Page 58 of Ink's Devil

But Connor could die.

I’ve barely enough time to get to the place I’m supposed to go. No time to think about how to handle this better. Connor’s played me well if it is a game, an appeal to my caring nature, an appeal to his big sister who still wants to redeem him which wouldn’t, couldn’t, go unheeded.

I stifle a sob. Why Connor, why? How did you come to this? Is this what Phil has gotten you involved in?

I hear a sound and freeze, but it’s only the house settling and not, thank goodness, my mom stirring. She must never know what Connor is up to, it would kill her. As for finding out I was going to be driving around Pueblo to deliver drugs? I don’t think I’d survive her fury.

I can do this.

His instructions were simple. Get to my destination and hand the bag over. I won’t even bother taking the drugs out, I’ll gladly forego the rucksack if I can get out of there faster. Then I’ll return, report that it’s done and hopefully save Connor.

I get in my car and start the engine and reverse off the driveway.Tomorrow I’ll speak to Ink. He or his club will probably know better than I how to dispose of the remainder of the drugs that have been left in our house. One thing’s for certain, the other packages won’t be staying there one more day. I’ll set fire to them myself if I have to.Once I know Connor is safe. I can salve my conscience by believing the bulk of the drugs will never hit the streets.

I drive carefully, obeying all the rules of the road, scared witless I’ll get pulled up in a traffic stop. If they find this amount of drugs on me, I’ll surely end up going to prison. While I don’t want my brother to hurt, I don’t want to end up doing serious time for him either. To be locked up in jail? Not something I think I’d be able to survive. There’s also the very good chance that if I’m caught, Connor will be killed as I’d have failed to make the delivery.

I keep to the speed limit, not one mile above or below it. I eye every traffic light ready to come to a halt. At intersections, I check very carefully. A cruiser passes by on the other side of the road, and I sneak glances in my rearview, holding my breath until it disappears out of sight.

The short journey across town seems to take ages, and I’m violently shaking by the time I pull up. I pass a building with an unimaginative name and glaring neon sign, then doing what I’m told, navigate around it until I’m parking in one of the back streets to the rear.

It was Tits Up I’d passed, the strip club owned by Ink’s club.Help could be near.There were motorcycles parked up in a line out front.

But Mel’s assured me the club doesn’t run drugs. They may want to stop me handing them over, preferring them off the streets instead. What help would that be to Connor? He might end up dead if I don’t play my part. I thump the steering wheel in frustration. I don’t want to deliver drugs, but if I want to save Connor, I don’t see I have any choice. The clock on my dash shows time has all but run out.

I shrug off my jacket and pull up the hood of my hoodie, shoving my dyed blue hair inside, trying to make sure no strands are showing. My distinctive feature a drawback tonight.

I can’t stop trembling as I turn and lift the bag gingerly off the back seat as though it’s going to bite me.

Only a few hundred yards and I’ll be passing it over.Then, my one and only foray into a life of crime will be finished.Fuck you, Connor.I decide to make sure he’s alright, then cut him out of my life. If he’s going to live a life where he puts himself in danger, then that’s on him and shouldn’t fall back on me or Mom.

Mom has still got the remaining eight packages in her house.

I’ll call Ink and ask him for help as soon as I get back.

Connor might die if someone knows there are more, and they don’t turn up.

I don’t care. Tonight I’ll do what he wants. Tomorrow I’ll get help. I shouldn’t have come here right now, but it’s too late to have doubts.

Almost paralysed with hopelessness and fear, I glance at my phone.Time to go. A couple of minutes to get to the rendezvous, and then I’ll be in the clear. And Connor will be safe.Fuck Connor. Fuck my fucking brother to hell and back.

Getting out of the car I glance around, checking the landmarks Connor had told me to watch out for. I’m parked by the Jade Lion just like he said and easily spy the alley I’m supposed to go up. It’s narrow and runs up beside the massage parlour, closed now, of course.

My fingers curl around the strap of the bag and then locking my car carefully—heaven forbid someone steals it and leaves me stranded—I take the first step into the night.

It’s dark. The light from the streetlamps behind me quickly fades and it takes me a moment to adjust to the light only from the moon. I shiver, the temperature has dropped, and after slipping on a patch of ice which stubbornly had refused to melt, start picking my way more carefully.

A shadow appears in front of me, still tens of yards away. It doesn’t draw closer, as though waiting for me to go to him. I’m certain it’s the man I’m supposed to hand this to. Who else would be waiting in an alley in the dead of the night?

But before I can reach him, I feel a presence behind me and a hand clasps over my mouth. Instant terror floods through me and I freeze, my body preparing to kick out when I recognise the voice that speaks right into my ear.

“Get out of here, Beth.”

“Ink?” It can’t be. Why is he here? He can’t be part of this. His club doesn’t do drugs. But there’s no time to explain, the man who holds my brother’s life in his hands is waiting. “I can’t, I—”

“I think you’ve got something of mine.” The man moves further out of the shadows twenty yards or so away.

I was right. This is the man I’m supposed to meet.

A tug and I lose my uncertain grip on the rucksack. Ink’s got it in his hands instead.

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