Page 95 of 5+Us Makes Seven

Lucas passed the bag to me and sat on my desk, turning to face me.

“This isn’t the only batch that’s been grabbed recently, Jack. There’s more of it appearing, driving the small-time dealers out. There’ve been shootings, disappearances. Seems like…” He drifted off, a concerned look on his face.

“Yeah. Seems like the O’Rourkes are back. But that’s not possible,” I said, my mind racing.

Before I’d made detective, I’d worked undercover on a special assignment to take down a bigtime drug operation. Me and my partner Kale had been called in to work on the case undercover, following direct recommendation straight from our Captain. Our Lieutenant had later said the Captain had wanted us fast tracked to detective, to shake things up a bit in the department.

It was well known that a few of the old boys in the department had agreements with the main dealers in town, taking bribes and coercing them to keep to their designated turf and to not cause too much trouble.

The drug operation we’d infiltrated was run by the O’Rourkes, a biker gang that had rolled into town one day out of nowhere and had set up with the biggest meth operation we’d ever seen. They took every corner, killed or recruited every small-time dealer in the area. They had eventually made a few deals with some detectives, but the Captain was under pressure to shut the gang down. The O’Rourkes were making national news, and the publicity gave our town a bad name.

Soon enough after the biker gang had arrived, the streets were flooded with almost 80% pure meth. The town’s youth were hooked not long after.

“This ain’t no Heisenberg shit.” Lucas said. “But it’s almost 80% pure, a shade off 78.” He pointed a finger at the bag I was still studying intently. “Rest of the other stuff we got is the same quality. Exactly the same quality. Someone’s trying to get back into the game.”

“Well, unless they’re running it from prison or from beyond the grave it ain’t the old O’Rourkes,” I said absently, deep in thought.

We had infiltrated the gang successfully, but to do so I’d done some stuff I wasn’t proud of. Coercion, giving and taking bribes to grease the palms of police informers, drug dealing and taking, recruiting new police informers by intimidation and even assault, manipulating and planting evidence… the list went on.

But eventually the clean detectives working the case built up enough evidence to take down the whole operation. Three of the gang leaders were shot, resisting arrest. Two were behind bars, almost indefinitely.

The rest of the gang had been given various sentences and had been split up and sent to jails across the country. They had been strongly advised to avoid making contact with any of their previous “associates” when the day finally came when they walked free.

“So it’s either a new operation,” I said, ticking the possibilities off on my fingers as I stared into the middle distance. “Or it could be an old batch that’s been found. Or could be we didn’t get everyone before that was involved in the operation. Or, there are some O’Rourkes we never knew about in the first place.”

I drummed my fingers on my desk as my brain started sifting through the possibilities.

“Well, listen. I’ll get you the names of the guys who found the other stuff. We both know this ain’t enough for a case yet, but you ain’t busy anyway, right? So you could look into it, if you found the time. That’s all I’m saying. Help a brother out, you know?” Lucas leaned over and patted me on the shou

lder.

“Yeah, thanks Lucas. I appreciate it. Hell, if this works out and I get another big bust under my belt, maybe I’ll bring you some flowers too!” I winked at him.

“I don’t swing that way, bro.” He paused thoughtfully. “But fuck it, bring me a bottle of Cuervo Gold and I’ll do anything you want!”

We both laughed.

“When you gonna make Detective, Lucas? We could use someone like you ‘round here. You know the streets. Got contacts, and you ain’t no moron. God knows we’re short on numbers here, too.” I looked around. Only half the desks were occupied. Half of those were occupied by old detectives who were a little too comfortable. And fat. And half of those old guys were corrupt as fuck.

“When I get the time I’m gonna go for Detective. Maria thinks I got the brains, the way I help out the kids with homework.” He sighed. “But four young ones at home don’t leave me with much time.”

He looked away, wistfully. “But when they’re at college I’ll still be in my forties. I’ll have plenty of time to put my mind to it then.”

Maria was Lucas’s wife, who’d been his childhood sweetheart. They’d married as soon as they could, and she had their first kid about six months later.

I looked at Lucas. I could tell he was exhausted, but was trying his best not to show it. Dark rings were beginning to form under his eyes.

“Listen carefully, alright. Because for once I’m not joking. When you’re ready, come see me. I might even be Lieutenant. I’ll help you out.” I looked at him seriously.

I raised my eyebrows when he laughed at me good naturedly.

“Jack if you ain’t Captain by then, I don’t know what’s going on in this place,” He grinned.

He turned and walked away, swaggering as he walked. He turned back to me as he headed to the exit.

“Yo, Storm. Let’s grab a beer Friday?” He stopped, raising his arm in a gesture of feigned irritation.“Maria’s Mom is over for the weekend. Gonna need a few beers in me to deal with that damn ice queen.”

I smiled, nodding. “You’re on.” I pointed a finger at him, frowning. “But you’re paying this time!”

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