Free Dead Ends by Don Easton Page A

Phyllis. “She put her house on the market last week and it has already been sold. There’s a quick possession date. She has a lot on her plate right now. Don’t worry, I think she is starting to accept and even forgive the men responsible.”
    â€œForgive!” stammered Jack.
    â€œIt’s her belief in the Bible. She’s not as angry as she was. It’s a good thing.”
    After Jack hung up, he thought about what Phyllis had said. Forgive? I’ll never forgive! His knuckles, still sore, made him realize he had unconsciously clenched his fists at even the suggestion of forgiveness.

Chapter Seven
    Chapter Seven
    Another couple of weeks rolled by without identifying Varrick’s accomplices. Connie called for a meeting with Jack and Laura at their office. She got right to the point as soon as she walked through the door.
    â€œOkay, Jack. What’s going on? The wire expires on April third! That’s in two weeks! After that, Varrick goes to trial for the meth lab. You said the bikers would have him back in business soon. You call this soon?”
    â€œSorry, Connie. In the past they would have.”
    â€œYeah? So what’s changed?” asked Connie, violently shaking a chair to straighten the rollers before shoving it closer to Jack’s desk and sitting down.
    â€œI’ve been trying to figure that out, as well. To take this long … the bikers are afraid of something. Maybe they’re protecting someone. Someone a lot more valuable than Varrick.”
    â€œSo what are you telling me?”
    Jack shrugged and said, “I don’t know what to tell you.”
    â€œMaybe the bikers are protecting that dirty narc you told me about,” suggested Connie.
    â€œDon’t think so,” replied Jack. “Two years ago we had a good informant in Satans Wrath who warned us we had the dirty narc. The bikers didn’t slow down after the last arrests. I think they’re protecting someone else.”
    â€œYour informant didn’t know the narc’s name?” asked Connie.
    â€œNo. The narc was recruited by a biker in the club who goes by the name of Pussy Paul. Runs lots of hookers and strip joints. We’re looking for someone new. Someone who connected with Satans Wrath within the last two years.”
    â€œSpeaking of the earlier labs,” said Laura, “we tried to locate the lab rats from the other six labs that were busted. One is an unsolved homicide in Vancouver. He was found tortured and dropped in an alley.”
    â€œWho would do that to a guy connected with Satans Wrath?” asked Connie.
    â€œSatans Wrath would,” replied Jack. “Maybe they thought he was an informant, or perhaps got caught with his fingers in the till.”
    â€œWhat about the other lab rats?” asked Connie.
    â€œThey’ve disappeared, as well,” replied Laura.
    â€œMeaning?”
    â€œMeaning they’re likely running labs someplace else,” said Jack. “Makes you wonder how many other innocent people are breathing in fumes from something they aren’t even aware of.”
    â€œThen how can you be so damned calm?” asked Connie, as she glared at Jack. “Think about Gabriel’s kid —”
    â€œYou don’t have to remind me about Faith,” said Jack, quietly. “I think about her every day. If I hadn’t busted Varrick, she wouldn’t be sitting in a hospital with her hair falling out.”
    Connie looked at Jack and caught the sombre reflection in his tone. I was wrong to think he is calm — cold and calculating is more like it …
    â€œDon’t you have any other leads except Varrick?” interjected Laura. “Seems like we are putting all of our eggs in one basket.”
    Connie sighed as she picked up a pen and unconsciously started slapping the edge of the desk. Staring blankly down at the pen, she didn’t look up to reply. “Nope. I’ve tried to