A Criminal to Remember (A Monty Haaviko Thriller) (31 page)

That made me laugh. And then I couldn’t stop and finally had to sit down to catch my breath.

“No.” My eyes were streaming and I wiped them. “That’s good though. I haven’t laughed in a long time. I’m just here to tell you I forgive you. I’ve never forgiven anyone before and it’s an interesting feeling. I’m used to vengeance and justice and an eye for an eye and all that other Biblical shit I learned in my misspent youth. I’m forgiving you. Let’s leave it at that.”

Atismak’s hand touched the black telephone on his desk and paused. He could call in many cops and drag me down to the detention cells for a little six-on-one interrogation. He could call the Crown attorney and start the process of having me charged. He could call a judge and ask for search warrants. Instead he drew his hand back and bit his upper lip.

“Okay, we’ll leave it at that.”

I got up and left. Outside the sun was shining and, off to my right, a wall of thunderclouds filled the horizon from side to side. As I watched a single bolt of brilliant light jumped from one greyly pregnant cloud to another and I heard a distant rumble of thunder.

I
’d like to acknowledge the support and aid of the Manitoba Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. I’d like to praise Turnstone Press for their skill and patience with a very recalcitrant book. Apologies go out to William, Lois, Alison, Seanin, Morgan and Erik for having to put up with me. Thanks goes to Robert and T., Kathryn L., Wayne T. (for illumination), Sue, Catherine, Talia, Charlene, Perry, and Tavia for support, moral and otherwise. Also thanks to Aqua Books for inviting me to be Writer in Residence and College Beliveau for keeping me honest. A special thanks to C.R. for another perspective. An awkward thanks to someone who wants to remain anonymous.

And, again, my thanks to those in the shadows … quae nocent.

M
ichael Van Rooy was born in Kamloops,
BC
, in 1968 and grew up in Winnipeg. His first book,
An Ordinary Decent Criminal
, won the 2006 Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book by a Manitoba Writer. In 2009 he won the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. In his diverse life Van Rooy has worked as a teacher, a newspaper editor, a bartender, a cheesemaker, and a casino dealer. He is currently a freelance writer and administrator who lives with his family in Winnipeg.

… funny, fast-paced and so hugely compelling it’s hard to put down. Van Rooy has all the elements—a terrific protagonist, a twisting plot and a writing style that snaps along.

—Winnipeg Free Press

M
ontgomery “Monty” Haaviko has done the crimes—robbery, assault, embezzlement, arson, smuggling, attempted murder—and has lived the criminal lifestyle, where nothing is permanent. Crime may look easy, but a career criminal can’t even follow a TV series. For Monty the endless danger and fear, along with a hard-to-kick drug habit, became too much. Now, all he wants to do is settle down in a quiet Winnipeg neighbourhood with his wife, his baby son, his dog, and his pet mouse, and try something new: an honest job and life as an ordinary decent citizen.

But going straight is hard, even for a guy who was an ordinary decent criminal. And it gets harder. When Monty ends up with three dead break-and-enter artists in his living room, he discovers there are those who won’t let him forget his past. Detective Sergeant Enzio Walsh knows all about Monty’s criminal history and thinks he’ll be the one to put Monty away for good. And then there’s Jean Robillard, a minor crime boss and uncle of one of the dead men on Monty’s floor. He’ll settle for nothing less than Monty’s body on a slab.

Fortunately for Monty, he doesn’t have to face his nemeses alone. His wife, Claire, at one time a hairbreadth from leaving him for good, is standing by him. And he has plenty of tricks, scams, and schemes he can use to clear his name and save his life.

ISBN 978-0-88801-348-4

$16.00

…a well-written, convincing, and compelling novel. Reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and Andrew Vacchs, this is hard-boiled fiction laced with humour and an odd wisdom—a book you won’t mind losing sleep over.

—Quill & Quire

Ex-criminal Montgomery “Monty” Haaviko would rather be known as the friendly neighbourhood daycare provider, but it’s his criminal past that brings him to the attention of Marie Blue Duck. Marie is a human rights activist, and she wants Monty to set up a route to smuggle refugees into the United States. Monty is doubtful and a little insulted, but the money on offer is too good to refuse. Even his wife, Claire, who ensures Monty stays on the straight and narrow, thinks he should take the job.

Monty’s carefully laid plans go off the rails when a local criminal, Samantha Ritchot, tries to seize the route for her drug-smuggling operation. Monty finds himself squaring off with Samantha in a power struggle that quickly escalates into kidnapping, torture, and a daring and highly explosive
stand-off.

Just when Monty thinks he might have it all under control, his old jailhouse crony, Hershel “Smiley” Wiebe, shows up on his doorstep. Smiley is armed to the teeth, but begs Monty to help him go straight. Monty is more than suspicious of Smiley’s motives, but figures if you should keep old friends close, you really should keep old cons closer.

A gripping and aggressive crime novel,
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Criminal
explores how far a man will go to protect his family, home, and neighbourhood, and asks the question, “Can a man do good by doing bad?”

ISBN 978-0-88801-339-2

$16.00