“We have been checking,” said Moustache Pete. “There are many places a ship could come in undetected.”

“But it was only a fishing boat going out to sea,” said Dúc. “My man has his own fishing boat there and his house for the passengers. It is much easier.”

“And if the men on the fishing boat that saw the ship unloading have talked, what then? Next time the police could be waiting.”

“It is a small town. The fishermen all know each other. My man says he would have heard something if that were true. Next time, if the ship were to come in two hours earlier, there would be nobody around to see.”

Moustache Pete and the Fat Man looked at each other and nodded in agreement. “Okay, we do it the same way next time, but if the load is lost, it is you that must pay.”

“I understand. It will not be lost.”

“The money?” said the Fat Man, gesturing to an attaché case that Dúc carried.

Dúc nodded and passed it over.

“All there?” asked the Fat Man.

“Yes.... No!” replied Dúc.

“What do you mean?” asked Moustache Pete. “Is it, or isn’t it?”

“All there except for the young girl. I forgot to pick that up.”

“Ah, our insurance policy,” said Moustache Pete with a smile as he looked at the Fat Man.

“Insurance policy?” asked Dúc.

“Just a joke between the two of us,” replied Moustache Pete.

“The money is arranged,” said Dúc. “He paid all of the deposit the first time, but I gave it back when only one girl came. Please, one moment, I know he works Tuesday to Saturday, but he may not have left for work yet.”

Dúc used his cellphone and made a quick call. When he hung up he said, “Yes, he is home and will wait, but I must go now.”

“That is not a problem,” said Moustache Pete. “We will go with you and wait in the car. You can drive us back to our apartment later. Maybe by then the bank will be open and we can stop there first.”

Jack stared at Quaile as he made a pretext of looking at them as he sat behind his desk.

“Yes. You look much more appropriate,” said Quaile, avoiding Jack’s stare. “That is how you should be attired on all occasions. Now, I’m going to call Inspector Penn and tell him that the both of you are now available to ....” Quaile paused to answer his telephone.

“May I speak with the NCO in charge, please?” asked a feminine voice.

“You are. This is Staff Sergeant Quaile.”

“Stand by, one moment please. I’m going to connect you with Deputy Commissioner Simonson.”

“Deputy Commissioner Simonson!” said Quaile aloud.

It was a name Quaile knew well. Deputy Commissioner Simonson worked in Ottawa and was only one rung below the actual Commissioner himself. Someone so far up the chain of command that for him to call someone in Quaile’s position was virtually unheard of.

Quaile glanced at the call display and recognized the Ottawa prefix and put his hand over the receiver and looked at Jack and Laura and whispered, “Get out.”

“Sorry,” said Jack. “I couldn’t hear that.”

“I have an important call. Get out!”

Jack and Laura obediently returned to their own office.

Back in their own office, Laura looked at Jack and said, “I was afraid to even look at you in there in case I couldn’t keep a straight face. Deputy Commissioner Simonson?”

Jack smiled and said, “Quaile would never have the nerve to call him, let alone question what he wants.”

“Good one. Who are you using?”

“Remember Bob from Edmonton?”

“Thought he was retired now? Working for the Insurance Corporation of B.C.”

“He is, but still has all the contacts. Including someone to provide him with a call forwarding number out of Ottawa.”

“If this doesn’t work, Quaile will have you transferred.”

“I have the feeling that I’ve nothing to lose.”

Quaile drummed his fingers on the desk for thirty seconds, but sat upright when a gruff voice asked, “Staff Sergeant Quaalude?”

“Ah, it’s pronounced, Quaile, sir.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Things are hectic here this morning. What’s the weather like out there in Vancouver?”

“Windy and raining right now, sir. Kind of miserable.”

“That’s good. Listen, I’m calling about the reports you submitted. The Commissioner is personally interested in this.”

“The Commissioner! What reports sir?”

“On those two Russians your section is working on. I don’t have their names. You must know who I mean?”

“I do sir.”

“Their names surfaced in an international investigation we’re involved with here. It’s a high priority case involving very bad apples. We’ve discovered that there is corruption at the highest level. Indications are that it is even amongst our own ranks.”

“Corruption amongst our own ranks, sir?”

“Yes, Quaalude, I just said that. Now, whatever you get on these guys, I don’t want you to dilly-dally with the reports. Send them in pronto! I don’t know how you got on to them, but I can tell you, the Commissioner is pleased. There are other countries involved and it’s about time we had something to make us look good.”

“Yes, sir! My instincts told me these guys were bad from the get-go. Should I have my investigators contact someone?”

“No. Don’t talk about this to anyone or have anyone make any calls at this time. Weren’t you listening when I said there is a serious indication of corruption?”

“Yes, sir. Of course.”

“Simply proceed like normal. We will contact you if the need arises. Just keep those reports coming.”

“Would you like me to direct the reports to your personal attention?”

“Jesus ... of course not, Quaalude! I have better things to do than distribute reports around the building. My God, what do you think I do here? Send them through ordinary channels as always. You got that?”

“Yes, sir!”

Moments later, Jack and Laura were summoned back to Quaile’s office.

“Listen, I’ve had overnight to rethink what you said yesterday and have reconsidered this whole Russian matter. I’m going to allow you to continue working on them, but I expect results—don’t let me down!”

“Staff ... are you sure?” asked Jack, ignoring the roll of Laura’s eyes. “What about Commercial Crime?”

“That can wait for now. You told me these Russians are worth taking a look at. You better not fail. This is your one and only chance to prove it.”

“Will do,” said Jack as he and Laura turned to leave.

“Not so fast,” said Quaile.

“Staff?” asked Jack.

“I see our overtime budget is healthy at the moment, so don’t hesitate to work a few extra hours if necessary.”

Upon returning to their office, Laura looked at Jack and said, “Bob was a good operator.”

“One of the best. He still is.”

Dúc parked his car down the street from Pops’s house and got out while Moustache Pete and the Fat Man waited. They watched as Dúc hustled down the street before disappearing up the inclination of a driveway that led around to the back of the house.

“It is good,” said the Fat Man. “This degenerate. He pays us for our insurance.”

“Soon the other child will be here,” said Moustache Pete. “It will be double indemnity.”

Both men chortled.

Jack and Laura were parked near the entrance to the Russians’ apartment building and Laura used the steering wheel to steady the binoculars as she looked at a car that just arrived. “Oh, man,” she said, passing the binoculars to Jack.

Jack adjusted the binoculars and yelled, “Damn it! That’s Dúc dropping them off! Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

“Only ten in the morning,” commented Laura. “Wonder what they were up to? Maybe just meeting for breakfast.”

“Maybe. Would have been nice to know for sure instead of seeing if my tie matched my shirt. Dúc isn’t usually an early riser. Something was up.”

“Stay with the Russians or go with Dúc?” asked Laura.

“Let’s sit on the Russians. They’re our main targets.”

It was late in the afternoon when Quaile called Jack and told him to return to the office.