Jack watched Anton casually take a pistol out from the back of his belt and was relieved to see that his eyes were fixated on Klaus.
Seconds later Anton fired one shot through Klaus’s temple.
Wolfgang nodded his satisfaction and switched the band saw off while Bojan left to shut the table saw off.
Jack saw that Anton had shut his phone off and immediately felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket. Probably Laura … the timing from the sound of the gunshot and Anton hanging up is too coincidental for it not to be her … and too coincidental for me to answer without arousing suspicion…
Wolfgang waited until the noise from the table saw ended, then looked at Jack. “Clean enough for your standards?” he asked, before smiling and gesturing at the tarp. “A simple matter to roll up and dispose of … what is it you call it? A loose end?”
Jack frowned. “Not quite up to my standards. The calibre of pistol Anton used was powerful enough to go through his head and the tarp. I am sure there is blood on the floor underneath, not to mention the possibility of the slug being there. A .22 or .32 cal’ would have been better.”
Wolfgang lifted the tarp by the edge, rolling Klaus’s body over, and peered at the floor. “You’re right,” he said. He then dropped the tarp and reached into his jacket pocket, from which he withdrew a wad of money. He handed it to Jack.
“What’s this for?” asked Jack.
“Ninety-eight hundred dollars,” replied Wolfgang. “The going rate, you told me. Not to mention, you have performed this task for us once before.”
“That I have,” said Jack.
“Consider it payment for a temporary contract. If it pleases you, I am sure the contract will be extended.”
Jack thought for a moment, then put the money in his pocket, before shaking hands with Wolfgang.
* * *
Laura and Otto were running to their car when Laura’s phone rang.
“Hi, Laura,” said Jack nonchalantly, knowing that Wolfgang was standing close enough to hear him. “It’s Jack. How’s Nicole doing? Is she feeling any better?”
Laura could only gasp mouthfuls of air as she tried to stop herself from blubbering.
“You sound terrible,” said Jack. “Is she that sick?”
Laura’s feelings went from anguish to anger. But unsure if anyone was listening to her on Jack’s end, she repressed the anger and replied, “Yes, she’s still in a lot of pain.”
“That’s too bad. Please, give her my love.” He paused briefly. “The reason I’m calling is that I need to speak with Sammy. I called, but he didn’t pick up.” It was a lie. Jack had only pretended to call because he knew Laura would be reacting to what she heard and he needed to put a halt to it. “Do you know where he is?”
“Want me to call him and get him to call you?” Laura asked.
“Please.”
“There’s a lot of people I’ll need to call,” she added, knowing that the Emergency Response Team had been summoned, along with a host of others responding to her call for help.
“I understand that,” Jack said. “Do what you have to. Does her sister, Rose, know what’s going on?”
“Not yet. I haven’t had time.”
“Good. She’s frail herself. No use alarming her until we know more.”
“I take it you’ll contact her yourself?”
“Yes, but not until later. Sorry to rush, but a new client has invited me in for coffee. I should go.”
Minutes later Jack sat with Wolfgang and Anton at the kitchen table while Bojan made coffee.
Jack pretended to be watching Bojan, but he could sense that Wolfgang was itching to tell him something. What now?
Wolfgang cleared his throat and said, “Jack, there is another loose end I think you would like cleaned up. It has to do with you directly.”
“Oh?”
“Klaus’s car. As a result of the … encounter you had with him last night, there’s a lot of blood in the trunk. If there were to be an investigation into his disappearance, you would not want the police to find his car. Particularly since, as you mentioned, you were seen driving it out of the parkade.”
Jack smiled to himself. Big Joe, you oversized baboon, so that’s how you intend to check me out.
“Well?” Wolfgang prodded him.
“No worries,” Jack replied. “The car is a loose end that you are not to blame for — other than hiring Klaus in the first place. I’ll look after that, as well.”
“Excellent,” said Wolfgang. “I expected you would.”
Jack’s phone vibrated and the display told him it was Sammy, so he answered.
“Laura said you were trying to get hold of me,” said Sammy, careful not to say more than necessary until Jack let him know he could. “I was recharging my phone and had it switched off. She reached me through Benny.”
“I need some janitorial work done again,” Jack said. “Same place as last time.” Jack paused, as if listening, then smiled at Wolfgang before saying, “No I’m not joking. These people might be interested in a weekly service.”
“I hope not,” Wolfgang whispered from across the table, before grinning.
“There is something else that needs to be cleaned up,” Jack said. “Hang on and I’ll tell you what I want you to do in a second.” Jack then smiled apologetically to Wolfgang. “Sorry, but I need to go outside for a little privacy. If you find out my trade secrets, you won’t need me.”
Wolfgang inclined his head. “I understand. By all means.”
Jack walked out into the yard, then said, “Okay, we’re both free to talk.”
“What’s going on?” asked Sammy.
“Anton put a bullet through Klaus’s brain on orders from Wolfgang.”
“Yeah, we figured that. Laura said they wanted you to do it as a test.”
“I don’t think that was the only test. I’m sure the gun Wolfgang gave me wasn’t loaded. He stuck it in his belt when I gave it back to him, yet told Anton to do it while he was busy yakking on the phone. Why didn’t he shoot Klaus himself or have Bojan do it? Not to mention, when Anton shot Klaus, the electric saws had been turned on to cover the sound. They weren’t turned on when he handed me the gun and told me to do it.”
“Good thing you didn’t try to arrest them,” muttered Sammy. “Tough call to make.”
“I wouldn’t have arrested them even if it was loaded. They’re not the ones who killed Kerin.”
“I understand. Just hope the brass does.”
“Big Joe has a plan to check me out,” Jack said. “I think I know what it is. They want me to get rid of Klaus’s car.”
“Son of a bitch. Another tracker?”
“That’s my guess … and likely better hidden.”
“What are we going to do? Find it and throw it back in their faces? At least they’ll think we’re professional and not stupid.”
“If need be, but I have a better idea. You ever work with an operator by the name of Bob Aitken?”
“No, but I’ve heard lots about him. Didn’t he retire and get a job with the Insurance Corporation of B.C.?”
“That’s the guy,” Jack confirmed. “He looks like Grizzly Adams, but is one of the best and smartest UC operators I’ve ever worked with. I still have a drink with him once in a while. He deals with a lot of stolen cars for ICBC and has the contacts. I’ll call him and get back to you.”
A moment later Jack dialled Bob and explained what he wanted.
“Hell, not a problem,” Bob said. “I know a place I trust to do it and keep their mouths shut. Give me Sammy’s number. I’m working in Surrey today, but I’ve got time. I’ll get things set up within the hour. In fact, I know a guy who’ll lend me a tow truck. If you like, I’ll borrow it and drive it myself.”
“That would be fantastic. If the bad guys are doing what I think they are, I want it done right.”
Jack returned to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat down.
“Everything okay?” asked Wolfgang.
“Everything is fine,” replied Jack. “The only thing I would ask is that your men roll up Klaus and dump him in the trunk of his car. Toss the pistol in the trunk, as well. The person I need is busy, but one of my men will be dropped off here and take the car to save time. I’ll go along to ensure that things are done right.”
“Sounds good.” Wolfgang nodded.
“Tomorrow, let’s meet for lunch,” Jack suggested. “There’s a popular bistro in your hotel called Griffins, right across the street from the Vancouver Art Gallery.”
Wolfgang nodded again. “And with regard to the task ahead of you this afternoon … you have no worries?”
“No worries,” Jack said. Until Rose, the brass, and I-HIT find out about it….