Page 56 of His Virgin Vessel

"Joseph ..."

"She might know where Asa is!"

"You can't trust the girl."

"But I can talk to her, can't I? Give me the phone, Fiona."

There was a long pause as Fiona was, apparently, weighing up her options.

"You know," said Joseph, "You can't keep it forever, so, even if you hang up, I can just call her back."

"I think I liked you better when you did everything I asked of you," Fiona finally said.

"I still do pretty much everything you ask me. Hello?" Joseph's voice was now loud from the other end of the line, as Fiona had apparently relented and surrendered the phone.

"Hi Joseph’, its Corinne Dugas."

"Is Asa with you?" I could hear the concern in the young man's voice. We're taught that there is no loyalty amongst criminals, but not only can there be loyalty, there can even be love.

"No. He's in jail."

"In jail?!"

"What did I say?" I heard Fiona in the background.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," I tried to explain.

"He's in jail," Joseph clarified.

"Yes."

"Well, so far it's exactly as bad as it sounds."

"Okay, let me bring you up to speed."

For obvious reasons, I didn't give Joseph Hartman the full version of events that I had given to Risa but I caught him up on the essentials.

"With luck, he'll be out in a day or so," I said, hopefully. "If it all goes according to plan."

"Okay," Joseph said. I think he was maybe a little conflicted about Asa turning informant, but also understood why, in this instance, it was best for the people whom War Cry protected. "What do we do now?"

"Sorry?" I hadn't expected follow-up questions.

"I mean War Cry," Joseph explained. "What do we do now? I mean, do we keep on as normal with protection?"

I hadn't realized it before, but, without Asa, War Cry could turn into a chicken without its head, running headlong around the farmyard, bumping into things. And, of course, when War Cry bumped into things, then those things stayed bumped into. They needed a leader, and while Joseph Hartman was regarded as Asa's natural successor, he was not yet up to the role as he was still insecure in his own decision-making ability. It was hardly a role I was suitable for either, but Asa had confided in me. I knew his thinking and what he was planning. At this moment, the closest they could get to an order from Asa was one from me.

"Absolutely," I said, with a confidence that I definitely did not feel. "With Rassi's boys hitting the streets, the local businesses need War Cry more than ever. Get out there, and be a presence. Show them that Asa being gone hasn't made any difference whatsoever."

"Yeah," Joseph said, clearly relieved to be receiving instructions. "Yeah. Good call."

"I don't know how long it will be before Asa's arrest becomes public," I said, feeling that he needed more. "But I'm guessing that a man like Rassi will have his informers, so he may already know. He's going to try to take advantage of Asa's absence to take control permanently."

"Not going to happen.”

He said it with strength and solidity. He might not have had confidence in his decision-making, but he was not going to back down from a fight. That was good to know, but, as I hung up, I could not help feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. Once again, I was putting the people of War Cry in danger, and the danger this time was more than just the police.

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