“Didn’t think so. The guy I’m after is dark-skinned but has a British accent. I figure he’s Indo.”
“British accent?”
“Yes.”
“Carlos has a brother by the name of Ray. Ramon in Spanish. I thought he was in Britain. He got his masters at Cambridge in business administration. We figured he was going to return to Colombia and help Carlos launder money.”
Jack stared at his phone for a moment, then yelled, “That’s it! Carlos knows! It is retaliation for what I told you!”
“Jack ... I’m sorry. If it is Carlos, I still don’t know how he could have found out about you.”
“It has to be! You said he’s a psychopath! Ray is here! I know it! He’s doing his brother’s bidding!”
Carlos listened to Ray gasp and choke out the words, describing where he was and what had happened. Damien heard the outrage as Carlos screamed into the phone.
Damien then spoke into the phone and said, “So, Carlos! If you want to see your brother again, you’ll let my family go. You’ve got five minutes and then the next call I get better be from my wife!” He hung up before Carlos could reply.
The minutes crawled by and everyone in the car wash remained silent as they waited. Three minutes later, the phone rang. Damien smiled with satisfaction as he answered.
“I have telled my men to move your whore and bastard girl,” said Carlos. “If you hurt my brother, he will not be able to tell you where they are.”
“Let me speak to them,” demanded Damien.
“You will not speak to me in that manner,” replied Carlos. “You understand. I have two peoples. You have one.”
“I have your lawyer,” said Damien.
Carlos laughed and then said, “I no care about him. I bought him for nothing. One hundred thousand dollars Canada. He then talk to me. He tells me all about you. Who can trust hombre like that? Kill him if you wish. He is not important.”
Damien glanced at Leitch and cursed silently, then demanded, “Let me speak with my wife. I want proof that they’re alive!”
“You will have talk soon, amigo. I have telled my men. You will get such a call in one hour.”
“Good. Then...”
“But you have now attacked my family. My ... what you call honour. One of your family is die because you make more mistake. In one hour you can tell me which one!”
“What do you mean!” Damien yelled before realizing that Carlos had hung up. He quickly redialled. No answer.
Damien looked at his men, who stood waiting for instructions. He had none.
chapter thirty-one
Jack gripped his phone and listened intently as JimBo spoke.
“If it is Carlos, he’s untouchable,” said Jim-Bo. “So will Ray be, if he makes it back to Colombia.”
“We’ve got activity,” said Laura, looking through the binoculars. “The warehouse door is opening.”
Jack looked up and saw a van pull out of the warehouse. “Gotta go, Jim-Bo,” he yelled into the phone before grabbing the binoculars from Laura.
Seconds later, Jack knew they were at the right place. “That’s the same van that was at the motel the other night,” he said.
“This place is it!” said Laura, excitedly. “Vicki and Katie ... they’ve got to be inside that warehouse!”
They watched as the van screeched to a stop beside the pickup, then the driver of the pickup ran over and got in the van. Moments later, the van raced away.
“Maybe I can figure out a way to peek inside that place,” suggested Laura. “Pretend I’m lost or something.”
“They took the lookout,” said Jack. “Something’s not right.”
“Maybe he wasn’t a lookout.”
“Maybe. We can always come back later. Follow the van. They might lead us to some other place.”
It was dusk when the van turned off the Lougheed Highway onto Pitt River Road. Laura was stuck in traffic and Jack said, “It’s crossing the Red Bridge.”
Laura found an opening and quickly started to cross the bridge spanning the Coquitlam River, then abruptly slowed down.
“Watch it!” said Jack.
“Too late,” said Laura, “we’re on the bridge. Going to have to pass them.”
Laura watched the van in her rear-view mirror as she drove past. “They’re turning off,” she said. “Small parking area by the bridge.”
Laura drove for a moment before parking on the side of the highway. “What do you figure? Meeting someone?”
“Yeah, maybe someone with a British accent,” said Jack tersely. “Come on, we’ll go on foot.”
Damien sat on the floor, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his face in his hands. You can tell me which one. The words echoed in his brain. Taggart’s partner’s wife ... she had the same option. This isn’t just an idle threat!
Three-quarters of an hour passed before Damien got to his feet and spoke quietly with Whiskey Jake and Lance. Lance went outside as Damien looked at Rellik and said, “Untie him!” while gesturing to Ray. “Give him back his clothes. Wallet, passport — everything!”
“What about Leisure Suit Larry?” asked Rellik.
The hope in Leitch’s eyes disappeared when Damien said, “Leave him as is.”
Ray quickly dressed and Damien handed him the cellphone. “When your brother calls, tell him I’m setting you free. You can just walk out of here.”
Damien saw Lance return and said, “You tell the boys outside to let him go?”
“I told them,” said Lance. “You want me to call a cab too?”
Damien nodded and said, “Tell them to be here in half an hour.”
“Yellow or City?”
“I don’t give a fuck! There’s a phone book in the office. Use it!”
Damien looked at Ray and said, “Nobody will follow you. When you know you’re safe, call your brother and let him know. Your Mercedes is still at Stanley Park. I’ll give you your keys back.”
Ray’s dark eyes gleamed. He was back in control again. There was one thing he was certain. He knew his brother ... and what would happen when he was freed. Damien would pay dearly for this intrusion. He would never see his wife and daughter again. In a few years, when Damien thought he was safe, he would also die. But what choice does Damien really have? Not to release me will mean that both his wife and daughter will die. Of course, they will anyway. But how can you live with never knowing for sure?
Ray stared at Damien, who returned his stare briefly before looking down. Damien was beaten. He knew what was about to happen and there was nothing he could do about it — but beg. Something he was likely willing to do right now.
The Carlos cartel was no stranger to kidnappings. Ray knew that his brother looked at it as entertainment. It instilled terror and maintained the position that Carlos had hacked out for himself. Damien will suffer the fate of many others. He will listen to his loved ones die...
“Hola!” answered Ray when Carlos called.
Ray spoke with Carlos in Spanish, then looked at Damien and asked, “I may leave now?”