Angel in the Full Moon by Don Easton Page A

necessary.”
    Upon returning to their office, Laura looked at Jack and said, “Bob was a good operator.”
    â€œOne of the best. He still is.”
    Dúc parked his car down the street from Pops’s house and got out while Moustache Pete and the Fat Man waited. Theywatched as Dúc hustled down the street before disappearing up the inclination of a driveway that led around to the back of the house.
    â€œIt is good,” said the Fat Man. “This degenerate. He pays us for our insurance.”
    â€œSoon the other child will be here,” said Moustache Pete. “It will be double indemnity.”
    Both men chortled.
    Jack and Laura were parked near the entrance to the Russians’ apartment building and Laura used the steering wheel to steady the binoculars as she looked at a car that just arrived. “Oh, man,” she said, passing the binoculars to Jack.
    Jack adjusted the binoculars and yelled, “Damn it! That’s Dúc dropping them off! Damn it, damn it, damn it!”
    â€œOnly ten in the morning,” commented Laura. “Wonder what they were up to? Maybe just meeting for breakfast.”
    â€œMaybe. Would have been nice to know for sure instead of seeing if my tie matched my shirt. Dúc isn’t usually an early riser. Something was up.”
    â€œStay with the Russians or go with Dúc?” asked Laura.
    â€œLet’s sit on the Russians. They’re our main targets.”
    It was late in the afternoon when Quaile called Jack and told him to return to the office.
    Jack returned and walked into Quaile’s office alone.
    â€œClose the door,” said Quaile, “and have a seat.”
    Jack did as instructed.
    â€œWhat have you learned about the Russians today?”
    â€œThis morning they were dropped off at about ten by Dúc. Laura and I sat on them all day but they haven’t moved.”

    â€œYou just sat out there wasting an entire shift?”
    â€œThese guys haven’t been supplying me with their itinerary. They’re not a couple of boys who work in offices. It takes time.”
    â€œYou’ve had plenty of time. I would have expected a competent investigator to have come up with something more substantial by now.”
    â€œIs this what you called us in for? Perhaps if we were still out there, we would have something more substantial,” said Jack, crossly.
    â€œYour annual assessment couldn’t wait any longer,” replied Quaile, “otherwise it would be overdue. I am a firm believer in punctuality.” He gestured to the forms in front of him and said, “A few questions. Do you speak French?”
    â€œNo,” sighed Jack, while checking his watch. “I have passable Spanish and am learning some Russian and Vietnamese, however.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous!” said Quaile, looking dumbstruck. “Canada is bilingual ... French and English. Stop learning those and take French.”
    â€œI don’t believe the Russians I’m working on know French,” replied Jack innocently.
    Quaile glared at Jack and said, “How far did you ever expect to get in the RCMP?”
    â€œTo the rank of corporal,” Jack replied bitterly.
    â€œI didn’t ask you what your rank is now! I asked you how far you ever expected to get!”
    â€œI heard you. As I said, to the rank of corporal.”
    Quaile continued to glare at Jack for several seconds without speaking, before saying, “I don’t believe we have anything further to say to each other.”
    â€œNeither do I,” replied Jack, before returning to his office.

    Hang lay curled on her mattress, her tongue exploring the holes in her gums from her missing front teeth. She knew that soon her father would be expecting her to call.
When I don’t, questions will be asked. People will look for me ...
    Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar creak of the passage door. She did not feel the fear she