“There’s a problem … huge,” mumbled CC. She spoke like she was in pain, as if someone had beaten her stomach and ribcage with a hockey stick.

Jack realized that CC was fighting back tears. “CC? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I fucked up,” she cried. “Tree of the poisoned fruit or something. No, that’s not it.”

“What? You’re not making sense.”

“Fruit of the poisonous tree. That’s it. That’s what the prosecutor just told me. The garbage bag, we can’t —”

“I know. We can’t use it in evidence. We knew that. It’s too bad but at least we know we’re on the right trail. We’ll get other proof.”

“No, it’s much worse,” sniffled CC. “The prosecutor was screaming at me she was so fucking mad. She said that we might as well have given Goldie permanent immunity from prosecution for it.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Jack, feeling a sense of dread ooze through his body like a parasitic disease.

“Because we stole the garbage bag, not only can’t it be used, but she says any evidence we gather on Goldie from here on in is tainted because we’re using illegally obtained evidence as the catalyst to further our investigation. If we didn’t know about the garbage bag in his garage as being literally connected to the one at the murder scene, we wouldn’t have continued to pursue the investigation on Goldie.”

“Bullshit!” yelled Jack angrily. “I was working on the premise from what Goldie said in Wang’s car that he was involved. Not to mention, the trail of the gun that Laura and I followed. Even if the garbage bag hadn’t matched, I wouldn’t have given up!”

“I know. That’s how I perceived it. The prosecutor says different … or at least says a judge would say different. The evidence leading up to stealing the bag is admissible. What was said in the car was under a legal wiretap.”

“Yeah, which means squat,” replied Jack. “Even you weren’t convinced they were talking about the same incident. Jesus! Now you’ve got me saying it.”

“Saying what?”

“Incident. Like, oh, well, guess we have to let this incident slide and work on some other incident. These incidents are murder! Now the murderers walk because I stole a garbage bag?”

“It’s not your fault. I’m the primary investigator and I was the one who told you to do it.”

“Yeah, with me prodding you and putting you on the spot saying we didn’t have much time. I knew it was wrong. I just didn’t realize how wrong.”

“I should have known better.”

“What about this Enabler, The Shaman character, or the guy with dead eyes? What if we find out who they are?”

“The angle I think you need to pursue is that you’re investigating Goldie for drugs and these others are his bosses. But as far as nailing Goldie for his part in the murder, I think you better forget about it.”

“I am investigating them for drugs. By coincidence, Melvin is a priority above and beyond that.”

“You don’t need to convince me. Save all that for the courts,” said CC. “Won’t take a defence lawyer long to bring up reasonable doubt to some juror.”

Jack stared briefly at the phone in his hand. So if all goes well, maybe Goldie could get a one- or two-year stint in jail for drug trafficking? How do I explain that to Natasha?

“What’s going on?” asked Laura, once Jack hung up.

“No use explaining it twice,” said Jack. “Come on, I better tell Rose how I screwed up.”

Both Rose and Laura looked as sick as Jack felt once he finished explaining the situation.

“I’ll back you if any complaints come from Department of Justice,” sighed Rose.

“I don’t give a damn about DOJ,” said Jack. “Once I stop to think about it, it’s not like Goldie would have received any real time in jail even if we did have a warrant. Defence would have tabled it as a prank gone awry. He really might spend more time in jail on drugs. Will our budget allow Laura and me to continue in that regard?”

“Maybe if you would quit dropping fifty-dollar tips, it might,” replied Rose. “No, wait, it seems to me the one you claimed Saturday night was a hundred.”

“That was an exception,” said Jack. “A young woman by the name of Patty. I think it was her last shift. Besides, we didn’t claim any drinks that night, so it balances out.”

“Relax,” said Rose. “I wasn’t really serious, although money is an issue. We’re no different than the narcs when it comes to that. Our budget isn’t going to let you go out and start buying kilos.”

“I’m hoping they think we’re above that level,” said Jack. “I think if we get an offer, it will be something far more substantial. These guys are definitely worth pursuing. I’m certain that Goldie is about to take me into his confidence. Our priority is to identify whoever is above him.”

“I agree,” said Rose. “Keep playing it as you have been and keep me in the loop. Once they’re identified, we can reassess the situation.”

“Will do,” said Jack. “I don’t think it will take very —” He paused to answer his cellphone and made a slash sign across his throat with one finger as he looked at Rose.

Rose took her desk phone off the hook as she and Laura watched.

“Arthur! Good to hear from you,” answered Jack.

22

“What’s the name of this spot again?” asked Laura as she drove along West Broadway.

“Regal Beagle,” replied Jack. “Keep driving, it’s up in the twenty-two-hundred block.

“You pick it, or Goldie?”

“It was my choice. Great spot. Small pub with an Asian restaurant attached to it. For pub food, it has some of the best. One of the owners makes his own pickled green beans that they put in a lot of the drinks.”

“Pickled green beans?” said Laura, wrinkling her nose.

“Calls them Blaze’s Beans. Beats a stick of celery in a Caesar. Try it sometime. You’ll like it.”

“I would if I was invited.”

“Sorry about that. He was adamant about talking to me in private first. He said once I heard what he had to say, if I still wanted to tell you it would be okay.”

“You want me to park out front and sit in the car? A little subservient if we want him to respect me.”

“Park a couple of blocks away. I’m not worried about my safety. He won’t be searching me in a place like this. I’m going to be packing my piece, so don’t fret. I’ll tell him you’re off shopping, but will be back by five o’clock for drinks and supper. Should be enough time for him to say what he has to say.”

“Great. While I’m waiting I think I’ll call Natasha and tell her you’re off drinking and getting your bean snapped.”

“My what? Where did you pick up that expression?” said Jack, chuckling.

It made Laura feel relieved. Jack’s mood since CC called him had not been good. He was taking the garbage bag fiasco personally. Too personally.

Jack entered the pub and spotted Goldie drinking a glass of white wine. Jack joined him and ordered a Caesar with two Blaze’s Beans. The waiter had barely left the table when Goldie outlined his real business to Jack, starting years earlier when he was arrested at a Burmese checkpoint near the border to Thailand and was saved by a man he called The Enabler. He told Jack his couriers, along with his shipment of heroin, were also detained, but later both the couriers and the heroin were once more on their way.

“And the man you call The Enabler saved you?” asked Jack.

“I probably owe him my life. Since then, life has been one big gravy train. I know you have the connections back east. Jump on the gravy train with me and we’ll both get rich together.”

“So, if I have it right,” said Jack, “The Enabler is a middle man. He knows everyone from the poppy growers up to the drug warlords to the police, customs officials … everyone.”