Whiskey Jake’s voice replied, “Everybody stay cool. We’ve got lots of wheels.”
The bikers watched as Jack made a variety of moves, including parking for a few minutes and watching traffic pass him before pulling back out onto the street.
After about twenty minutes, Jack’s driving returned to normal and they followed him and watched him park.
“You got an eye?” asked Whiskey Jake.
“No problem,” said Sparks. “He’s out and going into a restaurant called Giuseppe’s. There’s a place right out front where I can park.”
Seconds later, Sparks swore under his breath and kept his binoculars to his eyes as he radioed again. “I can see who he’s meeting — but I don’t believe it!”
Jack entered the restaurant and saw Stallion sitting by himself at a table. Jack walked over and sat down with him.
“Who the fuck are you?” said Stallion. “Get your own fuckin’ table!”
Jack bent down and pretended to scoop something up off the floor and said, “Hey, buddy, I think this is your lucky day!”
“What the fuck you talkin’ about?”
Jack held a rolled wad of money in his hand and said, “I saw this on the floor under your table. I presumed you dropped it.”
“What? Oh! Yeah! That’s mine! Must’ve fallen out of my pocket when I sat down.” Stallion grabbed the money and said, “Thanks, man!”
“At least you could buy me a beer! Looks like quite a bit of cash there.”
Stallion thumbed through the money. What a chump! He chuckled and said, “Yeah, no problem. I’ll have one too.”
Later that night, Lance anxiously hurried up to Jack and Danny in a small park near the pier where Wizard kept his boat.
“What’s up?” Jack asked casually.
“I was hoping you would tell me! I’m supposed to meet Wizard on the dock in thirty minutes and bring a barrel. I’ve seen this picture before! Either I’m getting whacked or else they’re gonna whack somebody else.”
“Trust me. You’re not getting whacked,” replied Jack.
“And if they want me to kill someone? What should I do?”
“Do what you must to survive. We won’t bust you for anything you need to do, but you also have to understand that you don’t have immunity from any other cops.”
“Puts me in a fuck of a spot.”
“It’s better than being in the spot of whoever’s getting whacked.”
“You’re sure it’s not me?”
“It’s not you. Meet us at the cemetery as soon as you’re done.”
Danny passed the binoculars over to Jack and said, “I can make out Wizard and Rolly. Our friend is still sitting on the barrel by the gate to the marina. Looks like they’re just talking.”
Jack peered through the binoculars for a moment, then said, “Here comes someone else pushin’ a wheelbarrow. Looks heavy. It’s … Stallion who’s pushing it.”
Moments later, the four men boarded the boat and it slowly chugged out of sight. It was two hours later when the boat returned and three men got off.
Jack and Danny met Lance at the cemetery. His pale face shone in the moonlight as he leaned against a tombstone and folded his arms across his chest to try to stop the trembling.
“Was it quick?” Jack asked.
Lance slowly shook his head, then paused and said, “I guess it was quicker than it was supposed to be. Stallion didn’t have a clue. He figured we were makin’ a meet to whack someone else. When we were about forty-five minutes out, Wizard came up behind him and busted out half his ribs with a bat. I then hog-tied him. It was bloody awful. Rolly started blubbering like a baby and kept sayin’ that he hadn’t told him anything. Wizard didn’t believe him. As punishment, he told Rolly that he would have to finish him off after.”
“After?” Jack asked.
“Wizard sat on his legs. He had a drill and started to work on his kneecap. I had to gag him after a few seconds because Wiz was worried about noise travelling over water, especially at night. Wiz barely got started again when Rolly lost it and put a slug through his forehead. Wizard was pissed off at him for killing him so soon.”
Jack caught the solemn stare that Danny gave him but looked at Lance instead and asked, “How are you doing?”
“I’m not exactly thrilled about it, but at least it takes the heat off me. Might do the same for you. With what happened, I think Wiz won’t be so tight with Rolly. I could see it in Wiz’s eyes tonight. Rolly’s got no respect now. He’s lucky that Wiz didn’t waste him too. I’m sure I’ll be able to slide in there and find out who The Suit is. Maybe not before the election, but soon.”
Jack and Danny were silent until they got back to the apartment. Danny flipped open the sofa and then said he was going to call Susan tomorrow and move back to his own house.
“Do you want a drink?” Jack asked.
“No. I’m sick enough.”
Three hours later, Jack got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get a glass of water. He turned on the light and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t like what he saw.
chapter thirty-six
Natasha was more than a little surprised at the message she got from her receptionist. A moment later she stood to give Marcie a hug as she walked into her office. Marcie stiffened and turned away, taking refuge in a chair.
Natasha sat back down and asked, “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“I hitched.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
Marcie nodded her head.
“I bet the school has already called Liz.”
“I phoned the school and pretended I was Liz. Told them I was sick and she was keeping me home.”
“Why are you here?”
“Don’t tell anyone. Especially Jack! He’d kick my ass. I mean, my butt.”
“No problem there. Jack and I are no longer seeing each other.”
“Yeah, I know. I heard Liz talking to him. That’s why I came to see ya. I wanted to tell you that Jack’s a really neat guy.”
“I guess I see him a little differently than you.”
“I don’t understand why … and I got the feeling that it’s got something to do with me.”
Natasha stared at Marcie for a moment, then said, “It’s personal.”
“I want you to know that Jack is the only guy I’ve ever trusted. He cares for me. Even though he wants real bad to catch the guy who murdered Ben and Liz’s kids, he’s told me that I would never have to get involved. Like testifying or anything. He said that he would look after it himself. The same goes for the freak who hurt me in the cabin.”
“Interesting.”
“You don’t believe me, do ya?”
“It’s sweet of you to try to do this, but I think it’s best that I put you on a bus and —”
“Sweet of me! Fuck you! Don’t treat me like a little kid! I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Jack! And you’re the one who is supposed to be a doctor!”
Natasha paused for a moment, then said, “I apologize. I didn’t mean to imply that you were a little child. What do you mean that I am supposed to be a doctor?”
“Jack sees things. Things that you probably should, but don’t.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the night you met me out on the farm. I was going to commit suicide.”
“Suicide! What on earth for? You —”
“As soon as you and Jack came into the loft, he knew it right away. In fact, I think he already knew.”
“I didn’t see that. I thought you were just playing. What —”
“Yeah, I know you didn’t see it. Maybe you should get your eyes tested. But Jack did. He’s talked to me lots since then. I feel better about myself now. I would never think of doing something stupid like that again.”