“Lance's loyalty might be with Damien. I think it would be better to keep him out of this. I'll get a couple of strikers. T-Bone and Booger. Neither one would question whatever I tell them to do. But you still haven't explained how or when.”
“Tomorrow is Friday. We do it this weekend. And I'll tell you exactly how.”
Late Friday night Jack lay in bed gently running his fingers through Natasha's hair. Her head lay on his chest, and Jack knew by her breathing that she was asleep.
He reflected on their evening. Natasha was a great cook. She was also coy about why she called to apologize for having doubted his sincerity. She said a good friend had opened her eyes but wouldn't say who. He had the feeling that she enjoyed keeping a secret from him.
He watched the luminous numbers of the digital clock in the bedroom as the minutes slowly flipped by into hours. He tried to sleep but his brain wouldn't shut off. He took slow, deep breaths to calm himself but had to repeat the process often. He couldn't stop thinking about two small coffins and the promise he had made to Maggie and Ben Junior.
He waited until early morning, then left a note and slipped quietly away. Leaving a note was easier than answering questions. Besides, if things went as planned, he could explain it to her over dinner tonight.
Jack's first stop was his own apartment. He immediately checked a voice-activated tape recorder that he had hidden under the sofa. The footage indicator was unchanged. He looked at his stereo.
Do they plan on leaving the bug in there forever?
He showered, changed his clothes, and headed out the door.
It was just before noon on Saturday when CC and Charlie Wells entered the motel lot. The units were individual cabins well spaced from each other, but as Charlie had commented upon their arrival, they were not the type to be recommended by the travel bureau.
They entered the office and CC asked the proprietor if he was Mr. Burnside. When he said he was, she showed him her badge and introduced her partner.
“You called our office and said that you had some information concerning the murder of those two children?” she asked.
Burnside looked nervously past them. “I don't want anyone to see me talking to you.”
“What are you afraid of?” asked CC.
“Bikers,” replied Burnside. “Let's go in back.”
Moments later, Burnside explained. “Bikers started bringing this creep to my motel,” he said, nervously glancing out the door. “Then they bring him young girls. Real young. A biker would always sit outside in a car and wait. It's none of my business. I just rent the rooms.”
“What does this have to do with the murder?” asked CC.
“I was warned last night by one of the bikers that I should get out of the city for a couple of weeks. Can't do that. Lose too much business.”
“Why? What biker?”
“Dunno. I think he's with Satans Wrath. He told me this guy who likes little girls has flipped out. He says the guy is gonna start killin' anyone who can identify him.”
“You still haven't said what this has to do with â”
“The biker says to me, you heard about those two kids in the farmhouse? I says, yeah. He says that this weirdo was gonna do somethin' to the girl but her little brother came in and he ended up killing 'em both. Guess he told the kids to stand on one side of a door 'cause he didn't want to look at their faces when he did it. Then he blasted away with a shotgun from the other side. Apparently he missed the little boy and had to do him later. Don't know if this is all bullshit or not, but thought I should tell ya.”
CC exchanged a glance with her partner. The information on how the kids were killed had never been
released to the public. This was the lead they had been waiting for.
“Who is this guy? Can you identify him?” she asked.
“I don't know. Only saw him for a second. Like I said, he's weird. I went past this cabin one night. I could tell he was takin' pictures because of the flash. The curtain wasn't completely closed and I saw him stark naked except for wearing a mask of George Bush.”
“You sure it was a George Bush mask?” asked CC.
“Yup. And it wasn't Halloween. But this other night was different. I think that the girl he was with slashed his back with a knife. The biker wanted me to bring a first-aid kit. I only saw his face for a second when I brought the kit. I think the guy was angry that I saw him.”
“How often does he come here?”
“Maybe once a month. The biker rents the room and pays cash. Another one of the Smith family. I did write the weirdo's licence plate number down once.”
“You've got his licence plate number?” CC could barely conceal her excitement.
“Yeah, but it was a couple of weeks ago and now I can't find it. It might still be around someplace. I was lookin' before ya came over.”
“I'll give you my card,” said CC. “I want you to keep looking and call me immediately if you find it or if this guy shows up!”
Wizard waited until Burnside was alone before walking out of a nearby unit.
“They believe ya?” he asked.
“Hook, line, and sinker!”
At noon, Jack called Natasha. She was perturbed that he had slipped away without waking her. He apologized and said that there was some work he had to take care
of but hoped the restaurant he had made dinner reservations at would make up for it.
“I know the place,” said Natasha. “Was there once, years ago. Right on top of Burnaby Mountain. It's beautiful. Has a panoramic view of Vancouver. You're forgiven!”
Thumper crept through the bushes and then dropped to the ground. He adjusted his binoculars and saw Ben walking to the barn. An hour ticked by before he saw Elizabeth come to the door and holler that lunch was ready. Moments later, Ben and Marcie walked from the barn to the house.
Thumper went back to a small dirt road where a van was parked amongst the trees. Rolly, T-Bone, and Booger were waiting inside. All three had sawed-off shotguns on their laps.
“Well?” asked Rolly.
“All three of 'em are in the house havin' lunch right now. Give Wiz a call and tell him we're ready to rock an' roll.”
Jack glanced at Natasha as he took the exit off the main highway and onto Capilano Road. She was wearing a new dress and looked particularly ravishing. “Have you ever been here before?” he asked.
“The Capilano Suspension Bridge? No, but I looked it up on the Net once. The view looked beautiful.”
“You're right about that. Stretches out over 450 feet and hangs 230 feet above the river. Hope you're not afraid of heights.”
“No, it sounds like a fun place for a walk. Just make sure we don't miss our dinner reservation. I've been looking forward to that all afternoon.”
“The park closes at five. That gives us lots of time to get to the restaurant.”
“Only gives us half an hour here, though,” said Natasha, looking at her watch.
Jack didn't respond. With what he had to say, she might decide never to see him again. He parked the car and adjusted his tie and straightened his suit jacket as he walked around to open her door.
After passing a cluster of totem poles, they made their way onto the suspension bridge. There were few tourists this time of year. Jack noticed one solitary figure carrying a cooler in one hand and a large bag in the other hand as he trudged across the bridge far ahead of them.
“My God, it's high!” said Natasha, putting one hand on the railing.
“Are you scared?”
“No ⦠not with you here. Just excited! This is absolutely breathtaking!”
Jack held her hand as they walked toward the centre. He found himself unable to appreciate or study his surroundings. He looked at Natasha and knew that her excitement was waning as she glanced periodically at his face. They stopped to admire the view from the centre of the bridge, and Jack stood with his arm around her.
“Look! Someone left a cooler,” observed Natasha.
“I saw someone ahead of us leave it there a moment ago,” replied Jack. “Probably heavy. Bet he plans on picking it up on the way back.”
Jack glanced around. They were alone on the bridge. He didn't see the figure hidden amongst the trees at the far end of the bridge. The man used binoculars to spot his cohort hiding on the opposite side. A portable radio hanging from his belt crackled. “Got your charges set?”
“All set,” he replied.
Out in the middle of the bridge, Natasha turned to Jack and abruptly said, “Okay, what is it? You're not looking at the view and when you look at me it's like you're someplace else. What happened? Something this afternoon? What's going on?”
Jack's mind went numb. His carefully planned words escaped him. He felt like someone had ripped his tongue out.
“Jack! What is it?”
He reached in his suit pocket and handed Natasha the small velvet box.
“Oh ⦠Jack,” whispered Natasha.
She carefully opened the box and looked at the engagement and wedding rings. The engagement ring was made of yellow gold with three small diamonds imbedded in a V at the top. The V fit into the wedding ring, which had a large diamond in the centre with three smaller diamonds in an opposite V behind the centre diamond.
“I take it you're asking me to marry you?”
Jack nodded his head. He knew he had a goofy grin on his face, but he was so consumed by anticipating what Natasha's response would be that he was at a loss for words.
Tears welled up in Natasha's eyes, but she chose her words carefully and spoke firmly. “Jack, you know I love you, but I want more out of life than that. Someday I want to have children.”
“I want children, too. That's why â”
“Let me finish. I want someone who will be around to be a husband and father forever.”
“You're doubting my loyalty? I can't believe that you would think â”
“I'm not doubting your loyalty! I believe you keep your promises. Which is what I'm afraid of. I've seen your eyes when you talk about Maggie and Ben Junior.
It's that loyalty that scares me! I can accept that your job is dangerous. What I can't accept is you committing ⦠some act that would see you taken away from me. I'd make a lousy pen pal!”
Jack felt his eyes water. “Give me a minute, please.” He turned and walked to the opposite side of the bridge and stared out over the abyss. He wondered if he would ever be able to sort out his thoughts. After a couple of seconds, he realized that the answer was really very simple.
The most important thing in my life is standing right behind me.
He turned to face Natasha. “I promise you that from this moment forward, I will not do anything that ⦠that would jeopardize my future with you.”
Natasha was silent for only a moment, and then she started to cry. “In that case, I would be very pleased to marry you.”
They kissed and hugged for several moments before Jack remembered to take the champagne from the cooler.
“What? This is yours?” Natasha asked, as Jack popped the cork and filled two glasses.
Neither one had time to say a toast. Explosions at both ends of the bridge lit up the evening sky over their heads with fireworks.
“Jack!”
“Danny is at one end. A good friend by the name of Louie is at the other.”
Natasha looked in awe at the fireworks and said, “This is so beautiful.” She raised her glass and said, “To spending the rest of our lives together.”
“As long as we both shall live.”
On Sunday morning, Jack felt the warmth from the sun shining through Natasha's patio doors as he ate his breakfast.
Natasha smiled at him and said, “You're a man full of surprises, Jack.”
Jack swallowed the last of his toast and said, “You didn't see it coming?”
“No. I didn't see any of it coming. Yesterday was like a dream.”
“I'm glad it was a dream and not a nightmare. I was pretty nervous.”
“You also must have been pretty busy! We barely stepped inside the restaurant last night before they played
The Marriage of Figaro
. For the maître d' to be that attentive, I suspect you must have been more than generous.”
“Yesterday was a little hectic, but you know something?”
“What?”
“You're worth it.”
“You're damn right, I am!” Natasha laughed.
Jack checked his watch and said, “If you're going to take Marcie out for lunch, you better get going.”
“You're sure she doesn't know?”
Jack shook his head. “Marcie was in the barn when I called. Liz is really excited but she won't say anything to her until you break the news.”
“Good.”
“I'm really pleased that you want to do this for Marcie.”
“You don't feel left out?”
“Not a bit. Especially shopping for clothes. The two of you will have a lot more fun without me tagging along. Besides, I need to get back to my own apartment and change.”
From his hiding place, Thumper watched as Ben towed the fertilizer spreader around the field on his tractor. Thumper unzipped a sleeping bag as the late-morning sun sucked the dew from the ground. Then he saw Elizabeth and Marcie come out of the house and start hanging clothes from a clothesline that ran from the back porch of the house.
Thumper glanced behind him as Rolly crept through the bush to take his turn at watching.
“They movin' around?” asked Rolly.
“Doesn't look like they're goin' anywhere. Couldn't be a better time to pop 'em. The guy is out in the field on a tractor and the bitches are doin' laundry. If we whack the bitches first, farmboy shouldn't hear the noise.”
“Haven't heard from Wiz.”
“Give him a call. Tell 'em the three fish are in the barrel. I think it's time.”
Jack was excited when he arrived back at his own apartment. Too excited to remember to check his voice-activated tape recorder. It was a mistake he would soon regret.