He can’t sell me out without selling himself out too. And I know from personal experience that the drug community is not a forgiving one. They will never forgive him for leaving a drop here or for getting them in trouble in the first place. It is something that he will live with for the rest of his life. He will be labeled as a traitor, a narc, a snake. My only hook now is that he will use their immediate repulsion of him to get away and find a new life. Yes, he will go to prison first; however, he will have time in prison to himself to get counseling and even attend college classes. Perhaps, it is unfair to taxpayers, the Chip’s of our world undoubtedly will be given an opportunity to move forward in life. While they struggle daily for that same help and education. But for better or for worse, this is the America we live in.
Chip stands for another long moment, and the hairs on my neck begin to rise as I wonder if he has in fact decided to double-cross me. But if this all turns out to be some kind of twisted game. I won’t go down without a fight. Bullets flying and guns blazing is how I would end. However, no one comes. Chip stands a little longer before turning away and walking out the opposite door he came in.
Time passes slowly as my legs go numb beneath me. I’m not sure what time it is anymore. I am afraid to check my watch or fear that the glow of the digital clock will alert Noah that I am here and I am watching. There’s too much at stake today to risk even that. Time creeps forward slowly, dragging on as my eyelids are heavy, and I fight to keep them open. Oh, how badly I wish I were in bed with Lucy right now. I should be home in her bed. Her arms and legs tangled around mine, getting messy the way only two lovers really know.
As I hear Lucy’s voice in my mind, the memory plays back our days together talking and laughing and having sex by the lake. The memories blend together, it’s hazy and seems that they quickly form into dreams. Before I know it, I am dreaming with my eyes open.
A shuffling sound breaks through the darkness surrounding me and snaps me out of the strange sleep. It is so dark; I can’t tell where the sound came from. But there’s something I am quickly becoming aware of. I am not alone.
There’s someone here with me. I can’t say who for sure. If only the warehouse or the entire street for that matter had surveillance footage. That’s the sad side of being a law enforcement officer in a small town. There are never enough video cameras or footage to catch the criminals in the act.
As a result, I am left to use my eyes to try to determine what is happening here in the dark.
My eyelids are heavy as I struggle to keep them open and looking for more signs of life as I reach for my small container of coffee. I never seem to bring enough coffee for these things.
The floor creeks under the pressure of steps. There is definitely somebody moving over there. It’s slow and subtle at first. The darkness making it difficult to see anything. However, I hear footsteps for sure. They are light, likely from a teenager, or maybe even a woman? Choosing a teen or a woman makes the most sense simply because they are the least likely to be reported. Whenever I get a call for suspicious characters not once has it been about a teenage girl or woman. And if I was a criminal, I’d want to choose the most unassuming person I could for the role.
My numb legs struggle to revive, and I
try to get a better view of the intruder as I squint into the darkness.
The body of the individual comes closer to the single light in the building. They aren’t fully visible but there is a definite outline that tells me a general shape.
Yes, it is definitely female. Annie Andrews perhaps? the small person stoops down and picks up the package, suddenly illuminated by the single bulb in the warehouse. The person stands there for moments and examines the package as if they are unsure of the contents. For a moment, it seems as if they will even open it for me. How strange, I wonder if it is a new kid to replace the ones I continually arrest?
The suspect slowly turns in a circle, and I get a better view of the individual. It is definitely a female based on the curves of the body. She has a slender girl’s frame with long legs and skin-tight jeans.
I need to get a better angle to look at the suspect, but I don’t know how far I can push it before they will notice my presence and run.
Rising quietly in the shadows, I walk around the edges of the warehouse, making my way to the door the criminal came from.
If I can cut her off, maybe I can try and talk to her like I spoke with Chip and arrange some kind of deal that makes her feel more comfortable talking to me. I don’t know if she has a gun or if she will be violent. And because I don’t know, I need to figure out if it’s okay for me to assume that she is innocent of these possible charges. I’ll have to decide later after I’m able to talk to her one on one. She has nothing to be afraid of. I am her friend and I want to help her get out of this wretched life that she leads.
Suddenly she freezes in place. I pause, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to understand what alarmed her. I don’t remember making a sound. Was it me or did something else scare her? In a split second the woman jerks in my direction then darts away impossibly fast.
She moves at such a swift speed. It seems almost unnatural for someone of her size and stature. I must be right. Noah is hiring teenage marathoners or long-distance runners on the high school track team. That makes sense honestly because he could be promising them enhancement such as steroids that will make them better athletes or get them scholarships and out of this town. It’s definitely an avenue worth exploring later.
I follow her as quickly as I can at a dead sprint. I’m no match for her lithe body though. She is already down the road and turning a corner onto another street by the time I make it across the warehouse and out the door.
My breath comes out in hard pants as I race after her my feet slapping against the ground. How is she so fucking fast? I am a man who prides himself on physical fitness, but I am no match for the person ahead of me. She doesn’t even appear to be winded. How is that possible? Especially because she is smaller than me. Though the darkness and distance make it difficult to accurately estimate. I can definitely say she is somewhere between 5 foot four and 5 foot nine. The individual turns sharply starting down an alley.
I can’t help it; I have to pause for a moment because it feels as if my chest is going to explode under the pressure of my beating heart. Air comes out in quick puffs, and my head spins as if I’m going to vomit. Swallowing hard, I look up and see the woman still running at a steady pace ahead of me. I am roughly twenty feet behind her. If I really push myself hard I might be able to catch up to her, and grab that black hoodie, tackle her to the ground, and lay there for a moment as my body remembers what a normal pulse is.
Forcing myself to run harder than I have in years, I start down another corner where I saw her disappear only seconds before and freeze. She’s gone. Where could she possibly have gone? Turning slowly and looking around the narrow alley I don’t see anyone. No lights, just tall buildings and vacant windows.
Great. Just fucking great. My first real break and I lose her.
Closing my eyes and raising my hands up over my face, I don’t know how I could have lost the culprit. No one is faster than me, I have never had to run so hard and fast after a criminal in my entire life. They must have been fucking long-distance runners in high school or something. Ridiculous. Maybe he gives them something before they go out on jobs so that they run faster and harder and are more brave and reckless than anyone else on the police force.
Turning around and exhaling hard, I give one final glance back at the empty alley before I walk back to my truck and turn the ignition.
Leaning back in my seat for a moment, I press my hand hard against my chest. I force myself to breathe slowly by inhaling deeply and then exhaling through my nose for 1,2, 3, or four seconds before I pass the hill again. It feels like everything inside me is going to explode. That was one hell of a workout. Kudos to her and fuck me for all that I got out of this which is basically nothing. Goddamnit! I punch my steering wheel before gripping it tightly.
I need to breathe, so I think slowly and carefully to ensure that I can really ponder the facts. Maybe there is something I don’t see, yet maybe if I sit still and think hard enough I will find something. Closing my eyes, I ask myself a simple question
What did I learn? The question echoes in my brain as I turn the steering wheel and drive down the dark streets. She has to be there somewhere. I glance back-and-forth hoping for any sign of movement. Okay, be calm.
What do I know? I know no more now than I did this morning. I know that there is a large drug movement in the area. The drugs are being shipped using food packages specifically granola and that Lucy likely distributed them earlier today without even realizing it. Annie Andrews is a suspect because she owns the place. Annie is forever glued to the stool behind the counter, but there is no way she can outrun me. However, that still leaves a question, who is fast enough, and female? Maybe the dealers are scouting out high school track players promising a life of grandeur? I think once again, wondering how I can prove this.