Legg knocked on the apartment door while Connie Crane stood to one side, keeping an eye on a couple of junkies who entered a room farther down the corridor.

“You sure this is the right place?” asked Connie.

Legg rechecked the piece of paper from his pocket and said, “This is what Taggart wrote.”

A moment later, someone was heard moving around inside and Legg knocked again. Eventually the door opened as much as the chain lock would allow.

Connie caught a glimpse of the woman who stared back at them. She wore fishnet nylon stockings, small satin shorts that allowed the cheeks of her ass to hang out, and a tube top that advertised her nipples.

“Vice?” she croaked. “What the fuck do you want?”

Legg shook his head and said, “Not Vice. RCMP. Are you Ophelia?”

She nodded.

“We’ll make it brief,” continued Legg. “If you don’t want to come with us, then just talk to us now. Will take less than a minute. Do you know Jack Taggart?”

The hooker paused, then quickly closed the door.

Legg looked at Connie and was about to ask what they should do when he heard the chain being removed. Then Ophelia opened the door and glanced nervously down the hallway.

“Yeah, I know Jack,” she tried to whisper, but her voice was raspy and it still sounded loud. “But tell him I’m not working for him anymore. The jerk said he’d never tell anyone.”

It was a voice that Connie knew she recognized ... but from where?

“You know a guy called The Toad?” asked Legg.

“Yeah, I’ve been talking to Jack about him. Fuck! If someone found out, I’m dead!”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” said Legg. “We just want to ask you a few —”

“I know you,” interjected Connie.

The hooker glared at her and said, “No ya don’t.”

“I recognize your voice. Ophelia, we talked on the phone. It was me you spoke to about Spider.”

Isaac listened as Randy told him about Ophelia saying she was Jack’s informant.

“Taggart still in interrogation?” he asked.

Randy nodded and said, “Staff Legg just got back and is with him. I just came out to tell you about this hooker. It’s the same hooker who solved that homicide for us. With the war veteran.”

“So Taggart did have an informant,” mused Isaac. “Guess he doesn’t lie about everything.”

“I don’t think he has her anymore. She was pretty upset that he divulged her identity.”

“So be it,” said Isaac. “I feel bad about that, but this takes priority. Once we get the confirmation report from Mexico, I want you to —”

Isaac was interrupted by his secretary, who brought in the report and said, “You told me to bring this in immediately, sir.”

Isaac quickly read the report, then grimaced and said, “It seems the Mexican police would like to have Taggart return. I’m delivering this message in person. Bring him to me!”

Minutes later, Randy reappeared in Isaac’s office. Isaac glanced up as Jack Taggart entered, followed by Legg. Isaac immediately arose and came around from behind his desk and walked directly up to Jack.

Legg saw the angry look on Isaac’s face. That’s when it occurred to him that Taggart might be armed. He placed his hand on Taggart’s forearm while nodding to Randy to do likewise.

“Damn it, Harry! Let go of the man’s arm!” ordered Isaac.

Legg quickly pulled his hand back in surprise.

Isaac looked at Jack and said, “I owe you an apology and I believe apologies should be made in person.”

“Sir?” said Jack.

“I’m afraid I made some presumptions that turned out to be false,” said Isaac. “With your association with Damien, coupled with Bishop’s death in Mexico at the same time you were in the country ... well, it aroused my suspicions.”

“Sir, that was just a coincidence. That is what I have been trying to tell —”

Isaac raised his hands, gesturing for Jack to stop. “I know. I just received a report from our LO. The day Bishop died, you were on the opposite side of the country. A place called Merida.”

“Sir!” said Legg. “What proof is there of that? Even if he was booked in a hotel, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t —”

“Don’t interrupt!” said Isaac. He then looked back at Jack and continued, “There’s more to it than that. Something that makes me even more ashamed of my actions.”

“Sir?” asked Jack.

“An incident near the hotel you were staying in. It took place the same morning Bishop died...”

“The Angeles de Merida?” asked Jack.

Isaac glanced at the report in his hand and said, “Yes.” He then looked at Randy and Legg and said, “That morning, five thugs jumped a policeman in an alley. They credit Taggart with coming to his rescue and saving his life.”

“Oh, that,” said Jack. “It was really nothing. I barely remember the incident.”

“Well, they do! They have a report on it. They wanted to honour you with an award, but you left before they could get their act together. They said they tried to locate you but weren’t able to. Speaking of which, you don’t use credit cards much when you travel, do you?”

“I find I can negotiate better rates at some places using cash. Especially in Mexico.”

Isaac nodded. “Well, they would like to see you get recognition for it. Later, at a more appropriate time, I’ll be presenting you with a letter of commendation.”

“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that, but now I am kind of busy. May I get back to work?”

“You certainly may.”

Isaac waited until Taggart left his office before turning his attention to Randy and Legg.

“Do you think he was sincere?” asked Isaac.

“Sir?” responded Legg.

“Taggart ... do you think he was sincere?”

“I certainly think so,” replied Legg. “This is rather embarrassing. I’m afraid I may have been a little overzealous in my questioning.”

“There is an addendum on the report from the LO,” said Isaac. “Take a look.”

Both Randy and Legg leaned over Isaac’s desk and read: “The policeman who claims to have been rescued by Jack Taggart arrived at the meeting on a new Yamaha motorcycle. Unusual, considering the low salary of policemen in the area. This may be coincidental, but it should be noted that Satans Wrath has a history of influence with the Mexican authorities. Undoubtedly, this is the very reason that Sidney Bishop fled to this country.”

“If Taggart is innocent,” said Isaac, “I do not wish to be embarrassed any further ... so be careful.”

“Sir?” asked Legg.

“Don’t close the file on him yet,” said Isaac.

It was late afternoon when Pussy Paul met with Leitch and passed on the information that he was the subject of a police wiretap. Leitch’s concern was immediately evident on his face. Pussy Paul was barely out of sight when Leitch used his BlackBerry to send Ray a text message to arrange a meeting.

It was the last message Leitch would ever send.

chapter thirty

Laura drove into the office parking lot and picked up Jack, who stood waiting for her.

“How did it go?” she asked. “You didn’t call me this morning, so I figured...” Her voice trailed off as she waited for a reply.

“You figured right,” replied Jack. “Everything has been cleared up. They discovered I was on the opposite side of Mexico when Bishop died.”

“Really?” said Laura, looking surprised.

“What have you got?” said Jack, changing the subject. “On the phone, you said you had a good lead.”

Laura nodded and passed Jack her notebook as she drove. “It took awhile, but between Customs and company checks, I finally hit pay dirt. Take a look at the last entries. You were right about the van. It is registered to the same company that picks up shipments of coffee from the dock. I’ve found seven different addresses associated with them.”