Well I am certainly not going to come back from this I think with a sigh. I do have a valid reason to believe he is peddling drugs especially with the talk of Lucy’s father or I assume her father. It’s always possible that the kids assigned someone else to be the new “big guy”. I swear they grovel for anyone who acts like he has authority. Do you know what this all comes down to? Shitty fathers.
“Buddy,” I say, “I just want a hit? It’s a favor to everyone. Everyone’s happy,” I grin holding up the fifty in cash. The boys look at each other and at the ringleader who watches me for a moment before slowly nodding.
“Okay,” he says. “But not out here. Let’s go to the warehouse.”
“The warehouse?” the one named Ricky asks, his voice cracking in shock.
“Yeah, that’s what he wants. We will get him hooked up with a gram,” he tells them suddenly friendly. “You coming boys?” he asks not bothering to look back at me or his friends as he struts down the block.
Ricky and the redhead look at each other in question before silently agreeing to follow his command. I walk with Ricky and his team on either side of me. Like my bodyguards or prison guards? I wonder as we approach a series of warehouses. To my knowledge, these are abandoned. We never could find all of Knight’s drugs. Is this where he hid the rest? I always assumed that there were more, but I can’t get it out of him or his guys whenever I try to find out.
Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best, I follow the kids into the warehouse. The whole thing feels weird, but I suppose drug deals don’t feel right. It’s supposed to feel choppy and uncomfortable. After all, we are breaking a law. It will be fine though. I suppose I still have my sidearm on my hip.
“Why is Chip taking him to the warehouse,” Ricky mutters to the redhead.
“Fuck if I know,” whispers the one I’ll now call Red.
“So, what do you think?” Chip asks, gesturing around to the empty warehouse.
“Well, I don’t quite understand,” I say, looking around the blank space and gesturing around the room. “I’m looking to buy, and I don’t see anything worth buying.”
“Jokes up, old man,” Chip snaps, pulling out a small handgun. “I know you ain’t looking for drugs. You’re a cop, right?” he asks, his face flushing with color, his hand trembling a little on the weapon.
“Well,” I say slowly, raising my hands. “If I were a cop, wouldn’t it be dumb to point a gun at me?” I ask, holding my hands high.
“Only one dumb here is you for thinking you could fool me,” he calls back. “You two, grab his hands and tie him up,” he says, gesturing toward his friends.
The boys stand still for a moment, glancing at each other, unsure of how to proceed. Obviously, this is their first time abducting someone.
“What are we going to do with him after?” Red asks, biting his lip as he watches me.
“Whatever I say! Now move!” he barks, his face growing red.
“I don’t know, man, I didn’t sign on for kidnapping or shooting people,” Red says, stepping back. “I don’t want no trouble. Ma will kill me.”
“Oh for chrissake!” Chip huffs and steps forward, making a grab for my arm.
In one quick move, I grab his hand, spin him around, and pull him to me. I pin his arm painfully against his back.
“Ow, damn it, what are you playing at?” Chip demands, his eyes wild. He yells to his friends who stand and stare. “What are you waiting for?”
“You have until the count of three to turn around and run,” I say, nodding to the two boys in front of me. “One…two…”
The boys dash from the warehouse, not bothering to look back at Chip, who is still scrambling in my arms.
“Your friends sure do run fast,” I observe, a grin spreading across my face. “So, what can you tell me about the ‘Big’ man being back in town?” I ask.
“I can’t tell you anything, buddy,” he croaks.
“How old are you, kid?” I ask, hoping that he is at least eighteen.
“Old enough,” he replies with a growl.
“All right. All right. Here’s the thing. I have to take you in because lured me here and then pointed a gun at an officer, and you would have done God knows what, given the opportunity. We might be able to make some kind of arrangement or negotiation as far as future sentencing goes. You’ll need to share information though.”
“I want a lawyer,” the young man snarls.
“Well, that will definitely be arranged. If you can’t afford one, we’ll appoint one to you,” I say, rattling off the remainder of the miranda rights that I’ve had memorized for twenty years. While this isn’t an ideal way for things to go down, hopefully, I can still gather some information while keeping it rather discreet. Things are new with Lucy and I and nothing will end this before it starts. I wouldn’t want it to be discovered that I am investigating her father.