Jack Taggart Mysteries 7-Book Bundle. Don Easton
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laughed and said, “Damn right, you are! I’ve been watching. The way you swing your arms says you’re a Mountie. City cops don’t take that much drill marching, or whatever it’s called. Not to mention,” she clicked her teeth before continuing, “you’re on a dental plan.”
“You’re mistaken. I used to sell cars.”
“Yeah, right! Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to tell. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“Taking your yearly holiday to the Mediterranean?”
“Don’t I wish. Naw, I’m goin’ back east. I finally saved up enough to do it. I’m gonna go back to school. I want to be a social worker. Bet that surprises the shit out of ya, huh?”
Danny was momentarily stunned.
“Told ya it would shock the shit out of you!”
“Crystal, to tell you the truth, I think that’s great. I wish you all the best, I really mean it.”
“Thanks.”
“Why spend your last night down here?”
“Just hoping to convince someone to come with me.”
“Marcie?”
“Yeah.” Crystal looked at Danny and smiled before continuing. “I saw you spyin’ on us that day when you were pretendin’ to tie your shoelace. That was the same day that Lenny got whacked. You should have been in the alley catchin’ them instead of spyin’ on me and Marcie.”
Danny didn’t know how to respond and said nothing.
“It still pisses me off that you don’t arrest kids like her and get their sorry little asses off this street. Nobody seems to give a shit about kids.”
“I care, but —”
“Yeah, I know. Nothin’ you can do. It just pisses me off, is all.”
“You said it was ‘them’ who whacked Lenny. Who is ‘them’?”
Crystal thought for a moment, then glanced all around before saying, “I’ll tell ya what. I’ll give ya a tip, but promise you’ll wait until tomorrow before doin’ anything.”
“I’m really not a cop. I’m just curious. I won’t say anything to anyone.”
Crystal chuckled, then said, “God, you’re a horrible liar, but I’ll tell ya anyway. Red is the key. She knows who did it. She fuckin’ works for them.”
“Who is ‘them’?”
“I’m not that stupid. You’ll have to find that out through her somehow. Now, I gotta go. Nothin’ personal, but talkin’ to you makes me feel nervous.”
Crystal sauntered across the street. O’Reilly stared after her, then started to walk toward the hotel. After a few steps he realized he was swinging his arms. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced back at Crystal. She gave him the thumbs-up sign. Danny took one more look at Crystal when he reached the door. She was standing on the sidewalk looking around. Marcie was not in sight. Danny entered the bar and sat at his usual table.
A few minutes later, Crystal found Marcie working the street at the end of the alley that came out from behind the Black Water. Heat escaped from a large vent on a building and Marcie huddled close to it.
“Hey, Mouse! What ya doin’ workin’ back here?”
“It’s warmer.”
Crystal looked down the alley. “Yeah, also more dangerous. Come on. I got somethin’ to show ya!”
Marcie walked with Crystal over to the parking garage. Her wide eyes and open mouth revealed her astonishment when Crystal held up a set of keys.
“Crystal! Is it yours? You actually bought a car? Or is it…?”
“No. I bought it! Get in! It’s mine!”
Marcie quickly got in. “It looks great! I can’t believe it!” She giggled.
Crystal smiled while nodding her head. She started the car and backed out of the stall.
“Where we goin’?” asked Marcie, sounding excited.
“Just around the block.” Crystal drove down the street before glancing at Marcie and saying, “I want to talk to ya. I’m leavin’ tomorrow morning. Goin’ back to Ontario.”
“You’re leaving?” Marcie looked like she was going to cry.
“You can come with me! I’ll either drop you off with your grandma or you can come and stay with me.
We’ll get straight jobs.”
Marcie stared wide-eyed at Crystal and shook her head. “No, oh no, I can’t!”
“Why not? Because of Red?”
Marcie looked down and didn’t answer.
“That bitch! Fuck her! You don’t want to live with her! You can stay at my place tonight. I got a lot of stuff to pack but there’ll be room for you. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“But what if they come after us? They know where you live!”
“Fuck them!”
Marcie thought briefly, then said, “No, Crystal, you go, but I better stay. Thanks anyway.”
“Why not? Look what they make you do! Those bastards! Get out now while you can!”
“Maybe in a few weeks I’ll leave. But right now … like, I still owe them money.”
“You owe them money? Bullshit! They say I owe them, too, but fuck ’em. Do you have any idea how much money I’ve paid them already? They always say you owe them!”
“But they’re everywhere! They’ll find you, and then somethin’ will happen to…”
Crystal arrived back at the parking garage and looked for a place to park.
“Come on, Marcie! Please come with me. Now! Before it’s too late. I’ll just find a place to park and we’ll talk about it. I don’t wanna be burnin’ up gas.”
“See? That’s just it. I don’t have enough money to pay you for taking me.”
“I’m not askin’ ya for any bread! I’ve got enough to get us there. It’ll be tight. We won’t exactly be eatin’ three meals a day, but we can still do it.”
“So, like, we could just go? Right now?”
“Right fuckin’ now!”
The car stalled and rolled to a stop. Crystal tried repeatedly to start it. Eventually the battery became weak and the engine wouldn’t turn over.
Marcie quietly got out of the car and walked away.
Danny caught a subtle nod from Jack. It was time to go. Jack had said they had the weekend off. He was looking forward to it.
Danny left the bar first. He heard Crystal crying when he walked into the lower level of the parking garage. She was trying to push her car into a parking stall. Danny helped her. She tried to start the car again. No luck. Danny checked the battery cables. They were well connected and the battery looked new.
“What happened? It sounds like it’s out of gas.”
“It’s got half a tank. It just fuckin’ quit,” she sobbed.
“Did you find Marcie?”
“Yeah. I think she was gonna come with me until this piece of shit…!” Crystal kicked the side of the car and then cried louder.
“Maybe it’s nothing serious,” said Danny.
“Yeah, nothin’ serious if ya got a regular fuckin’ paycheque,” she yelled.