The Benefactor. Don Easton

      “I just found out from Anh Dang that Tom Nguyen and Bien Duc are going to Hong Kong for a couple of days,” said Ho, excitedly. “Supposed to be an important meeting. They’re leaving sometime today and coming back Friday morning.”

      “What’s the meeting about?” asked Jack, not letting on that he already knew.

      “They might be arranging to smuggle some women into Canada to work as whores. Tom is really excited. This is the first time he has been sent to look after something like this.”

      “Thanks for letting me know,” replied Jack. “Do lots of your friends know about the meeting in Hong Kong?”

      “I doubt it. Why?”

      “Just curious. Any other meetings you know about?”

      “No. It’s been a really quiet week.”

      “If anything unusual happens, or if there are any other meetings taking place, let me know.”

      After Jack hung up and told Laura, she said, “Doesn’t sound like Nguyen is getting whacked if they are sending him on an assignment like that.” She yawned and pushed back in her seat to stretch her legs and added, “Maybe our report wasn’t leaked after all.”

      “Which puts us back on the Vietnamese again,” replied Jack. “We’re going to have to get a much higher-level informant than our current friend. I better call Connie and update her a little,” he added, reaching for his phone and dialling. “Hey, CC, how are you making out on the wire?” he asked as soon as Connie answered.

      “Good. Been working sixteen hours a day since Friday, trying to put in all that crap why other means of investigation wouldn’t work before seeking permission to trample on their civil rights.”

      “Which means describing all past investigations and summarizing reports.”

      “Yeah, you got it, but at the rate I’m going, I hope to have it before a judge next Monday.”

      “Who are you naming?”

      “The ones you gave me. Dong Tran VC-1, Bien Duc VC-2, Tom Nguyen VC-3, and the driver, Anh Dang.”

      “Got some news for you. A few minutes ago, Bien Duc and Tom Nguyen boarded a flight to Hong Kong.”

      “Aw shit! Really?”

      “The good news is they are scheduled to return Friday morning.”

      “Do you know why they are going? Anything illegal that I could add to my affidavit?”

      “Illegal, but I won’t disclose it to protect my source. Not enough people know about it.”

      “Understood. I’ll want to confirm their return on Friday. I’ve only got sixty days on the order. I don’t want to start it if they’re delayed and not around.”

      “No problem, go ahead. Laura and I watched them check in. Both had small suitcases. They don’t plan on being gone long.”

      After Jack hung up, Laura looked at him and said, “So what do we do? Any ideas?”

      “I’ve got one idea. We’ve worked nonstop for the last eight days. Let’s take the next two days off. Give us a chance to rest and figure out a new strategy.”

      “You’re the boss. You don’t have to convince me on that idea. Maybe after a real night’s sleep I can get my hubby to shave off his beard tomorrow.”

      “He grew a beard?” asked Jack.

      “Yes. I’ve been away so much that he said he would refuse to shave until we had time for sex. Must be down to his chest by now.”

      Jack chuckled. “Okay, point taken. We have been working long hours.”

      “Don’t mind if we get results,” sighed Laura.

      “Peaks and valleys,” said Jack. “Guess we’re in a valley.”

      Neither Jack nor Laura would be getting the next day off … and Laura’s husband would forgo shaving his beard.

      Chapter Thirteen

      It was eight o’clock Wednesday morning when Anh Dang arrived at the Hanoi House to start his shift. He was surprised to be met by Vien Ngo who was temporarily in charge while Tom Nguyen was in Hong Kong, but pleased to discover that he was immediately being sent on another mission.

      Anh Dang knew his reputation was becoming known. It had been exactly two weeks since he had driven over the woman with the dog. He prided himself as he recalled how calm he remained while the woman screamed as she was dragged under the car down the sidewalk. His passenger, Paul Cong, whose only job was to drop the empty wine bottle, squealed in panic when the woman was stuck under the car.

      Anh knew when the car’s back tires finally bounced and spit her out the back that she was dead and had turned to Cong and told him to calm down. He said it was no big deal.

      Anh was pleased that the comment was not lost on Cong, who later chatted excitedly to Tom Nguyen as he described every detail, including Anh’s prowess as a driver. Anh purposely added little to the conversation and pretended to brush it off as being hardly worthy of discussion.

      Tom Nguyen had praised him on a job well done. It was his first murder, but Anh hid the excitement he felt and hoped his reputation for being cool would soon reach the ears of the truly big bosses.

      Today he did his best not to appear excited again when Vien Ngo gave him a .38-calibre Smith & Wesson revolver, along with a rolled-up bundle of cloth that held a plastic bag containing crack cocaine. The details of the murder were simple but deadly. The victim, belonging to a rival gang, was going to be murdered near the border of the territory of yet a third gang. The drugs found in his car would make it look like he was there to sell drugs and subsequently murdered by the third gang.

      Anh understood the potential consequences of such an action. The two gangs — living under a tentative peace agreement — might decide to go to war with each other. Will my own gang then step in to pluck what is left when the other two gangs have been weakened?

      He glanced at Vien Ngo and solemnly realized the great position of trust in which he had been placed. If word of what really happened ever leaked out, both gangs might decide to unite against his gang. Secrecy was of the utmost importance.