same circles."
"We met at a friend's lodge in the Gatineau. Pierre was having a party and had hired a folk group to play at it— fiddle tunes and the like. Kieran was a member of the group. They called themselves The Humors of Tullycrine— the name comes from an Irish tune, I think. I knew nothing of Kieran at the time. But we had the opportunity to speak later and I enjoyed his company very much. We— how do you say it? We 'hit it off' from the beginning, n'est-ce pas?
"You would not know this— you would not even care, I should think. But Kieran is a very warm person, a loyal friend. That is why I feel so... sick with what I have done to him. Such an injust betrayal. I will tell you: I never liked Thomas Hengwr very much. There was something... étrange... strange about him. Feeling as I did, I did not find it hard to believe your story of his criminal activities and how you needed my help to capture him. Also, you were very convincing, non? "
"I suckered you," Tucker admitted. "But if we ever get a hold of Foy I'll tell him the truth about your part in all this."
" 'Get ahold of him.' And what will you do with Kieran, once you 'get ahold of him'?"
"That's not really up to me."
Jean-Paul sighed. "You have given me this explanation because you respected me, is that not so?"
"Yes."
"Why do you have so little respect for Kieran? His values are, perhaps different, but does that make him a criminal?"
Tucker thought about that for a moment, recalling his own tirade against Hogue.
"Okay," he said. "I'll give you that. But now you listen to this: Suppose— just suppose— that Hogue's theories are valid, that powers like that do exist. Don't you understand why we have to get a handle on them ourselves? Imagine such power in the hands of terrorists Or... or anyone to whom human life means nothing. Then where are we?"
"Once again you make a strong argument, inspecteur. "
Jean-Paul looked away. He felt uncomfortable. For all the Inspector's brash mannerisms, he had a golden tongue. He wondered if Tucker lost very many arguments. He went over the Inspector's explanation, trying to convince himself that it was only so much imagination, but was not able to. Thomas Hengwr— the old man was odd. And Kieran— for several years now he'd been sending Jean-Paul occult books for Christmases and birthdays The Don Juan series Colin Wilson's The Occult and Mysteries The books hadn't convinced him of anything But what if they were a way of preparing him for... for what? Admittance into some secret sect? Jean-Paul found that hard to believe. But surely even the RCMP would not make up such an outlandish story to cover up some more sinister plot?
"I will do this, inspecteur, " Jean-Paul said at last. "I will keep my information to myself. For now. But you must promise me: If you find Kieran, you will get in touch with me immediately. You will let me speak to him, before you do anything to him."
"That I can promise you," Tucker said, his relief evident. "And if for some reason Foy gets in touch with you?"
"That will be my affair. I will speak with him first. Who knows? Perhaps he will agree to meet with you. But I find the thought unlikely. He will not overcome his feeling of betrayal so easily, I think."
"Then it's a deal," Tucker said.
He stood up and offered his hand. Sighing, Jean-Paul shook it.
"And the wiretap, inspecteur? "
"Perfectly legal. We ran it by Judge Peterson for authorization. I'll have it taken off. Say, how did you pick up on it?"
Jean-Paul smiled. "I didn't. It was an educated guess."
"Well, I'll be damned?"
"I hope not, inspecteur. Also, there is a man who followed me to work and another watching my house."
"I'll take them off. But listen up, Mr. Gagnon. Don't blow this on me. I'm trusting you. If I'm wrong about this..."
"I, too, am trusting you, non? "
"Yeah. I guess you are at that."
" D'accord. And now... we both have work that requires our attention, is that not so?"
Tucker nodded. "Thanks,
"We met at a friend's lodge in the Gatineau. Pierre was having a party and had hired a folk group to play at it— fiddle tunes and the like. Kieran was a member of the group. They called themselves The Humors of Tullycrine— the name comes from an Irish tune, I think. I knew nothing of Kieran at the time. But we had the opportunity to speak later and I enjoyed his company very much. We— how do you say it? We 'hit it off' from the beginning, n'est-ce pas?
"You would not know this— you would not even care, I should think. But Kieran is a very warm person, a loyal friend. That is why I feel so... sick with what I have done to him. Such an injust betrayal. I will tell you: I never liked Thomas Hengwr very much. There was something... étrange... strange about him. Feeling as I did, I did not find it hard to believe your story of his criminal activities and how you needed my help to capture him. Also, you were very convincing, non? "
"I suckered you," Tucker admitted. "But if we ever get a hold of Foy I'll tell him the truth about your part in all this."
" 'Get ahold of him.' And what will you do with Kieran, once you 'get ahold of him'?"
"That's not really up to me."
Jean-Paul sighed. "You have given me this explanation because you respected me, is that not so?"
"Yes."
"Why do you have so little respect for Kieran? His values are, perhaps different, but does that make him a criminal?"
Tucker thought about that for a moment, recalling his own tirade against Hogue.
"Okay," he said. "I'll give you that. But now you listen to this: Suppose— just suppose— that Hogue's theories are valid, that powers like that do exist. Don't you understand why we have to get a handle on them ourselves? Imagine such power in the hands of terrorists Or... or anyone to whom human life means nothing. Then where are we?"
"Once again you make a strong argument, inspecteur. "
Jean-Paul looked away. He felt uncomfortable. For all the Inspector's brash mannerisms, he had a golden tongue. He wondered if Tucker lost very many arguments. He went over the Inspector's explanation, trying to convince himself that it was only so much imagination, but was not able to. Thomas Hengwr— the old man was odd. And Kieran— for several years now he'd been sending Jean-Paul occult books for Christmases and birthdays The Don Juan series Colin Wilson's The Occult and Mysteries The books hadn't convinced him of anything But what if they were a way of preparing him for... for what? Admittance into some secret sect? Jean-Paul found that hard to believe. But surely even the RCMP would not make up such an outlandish story to cover up some more sinister plot?
"I will do this, inspecteur, " Jean-Paul said at last. "I will keep my information to myself. For now. But you must promise me: If you find Kieran, you will get in touch with me immediately. You will let me speak to him, before you do anything to him."
"That I can promise you," Tucker said, his relief evident. "And if for some reason Foy gets in touch with you?"
"That will be my affair. I will speak with him first. Who knows? Perhaps he will agree to meet with you. But I find the thought unlikely. He will not overcome his feeling of betrayal so easily, I think."
"Then it's a deal," Tucker said.
He stood up and offered his hand. Sighing, Jean-Paul shook it.
"And the wiretap, inspecteur? "
"Perfectly legal. We ran it by Judge Peterson for authorization. I'll have it taken off. Say, how did you pick up on it?"
Jean-Paul smiled. "I didn't. It was an educated guess."
"Well, I'll be damned?"
"I hope not, inspecteur. Also, there is a man who followed me to work and another watching my house."
"I'll take them off. But listen up, Mr. Gagnon. Don't blow this on me. I'm trusting you. If I'm wrong about this..."
"I, too, am trusting you, non? "
"Yeah. I guess you are at that."
" D'accord. And now... we both have work that requires our attention, is that not so?"
Tucker nodded. "Thanks,
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