Read Online Art and Murder by Don Easton - Free Book Online

Wood. I’ll give her your number, as well.”
    * * *
    Natasha felt uneasy after the call from someone purporting to be from the telecommunications centre. A certain urgency in the caller’s voice. Then again, with Jack, there always seems to be an urgency.
    When she received a call from Rose moments later, she was really worried. Rose would not be involved at this time of the night unless something serious was going on.
    She got out of bed and went into Mike and Steve’s room and gave each of her sons a kiss on the cheek. She thought about trying to call Jack herself, but if he was in an undercover situation it might not be appreciated. Besides, Rose would have already tried.
    She went back to bed and turned on the light to try to read. She knew it would be another long night as she clung to the hope of what he had once told her: that he was very good at what he did. He said if he had to rewire a lamp he would probably kill himself, but undercover was his forte.
    Natasha believed him. She had to. To think otherwise was unbearable.
    * * *
    Laura felt relieved when her phone rang. Now that Klaus and Liam had left, she was expecting Jack to call and say he was on his way back, but the call display told her it was Rose.
    Oh, man. Why is she up? Laura took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as she answered.
    â€œLaura, are you working?” Rose asked immediately.
    â€œYes. We got called out unexpectedly.”
    â€œSo you’re with Jack?”
    â€œNot at the moment,” Laura said as she eyed Brandy, who was walking around the hotel room with one high-heeled shoe in her hand as she searched for the other one.
    â€œCan we talk? Are you with someone?” Rose asked.
    â€œYes, but go ahead.”
    â€œWhat’s my middle name?”
    â€œAlice,” replied Laura. “I’m with a source, not with any bad guys.”
    â€œI’m trying to reach Jack. I called Natasha, who said he got called out and that she heard him call you. I tried his cell but he didn’t answer. Are you working undercover?”
    â€œYes, we’re in the middle of a UC, but I spoke to him a few minutes ago,” Laura replied as her gaze took in the bloody pillow case that had been on Klaus’s head. “He’s probably with someone and doesn’t want to answer. I’m expecting to hear from him any minute. Do you want me to have him call you?”
    â€œIs he with Clive Dempsey?” Rose asked tersely.
    Oh, man. How did she know that? “Yes.”
    â€œI got a call from Interpol via France,” Rose said. “A French undercover operative heard an order directing someone in Canada to kill Clive Dempsey and an undercover police officer with him. It sounds like they searched Jack and found his badge.”
    â€œOh, no … no,” Laura moaned, bile rising in her throat as she fought her panic.
    â€œFocus!” Rose demanded. “Can you contact them? Do you know where they are, who they went to see?”
    â€œI don’t know who they went to meet or exactly where he is.” Laura struggled to maintain her professionalism. “He’s near Fort Langley. He texted me rough coordinates. He’s between 232nd and 264th streets and somewhere north of the Number One, but south of River Road.”
    â€œThat covers a lot of area. Where are you?”
    â€œStill in the city … at the Emerald Hotel. Jack left with Dempsey almost two hours ago. Some other bad guys were here too, but they, uh, left a couple of minutes ago. I’m not even sure if they’re out of the hotel parking lot yet. I was expecting Jack to call again any minute.”
    â€œThat may not be happening,” Rose said more to herself than Laura.
    â€œDon’t say that! I … I need to concentrate.” Laura desperately tried to come up with an idea. “What else do the French have for us to go on? Is there some way you could find out who Dempsey was taking Jack to