could have been assigned to work with The Brotherhood. There has been a definite amalgamation with how they make meth. We have to presume that they are working together.â
âChrist,â said Connie. âNothing is ever simple. Why couldnât I just once get a case where the wife comes home and shoots her husband for screwinâ around on him ⦠then calls us to say she did it.â She waved her arms in the air and added, âAll this shit with gangs, juveniles, The Brotherhood, Satans Wrath ââ
âAh, come on, Connie,â said Jack, with a grin. âDonât tell me you donât like a challenge. I know you better than that.â
âI really want to solve this,â replied Connie, sounding exasperated.
âUs, too,â replied Jack, his voice becoming sombre. âIf you saw the look on Gabrielâs face after the doctors told her what they were testing for ⦠holding Faith in her lap â¦â Jack concentrated on taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling in an unsuccessful attempt to block the memory before continuing. âBelieve me,â he said determinedly, âwe will solve it.â
âWell, you caught Varrick before,â said Connie. âLetâs catch him again. Any suggestions?â
âWe need to find him and identify who was with him. With the evidence you have so far, you know there is no chance you could convict. If you haul him in for questioning he wonât talk and all it would do is let him know weâre on to him. Once we find him, maybe you could get a wiretap. Weâll work together. Laura and I will liaison with Drug Section and the Biker Unit if the need arises. We still have some more reading to do. With The Brotherhood, it is going to take time to figure out who all the players are.â
âIâll keep a surveillance team on the house,â said Connie. âMaybe heâll show up. Letâs see what another day brings.â
It was ten oâclock at night when Jack arrived home and pulled into his parking space in the underground parking lot. He was glad to see that Natashaâs parking spot was still empty, but knew she would be home from work soon.
Jack went to their apartment and returned a few minutes later with a toilet plunger. He was successful in that the plunger sucked the ding out of his car door, but as he walked back to the elevator, Natasha arrived.
She got out of the car and kissed him, before gesturing to the toilet plunger. âI always thought your expression of you donât catch sewer rats with church mice was what you said about your informants. I had no idea that you really were after sewer rats.â
Jack sighed and said, âI used it take a dent out of the car door.â
âAccident?â asked Natasha.
âI punched it,â admitted Jack.
âDid it help?â
âNo. Made me feel stupid.â
âBad day at the office, or did the door take a swing at you first?â
âHasnât been a good day,â replied Jack.
âInvolving that family you brought to BCCH?â
âYes.â
âSo youâre after the sewer rats who lived in her basement.â
Jack nodded.
âSounds like tonight we should have a glass of wine and unwind a little.â
âMake it a bottle.â
Natasha eyed Jackâs hand and said, âBreak any bones?â
âNo, I havenât caught them yet.â
âI mean your hand, not ââ She stopped when she saw Jack smile at her. âDo I need to worry?â she asked, convinced that Jackâs smile was not genuine.
âI think I cracked a knuckle, but as far as the bad guys go, you donât need to worry.â
Natasha stared at him silently.
âHey, Iâm smiling, arenât I?â added Jack.
âYeah, and your upper lip looks a bit like a Frankfurter. It always does when youâre trying to pull one over on me.â
Jackâs chuckle
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