Jack returned and walked into Quaile’s office alone.

“Close the door,” said Quaile, “and have a seat.”

Jack did as instructed.

“What have you learned about the Russians today?”

“This morning they were dropped off at about ten by Dúc. Laura and I sat on them all day but they haven’t moved.”

“You just sat out there wasting an entire shift?”

“These guys haven’t been supplying me with their itinerary. They’re not a couple of boys who work in offices. It takes time.”

“You’ve had plenty of time. I would have expected a competent investigator to have come up with something more substantial by now.”

“Is this what you called us in for? Perhaps if we were still out there, we would have something more substantial,” said Jack, crossly.

“Your annual assessment couldn’t wait any longer,” replied Quaile, “otherwise it would be overdue. I am a firm believer in punctuality.” He gestured to the forms in front of him and said, “A few questions. Do you speak French?”

“No,” sighed Jack, while checking his watch. “I have passable Spanish and am learning some Russian and Vietnamese, however.”

“That’s ridiculous!” said Quaile, looking dumbstruck. “Canada is bilingual ... French and English. Stop learning those and take French.”

“I don’t believe the Russians I’m working on know French,” replied Jack innocently.

Quaile glared at Jack and said, “How far did you ever expect to get in the RCMP?”

“To the rank of corporal,” Jack replied bitterly.

“I didn’t ask you what your rank is now! I asked you how far you ever expected to get!”

“I heard you. As I said, to the rank of corporal.”

Quaile continued to glare at Jack for several seconds without speaking, before saying, “I don’t believe we have anything further to say to each other.”

“Neither do I,” replied Jack, before returning to his office.

Hang lay curled on her mattress, her tongue exploring the holes in her gums from her missing front teeth. She knew that soon her father would be expecting her to call. When I don’t, questions will be asked. People will look for me ...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar creak of the passage door. She did not feel the fear she once did. She was still another day away from a red circle on the calendar ... and knew Pops would wait until then to do something to her.

Today she expected Pops to smile and mark another X on the calendar, which he did, but he also had a message.

“Your dad thinks you are dead. Killed in a car accident.”

Hang’s emotions played havoc with her brain. Father will be crying because of me! Then she came to a horrible conclusion—the real reason Pops was smiling. Nobody will miss me! Nobody will come looking!

“That’s right,” said Pops. “Everyone thinks you’re dead. Nobody will ever look for you now.”

Hang turned her face into the sponge mattress and wept.

“Do not cry,” said Pops. “Soon you will have your sister to love. And I do mean love!” Pops snickered as he left.

Eventually Hang stopped crying and found herself staring at the calendar. She looked past the red circles to something more horrific. Linh’s arrival! It will be soon ... and it is up to me to do ... whatever ... to save her.

She stared around the room. She knew it well, right down to the number of brass screws in the ceiling. Now, her attention focused on the toilet tank ... and a plan began to formulate.

chapter ten

It was eleven o’clock at night when Jack and Laura saw the lights flick off in the penthouse suite. Jack was glad the Russians decided to have an early night. He was tired ... and depressed. He was home an hour later and was glad to see that Natasha was still awake as she lay in bed reading a book. Twenty minutes later, he got in bed beside her as she put the book down.

“You close to catching these Russians?”

“Not that. Quaile did my annual assessment today. It went badly.”

Jack sighed and told Natasha about his differences with Quaile.

“In the morning he wants me to bust my ass and find out what the Russians are all about. In the afternoon he does this to me. The guy doesn’t have a clue about management.”

“You told me before that you didn’t think he would last long. You expected him to be transferred soon.”

“Now I think I’ll be transferred first, if my assessment is any indication.”

“To where?”

Jack shrugged and said bitterly, “I suspect I’ll be going back to harness, but who knows where. I guess the good news is I’d be working regular shifts. More time to spend with you,” he added, forcing a smile.

Natasha gently pulled Jack closer so that their naked bodies could entwine as one, with their heads sharing the same pillow. “As much as I would like to spend more time with you—twenty-four-seven, actually—I know that is not feasible. And going back to uniform? You wouldn’t be happy.”

“I may not exactly get a choice in this matter,” replied Jack.

Natasha lifted the covers and looked at Jack’s body.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Looking for the man I married,” she replied, dropping the sheets. “That guy wouldn’t have given up so easily. That guy always found a way to solve a problem.”

Jack took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Believe me, I’ve been trying. Laura and I have been putting everything we have into catching these two Russians. I thought that if we did, it might give Quaile reason to reflect. Perhaps adjust his thinking. Now, thinking about how he screwed me on my assessment, I’m not sure that would even work.”

“You’re tired, stressed, and depressed.”

“Tell me about it.”

“If you actually took some time off to relax, maybe enjoy life, it would clear your head. Give your brain a chance to re-energize.”

“I know,” sighed Jack. “What you say is right, but it’s a Catch-22. If I take time off, then I might miss something with the Russians ... then I’d really be screwed.”

“It would still be good to give yourself a small break from it.”

“I can’t. Maybe in a couple of weeks ...”

“You have to lower your stress level. It’s not healthy. Mentally or physically.”

“And how the hell do I do that? Quaile’s riding my—”

“Shut up about Quaile!” said Natasha angrily. “Complaining about him won’t help.”

“Then what do you suggest?” snapped Jack in exasperation. “I’m trying damn hard to go by the rules and look what it’s gotten me! If I had screwed up or got caught doing something I shouldn’t, then fine. I deserve it. But this is bullshit. I know life isn’t fair, but it’s eating me up inside.”

The two of them silently stared up at the ceiling.

Eventually Jack rolled over to face Natasha. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That just didn’t come out right. I really love you. I think you’re an amazing person and sometimes wonder how you put up with me ... and what I do. I just have so many things on my mind. Now is not the time to take a holiday. I wouldn’t be able to relax anyway.”

Natasha sighed and said, “Yeah, I know. I sometimes wonder myself how I put up with you. Laura once said that I was a brave woman to be married to you.”

Jack felt relieved that Natasha wasn’t angry. “Laura told you that? That wench! Don’t believe anything she says.”

Natasha smiled and said, “Of course she was joking, but in a way, it made me think.”

“Think of what?”

“Of how much I love you—to put up with all the crap you do put me through.”

Jack reflected on his relationship with Natasha since they had met and admitted, “There has been a lot of stress—I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” sighed Natasha. “It’s not entirely your fault. I brought home my own bag of stress.”

“Oh?” said Jack. “Want to talk about it?”

Natasha swallowed and said, “Today I had a patient. A young mom with cancer. She’s pregnant with her third and refuses chemo ... the only thing that might save her at this point.”