LITMIR.BIZ

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      Spider sat back in his chair. Jack could see him trying to make a decision. Having seen the money, greed would take over. The waitress came and Jack held up one finger.

      Danny toyed with his drink and checked his watch. About time to call Wigmore. He saw Jack order another beer and knew that he had time to slip into the lobby and make a call.

      Spider saw Danny walk to the lobby, then asked Jack, “So, you want an ounce?”

      “Yeah, for now.”

      “What makes you think I want the competition?”

      “Relax. I’m puttin’ out far away from here.”

      Spider mulled it over, then said, “Okay. Wait here.”

      Jack watched Spider slink over to the next table and talk with a woman. She was big and solid-looking but had no fat. She wore a man’s singlet white under-shirt that looked grey. It was stretched tightly over her bare chest. Her black jeans and knee-high leather boots gave her a certain air of hostility. She had long red hair, but judging by the black roots, Jack knew it had been a long time since she had last bothered to dye it. She had “HD” tattooed on one arm and “Live to Ride” tattooed on the other. A tattoo of a rose was visible on the top of her breast.

      She gave Jack a long cold stare, then whispered to Spider.

      “Fuck, Red, I talked to ’im. He’s all right, I tell ya!” Jack heard Spider reply.

      Moments later, Spider returned. “Go to the can and wait!”

      Jack entered the men’s room and stood by the sink. He glanced at the graffiti covering the wall. Much of it was obliterated with grime. Seconds later, Spider and two junkies entered, and Jack barely had time to look up before the junkies grabbed him by the arms, smashing him back against the wall.

      “Hey! What the fuck are —”

      Spider clamped his hand over Jack’s mouth and said, “Shut your fuckin’ trap! This ain’t a rip. We’re goin’ to have a little look-see is all.”

      His hand tasted and smelled of smoke and stale beer. He took his hand away and ripped Jack’s shirtsleeve back as one of the junkies pinned his wrist to the wall. Spider took a syringe out of his jacket pocket. The syringe was filled to capacity, and Spider hovered the silver tip of the needle over a vein in Jack’s elbow. A drop of murky liquid dangled from the tip.

      “Don’t fuckin’ move, man!” hissed Spider. “Don’t even try an’ breathe! ’Cause if you do, we’ll spike you right now. And there’s enough in this rig to kill an elephant, let alone a pig!”

      Danny checked to make sure the lobby was empty, then he called Wigmore.

      “You think he’s trying to buy dope where?” Wigmore asked.

      Danny repeated the name. “The Black Water Hotel. On a street called East Hastings.”

      “Bingo! I spoke with GIS today. They said that some drug found in an alley off East Hastings matched the same drug found at the murder scene. I knew Taggart would get involved. I might recommend he be charged with obstruction!”

      “Sir? What should I do?”

      “Continue to play along. Give him some more time, or I should say rope, to hang himself. Make sure you make notes that he went in there alone and left his gun in the car.”

      “Already done, sir.” Danny hung up the phone and let out a deep breath. He realized that he had a headache. He made another call.

      “Hi, honey! You on your way home?” Susan held the telephone with the crook of her neck as she placed some family pictures on the dresser in her bedroom. A portrait of Danny in his red tunic looked particularly handsome.

      “Sorry, babe, not yet. I’m stuck in some fleabag of a bar watching my new partner drink beer and chat with some hooker.”

      “What are you doing in a place like that?”

      “Good question. Everyone in here is a degenerate. My so-called partner seems to be having fun. How’s Tiffany?”

      “She’s asleep. Listen, I got the bed put together, but can’t find the nuts to the bolts.”

      “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got my own nuts.”

      Susan snickered and then said, “But what about me? I don’t have any.”

      “You can use mine whenever you want. Don’t wait up. Love ya!”

      Spider didn’t take his eyes off Jack as he put the syringe down on the edge of the sink before searching him. He started at Jack’s neck and worked his way down to his feet. He took his time and wasn’t bashful. He found a hunting knife tucked in the top of Jack’s boot.

      Spider pulled out the knife. “What’s this?”

      “I ain’t in the business of lettin’ people rip me off!”

      Spider smiled, then looked at his two companions and said, “Okay, let ’im go.”

      “So what the hell was that all about?” said Jack in a voice he hoped sounded convincing.

      “Just makin’ sure you’re not the heat.”

      “This is fuckin’ bullshit, man! I’m no more the heat than you are!”

      “Yeah, well, it pays to be careful. Don’t take it personal. Go wait by the pool tables. Should be along in about half an hour.”

      “Give me my blade back!”

      Spider pointed the knife at Jack’s eye and used the tip of the blade to flick his eyelashes. Jack slowly reached for the knife. Spider relinquished his grip and Jack shoved the knife back in his boot. He slammed the door as he left, then walked to the rear of the tavern.

      Spider left the men’s room and went directly to Red. He whispered to her and then returned to his table. The two junkies came out a minute later and left the bar. They had just been given their fix for the night. He noticed Danny return to his seat.

      Jack chalked his name on a board to play pool. His legs felt weak and he stood with his hands in his pockets, hoping nobody would notice him shaking. Red went to the lobby but returned a few minutes later.

      Ten minutes later, Jack saw Danny get up and go to the men’s room. A scrawny junkie at a nearby table gave Danny a long, hard look, and then followed him. Jack hoped his frustration didn’t show. Now what? Blow my cover for some jerk I told to stay in the car? Goddamn him!

      Danny stood at the urinal. He heard someone come in behind him but didn’t look up. The junkie took a buck knife out of his pocket and opened the blade. He partially hid the knife beside his leg as he crept up behind Danny.

      The pain was instant. Danny briefly lost consciousness when the butt end of the knife slammed hard into the side of his skull. He crashed into the wall and his knees buckled as he slid face-first down the urinal. The junkie grabbed his hair and smashed his face into the drain.

      Danny’s teeth cut his tongue and he could taste the blood as it ran down the back of his throat. The deodorizer cake in the bottom of the urinal stung his eyes and lips. His left hand was partially pinned under his face, and the junkie held his other wrist high up his back. He felt the sharp edge of the knife on his throat and froze.

      “You so much as whisper or blink a fuckin’ eyeball and I’ll slash yer fuckin’ throat!”

      For a strange moment, Danny didn’t feel fear or panic. A sorrowful calm seeped across his brain. There is nothing I can do. I am not in control of my life — he is. In a moment he’ll find my badge and then I’ll die. I’ll never see Susan or Tiffany again. It’s so sad….

      The door to the men’s room opened and he cocked his head and saw Jack. Both Danny and the junkie stared at Jack, who sauntered up to the urinal next to them. Danny heard him unzip and then softly whistle.

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