14
McGiver was furious. “The PI is still alive? Fucking hell, LePlant!”
“You already know what happened on the highway. He was a lucky son-of-a bitch. We didn’t have enough time to get it done. The exit came up too fast.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“As for the lawyer’s office, it was a difficult shot because of where Desocarras parked his car. The first shot clipped him because he was moving, and once he was in the car, we couldn’t get another good shot in.”
“You said you’d be in and out in under a day! For chrissakes! I’m counting on your guys to get this done!”
“And we will.”
“You better.”
McGiver was struggling to keep his anger in check. LePlant decided to keep quiet about the casing he had to leave behind. He couldn’t find it in the little time he had. It must have landed between the desk and the wall. He was certain it wouldn’t be easily found.
“Where is Desocarras now?”
“He’s at Max King’s house with the rest of them.”
“So, your ruse to draw them out didn’t work?”
“The false alarm worked great, but someone figured out what was going on. We only got off a few good shots before the detectives blocked the targets and hustled everyone back inside. Jake is pretty sure he got one of the lawyers in the shoulder, the skinny guy, but we haven’t confirmed that yet.”
“You mean the other lawyer?”
“Yeah. Also, we have to assume they’ve called in an ERT team by now.”
“Emergency Response? Shit, do you think you can finish this?”
“We can finish this, but we had to withdraw from the house across from King’s place. We can’t risk being identified.”
He didn’t mention he was ex-RCMP and could be easily identified by Desocarras or Munroe.
“What about the job?”
“The job’s still on. We’ll just have to change our approach.”
“What about taking the girlfriend from the hospital to draw them out? There’s only one guard on her.”
“I thought you didn’t want to involve the girl?”
“You’re right. I don’t. Not a good idea.”
“Anyway, I don’t think we have that kind of time. And it’s a little too roundabout for my liking.”
“Well, what then?”
“I’ll be in touch, as soon as I’ve got another plan in place.”
There were a few important things LePlant was keeping from McGiver. One was that the shot that hit Desocarras at Max King’s front door didn’t take him out and LePlant should know. He’d had Desocarras in his site, and it was a clean shot. That could only mean that the guy was wearing hard body armour and that probably meant that he’d found the bullet casing he’d left behind in the empty office, and that was not good news. The bullet was a red flag because even the Canadian military weren’t using that size ammo. He’d have to get rid of the rifle.
Global Guard had successfully managed to keep their work in Canada under the radar—until now. His bosses were going to be pissed, and it was LePlant’s fault. It was a dumb mistake, using that ammo. Considerations were a lot different on home turf. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
More bad news was that someone up here had hacked Global’s mainframe. The hacker had left a back door which meant that the guy had paid at least one other visit to the Global Guard server. They managed to track the computer on his second visit, but that trail went cold. Home base couldn’t confirm exactly what information the hacker had managed to get. LePlant had to assume that he and his team had been outed.
He also had to assume that Alex Desocarras knew they were up here. They had a personal history, and that made LePlant very uncomfortable. He’d already given the order that he would take Desocarras out personally. It was his mess to clean up. It wasn’t that he had anything against the guy, personally.
LePlant decided that the only way going forward was a clean sweep, no matter the cost. The quickest and surest way was to take out everyone at King’s house—permanently—one way or the other. They would either storm the place or clear the house under some pretext and pick them off individually. If Desocarras wasn’t there, he’d track him down and take care of him.
It was too bad really. A lot of these environmentalists—native and non-native—were standing in the way of the new green deal going forward. Mining money wasn’t letting that happen anywhere else in the world, at least not where they could prevent it, which was just about everywhere. They sure as hell weren’t about to let it happen here.
The detectives had just dropped Alex off at the hospital on their way to a meeting with Ray Palmer when his burner phone buzzed. It was Melva. He took the call outside.
“Hi Melva.”
“Alex I just tried to get back into the Global Guard server and they were on me immediately—they were fucking waiting for me! I wasn’t able to get you anything.”
“Don’t worry about that. Are you in any danger?”
“I had to assume that my laptop was tracked. I shut it down immediately and cleared out of Norm’s place. I fried the computer, then dumped it a garbage bin behind a restaurant close to us. I didn’t want to take the chance of keeping it.”
“Please tell me you’re safe?”
“I’m not listed as a tenant at Norm’s place.”
“That’s good.”
“I left a message with Norm to call me. His shift is nearly over, but he’s slammed at work right now. I don’t want him to go back to his place until we’re sure the coast is clear!”
“How long ago did this happen?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“And Norm’s at the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take care of Norm. What department does he work in?”
“He’s in Emergency again tonight; they’re short-handed.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m heading to one of the hotels downtown to get us a room.”
“As soon as you’re booked, I need the hotel and the room number.”
“Okay.”
Alex headed straight to Emergency. He spotted the two ERT on guard at one of the cubicles. Ari was in good hands.
He spotted Norm coming out of one of the cubicles and signalled he’d be waiting for him. Norm nodded, gave him the ten-minute signal, and went into another cubicle. Alex waited at the entrance until Norm came off shift and joined him.
They made their way out of the building to a secluded spot.
“Too bad about Ari Rosen getting shot.”
“Did they get the bullet out?”
“They did. There was quite a bit of damage, bone and muscular It’s going to take quite a while to heal. What’s up?”
“Melva tried to reach you by phone about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Yeah, I saw that. I’ll call her when we’re through here.”
“She’s been compromised,” said Alex. “Global Guard caught her hacking into their mainframe.”
“Oh fuck no!” said Norm.
“She wasn’t sure if they got her IP address. She immediately left your apartment, fried her laptop, and dumped it in a bin behind a restaurant not far from where you live. She’s booking a room for the both of you at a hotel. You can’t go back to your place until we’re sure the coast is clear.”
“Do you think Mel’s okay?”
“As soon as she realized she’d been made, she moved quickly to limit the damage.”
“That’s my girl.”
He tried to be jovial, but his voice betrayed how afraid he was for her safety.
“It’s my fault,” said Alex. “I asked her to go back in. She thought it would be fine, but they spotted her immediately.”
“It’s not your fault, Alex! These bastards are to blame.”
Norm, pulled out his phone and called Mel. She picked up immediately.
“Hey girl, it’s me.” He listened carefully.
“Alex, she thinks she’s being followed!”
Alex reached for his phone and Norm handed it over.
“Can you describe the car that’s following you?”
“It’s grey… a big car.”
“An SUV?”
“No. More like a wide car but it has storage space in the back, like a truck. I don’t know what you call that model of car. It’s been behind me since I left Norm’s neighbourhood. That’s funny. Now I don’t see it.”
“Let’s play it safe. Put your phone on speaker and leave it on and turn around as soon as you can. Don’t take any side streets. Come directly to the hospital front entrance. We’re here waiting for you.”
“I might be overreacting.”
“Can’t blame you for that. Better to be safe than sorry.”
“Yeah. It’s just that these guys are scary. Okay, I’m doing a U-turn.”
“How heavy is traffic?”
“A little busy. Not as bad as rush-hour.”
“Busy is good. You’re heading our way now?”
“Yes.”
“How far away are you?”
“Not far—about ten minutes.”
“Do you see the vehicle now?”
“No.”
“Is your car ownership registered in Kamloops?”
“No. I bought it when I was staying in Powell River. It’s registered at my address there.”
Meaning they can only get her name, thought Alex.
“That’s great. Keep changing lanes and try to make sure that there’s always a car behind you. And let us know if you see the vehicle again.”
“I just spotted it! It’s in line at the Burger King.”
“That’s great news.” Alex handed the phone to Norm.
“I think it’s gonna be okay. Keep talking to her. I’ll arrange a ride for you.”
“Hey, Mel, I’m back.”
Alex pulled out his burner and called his dad.
“Hi Dad. I need someone to pick up some friends at the hospital.”
“I can do that.”
“Not you. You’re connected to me.”
“What about Fred?”
“How soon can he get the hospital?”
“I’ll get back to you.”
Norm continued to be the voice of sweet reason on the phone with Mel.
“She’s close now,” he whispered to Alex.
Norm kept up a steady stream of conversation, while Alex scanned the surroundings repeatedly.
“There she is,” said Norm.
“I’m going to take her car and stash it a few blocks away,” said Alex. “You’re going to find a quiet place for Mel to catch her breath. Have you got one?”
“I know just the place. But why can’t we take my car?”
“Not a good idea. I want you to leave it here overnight. I assume that’s not a problem.”
“Not at all. I’m staff.”
Melva pulled up in front of them. Alex moved to the passenger side, and she lowered the window.
“You okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“Good. Now grab all your personal belongings and give me the key. I’m going to stash your car somewhere.”
“Are we taking Norm’s car?”
“No. I’m arranging a ride for you.”
Alex phone dinged. It was a text from his dad.
Fred is on the way. His cell # is 253-638-8888
Alex texted back:
Tell him to park in the employee lot at the hospital entrance. He can text my friends at 257-799-9092. They will join him there.
“My uncle Fred is on his way. He’s going to park in the employee lot. He’ll text you when he gets here.”
Melva was at the curb now, beside Norm, clutching a blanket and a full bag.
“Take her inside, somewhere out of the way. Fred’s coming from Eagle Lake, so he won’t make it for a least thirty minutes. When he gets here, he’ll park in the employee lot and text you he’s here.”
Alex followed the couple into the hospital and watched them disappear down a side hallway and into a room marked RESIDENTS. He waited a few more minutes to make sure the coast was clear, then he got in her car and headed away from the hospital. He lucked out and found a spot in the visitors lot of a high-rise four blocks away.
Back at the hospital, Alex checked with reception to find out where Rose Barlow was and headed up to her room. His watch said 7:10 pm. Fred wouldn’t be here until 7:30 at the earliest.
The uniform at the door didn’t want to let him pass.
“Tell Rose that Alex Desocarras is here to see her. She asked for me.”
The uniform stood up and held the door ajar and leaned in.
“Did you request to see Alex Desocarras?”
“Yes, I did.”
He stepped aside and let Alex enter.
Alex shut the door. Rose was dressed and sitting in the visitor’s chair.
“Is everyone okay? I’ve been so worried. Max said that Ari got shot!”
“He took a bullet in the left shoulder. There was a delay before he was brought here by ambulance, but they’ve taken the bullet out and he’s resting. I’m going to check on him in a bit.”
“Maybe I can see him on my way out.”
“That’s not a good idea, Rose.”
“Okay. Please let me know if there’s any change.”
“Max will keep you up to date.”
“By the way, thank you for the phone, Alex. We really appreciate it.”
Alex smiled. “You’re welcome. It looks like you’re packed and ready to go.”
“The ERT are coming to take me to a safe house. I can’t tell anyone.”
“Actually, I’m here because we need clarification regarding the night you and Max were taken.”
“Okay.”
“Usually, you spend your weekends with Max.”
That brought on a big smile. “My place or his.”
“But last weekend, you made plans to go the movies Sunday evening with your roommate Meeta.”
“We try to do that once a month, but only if there’s something good playing.”
“Max mentioned that he thought the abductors seemed surprised that you were there.”
“Max thought that they didn’t know I was there, not till I called out to him from the bedroom upstairs. I wanted to borrow something, but I couldn’t find it. I can’t remember what. Anyway, there was a guy in the living room with Max. Max said the guy seemed surprised when he heard my voice.”
“Okay.”
“But I don’t know why because, unless either of us is snowed under with work, we usually get together on weekends, my place or his. We’re both so busy, it’s the only time we have to spend together.”
“Right. So, given the abductor’s reaction, it’s likely that they had been told Max would be alone.”
“And he would have been if I hadn’t stayed for takeout.”
“Who else knew that you would be at the movies, besides you and Max and Meeta?”
Alex watched Rose’s face as confusion slowly turned to devastated comprehension.
“Uncle Ray wanted to take me out to dinner Sunday night. We do that sometimes. We’re very close, and we haven’t gone out for a while.”
“So, he called you.”
“Actually, he called Saturday, but Meeta and I had already decided to go see Avatar 2 on Sunday, so Uncle Ray and I were going to go out another night this week. I had to cancel that, of course. I’m still a little wonky.”
Rose fell silent. Alex waited.
“You don’t think…?“
“Was there anyone, besides your uncle, who knew you were going to the movies with Meeta?”
Rose hesitated before answering.
“No.”
“What about your parents?”
Rose shook her head.
“There is one more thing. It’s probably best if you don’t mention this conversation to anyone—especially your uncle—at least not until the facts of the evening are clear.”
“Okay,” said Rose, looking like the bottom had dropped out of her world.
“Rose,” said Alex. “You are the reason Max is still alive. If you hadn’t been with him, well, you saved his life.”
She was fighting back tears by this point. “I did, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did. Don’t forget that.”
She nodded.
“My parents wanted to see me before I go into hiding. They should have been here by now.”
Alex could hear the judge’s distinct timbre just outside the door. They entered the room.
“Mom, Dad, you made it.”
“What are you doing here?” said the judge.
“Dad, Alex is here on official business!”
“Take care, Rose,” said Alex as he nodded civilly to the couple and left the room.
The facts of last Sunday evening were now very clear to him. Judging by the look on her face, Rose knew it was her uncle who gave up Max King. That would be a bitter pill for the judge and his wife to swallow.
He checked his watch. Fred wouldn’t be arriving for another ten minutes at least. Alex headed downstairs to wait for him. He wanted to be sure that Melva and Norm were safely gone before he dropped in on Ari. He grabbed a newspaper and took a seat off to the side in the rotunda. It wasn’t five minutes later that he spotted Melva and Norm on the other side of the rotunda, exiting the front door.
Alex smiled. Knowing Uncle Fred, it had been pedal-to-the-metal all the way. He pulled his fedora low, got up, and watched from a window as they crossed to the employee lot and got into Fred’s car. He backed out, drove to the exit, pulled onto the street and they were gone. Fred would get them wherever they were going, safe and sound. This wasn’t his first rodeo.
Alex waited a while longer to make sure they weren’t followed. With a sigh of relief, he headed down the long hallway to Emergency.
Ari was in Bed 3—the same bed Max had occupied not that long ago. While they’d lost the helmets and rifles, the ERT were still a formidable sight. One of the guards spotted Alex, nodded to him and motioned him over.
“Mr. Desocarras, where’s your armed guard?”
“The detectives dropped me here. They’ve gone to interview someone at another location, and I needed to speak with a witness here. How’s Mr. Rosen doing?”
“He won’t be playing handball any time soon.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“So they say. The bullet really tore his shoulder up; bone and muscle.”
“Is he awake?”
“Out like a light, for a few hours anyway.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“We hear there’ve been a few attempts on you.”
“A few, yes.”
“Where are you headed to now?”
“The detectives will be picking me up at the emergency entrance any minute now.”
His phone dinged and he checked.
“And they’re here.”
“Watch your back, Mr. Desocarras.”
“Always,” said Alex. He turned on his heel and headed back to the main rotunda.
When Strickland called, Ray Palmer asked if the detectives would mind meeting with him at his office. He had back-to-back meetings, but would be happy to fit them in. They agreed on seven pm.
They offered to bring him takeout on their way back, but Bannon declined. He had a package of ramen noodles in the kitchen. Eugene and Angie drove to the nearest drive-thru to grab a bite. Alex had finished his burger when they arrived at the hospital and dropped him off.
Mountain Metals had a small office in the Centennial Building. When the detectives got there, the security guard let them in and directed them to Palmer’s office on the fourth floor.
Palmer was watching for them and greeted them in reception. After introductions were made, he walked them to his office.
“Detectives, I want to thank you for accommodating me.”
“We appreciate you taking the time, Mr. Palmer,” said Eugene.
“Anything I can do to help. Terrible thing. Poor Rose. And her friend as well, of course. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“We’re good,” said Angie.
Palmer returned to the chair behind his desk. The detectives sat in the two leather chairs across from him.
“Detectives, how can I help you this evening?”
“We have a few questions, Mr. Palmer,” said Strickland.
“Call me Ray, please.”
“Okay, Ray. First, we’re trying to clarify the events of last Sunday evening, the night your niece and Mr. King were abducted.”
“Dreadful thing,” said Ray.
“We understand that you had called Rose asking if she would like to have dinner that Sunday evening.”
“Actually, I called Saturday, but she had made plans with her roommate. In fact, we were planning on getting together this week instead, but after what happened, I… I mean we… we’re all giving Rose the space she needs to recover from this terrible ordeal.”
“Did you happen to mention to anyone that Rose had plans to go to the movies with Meeta?”
Ray blanched visibly. “Why would I do that? I mean, who would I tell?”
“We’re stumped, Ray,” said Eugene. “Only three people knew of her plans, but when the abductors showed up at King’s, they were surprised that she was there,” said Eugene. “And one of the abductors—the one who gave her the terrible concussion—actually told Rose it was unfortunate that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which is odd because her and King usually spend every weekend together, being a couple and all, and very much in love I’m told.”
“I … well, I’m sure I don’t know who I would have told. I had no reason to tell anyone.”
“Think very carefully, Ray,” said Angie. “It’s crucial that we know. Maybe it was an offhand remark you made in conversation with someone. Perhaps you happened to mention that you wanted to have dinner with your niece, but she was busy. Did you have that kind of conversation with anyone?”
Eugene and Angie watched the transformation on Ray’s face as the wheels turned. He looked from one detective to the other.
“Well, let me think.”
Eugene smiled benignly. Angie did not. Palmer settled on Eugene.
“Gosh. I was supposed to be in Vancouver last weekend. I was booked to have dinner with one of the board members last Saturday night, but he cancelled at the last minute, and I thought, since I’m going to be in Kamloops for the weekend, which I hadn’t counted on, why not have dinner with Rosie. I haven’t seen her for ages. Saturday was out for her and so was Sunday, as it turned out.”
“And who was the board member in Vancouver you were going to have dinner with?”
There was a subtle shift in the energy in the room, but there was only the slightest hesitation before Palmer answered.
“That would be Frank McGiver. He represents the interests of Solutions Source on our board. And then, if he doesn’t call me back, wanting to meet for dinner on Sunday instead. But I had too much going on this week already. And frankly, he likes to party a little too much, and I knew I couldn’t do both, so I put him off till this weekend… right… this weekend… we have a dinner scheduled for Saturday, I believe. That should give me lots of time to recover.”
Ray tapped on his day-timer and flashed a warm smile at the detectives.
Strickland was more specific this time. “Do you recall if you mentioned to McGiver that your niece would be at the movies last Sunday evening?”
“Well, we often talk about our families. Family means a lot to both of us. I don’t have a daughter of my own, but I was very involved in Rose’s life, especially when she was younger. Hell, I taught her to ride.”
“Did you talk about your families last weekend?”
“You know… we probably did. We usually do, even if it’s just in passing. I was a little disappointed that Rose didn’t have time for me.”
“So, McGiver knew that Rose was going to the movies last Sunday evening?”
“I may have mentioned… yes actually… I think I may have. But Frank is a family man himself. He would never ever… absolutely not.”
“Never put a member of your family in danger?” said Strickland.
“Exactly. Frank’s certainly not a thug!” Palmer was dismissively indignant.
“Frank McGiver works for Solutions Source Inc., a business with strong ties to a variety of other businesses, all of which are owned by members of The League,” said Eugene. “I think he would have to be a League member, to work for them in the capacity that he does. But I imagine you’re aware of that.”
If Palmer was taken aback, he didn’t show it. And the about-face he now did very smooth.
“Of course we’re aware of that.”
“By we, do you mean the owners of Mountain Metals?”
“I do. I’ll grant that they don’t have a particularly stellar reputation here in Canada, but… well, we can’t always control who buys our shares; a portion are publicly traded. And I don’t think I need to point out to you that the League has moved with the times and have put their money into more acceptable business ventures.”
“Some of their money anyway,” said Eugene. “The rest is still pretty much tied up in trafficking: guns, drugs… human beings.”
Palmer blanched visibly.
“By more acceptable, you would be referring to more legitimate businesses, like mining?” said Angie.
“Yes, like mining.” Ray allowed himself a tiny smile.
“My understanding is that Mountain Metals has come under some scrutiny lately,” said Eugene. “Would that be because of your company’s proposal to raise the height of the tailings dam at your Copper Mountain mine, making it what, the second tallest in the world?”
“What scrutiny? We always operate well within environmental standards.”
“That may be the case, but the proposal to raise the dam didn’t trigger an environmental assessment. But you’re aware of that, I’m sure. What if that tailings dam was to fail completely? I understand it has already sprung a few leaks, so the possibility of it failing completely would be a legitimate concern. I mean, it’s going to be pretty tall. And it’s an earthen dam, right?”
“Just a minute. I thought you were here to talk about the unfortunate events of last Sunday?”
“We are,” said Eugene. “But the unfortunate events that occurred last Sunday involved Max King, a lawyer who’d like to shut your company down for sloppy mining practices. Also, I don’t think the people he represents are very happy with rare earth mineral mining practices—another branch of your mining business.”
“We do get a lot of unnecessary complaints,” insisted Palmer.
“Just today, Ari Rosen was shot. He’s another lawyer involved in the impending lawsuit against Mountain. We have reason to believe a security firm has been hired to cause trouble up here with anyone involved with proposed lawsuits targeting your firm.”
“Just a minute! What the hell are you talking about?” Palmer was visibly shaken.
“You didn’t hear the news?”
“I’ve been in a meeting with overseas personnel. You arrived right on the heels of that, and I haven’t had a chance to check my messages.”
He picked up his phone and started to scroll. The detectives watched as his face registered unmistakable alarm, which he quickly masked.
“I’m sorry, Detectives. I have to cut this short. There’s been a development at one of our… uh, one of our mines that I have to attend to. Can we continue this conversation tomorrow?”
“Of course. We understand. We’ll be in touch,” said Strickland.
“No need to see us out,” said Eugene.
The detectives left without another word. Palmer accompanied them to the door and closed it behind them. He was on the phone before they reached the elevators and while they couldn’t make out what he was saying, his tone suggested hysteria. They got into the elevator and headed down.
“He definitely didn’t know,” said Angie.
“He did not,” said Eugene. “Frank McGiver is keeping very big secrets.”
“We should see some action now.”
Ray Palmer immediately called John Prince, the owner of Mountain Metals, and told him what had just happened. A conference call with Mountain’s COO, Paul Mistry, was quickly arranged.
Once both Prince and Mistry were on the line, Palmer quickly outlined for them the essence of the meeting with the detectives that had just occurred in his office.
Mountain Metals was Prince’s company, a company that he’d grown into a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut.
“Has there been any change in their stock percentage?”
“They’re still sitting at fifteen percent,” said Ray.
Mistry was angry, but also scared.
“I told you John, three months ago, that Solutions Source was going to be big trouble for us! I said that right from the beginning. But no one would listen! They were a biker gang yesterday for chrissakes! I told you then, they’ll move to take over Mountain!”
Paul Mistry knew a lot about hostile takeovers. He’d steered Mountain Metals through a successful one just recently, and they now had sole ownership of a very lucrative coltan plant in Rwanda through one of their subsidiaries.
“Paul’s right,” said Prince. “We should have acted sooner!”
“We can still try to force them out,” said Mistry. “We’ve got room.”
“Fat lot of good that will do us if they make it impossible to do business in Canada,” said Prince. “My fucking reputation is at stake here!”
“We can weather this,” insisted Mistry.
“I’m not so sure about that,” said Ray.
“Did the cop actually say they suspected someone working for a security firm shot the lawyer… what’s his name… Rosen?”
“Yes,” said Palmer.
“Did the cop identify the firm?”
“She didn’t. I don’t think they know who it is.”
“Is the regular press covering this?”
“A lot more in-depth than they were a few days ago,” said Palmer. “According to the news, the Kamloops police brought in the ERT. That’s a fact that’s hard to hide. There’s something else you need to know. Something that happened last weekend.”
“How bad?”
“Honestly John, I thought I could handle it.”
“Ray, for the love of Christ, just spit it out!”
“McGiver and I had dinner a few weeks back. He told me then that he had information that Max King was cooking up a lawsuit against Mountain Metals on behalf of one of the interior bands. McGiver hired a couple of thugs last week, supposedly to scare Max King away from filing the suit.”
“Goddam son-of-a-bitch!” Prince was livid. “We know about that! Lawsuits are the price of doing business! Didn’t you tell him that?”
“Of course, John! Of course, I told him that! Apparently, McGiver’s people were upset about what the saw as an impending lawsuit, and they wanted King stopped. McGiver assured me they were just going to put a scare into him. I didn’t think it would hurt not to have to deal with a bullshit lawsuit.”
Mistry piped up.
“Did he ask for your okay?”
Ray was silent for a minute. “Not really,” he admitted. “I did make a call to make sure Rose wouldn’t be at King’s place when McGiver’s men showed up.
Both men were silent for a minute. Mistry was the first to speak.
“Did the scare work?”
“Far from it. McGiver went rogue and gave the go-ahead for the thugs to kill Max King, and they took my niece along for the ride.”
“Your niece!” John Prince was enraged. “What the hell are you talking about!?”
“My niece, Rose Barlow, is dating Max King, and she was at his house when the thugs showed up. She’s a lawyer, and the daughter of a sitting judge! It hardly got a mention in the press because King’s native, for one thing, and the judge managed to put a cap on it, of course… It was a miracle either of them survived.”
“Jesus Ray! What the fuck! Is your niece okay?”
“She’ll be okay, John, although it was touch and go for a few days. After that near disaster, McGiver gave me his word that there’d be no more unsanctioned actions.
“You should have brought this to me immediately!”
Ray was silent.
“They’re trying to force a takeover!” said Mistry.
“McGiver’s people have obviously gone rogue now,” said Paul. “I had no idea that he’d pulled in a security firm until the cop confirmed it here in my office this evening!”
“And we don’t know what firm they’re using.”
“No…” said Palmer, “but given a choice, I’d go with Global Guard.”
“Their head office is in Vancouver, and that’s who we use… In other jurisdictions,” said Mistry. “What if that’s who McGiver is using?”
“We have no way of finding out,” said Palmer.
John Prince was furious.
“We’ve got a real sweet deal here in Canada. They’ve rolled out the red carpet for mining. The new green deal is our ticket to print money. It couldn’t be a better time for us!”
“That’s for sure,” said Mistry. “We’re basically policing ourselves environmentally, and backlash is almost non-existent.”
“And if they manage to force us out, Solutions Source will get the same sweet deal. How the hell do we stop them now?”
Everyone was silent for a minute.
“What do we do… Paul… Ray?” said Prince. “I don’t see a way out.”
“Let me think for a minute,” said Mistry. “If one of the lawyers was shot, it sounds like McGiver has given the security firm shoot to kill orders.”
“All of this will come back on our head!” yelled Prince. “Not theirs!”
“I think that’s exactly what is intended,” said Ray. “The League is definitely moving on Mountain. What better way to force a buyout than to stage very public murders or attempted murders that are linked to us. It’s crude, granted, and somewhat heavy-handed, but very effective. The board will be lining up to sell.”
Prince, seething with rage, was silent for almost a minute. Mistry spoke first.
“Another few percentage points, about four thousand shares, John, and Solutions Source will legally be able to approach the board with an offer to buy.”
“Those bastards are not getting my company! I worked my entire life to build this company. I built it from nothing!” Prince was choking back tears of rage.
“We’ve been fortunate up till now,” said Palmer. “We’ve been able to avoid anything heavy-handed here in Canada. There have been a few minor instances, as you know, but certainly nothing of this magnitude. Usually, we can push on through. But sometimes John, there is—to put it simply—no other way.”
“I want McGiver and his people stopped, and I want them stopped now!”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Let me make it clear, Ray. Put an end to McGiver. I want him taken out. That should send a message to his bosses. Unless they want a full-scale war on their hands, they need to back the fuck off!”
“John, I’m not sure that taking McGiver out of the picture will stop this train,” said Mistry.
“I don’t see another option,” said Prince.
Prince was desperate. He was about to lose control of his very lucrative company.
“It might be better in this instance to use an individual,” he continued.
“We could try to make it look like a gang hit,” said Palmer. “Draw suspicion away from us.”
“Whatever you think best, Ray. Just get it done.”
“Leave it with me, John,” said Palmer.
“Arrange it tonight! Whatever bullshit The League has set in motion up here has to end. Now!”
“Understood.”
“And in the meantime,” said Prince, “I’ll make a few calls.”
Palmer sat quietly at his desk, toying with an engraved fountain pen that Rose had given him for Christmas a few years back.
It would be personally satisfying to have McGiver gone for good. The best scenario would be to get this taken care of tonight or early tomorrow morning. It shouldn’t pose a problem.
McGiver’s house was well protected. He’d been there a few times and was impressed. The office had all the usual security features and then some.
But when McGiver travelled, he travelled alone from his West Vancouver house to work in the downtown and back again. Underground parking had the usual CTV cameras, but as a frequent visitor of late, he knew the guest entry code. And McGiver liked his pleasures.
Palmer phoned the club and confirmed that McGiver had a reservation for dinner at nine PM. If he was orchestrating the overkill up here, he was likely at the Solutions Source office downtown. Palmer had just the man to get this done.
He called Maurice. He was available.
The detectives picked Alex up at the hospital and headed back to the detachment. There was some discussion about Max King and Rose Barlow and the very clear picture that now emerged regarding the night of their abduction.
“Rose was clear that Meeta, Max, and her uncle were the only ones who knew about the Sunday night plan to go to the movies.
“Palmer definitely gave that information to McGiver,” said Angie. “He looked scared to me.”
“He did,” agreed Eugene.
“Rose knows now that her uncle was the one who gave King up,” said Alex.
If she didn’t know it already, he thought.
“The ERT have Rose,” said Angie. “She’s on her way to the safe house.”
“Ari Rosen will be in the hospital overnight,” said Alex. “And he’s covered.”
“That leaves Max and his mom at his place,” said Eugene.
“It would be great if we could get the mom on a plane,” said Angie.
“She refuses every time we ask,” said Alex. “I know that Max plans on going to the courthouse tomorrow morning to file the lawsuits, and he tells me that Connie wants to go with him.”
“He’s not considering that?”
“No, of course not. But she’s been a warrior for her people for years and he’ll have a fight on his hands.”
“Good for her,” said Angie as she got out of the from the cruiser, loud enough for both men to hear.
They walked into the detachment and over to the bullpen to find Al on the phone. Whoever he was talking to, the discussion wasn’t a pleasant one. Everyone went silent, waiting for him to finish. Finally, he was done.
“You’re not going to believe this. Max King wants to file some lawsuits at the courthouse tomorrow.”
“I think that was his plan all along,” said Alex.
“RCMP higher up the chain are nervous at the optics.”
“You mean that they don’t want to be seen supporting an Indigenous man fighting for his people’s rights?”
“Not that, Alex,” Bannon muttered. “Of course we support that. It’s more that… you know… these lawsuits are anti-mining.”
“That’s a safe bet,” said Alex.
“But we support mining. It’s official government policy.”
“Come on, Al,” said Angie. “Surely when mining is involved in trying to kill the opposition we can officially protect the opposition?”
“We don’t have any actual proof.”
“But we do, Al. We just got confirmation,” said Eugene. “Ray Palmer let McGiver know that his niece wouldn’t be present that night and that Max King would be alone. He must have been aware that McGiver sent the goons after Max King.”
“You’re saying that Palmer knew about the hit on Max King?”
Eugene nodded. “He knew.”
“We’re sure of it,” said Angie.
Bannon looked very uncomfortable.
“Surrey wants the ERT to play more of a back-up role when King goes to the courthouse.”
“What? A back-up role? That’s their orders?!” said Eugene.
“That’s their orders,” said Al. They can go in beforehand and do a threat assessment and several of them can be stationed around the area, keeping a low profile.
“For all we know, the goons are still up here,” said Alex. “If Max King goes to the courthouse, he’ll be a sitting duck.”
Angie was incredulous.
“Are you saying the ERT are under orders to stand down?”
“Not exactly stand down, Angie. They can continue to protect everyone, as they have been doing. And they can be a presence outside of the courthouse, but they’ve been ordered not to accompany King into the courthouse.”
“I guess that means that we’ll be accompanying Max King to the courthouse,” said Angie.
“Knightley says that if we mount any kind of protective duty for King, we have to keep a low profile as well,” said Bannon.
He was embarrassed and by this point, wasn’t making eye contact with anyone.
“Knightley says we have to keep a low profile?” Eugene was incredulous. “Where is he?”
“He went home.”
“I’ll bet he did!”
“So, the ERT will do the reconnaissance, and then slip into the shadows somewhere,” said Alex.
“And the detachment will maintain a safe distance—watching?”
Eugene shook his head in disgust.
“I’ll accompany Max King,” said Alex quietly.
“Me too,” said Eugene.
Alex was thoroughly pissed off. He left the room and headed outside.
“He’ll need a ride,” spat Eugene angrily, and he followed Alex out of the detachment office.
“Did you quit?” Alex asked, once they were outside.
“Not yet.”
“Good. You are gonna need the gun.”
“I’m sure nobody wants Max King to be shot down on the courthouse steps. The optics wouldn’t be good.”
“It’s gonna be challenging for them to protect him at arms length,” said Eugene.
“No kidding. Let’s go talk to Max,” said Alex.
The rental was an electric. Maurice had been sitting in the parking garage with not much time to spare. Palmer had been here before, and he’d given him the entry code. He had just enough time to disable the CCTV cameras and pick the best spot for approach.
Palmer always called him Maurice, but if asked, he preferred Mo. He checked his watch. Palmer said McGiver had a dinner reservation for nine PM at the Vancouver Club, and if he was going to make that, he’d be down here any time now to pick up his car.
As if on cue, the elevator dinged and the door opened. McGiver and another man exited the elevator and headed for his car. Two men. He’d have to take out the other guy as well. No one else was in the parking garage.
Mo waited until McGiver and the other guy were in the car. He started up his rental, lowered the driver’s side window, and nosed slowly out of his spot. He swung right and, still moving slowly, covered the short distance until he was just past McGiver’s car and he had both men in his sights. He stopped there, then shot and killed both men. Two clean shots. Pop, pop.
He took a quick photo and sent it to Palmer, then exited the car park and headed back to south Burnaby. He’d switch cars there. He liked the electric cars—a very smooth ride and the quiet was nice—but he preferred his mint condition Mustang. A little noisy, of course, but a lot more fun to drive.
LePlant had been trying to reach McGiver since a little before eight, but his calls went to voicemail, and his texts went unanswered. He’d just gotten word that Rosen had taken a bullet to the shoulder, but it didn’t kill him, and he was at the hospital with two ERT on guard. The judge’s daughter was no longer at the hospital. They’d moved her to a safer place.
LePlant had a plan he wanted to run by McGiver, to be executed later in the evening. Using the whole team, he intended to run a two-point op. He’d have a few of the team mount a distraction at the checkpoint. That would lure at least two of the ERT away from the house, leaving four against his remaining six men. Much better odds for them when they stormed King’s place and got the job done once and for all.
“That would take care of King and Desocarras. Rosen would probably be at the hospital overnight. They might need to leave Rosen. That was one loose end he wasn’t yet sure how to take care of.
It wasn’t how he wanted this to go down—too many variables—King’s mother was also at the house. If she wasn’t in the way they could possibly leave her. They’d have to play it by ear. It was time to get this job over and done with and get the hell out. All he needed the go-ahead from McGiver.
By nine fifteen, LePlant still hadn’t heard back from McGiver, and he knew that something was up. It had only been a little over an hour, but McGiver lived on his phone, and he always got back very quickly. And he needed an answer now, if he was going to plan the assault for tonight.
LePlant called the Vancouver office and had them track McGiver’s phone, which showed him at his office. He sent someone over to Solutions Source to check in with him.
When the guy didn’t find him in his office, he got one of the security officers to accompany him on a search. They found McGiver and another guy shot dead in his car in the underground parking garage. Their guy man confirmed it was a professional hit.
The building’s security officer quickly notified the owner of Solutions Source, Sam Barker, and all hell broke loose. McGiver was his golden boy and as for Barker, he knew exactly what was going on.
While he waited to hear if Barker had called Global’s head office, which he most assuredly would, LePlant tried to piece together what had just happened. McGiver had hired him to take out certain parties that were making trouble for Mountain Metals. His bosses had given the go-ahead for the job and while the first twenty-four hours hadn’t been exactly stellar as far as results went, this wasn’t a cut and dried setup either, with quite a few variables.
Solutions was a shareholder in Mountain Metals, but not the controlling interest. Although it was never mentioned, LePlant had suspected that Solutions Source might be pushing a different agenda than the owner of the mining company. His guess was that McGiver and his people had stepped on someone’s toes, probably the owner of Mountain. Taking out McGiver sent a clear message to his bosses to back off or get ready for a fight. Making it look like a hit muddied the waters.
Global Guard had been doing business for many years with small companies and much, much larger ones. They had no problem doing business with The League. Business was business, and they’d done business with worse, but this was going to be war, and Global wouldn’t involve themselves in war on their home turf. His phone rang. It was his Vancouver boss.
“Hey, Rob.”
“Hi, Gerry. Things are getting very messy with this assignment.”
“Agreed,” said LePlant.
“What’s your take?”
“It looks like The League is moving on Mountain Metals. Have you heard from Solutions Source?”
“Just got off the phone with them. They’re very angry. They want us to finish the job. I told them I’d get back to them after I talked with you.”
“It’s been a bitch keeping a low profile up here, and that’s just gonna get harder. They’ve set up a bunker at Max King’s and now that we’ve tipped our hand—”
“How much success have you had to date?”
“Not much and that’s certainly not for lack of trying. We managed to wound Ari Rosen, one of the lawyers on the list. A shoulder wound, not life threatening.”
“So, no-one has been badly hurt?”
“Not yet.”
“That might be to our advantage. I had another phone call; that one was from John Prince, the owner of Mountain Metals. That was before I talked with Solutions Source.
Prince was fishing. It was either a good guess on his part, or he had some good information. Mountain Metals has used us in the past, and we don’t think it’s to our advantage to involve ourselves in this turf war.”
“I can see your point.”
“Prince doesn’t see any advantage in taking out the opposition. They don’t have to. They simply deal with whatever comes their way in court. As he pointed out, Canadian law is on their side.”
“So, they would not have ordered this job?”
“Absolutely not, according to Prince. I understand that Ray Palmer, their Director of Operations here in Canada, is somehow implicated in an earlier attempt on one of the lawyers, Max King—an attempt which Prince wasn’t informed about initially.”
“So, Palmer was tainted by association.”
“Something like that. But when he realized that McGiver had taken it up a notch, he called his boss.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not sure how we missed that connection. We’re discussing it at this end. It certainly can’t, and won’t, happen again!”
“Right.”
“Gerry, this has been a difficult assignment for you and your team right from the start, and now the ERT is involved. We have no complaints about your work, which has always been exemplary.”
“Thanks Rob.”
“But all things considered, we think it best if you and the team return to home base. I’ll let Solutions know that’s our final decision.”
“I’ll arrange it tonight,” said McGiver.
“One more thing. About the server breach, my people tell me that there’s a possibility you may have been ID’d. There’s no way of knowing for sure, unfortunately.”
“That occurred to me as well.”
“Do you think the hacker is involved in some clandestine group?”
“We have no intel that indicates one is operating in BC.”
“That’s true, we don’t.”
“I haven’t heard, did we recover the hacker’s computer?”
“No, we didn’t. If he’s smart, it’s probably been destroyed.”
“I was afraid of that. So, we don’t have an ID on the hacker.”
“We don’t, but we’ve taken steps, and he won’t get back in.”
“Do you have any idea what areas on the computer he accessed?”
“We have no way of knowing, but I think it best if we assume full access.”
“That’s wise.”
“Do you have any idea who he would pass that information to?”
“I have a suspicion which I need to confirm. If I get confirmation, I plan on taking care of that before I return to Vancouver.”
“You’re not returning tonight then?”
“No. I’ll stay up here a day or two more.”
“What about using Grover? He could be helpful.”
“Good idea.”
“We’ll talk when you get back.”
LePlant was far from displeased. His only remaining strategy had been a long shot at best. There was nothing to do but halt the operation and fly the team back to Vancouver tonight. He would keep Grover here. It could prove helpful to have him on site.
It was obvious to LePlant that his boss felt he’d been compromised, which made him a liability. It was up to him to fix this. He decided to keep his suspicions about Desocarras to himself, for now. He didn’t want to look stupid and after the fiasco of the last two days, he felt that he was definitely under close scrutiny.
He’d seen first-hand that Desocarras didn’t miss much. He’d found the round and he’d acted on that quickly. It was probably best to not take any chances. He would have to smoke him out, but he had an idea how to do that. Given the optics, he’d have to keep the collateral damage to a minimum. He’d make it look like it was a League hit, so there was no blowback on Global.
After they arrived at King’s place, Alex took Max into the study, and Eugene headed to the kitchen to make coffee. Alex filled Max in on what had happened to Melva and steps he’d taken to protect her and Norm.
“Does Eugene know?” asked Max.
“No. I’ve told him nothing. But he’ll be with me, protecting you, so I will include him in the planning for tomorrow morning. Also, you should know that Eugene will be joining me as a partner in my firm.”
“That’s your business, Alex.”
“It is, but it might impact my relationship with the redz—though I certainly hope not.”
“You trust the guy?”
“I do.”
“So, just the two of you are going to accompany me tomorrow morning?”
“Just us, Max. The ERT can do reconnaissance but both the ERT and the detachment have been ordered to keep a low profile at the courthouse.”
“But this house and Ari will still be under guard?”
“The armed guards will continue,” said Alex.
“But they don’t want to be seen as supporting an attack on the government’s partnership with mining.”
“That covers it,” said Alex.
“Not really surprising.”
“It isn’t,” said Alex.
“I have to make a few phone calls,” said Max and he headed upstairs.
There was a knock at the front door, and Eugene went to answer it. It was Angie Strickland. Eugene smiled as he opened the door, and she stepped inside.
“I was going to grab some dinner, but I thought I should come here first—for the briefing.”
“Is Al coming later?”
“He didn’t say, and he doesn’t know I’m here. Not yet anyway.”
“Understood.”
It had been an hour since Angie arrived. She was drinking coffee with Eugene and Alex in the kitchen.
“I’ll go see how much longer Max is going to be,” said Alex, and he headed upstairs.
Connie’s door was open, and she was reading. She looked up when she saw Alex in the hall.
“Have you eaten, Connie? We’re ordering in. One of the uniforms is going to pick up for us.”
“There’s a pot of soup on the stove and a delicious seven grain loaf in a bag on the counter. I’ve already eaten. There’s lots for everyone, so please help yourself.”
“That sounds good.”
“You’re looking for Max, I guess. He’s been on the phone for quite a while.”
“Okay,” said Alex.
He crossed the hall and knocked on Max’s door. Alex opened the door and poked his head in. Max gestured for him to enter.
“I’m talking to Ari.”
“How much longer will you be? We’re thinking about dinner, and we need a plan for the courthouse tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“Okay.”
Alex returned to the kitchen and started to heat up the soup, put the loaf of bread on a cutting board, found the bread knife and put those on the table. He found soup bowls, small plates, and spoons and set them out.
“That smells really good,” said Eugene.
“I’ll say,” said Angie, pulling the cutting board closer and starting into the loaf.
“Courtesy of Connie,” said Alex, who was heating up the soup, a thick, rich, beef-barley.
“I hope you like it,” said Connie from where she was standing at the doorway. She took a seat at the table.
Max joined them a few minutes later and took the chair beside Angie. He was carrying a file folder.
“Hi, Ms. Strickland. You’re in too?”
“I’m in,” said Angie with a smile. “And call me Angie.”
“I’m very grateful, Angie. Thank you.”
She smiled, waved aside his thanks, and continued to slice bread. Max surveyed the table.
“There’s butter in the cupboard behind you Eugene.”
Eugene got up to fetch the butter.
“First and most important, thank you all for being here,” said Max. “I speak for Ari as well.”
“How is Ari doing?” asked Eugene.
“The bullet really messed up his shoulder but he’s getting something pretty strong for pain. He’s adamant that I shouldn’t be taking a chance on going to the courthouse tomorrow morning.”
Eugene put the butter dish on the table and reached for a slice of bread.
“I’ve already decided I’m going anyway, alone if I have to.”
“You won’t be going to the courthouse alone,” said Angie.
“Alex was at the stove, dishing up the soup. “Who can go in your place? Does it have to be a lawyer?”
He started to pass bowls of soup around.
“It doesn’t have to be,” said Max. “But it’s thanks to Ari that we’re ready to file our lawsuits. There is no way that I am not filing in person at the courthouse tomorrow morning, especially after everything that’s happened.
I’ve already arranged for the documents to be picked up here tonight for overnight delivery to a process server. Once they’re received tomorrow morning, they can be delivered immediately to Mountain Metals.”
“How many lawsuits are you filing?” asked Eugene.
“We’re filing two here in Kamloops, but the total for Canada is fourteen: eleven in the US, one in Australia, and three in Europe. Twenty-nine are ready to go.”
“Twenty-nine?” said Angie. “Wow.”
“Yes,” said Max with a big smile. “I would like to explain what is going on to all of you now, what I’m involved in and what exactly we have planned for tomorrow.”
A silence fell over the table.
Finally, thought Alex.
“Interested parties in four countries—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous—have orchestrated something we nicknamed the White Paper Blizzard. Our position in the Canadian lawsuits is that under Section seven of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, security of the person should include the right to a healthy environment.
“We’re going to bring lawsuits against a number of mining companies alleging infringement on the Charter right to security of the person for their failure to ensure the right to a healthy environment. Originally, we were going to file the suits over a period of a few days in different countries, but everyone is ready, so tomorrow is D-Day. Well, almost everyone. A few people have decided not to participate at this point.”
“People everywhere seem to be fighting for the right to clean water, clean air,” said Angie.
“They shouldn’t have to fight for it.” said Connie. “We know that firsthand.”
“Why isn’t the right to a healthy environment enshrined in law? I guess that’s a funny thing to hear, coming from a police officer?”
“Not really. I’m a lawyer, Angie, and I know first-hand that the law isn’t always just. Lots of countries haven’t included that right in the constitution, while others have, not that it’s made that much difference.”
“How soon do you think it’ll be before the lawsuits are forgotten?” said Connie.
“We’re not going to let that happen, mom,” said Max. “We have a social media team. They’re going to release the names of the companies attached to all of the lawsuits, and we’re going to keep bringing them front and centre for as long as it takes.”
Alex phone buzzed. It was Jeri Fernice.
“I need to take this,” he said and headed to the office.
“Hey, Alex. how is it going up there?”
“All quiet at the moment. Is Gwen okay?”
“She’s fine. A little ticked with you, I think. Still, she’s obviously exhausted and it’s an opportunity for her to catch up on her sleep. Although, at our place, she sleeps when the baby sleeps, like the rest of us, which thankfully, is a lot longer of late.”
“I’m glad she’s with you two.”
“We love having her. Gwen’s a lot of fun.”
“So, what’s up Jeri?”
“Something interesting just happened that you need to know about. You mentioned Global Guard might be involved in your trouble up there.”
“I did, and they are.”
“Apparently a representative from Global Guard was sent to check on a guy named Frank McGiver, who works for Solutions Source.”
“Solutions Source is a front business for The League.”
“Anyway, the rep found him dead in the carpark below his office building with another guy who wasn’t named. Jas spotted it when she went online. The story is all over Vancouver social media right now.”
“McGiver’s the one who sent Global up to Kamloops. Was there any mention of who sent Global Guard to check?”
“No and I’m betting it wasn’t Global’s idea to issue a press release, whether they’re involved or not.”
“No kidding. This is great information.”
“I want the full story when you get back to Vancouver.”
“You’ll get it,” laughed Alex. “Take care and thanks for this.”
Alex returned to the kitchen.
“Frank McGiver has been killed. It’s all over social media right now. Someone suggested—through an unknown source—that Global Guard was asked to send someone to check on him.”
“Who’s Frank McGiver?” asked Max, even as he pulled out his phone to do a search.
“He works for The League,” said Alex. “He’s the public face of Solutions Source Inc. They own shares in Mountain Metals. And we suspect they are planning a hostile takeover of Mountain.”
“That’s very important,” said Max. “Especially if that gang gets control of Mountain Metals.”
“My first guess would be the brass at Mountain ordered the hit on McGiver,” said Eugene.
“Killing McGiver is a bid to try to stop the Mountain Metals takeover,” said Alex.
“Global Guard’s name was linked to the discovery of the body,” said Alex. “Someone at the detachment could have spilled to someone that they’re up here.”
“We’ve been careful,” said Angie. “Still… ,”
“Our anti-gang rep would have heard about McGiver before the body had a chance to cool,” said Eugene. “Someone at the detachment could have overhead talk about the murder.”
“That is more likely. Someone at Mountain Metals certainly jumped at the chance to put a nice spin on it,” said Angie.
“Killing McGiver sent a clear message that Mountain’s not afraid to get their hands dirty and then top it off by linking Solutions Source and Global Guard.”
“Wait a minute, you guys!” said Max. “So, the attempt on Rose and me, and Alex, and Ari… it’s never been about this.” He tapped the file beside him. “It’s never been about the White Blizzard!”
“That could very well be,” said Alex.
“So, I’ve been right all along! Nobody knows that White Blizzard is about to hit!”
“This is great news Max!” said Connie. “I hope Global Guard is on their way out of town as we speak.”
“We all do Connie,” said Alex.
Eugene and Alex shared a quick glance.
“It’s not time to celebrate,” said Alex.
“Not yet,” agreed Eugene.
“McGiver’s murder is only the first salvo in what looks to be a bid by Mountain Metals to stop a very hostile takeover,” said Alex.
“Yeah,” said Max. “Mountain Metals is quite the prize.”
“I’m sure Global’s getting an earful from the League,” said Eugene. “And they may have got an earful from Mountain as well.”
“I don’t think Global will continue with what they started up here,” said Angie. “The optics aren’t good. This is Canada after all.”
“Global has never demonstrated that they’re that interested in optics,” said Alex. “It’s more likely that their concern is losing out on business with Mountain Metals.”
“Still,” said Angie. “Making a mess in your own back yard is not good business.”
“It’s not,” said Eugene.
“What they’ve been up to here is a big departure for them,” said Alex.
“Canada isn’t their usual turf,” said Angie.
But has been for a few years now, thought Alex.
“Their usual turf being other countries where democracy hasn’t advanced to the degree that ours has,” said Eugene, with only a hint of sarcasm.
“Or is non-existent,” said Max.
“My gut tells me Global is not going to risk anything more up here,” said Angie. “Not now that they’ve been outed.
“According to Al, the ERT will be doing the reconnaissance tomorrow morning,” said Angie. “Two of their men will be stationed in close proximity to the courthouse.”
“So the three of us can accompany Max tomorrow morning,” said Eugene.
“Sounds good,” said Angie.
“Yes!” said Max.
“Think about wearing clothes you wouldn’t normally wear,” said Angie. “Do you have a big hat?”
“I have a cowboy hat.”
“And loose clothes because you will be wearing a protective vest.”
“Whatever you say, Angie.”
“I’m heading home now,” she said. “I’ll be back at six am.”
“I’ll stay here,” said Eugene. “There’s an extra cot.”
“Good night, Angie,” said Eugene as she left.
“She’s nice,” said Alex after Angie was gone.
“I’m not ready to date yet,” said Eugene.
“That’s that then. I’m gonna get some sleep,” said Alex.
“They’ll probably fly the Global boys out. Maybe even tonight,” said Eugene. “I’ll check in with the private airfields.”
Almost three hours later, Eugene was awakened by a call from Kamloops Air. Six guys had just left in a plane heading for Vancouver’s South Terminal. Eugene got the guy chatting. Eight guys had flown in early Wednesday morning. Said they were going hunting. Not much of a hunting trip, he reckoned. Too cold for them. He guessed two of them decided to stay and party a bit before flying back. Eugene conferred with Alex.
“It looks like we have two staying behind.”
“LePlant and one more,” said Alex. “It would be nice to get a fix on their location.”
“To be so lucky.”
“You ponder that, and I’ll advise the ERT leader. Those guys are getting antsy!”
“Should we advise Bannon?”
“He’d be hurt if I didn’t. I’ll let Angie know too.”
Eugene went out to talk with the ERT leader. They were on twelve-hour rotations now, four men to a team.
Alex assumed it was Global Guard’s call to pull out and leave LePlant and his helper to clean up. Global Guard might not know the extent of the information Melva was able to access while on their server, but they’d be foolish not to assume the worst.
Gerry LePlant had been exposed, which meant he was still a target. There was Global’s involvement in this mess in Kamloops and LePlant’s murder of Cameron McLeod up in the Peace a few years ago and who knew how many others that Melva didn’t have time to identify. Then there was Solutions Source to consider.
The murder of McGiver, their front man, would have his bosses screaming for revenge. Mountain must have some kind of leverage, or they wouldn’t have ordered the hit. Or maybe it was ordered in haste and in anger. It would take a superhuman effort to turn that tide.
Alex texted his dad that there were still a few thugs in town and to be careful. He texted back that he was working at the Anthropology Museum the next day, but it was closed to the public.
It was a secure building. It had to be. No one could get in unless they were buzzed in. Ron would be on the lookout, and he’d be careful. Vera would be lecturing at the college tomorrow. He’d warn her as well.