Pride, page 10
Of course, I wasn’t going to do any of the innocent things.
It’s not like I was doing anything wrong. Just going to talk to someone. No dangerous forays into Kuznetsov’s territory. Only a little dip into the Hells Angels pool. Guy knew more than he told me, and I was not going to let that continue.
Most of his buddies would be sleeping the previous night off. If I could get him to meet me, we should be able to keep it a secret.
On the off chance he couldn’t make a meet, I didn’t go far; to the security gate, not through to the street. I called his number and waited. It went to voicemail. No room to leave a message even if I wanted to do so. I figured he’d filled the box with his own calls to disable the service.
He’d see who reached out. I think he listed me in his contacts as Cherry. I guess he didn’t have an actual Cherry in his life. Unless he was asleep, he’d call back soon — I hoped.
Standing at the security gate felt weird. No one was around, but that wouldn’t last. People in the buildings across the way would be out soon walking their dogs or getting in their morning run. Someone would notice me and think I was lurking.
I slipped through and headed to the nearest Starbucks. Two minutes later my phone buzzed with a text. I couldn’t persuade Guy by text, but it wasn’t him anyway. David.
Where u go?
Walking. Not exactly a lie.
Off to work. With a heart emoji.
Heart emoji. See you later.
Off the hook. Good, I preferred doing my job without worrying about David’s approval. And I know he didn’t expect to give me approval; that was a version of my baggage. I would work on that when I had time.
By the time Guy called, I had my latte and muffin in hand and was headed for a bench in the park.
“I’m busy, Charity, what do you want now?”
“Good morning to you, Guy. Sorry. Rough night.”
“I’m working and haven’t been to bed yet. What do you want?”
I didn’t ask what he was working on. Whatever kept a Hells Angels biker up all night wasn’t my business. And I had no desire to make it my business.
“I need some more information on Blackhouse, or his boss.”
I got the answer I expected. “No.”
“Okay, here’s the deal.” I told him about Glenda, leaving out the RCMP involvement, not because I wanted to protect Andy, but because I worried I’d lose Guy as a contact if I brought all kinds of federal weight to the table. “I need to figure this out so Nora can go back to her mom.”
“Isn’t the kid being taken care of by a foster home?”
“You think that’s a good result?”
He was stalling. He knew that a foster situation was as likely to be bad as good. And for a kid who saw her mother beaten so badly by her dad?
“Emotional blackmail is unfair,” he said.
“Really? Fairness matters to a gang member?” I made the words light. Guy and I had a weird relationship. I could tease until he decided I couldn’t. Since I rarely received warning that I was pushing too hard, I couldn’t do anything to avoid it. I trusted Guy not to come punish me over anything, let alone a gentle poke at his ethics.
“Fine. I can meet you at the same place as last time. I won’t have long. I’m with people right now.”
“Half an hour?”
“Be there.” He ended the call and I ran to pick up my car.
* * *
On the drive over, I remembered the last encounter. I’d come close to being caught. Then I was disguised as a hooker. I didn’t think of that when I got dressed. Tee shirt, jeans, hoodie didn’t come across as easy to remove like a pro would wear. That left me with having to come across as a junkie. In my experience, not as simple as it seems.
David might be useful if he knew what I was doing, but he might also show up with a few of his uniformed buddies. That would scare off Guy, and maybe get him a beat down from his fellow gang members.
It was easier when I didn’t have a man in my life who carried a gun and a badge. Without the possibility of getting one legally, I didn’t even think of asking for a weapon, and I knew too much about street guns to take a chance with one of those. The last time I had the authorities on my side resulted in Glenda being almost killed. I didn’t call David. I would rely on my wit and skill, and an enormous amount of luck. And Guy. He’d make sure I didn’t get murdered, or gang raped. I’m pretty sure he would anyway.
I parked the car ten minutes early for our appointment. Arriving in the alley before he expected me was not smart. I had no idea what excuse he’d use to get away. I used the time to make myself look a little less clean and law abiding. I teased my hair into a mess and found some dirt in a gutter to rub into my jeans and leave on my hands. Then I checked to make sure I had a lot of wipes in my trunk to clean the evidence off as soon as I got back.
Guy had information for me. He wouldn’t have agreed to meet otherwise. He will help. I’ll be back in my car unhurt in less than twenty minutes. It was like a mantra as I walked the few blocks to the alley. If I kept repeating the words, maybe whoever ran the universe would listen and agree.
The street was empty, so no witness, reliable or not, to me entering the alley. Good because no one would follow. Bad because no one would hear me scream if things went sideways.
28
I picked my way down the alley. This time in the morning, the more fragrant aspects were fresh, and I wanted to back out to take a lungful of clean air. Since that was only a temporary fix, I just breathed shallowly and kept going. This time Guy turned the corner as I made it to the meeting point. He was down the same alley as before, not a surprise, but how many times can you beat up someone who owes you money?
“You should leave this alone,” he said. “I don’t like helping you get into trouble. You did me a favor and I owe you, but getting you killed doesn’t seem to be the right payback.”
He was very chatty today. Maybe working through the night broke down his reticence. Or maybe he was high. I tried not to look for evidence. It wasn’t my job to tell him to be careful. He’d made his choices. I wouldn’t stand by and let him distribute drugs in front of me, or abuse women, but I didn’t let myself think too much about any of his activities.
“It won’t take long,” I said. “I need to get to the hospital and then go visit a little girl who doesn’t know if her mom is alive or dead.”
“Maybe she’s better off with professionals.”
If only that could be true. “She’s already gone through the adoption process once. She needs stability.”
“Fine, it’s your life. I don’t have a lot of detail. We try not to get too close to the Russians, but they are persistent. I avoid being around them, period.”
Smart choice. I didn’t want Guy hurt either. He might be a dangerous gang member, but he cared about his family, and he always tried to make me safe before giving me what I wanted. “I can follow up on anything.”
“Your boyfriend helping?”
“No more than I need,” I said. “He’s a cop and has to stay within the rules. I don’t. I get results faster.”
He glanced back to the turn in the alley, to where he’d been before I arrived. “They bought the kid, right?”
“I don’t think Glenda knew. Alan did all the work to adopt Nora and left her upbringing to Glenda.”
“You ever met the guy who runs the place?” He looked back again then leaned against the fence, indicating I should do the same.
The fence was gross, but I’d be hidden to anyone coming to find Guy. So, I gritted my teeth, said a farewell to my favorite jacket and followed his advice.
“No. I met the secretary, but he was out. I saw his photo on the brochure and website.” I hadn’t been able to tie him to any crimes beyond the adoptions.
“The picture is faked. It’s someone who looks a bit like him, but different enough to raise a little reasonable doubt. The receptionist is his wife. She keeps up the pretense of legitimate business.”
No wonder I couldn’t find him anywhere online. A search of the image on the website led to a few articles, but nothing useful. “Whose picture is it?”
“Some dead sucker. Well, he was alive when they took the photo. Aren’t you interested in what this Viktor guy looks like?”
“Just tell me.” My gut was giving me signals that had nothing to do with the bodily fluids and not so fluid things permeating my nose. This was going to lead somewhere. “We’re in a hurry, right?”
“Like the picture, a redhead, but not the same shade. He’s harder looking too. I don’t know who he is exactly to the gang. I know the Russian spelling of Viktor is a K, not a C. And I know he’s not only selling kids for adoption.”
“Are the police involved?” David would have told me, but I’m not sure I shared what I’d learned about Nora’s origins. And I didn’t need the RCMP to find my clues, thank goodness.
“Not helping as far as I can tell. He’s on the DL right now, but your buddy Alan knows everything, I’m sure. The money guy learns way more than is safe in these situations.”
“I think the money guy doesn’t always realize how deep they are. Until they get arrested.”
“Or end up on the wrong side of two in the back of the head.” Guy pulled out a cigarette. “You need to figure out who else your man is hanging out with. I don’t think Ivan is worried. At least there’s no buzz about a change, and we usually get a heads up. Their money guy manages the transactions we do with the mob too.”
Only a matter of time. “Am I a bitch for thinking it would be better for my client and her daughter if Alan was dead?”
Guy chuckled. “As long as Ivan doesn’t think they need to be taken out too. You never know with these guys. But I’m guessing Alan convinced his boss that the wife was in the dark. Or she wouldn’t have survived the beating I’m guessing Ivan ordered. You don’t know if the husband is still alive either, right?”
“Why do people like him get involved in this stuff? They have good jobs. They are respected for what they do. Blackhouse had a family that loved him.” Not everyone who goes into the law is a crooked cop or a mob lawyer. Not every person in finance is a money launderer. Not every surgeon is sewing up bullet holes on the side. But something attracts people with choices to this life.
“Drugs. Money problems, maybe a little addiction to kinky sex. And some people like the danger and power they think comes with the life.” He took a drag and looked up like he was thinking about his past. “No one keeps the power for long. Eventually someone worse comes along. People are killed and the power passes on.”
“And some of them get caught.”
“That doesn’t mean as much as you think, Charity.”
“How deep do you think Alan might be?” If he could cut a deal, Glenda had no leverage. I needed to make sure she was ready to run if things came to that.
“Guy. Stop pissing around.” The words preceded a big man around the corner. His jacket was covered in patches announcing his status in the gang. His face ruddy where it wasn’t swallowed by the bush of a gray beard.
I would not make it to the street before he reached me.
“Just go with it,” Guy said as he turned slowly to face the giant. “A cigarette and a happy ending.”
29
I wiped my nose and looked down at the ground. I’d seen enough women driven to alley blow jobs for a fix to be able to mimic their behavior. What I didn’t know was where we were supposed to be in that scenario. Had I done the deed?
“Stick,” Guy said. “Just go back. I’ve got this. I’ll be there in five.”
Stick didn’t listen. He walked toward me, radiating menace. I took a step back; the street was not that far if I could get a big enough lead. He was a giant and his belly might slow him down, but he had stride. I’d be taking three steps to his one. Great time for my luck to find another beneficiary.
“We’re done. The cops won’t find anything. I got five minutes.” He joined us and now I was within arm’s reach.
“I got a place to be,” I said. “Thanks for the stuff. See you around.”
“Maybe find another sucker,” Guy said. “I get better service from my girlfriend, and she bathes regularly.”
Keep your mouth shut. This situation is where I should let the men speak. But if Guy dumped me, it made me fair game for Stick. “You used to like what I do.”
“I got needs,” Stick said. “And like I said, I got time.” The glare I got from Guy was almost enough to drop me. He wanted me to go, and I kept screwing things up. Well, he wasn’t scared shitless, and he wasn’t in danger of rape.
“Yeah, well find it somewhere else,” I said. “You’re not my type.”
He cocked his head and gave me a slow smile, licking his lips like it was sexy. “I got more stuff than Guy. The good shit.” His right hand went to his zipper, his left hand grabbed my arm.
“Stick, let her go. Man, she is bat-shit crazy. It’s not worth it.”
“Worth it for you,” Stick said. “What’s going on? You trying to keep her to yourself? If she’s trouble, why’s she still walking around?”
I shifted my weight to my toes. I would run, but if I tried now, I’d drop Guy in a pile of shit. I wish I’d told David where I was. At least he would find my body before it started to decompose.
“Old girlfriend,” Guy said. He took a step in my direction. “I didn’t notice the crazy to start with. Then she got hooked, you know how that goes.”
“She clean?” Stick asked, still focused on his happy ending.
“Not a clue. But disease isn’t the problem. She’s a stalker. And she sticks like dog shit. And she’s got too many friends to get away with stopping her with a bullet.”
I pulled to free my arm, but Stick was too strong. “Let me go now, or I start screaming. I bring the cops here and you are fucked.”
“No one to hear you,” Stick said.
Someone’s phone buzzed. Not mine.
“Let me go and you’ll never see me again,” I said. If the words shook, it only helped sell the role. I knew it was fear. Stick might mistake the emotion for anger. “I’ll forget seeing you. I’ll move. Go to Montreal. Just let me go.” I punctuated the last words with tugs to free my arm with no effect.
A different phone buzzed. Someone really wanted to get hold of these two.
Guy pulled out his phone and checked. “We’re out of time.” He grabbed Stick’s arm. “The boss just got the heads up. Cops are on the way. We need to be someplace else right now.”
Stick still didn’t let go. At some point, Guy was going to have to leave me to my fate or do something drastic that would put himself in danger. I wasn’t sure his gratitude for the favor I did him extended to risking his life for me.
“Yeah, you gotta run,” I said. Well, a junkie wouldn’t be smart enough to give up the opportunity to lash out. “Your boss is calling. Hurry home to mommy.”
The pressure on my arm increased to the point I thought the bone would snap. Stick let me go before it did. I wasn’t going to be able to hide this bruise from David. But I had time to think up a story. Or find a way to tell the truth without making the situation sound so dire he locked me up for my own safety.
“I see you around again, I take what I want.” Stick turned away from glaring at me to spit on the ground before saying to Guy, “You disappear again like that, and the boss and that Russian prick will know about it.”
Guy glared at me again and then turned away.
His look kept my response inside my head. Stick probably wouldn’t react well to being called a baby again.
They didn’t even turn to check where I was. A good thing because now that I was free to leave, I couldn’t make my feet move.
They turned the corner, and I was alone. I took in a deep breath, regretting it immediately when I got a lungful of urine and vomit-flavored air. But the stench did kick me out of the paralysis. My legs were too shaky to run, but I managed to walk out to the street. Only six-thirty in the morning, but the sun was up, and the world seemed safer now that I was outside the alley.
I breathed again and my lungs filled with the city version of fresh air, gas fumes, and only a little urine. I was alive. No one had raped me. I hadn’t had to fight off a biker the size of a mountain. Guy was safe. I had a few scraps of information. I would focus on those things, not on the might-have-beens. I couldn’t even convince myself that I would never be in that position again.
I got back to my car and slid inside, pulled out a handful of wipes and scrubbed the filth off my skin and jacket. I might not smell clean, but wipe aroma was better than eau de alley. I gathered up the mess and found a garbage can a block away.
My phone buzzed as I walked back to the car. Guy calling to tell me to get lost? I looked at the screen. David, inviting me to breakfast.
30
I love breakfast in a restaurant. All the bacon and eggs and none of the cleanup. David was waiting for me when I arrived at the White Spot downtown. The location sat more or less halfway between us when he messaged me, far enough for me to get myself together, but not so far that David would ask questions.
“You left the house early,” he said when the waitress walked away to place our order.
The same woman who served me and Andy. I was becoming a regular and I couldn’t tell how I felt about it.
“I had something to follow up on.” I unwrapped my cutlery to avoid looking at him. Not a lie, but if I met his eyes, I might disclose more than I planned. If he knew how close I’d come to... nope. I’m not going to think about it. I had a lead on Viktor and confirmation the Angels were linked to Ivan, so the risk panned out, and nothing happened.
“On the Blackhouse case?”
He knew I didn’t have another active one.
“Yes, maybe someone who might know where Alan is hiding out.”
“You’ll tell Andy?” There was less of a question and more of an order in his voice.
