“I figured that.”
“He said he hopped the commuter train to go to the suburbs and do some break-ins. He saw Albert go to an ATM and picked him because he was old. Said he needed the money because the price of speed went up after all those labs got taken down last week.”
Jack briefly closed his eyes and massaged his temple with one hand. So if I hadn’t taken the labs down, Albert Dawson would still be alive...
“Anyway, I have one other thing to ask,” continued Connie. “Don’t know if you heard the news this morning on the radio, but there was a murder outside the Black Water last night. I called City. That was what the sirens were about when we were leaving. It had to have happened when you were there. Do you know anything that would help?”
Jack let out a long sigh, then said, “I might have a possible lead. Let me check it out. I’ll pop down there tomorrow. There might be someone I could chat with.”
chapter twelve
The next afternoon, Jack told Danny he had some personal business to take care of and left the office. He stopped at a red light and thought about why Albert Dawson had died.
A blast from a horn behind him caused him to jerk, and the tires squealed as he drove through the intersection. When he arrived at the Black Water, he parked in the rear alley. If Ophelia isn’t here, I’m not waiting around!
Jack strolled through the bar. He saw Ophelia and motioned her to come and sit with him at table near the rear exit.
“Yeah, what do ya want?” she asked.
“Have you heard from Spider?”
“Naw. Haven’t seen ’im yet today.”
“You’re not going to,” said Jack, showing her his identification.
“Oh, fuck,” said Ophelia, her voice sounding like the blade of a snow truck on a bare street.
“You know why I’m here?”
“Can’t believe I was that stupid to ask you to pipe that guy with me. That’s my fuckin’ luck!” she added.
“The young girl with you. What’s her —”
“Aw, man, leave her be. She had nothing to do with it. Didn’t know what was going on.”
“Yeah, right. Do you think I’m blind?”
“Come on, man. Give her a break. She’s just a kid. Here, take me,” she said, holding her wrists out over the table to be handcuffed. “I won’t cause a fuss.”
“I know you’re the one who dropped a quarter on Spider.”
Ophelia’s eyes widened. “Fuck! Don’t say that too loud,” she said, glancing around. Then she admitted, “Yeah. Glad you got him.” She slowly put her hands down and then asked, “You did get him, right?”
“We did. So tell me, why did you turn him in ... for free?”
“He’s scum. What the news said he did to that old guy.... Just because I’m an addict doesn’t mean I don’t give a shit about people.”
“Where was your compassion when you killed an innocent man two nights ago?”
“Innocent! That fucker wasn’t innocent! You see the age of the girl he wanted to fuck?”
Jack nodded.
“And she was older than some of the ones he’s had. Do you know what that’s like for a kid to go through?”
“I can only imagine.”
“Yeah? Well you’re lucky, cuz I do know what it’s like to turn tricks at that age!”
“That’s what I figured,” said Jack.
“Yeah, well ... life sucks.” She held out her wrists again and said, “Go ahead. For the time I have left, maybe three meals a day won’t hurt.”
Jack shook his head and said, “Child molesters aren’t high up on my Christmas list. As far as I’m concerned, justice has been served. See you around.”
Jack stood up to go, and Ophelia said, “You mean you’re not going to arrest me?”
“No, but keep this conversation between the two of us. Have a nice day.”
“I owe ya one,” she said.
“Yeah, I’ll hold my breath waiting for the phone to ring,” said Jack. He pushed open the rear door to step outside.
A woman with two preschool children stood in the back alley. She was weeping while placing a bouquet of flowers on the ground.
“Ophelia, come here.” Jack motioned her over.
Ophelia came to the door and looked out.
They listened as the woman explained to the children that Daddy was in heaven now.
“Fuck,” whispered Ophelia. “Her ol’ man paid extra to ride bareback. That’s why he liked them young. Thought he wouldn’t get AIDS. What a chump. I know the kid has it. Maybe you should tell his ol’ lady there to get checked.”
Jack watched as Ophelia turned and walked back to her table.
He was just stepping out the door when he received a call on his cellphone.
“Hi ... uh, it’s Holly,” she said, not wanting to say his name. “You said you would help me, so...”
“What is it, Holly?”
“I’m sorry. I’m at the hospital but my car won’t start. Then I went and locked my keys inside. Jenny needs to be picked up from daycare. They won’t wait. Can you ... I don’t know what to do.”
“Stay at the hospital. Call the daycare and tell them I’ll pick up Jenny. We’ll meet you at the hospital. If we can’t get it started, I’ll give you a ride home.”
“You sure? If you’re busy...”
“A taxi would cost a fortune and buses would take longer. I’m not busy. I’m really glad you called. I need a break from work.”
“Thanks.” She gave Jack directions to the day-care. When she was finished, she said, “There’s one other thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Is it okay if I don’t call you Jack? Like ... do you have a nickname that you wouldn’t mind being called?”
“My middle name is Bruce. Sometimes my friends call me J.B.”
“Like the scotch?”
“Yes, like the scotch,” said Jack, watching as the woman led the children down the alley.
“Well, guess I’m your friend ... so that’s what I’ll call you.”
Jack paused for a moment, then said, “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“I think you know.”
Jack’s thoughts were on Ophelia and the woman in the alley as he drove to the daycare. He grabbed his cell-phone and called Connie Crane.
“I checked out the Black Water regarding the guy found in the alley,” said Jack.
“Any luck?”
“Dead end.”
“Well, thanks for trying.”
“Victim Services involved with the wife?”
“I presume so. It’s a City case. He was married?”
“Yes. His wife and two kids were laying flowers where his body was found.”