Part 22
Gail was about ready to throw her glass at the wall in frustration as she listened unhappily into the new cell phone she had acquired that day.
"Look, don't give me that two week bullshit Rusty!" She growled into the device as her tablemate chuckled in amusement.
Gail glared across the table and gave the occupant the finger before going back to the conversation going on in her ear. "I sent you everything you need so get on with it, or the next time we have this conversation it'll be face-to-face. And I promise you, you won't like the outcome." She ground out through clenched teeth.
Annoyed at having to deal with yet more problems Gail swallowed down her whisky and gestured for a refill as she did her best to ignore the burn in her throat from the drink.
"Problems?"
Gail gave him a dour look. "Nothing I can't handle."
Ed accepted that as an answer and lifted his glass to her with a grin. "As we must."
Gail snorted and raised her newly filled glass towards the centre of the table.
"Cheers."
They both swallowed the dark liquid and as Gail coughed Ed, a bearded older man about her father's age, laughed and slapped the table.
Gail winced as the whisky failed to go down any better than before even though she was expecting the burn, she just couldn't stop herself from reacting. "What the fuck is that?" It tasted like hot water that had burnt woodchip sitting in it. She wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a good or the worst whisky she had ever had.
"Ah, ah!" Ed said, pulling the bottle away from Gail's reaching hand. "Family secret." He teased with a grin on his weathered face.
Gail rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, not even pretending to want another refill. She glanced around the room, it was small and dark, with stained wood panels along the walls. Not one of her usual hangouts but…
"Now," Ed starts after pouring himself a refill of his own. "Back to business, or would you like to add something else to our agreement?" He asked, referring to the phone call Gail had just had that didn't sound like it went well.
Gail saw the hopeful gleam in his eyes and sighed. She would have loved to pass the job off to Ed, Rusty was a sleazy little creep, but the job wasn't something Ed or his contacts could handle. "Not for this one, sorry, it's not your thing." And she was sorry. She'd worked with Ed several times over the last few months and had never had any problems with his work.
Tonight was different though, this time she wasn't here for anyone but herself.
"Fair enough." Ed replied, not taking any offence.
Gail shifted then reached into her jacket, pulling a thick envelope out, checked it then tossing it onto the table causing it to side into a pair of photos that sat in front of Ed. "Double the usual on this one, Eddie. Send me proof once it's done and make sure your boys clean up after themselves."
Ed quickly tucked the money filled envelope into his own jacket with an easy grin. "Always a pleasure Bravo." He told the blonde.
Gail glanced at the pictures for a moment causing her mood to darken, she lifted her gaze to Ed's and stood up.
"Just get it done, the sooner the better."
And with that she stormed out of the room and back into the noise of the crowded bar.
Ed waited for the door to close before he allowed himself to relax. The blonde was a hard read at times and while he'd been around long enough to see kids join the game thinking they could make it, he knew most either got out and never came back or they were pushed out and disposed of by the real players.
Gail Peck encounters always left him feeling a touch worried for himself and his own people.
Cops didn't just turn like Bravo.
And if they did they normally didn't last long.
He studied the pictures again as the door opened behind him as someone came in and took the empty seat across from him.
"Everything go okay?" Kyle asked his father. He'd been the one to bring Bravo back here when she'd arrived a few hours ago. Normally meetings never lasted that long.
But his father didn't look too worried. Or hurt.
Ed grunted and pushed the pictures across to his eldest son. "Find them tonight, information's on the back."
Kyle picked up the photos, both men looked clean cut and far from their usual targets. He gave his father a questioning look. These guys couldn't pass as the drug dealers, creeps and pimps they normally had to track down for a pay cheque.
"This time's personal."
For Kyle that was more than answer enough, if his father had given his word then he and the rest of the boys would get it done. He got to his feet with the pictures in his grip, tucking them into the pocket of his jeans.
"Kyle?" Ed called out just before his son got to the door, glancing over his shoulder and taking a moment to recognise his younger self in the mature face looking back at him. "You watch yourselves out there tonight, you hear me?"
Kyle nodded, his hand on the door knob. "Sure thing Pop."
Ed's look turned serious. "I mean it kid, those two are cops, so you all watch each other's backs tonight."
Kyle's eyes widened.
Ed was grateful to see the impact those words had on his son, it meant he'd be more cautious out there now, and if that brought them all back safe then he'd feel easier waiting on their return through till morning.
Kyle composed himself and offered his father a cocky look. "That'll just make this easier, always wanted to smack a cop around, you just never let us before."
Ed chuckled and picked up his forgotten whisky. He saluted his son. "Then enjoy it."
Kyle laughed before heading out to gather the rest of the boys.
Ed sighed now he was alone with only his thoughts and worry to see him through the next few hours.
He was getting too old for this, long past the days where he could accompany his sons out there. But Kyle was proving to be a good successor.
A few more jobs like tonight and his place in the Toronto map of criminals and gangs would be secure from any of the other biker clubs in the city, no one would go against his boys with the backing of a man like Wolf.
He gave Bravo credit for that, if the blonde liked you and trusted you, your life was easy. She gives you a job, you do it and then you get paid. Nothing too hard or complicated. A beating, a fire, smashing up a store and a threat or two were the usual. Easy enough jobs for his boys.
Usually.
Not like tonight.
No, those guys in the pictures, whatever they had done to Gail they were about to pay for it in blood and pain.
A lesson he was going to learn from.
And never do anything to piss off Bravo or her boss.
xxxxxx
Gail picked up her beer and threw a few bills on the bar top to cover her bill. She checked the time, it was late and she'd had a long enough day as it was. Last drink and then time to go she guessed.
But the bar tender leaned over the bar to speak to her as he gestured to the far end of the room where a couple of the boys were standing around a booth, making it hard for Gail to see what was going on.
Lewis pushed the blonde's cash back at her, not interested in taking her money. "Someone came in asking after you." He said as Gail scowled at him, refusing to pick up the money she'd only just put down. Lewis chuckled and when Gail turned her head to glance over again, he took advantage and slipped the bills into her jacket pocket before disappearing to go serve a customer.
Gail rolled her eyes and shook her head. She took a long swallow from her beer and turned her attention back to the booth. She had a good idea as to who it was but they were late and that pissed her off a little.
She leaned back against the bar, watching and letting her anger grow. Because if this was who she was expecting a little warning was needed on following instructions, and if it wasn't then she was going to find out how they knew to come looking for her in this biker bar.
Even if she had to break every finger and toe.
When her bottle was dry she stalked her way over and a path to the booth cleared for her when she was noticed.
As she stood there glaring the bodies that had been standing guard tensed and waited for her to react, unsure if they would be called into action themselves.
Finally Gail took into the tired eyes that lift to meet hers and sighed. It was no fun kicking a downed dog.
She took a seat and waved the others away. She caught sight of Kyle coming out from the back room and suddenly the rest of the guys were only too eager to leave her to it.
"You're late." She commented unnecessarily.
Luke let out a long sigh and leaned back in his seat. He was grateful the goons were gone but that didn't mean his night was going to get any better. "Meeting ran longer than I thought." He explained before lifting his beer and draining it.
"So?" Gail asked, wanting this, whatever it was, to be over already. "What was so fucking urgent?"
Luke wished he wasn't the one doing this but he owed Gail, he'd watched her flounder at 15 after Jerry had died. He regretted never stepping in and standing up for her when the questions and accusations started, but he'd his own caseload and trials to deal with, and then she was gone and it had been too late.
He owed her this bit of information. Even if it meant turning on his own.
He glanced at his watch and then stared at the blonde with a weary look in his eyes. "As of three hours ago, Holly Stewart agreed to work with 15 to have you arrested." He told her solemnly.
Gail grinned reflexively at the mention of Holly.
Luke had prepared himself for a lot of reactions but he never considered grinning.
"Did you hear me?" He asked the blonde as he sat up a little straighter. "She's going to wear a wire and get you on tape, and then you'll be arrested."
"Oh, I heard you." Gail replied. Although she didn't know what it was with everyone lately. First Dieter and now Luke, both warning her about Holly.
Luke studied Gail closely for a long moment. "You don't look too concerned."
Gail shrugged.
"She refused at first, but your brother threatened to have her arrested." He informed her. "But then your mother came in and told her she'd make sure she never worked again and she broke."
Gail clenched her teeth and glared across at him.
"Sorry." He finally offered.
Gail blinked and looked away, unable to take the sympathy coming from the detective.
Once upon a time they might have been friends, but those days were long gone.
She reached into her jacket and tossed Luke an envelope.
Luke frowned and opened it before his eyes widened at the sight of cash. He closed it and shook his head. "That's not why I'm here."
"I know." Gail replied. If Luke had been after money from her he would have tried that sooner, maybe during one of her many arrests.
"I can't take that."
Gail rolled her eyes. The money she was using tonight had come from her latest pay from Wolf which was almost triple what she normally made on a job. And with the way 15 were going after her it wasn't like she could just deposit it in a bank.
Plus, she had Hill's money sitting around as well that she'd have to eventually deal with as well. Sometimes being the bad guy just gave you more problems.
"You can and you will, call it a late wedding gift." She told him. "Or an early congrats on the kid gift." She added with a cheeky grin.
Luke felt his face burn at that. He's only learned Katie was pregnant a few weeks ago, and no one at 15 knew. That Gail did should have scared him but he couldn't help but grin back at her. "Thanks."
Gail snorted. "Yeah, don't go looking all proud, I'm sure you didn't do much."
Luke shook his head at her but he was still grinning.
"Take the money, Chris learnt to stop refusing soon enough."
Luke glanced away at the mention of the rookie and the hard glare Gail sent him.
"Anyone finds out about you being here tonight and you'll kiss your career goodbye as well." She told him. "He can deal with being stuck doing the grunt work but I'm sure you wouldn't." Plus Chris never did anything too risky for her, what Luke was doing right now would get him arrested, never mind end his career.
And Gail was sure his wife wouldn't be too pleased with that.
"Thanks for the info, but don't call me again." She said getting up, it was definitely time for this day to be over.
Luke eyed the envelope for a minute, his hand resting on it as his mind went over all the ways it could come in handy. Everything from paying down his mortgage to paying for college and grad school for his kid or kids.
He bit his lip and looked at Gail, still unsure if he could accept the money and not feel guilty over what it was costing the blonde. "What are you going to do?" He asked.
"You let me worry about that." Gail replied before turning and disappearing through to the back of the bar.
Luke watched her go with a certain sadness in his heart.
He would have loved to have watched her become a detective, maybe even work alongside her.
Now?
Now he just hoped she stayed alive and out of jail.
How times change.
He picked up the envelope and tucked it away. He only had to think of Gail to know life sometimes threw curve balls at you. Besides, taking the payment also guaranteed that Gail would keep this visit between them and if he had to speak to her again he had somewhere to go to get his message passed on to her.
As for Holly, he'd have to wait and see how she dealt with that.
xxxxxx
AN/
I'm sure this story is driving a few of you crazy but thanks for reading and I hope you stick with it. I think there's some really cool things going on in this that I hope you'll enjoy but as you might guess I can't exactly show all the cards yet now can I?
Next time!