his delivery order hadn’t arrived twenty minutes earlier.”

Laura felt a light kick under the table from Sammy as he spoke. He knows!

“And that was it?” persisted Connie. “No calls about people being followed or a team being put together to whack someone?”

“Nope. Also, for your info, all of us who were on the surveillance team yesterday looked at the mug shots that the Asian Based Organized Crime Unit has. There was nobody we recognized, but we might come up with something once we make arrests from our current UC.”

“I appreciate that, thanks,” said CC.

“They’re big into using laptops,” said Jack. “These guys are too professional to use telephones.”

“Can you show me the underground parkade where Goldie went?” asked Connie. “I’m betting his car is still there.”

“No problem,” replied Sammy.

Connie sighed and said, “Guess maybe I do owe you an apology, Jack. Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he replied. “I feel like I’m made of Velcro as I go through life. Things seem to stick to me. I understand why you would be suspicious.”

“Velcro?” snorted Connie. “More like Teflon if you ask —”

“As I said, your apology is accepted,” interrupted Jack.

As the meeting broke up, Sammy whispered in Laura’s ear and said, “About that guy whose Chinese food was late. Must have been his wife in the background who said, ‘Don’t even think of it’ and ‘the clock starts now.’” Sammy grinned and continued, “Now to me, she must have been talking about the order. The strangest thing is, her voice sounded like yours.”

Surprise registered on Laura’s face.

“Yeah, I know,” said Sammy. “Now show concern and deny it. By the way, I drink Canadian Club.”

“Jack, Laura!” interjected Rose. “The two of you … my office.”

Rose didn’t mince words when the three of them were alone in her office. She pointed a finger at Jack and said, “This has become personal to you. Why?”

“Personal?” replied Jack.

“You weren’t content with letting me describe the investigation about the murder of a homeless person. You put a name to it — Melvin Montgomery. You have personalized the issue, I am simply wondering why? Something in your past?”

“Ah, perhaps the two of you should discuss this in private,” said Laura, rising from her chair.

“Sit down,” said Rose. “You two are obviously a team. Your decisions affect each other. Unlike our meeting a few minutes ago, this isn’t an inquisition. I simply want to understand why you take the risks you do and to ensure that your decisions are pragmatic in nature and not skewered by personal bias.”

“Everyone has personal bias,” replied Jack. “Whether you admit it or are even aware of it. We all come from a past where we have encountered different experiences.”

“Yes, and those experiences cause us to be biased in different directions,” said Rose. “So what are your personal experiences with someone, say, like Melvin?”

“I’m an operator,” said Jack. “I’ve seen and dealt with many Melvins and Ophelias. Up close and personal.”

“Ophelias?”

“Another friend of mine who died recently. A hooker and a junkie. Another nobody in the eyes of society.”

“And you met her working undercover,” concluded Rose.

“She tipped us off, for free, about a guy she knew who had robbed and murdered an old-age pensioner. She would have been killed if anyone knew she informed.”

“So you believe that this nobody in the eyes of society actually risked her life to help society?” replied Rose.

“Jack believes it because it’s true,” said Laura. “She put Mad Dog and his crew away, as well.”

“I see,” said Rose.

“Do you?” asked Jack. “It goes further than society not seeing these people. Most don’t even want to think they are people.”

“What are you getting at?”

“That someone like Goldie, faced with twelve upstanding citizens and a judge, would never have to worry. Not that he could be convicted because I committed a far worse crime by stealing his garbage bag. But even if I hadn’t, any sentence he might have received would have still left him laughing.”

“Sounds to me like you’re admitting to being biased in this matter,” said Rose.

“Biased or experienced?” asked Jack. “Knowing the probability of an outcome does not mean you are biased.”

“Perhaps, but when it comes to the law, you must be accountable. Bias is something twelve jurors might discuss and reach a balance. Not one or two people deciding the fate of others for themselves.”

“When it comes to the law, you are absolutely right,” said Jack.

“You agree?”

“Of course I do, but I wasn’t talking about the law. I was talking about justice. What are your views on that?”

Rose stared silently for a moment. Briefly, she looked sad. Jack had the feeling she was remembering something. Her eyes met Jack’s and she said, “I would compare your views on handling justice to those of someone skating on a river in early April. It is only a matter of time before you fall in and drown.” She glanced at Laura and added, “Sometimes drowning people take others with them.”

“I’m a good swimmer,” replied Laura.

“Interesting analogy,” said Jack. “Do you skate yourself?” he asked, watching her intently.

Rose spotted Jack’s gaze and her face hardened and she said, “I gave that up. I respect my own life and the people I love. Something you would be wise to consider.”

Jack turned to Laura and said, “Guess if we do any skating, we’re on our own.”

Rose sighed and said, “I’ll be back on shore. I may have a rope to toss you, but at the rate you’re going, I don’t think it will be long enough.”

Jack thought about Natasha … and a family he hoped to have. His BlackBerry received a text message from Lee requesting they meet. “We have to go,” he said.

29

Lee set his sake down when the sushi arrived and smiled understandingly when Laura requested a knife and fork.

“You seem well acquainted with chopsticks,” he commented to Jack, who handled them with ease.

“I love Japanese food,” replied Jack. “This is okay, but next time Laura and I decide on the restaurant.”

“Agreed,” replied Lee.