“Oh, we’re not talking about having your phone bugged,” said Jack. “You see, we were working on you for drug trafficking out of the van. Imagine our surprise when our monitors got around to reading what you had to say.”
“What … what are you talking about?” asked Ho.
“Guess the investigation is over,” said Jack, looking at Laura. “I may as well take the transmitter out.”
Ho watched intently as Jack reached up and pulled off the plastic cap over the interior light in the back of the van to expose a small slit in the roof lining. He then reached in with his fingertips and pulled out an electrical wire connected to a small circuit board and put the item in his pocket.
Ho’s face went white. “You had the van bugged,” he gasped.
“You really picked the wrong van to watch her house,” noted Laura.
“Thought you were a dope dealer,” said Jack. “Didn’t know you were a murderer too.”
Ho started to hyperventilate, then squeezed his eyes shut to try and calm himself while shaking his head in sorrow for being caught.
“Maybe we have some good news for you,” said Jack. “As an alternative to spending the next twenty-five years in jail as somebody’s bitch, you could work for us and not be charged.”
Ho glowered at Jack and said, “You mean to rat. I ain’t nobody’s rat!”
“You’re only twenty-three years old,” said Laura. “Think how old you would be when you got out.”
“We would never burn you,” said Jack. “Although we can’t guarantee you immunity from any other officers, anything you tell us will be kept confidential and not used against you. We are after who orchestrated the murder. We know you were just a flunky.”
“I’d rather go to jail than be murdered for being a rat,” replied Ho, stubbornly.
“No arrests would ever be made if it would mean having you identified,” said Jack. “With your help, we would figure out a way to do it so you were safe.”
“Forget it!” Ho sneered at Laura. “You’re right. I am only twenty-three,” he said smugly. “Basically an innocent kid. If I ever was convicted of doing what you said I did, I would be out in about seven years at the most.”
“There is one more thing,” added Jack. “Have you thought about what will happen to your grandmother and your sister while you’re in the joint?”
“They’ll manage,” replied Ho.
“You should know that we will be seizing your grandmother’s house,” said Jack.
“You can’t do that! My grandma’s got nothing to do with it!”
“We have you for dealing dope,” said Jack, sounding matter-of-fact. “You have been helping pay the mortgage. The house is therefore considered the proceeds of crime and I will see that it is seized … unless you co-operate!”
Ho looked wild-eyed back and forth at Jack and Laura’s stony faces. Soon tears welled up and he whimpered, “Are you sure nobody will find out?”
Chapter Ten
After thirty minutes of intense questioning, Jack and Laura let Ho return to the Hanoi House so he wouldn’t be missed. They then returned to their office and Jack listened to a phone message from Connie Crane.
Connie said that discreet inquiries on Mia Parker did not reveal any criminal connections. Mia had graduated top in her class when she obtained her master’s in psychology and was currently taking political science. She was single and living in a basement suite a short distance from the University of British Columbia. The owners of the house, Maxwell and Julia Rolstad, were also checked and had no record of any criminal involvement.
Connie noted that Parker’s mother, Jia-li Parker, was a Chinese Canadian and a freelance journalist without any known criminal ties. The only record on file for Jia-li was due to her husband being killed in a hit-and-run accident twenty-five years ago. It happened when he was in a crosswalk at dusk on a rainy day. Although the hit and run was unsolved, Jia-li was definitely ruled out as having any complicity in the crime and Mia was only three years old at the time. Inclement weather and speed were listed as the likely cause.
Jack passed the information on to Laura and they reflected on the similarity of Mia’s father dying in a hit-and-run accident, but considering her age at the time, decided it was not relevant.
What Jack did decide might be important was the Chinese ancestry. He reviewed his notes as to what they had been told by their new informant. As usual, he had worded his notes to protect who had actually given him the information.
1 One day prior to murder — Tom Nguyen (VC-3) ordered Anh Dang to kill an elderly woman who lived alone. Anh Dang lives in a house in Delta with others who work with him at the Hanoi House Restaurant.
2 Anh Dang was ordered to pick two others to help him. He picked Paul Cong and Harry Ho. Cong lives at the same house in Delta and Ho lives in Richmond with his grandmother.
3 Tom Nguyen never gave the reason behind the murder. He simply supplied the address and described the victim as an older woman who lived alone and had a dog.
4 It was imperative to make it look like an accident and Tom Nguyen told Anh Dang to steal a car and drive over her.
5 Anh Dang stole a car and was the driver. He told Paul Cong to be his passenger and Harry Ho to watch the woman’s house from the van and call him when she left.
Jack then flipped the page of his notebook to what he thought was the most important detail.
1 The hit was of extreme importance — Tom Nguyen VC-3 told Anh Dang that the orders came down from the top (Dong Tran VC-1 to Bien Duc VC-2 to Tom Nguyen VC-3 and then to Anh Dang).
“So what do you think?” asked Laura, when Jack looked up.
“It still doesn’t make sense to me,” replied Jack. “Why would the top Viet order such a hit?”
“He is under Satans Wrath control,” noted Laura. “Maybe it has something to do with them.”
“I don’t think so. They would have made sure it was done right. The real target, Nancy Brighton, is still alive.” Jack shook his head as he tried to think of a motive, then added, “Dong Tran is still a crime lord onto himself. I don’t think Satans Wrath were involved.”
Laura grimaced as she thought about it. “If it was over Nancy Brighton fingering someone for a possession beef … that seems ludicrous.”
“Coincidental, though,” replied Jack. “It was only the week before that Nancy saw Mia Parker stash the drugs.”
“Yes … but for possession? What would she get? A small fine or probation?”
“You know what I think of coincidences,” muttered Jack. “I don’t think we can rule anything out. We’re going to have to keep digging. Maybe get a wiretap and do something to get the bad guys talking. I better give I-HIT a call.”
Connie Crane glanced at her watch as she spoke to Jack on the phone. Forty-eight hours since the murder …
“Laura and I have a well-placed source who is in a delicate position in regards to the murder,” said Jack.
“By delicate … you mean involved?” asked Connie.
Jack let his moment of silence answer the question, then said, “Before I disclose anything to you, would you be happy enough to get the driver of the car and the person who ordered him to do it, without charging anyone else in the event you ever did find out who else