Page 10 of Gold Rush
After he got Dean from the pub, he took him upstairs to his room, where he showed him around and started packing a few things. “The bed’s real comfortable, there’s space in the closet, whatever you need. I’ll take you to get your stuff after you meet the bosses.”
Dean sat on the edge of the bed and asked, “Why are you packing?”
Goldie stood straight and cocked his head. “I’m bunking with one of the other guys.”
Dean’s hand ran over the black and gold bedspread. “How am I paying for this then?”
Goldie huffed and sat beside him, then laughed. “Not everything is a negotiation for sex. I don’t want that. I mean…not for payment. If we liked each other and one day wanted to…you know, whatever, but now? No. I’m not after you like that.”
With both his hands on his thighs, Dean’s head dropped, so his face was veiled by his hair. “That’s new to me.”
“Yeah, I bet. But it’s true. Don’t steal my shit or I’ll knock you the fuck out, and don’t go into the other guys’ rooms. The bathrooms are across the hall, and if you don’t have a tote for your shower shit I’ll get you one. Let’s go get your stuff.”
With his hair falling away from his face, what was revealed was a sweet, rather shy smile. “What’s your deal?”
“I’m just being real with you. That’s all.”
“Okay. Okay, great.”
They pulled up to the motel on the bad end of Sheridan, and the place had people all sitting outside their rooms, smoking cigarettes, pot and whatever else they might be toking on. Goldie told him to stay put, but Dean wasn’t having that. “It’s my stuff. I’ll get it.”
He was out and heading to the door fast, and Goldie just laughed to himself. He was a stubborn thing, for sure. After he opened the door, Goldie followed him inside to find a very neat room. All his clothes were stacked on top of the dresser. His food was next to the microwave, all in line with the labels visible.
After grabbing his bag from under the bed, he packed quickly and asked Goldie to get his toiletries from the bathroom and pack them in the two plastic baggies he had. “Shower stuff in one, face cream and teeth stuff in the other, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
Goldie packed the things like Dean had asked, but once he came out of the bathroom, he saw something that made him stop cold.
Dean had yet to notice him, and he was pulling drugs from the mattress. Kilos of what looked to be heroin were going into the bag that was half filled with his clothes.
“Dean,” he said in a growl.
Dean jumped and dropped one of the kilos. He stood, shaking all over. “I…I…it’s not how it looks!”
“Sure,” he said as he threw the baggies down on the ancient carpet and started for the door.
“Please, Goldie,” Dean yelled as he ran to him, grabbing his arm and trying to stop him. “Please, let me explain!”
Goldie turned on him and gritted, “I put my own job and home on the line to get you some help. And this?”
“It’s the pimps. It’s his. It’s what he’s dosing his people with. He doesn’t know I have it!”
Goldie’s eyes closed as he took a long breath in to keep his calm. He wanted to tear the smaller man into pieces.
“I had to steal it. I had to! He’ll get more, but for now…for now, those people are off the streets and going through DTs, and that’s not good, I know, but I also…I also hope some go get help.”
Goldie opened his eyes and said, “Why didn’t you tell me about it then?”
“You found me with a needle in my arm. You’d never believe me, like you don’t now!”
Goldie told him, “So, what were you going to do with the shit?”
“I have no idea. Sell it maybe. I don’t know. I need to get myself out of this city and somewhere else.”
“How’d you even get it?”
“He took me to his place. He wanted to woo me into working for him. I saw it in this locked closet. He had to get into it to show off all I could have. He had money in there, but it was wrapped in plastic. Tons of it, but no way could I sneak that out, so I took five bricks.”
