Detectives don't marry

Junkie techs

Heh, I got a bit carried away with the description in this chapter. So just as a warning it contains a crapload about drugs. On a more positive note, however, thanks to everyone who commented, read and voted for the last chapter. You're awesome.

“Luke,” Charlie called out loudly as he entered the tech lab. His heavy Italian made shoes made resounding footsteps echo throughout the lab. “Luke, I know you’re here,” he called out again, this time pausing. Charlie listened carefully for any tell-tale signs of Luke’s whereabouts – such as breathing. “Luke, I need to go through that footage.”

“Luke’s not here,” a high pitched voice replied, “Just leave now, and he’ll be back later.”

Charlie didn’t reply for a couple of moments – the empty video boxes seemed to have caught his attention much more sharply than the hiding Luke had. Charlie brought his thoughts back up to speed with his actions and instead dug his hand deep in his jacket pocket. “Really?” he called out, careful to project his voice in the direction of the cupboard at the far side of the room. “That’s a shame, I’m sure he’d of loved the gift that I brought him,” Charlie let a couple moments slip by before he pulled out a syringe full of a yellowish brown liquid. “Manhattan’s finest. Brought off the guy that deals between eight and ninth.”

Charlie listened carefully, and he was certain that he had heard Luke’s breathing speed up with anticipation. “You wouldn’t have had time to buy that... not today anyway,”

Charlie gave a harsh, fake laugh, before stopping abruptly. “You don’t know a God-damn thing about me... I found time.” In truth he’d just taken it from the confiscated items box down in lock up. He didn’t know or give a damn about its source or quality, as long as he got his information.

The cupboard door creaked open slowly, and Luke looked out. His bloodshot eyes darted immediately to the syringe in Charlie’s hand – as if he was sizing up the offer. “What do you want for it?” he asked bluntly.

“Oh, so Luke’s in now, is he?” Charlie retorted, “I’m not really sure about this... if you lied to me from the start, then what’s to say that you won’t lie again.” Charlie said, not looking to Luke. Instead he opted to rolling the syringe between his fingers and looking at the liquid through the dim light that was available.

“You didn’t tell me that you had that at the start.” Luke said, his shaky finger pointing in the direction of the syringe.

“Ah,” Charlie replied, “That, is a very, very, good point.” He took a couple steps towards the cupboard. “If I’m not mistaken, then you’ve watched through the footage from the wedding,”

Luke nodded, his eyes not leaving the syringe. Junkies would do anything to get their fix. “Yeah,” he replied back briefly. “You know there wasn’t any camera’s in the room the chick was killed in...”

“That chick has a name,” Charlie told him, his voice rising in volume rather quickly. He took a deep breath, trying to retain his composure. “I know that,” he tried again, he still wasn’t calm – but he was calmer. “But was there anyone who paid her a visit?”

“Dude, it was a wedding, they’re called guests... but yeah, there were loads.”

Charlie took another deep breath, doing all he could not to lose his temper and stab Luke with the syringe. “You know kid, you’re really testing my patience,” he explained, his tone low and threatening, “Now if you don’t start becoming more helpful, then I’m not giving you this,” Charlie tapped the syringe with his forefinger, “And then, I’m going to stop every dealer in this city from selling to you,” for the first time in the whole conversation Luke made eye contact with Charlie, before darting back to the syringe. “Now, are you going to start being helpful, or do I get to sit here and watch you go through the stages of withdrawal?”   

Luke nodded quickly, “I’ll be helpful,” he agreed, “Just, please, let me have some now,”

It was a sickening sight to see the kid beg for the poison to be put in his veins. But who was Charlie to judge? He wasn’t a doctor; he had no duty of care to this guy. Charlie shrugged, “Half now, and half later,”

“Deal.” Luke agreed, making a grab for the syringe.

“Heh, not so fast... I’ll do it, I don’t want you getting carried away now and using all of it,” Charlie told him, moving the syringe just out of Luke’s reach.

Luke nodded, as he rolled up his sleeve. His arms were a mess of collapsed veins and track marks. He felt around his arms quickly before proceeding to feeling up his neck. “Here. I’ve got a vein here, go... inject,” Luke commanded, looking directly up at the ceiling so that Charlie could inject his neck. He should have probably checked if the syringe was sterile first.

“Done,” Charlie told him, retracting the syringe from Luke’s neck. Half of the liquid still remained in the syringe. “Now you tell me what I want to know, and you’ll get the rest,”

A stupid lopsided grin spread across Luke’s face as the heroin sped its way through his blood system. “The usual suspects were there... the wedding guests,” he started, his words now slurred slightly. “But then there was this guy, looked a bit rough. Not in the formal stuff you’d expect to see at weddings. He had this old ragged coat on, looked way too big for him...” Luke rambled on.

“Okay, you got an ID for him?” Charlie asked, he could do without the fashion critique.

“I printed out a still frame of him before I heard you coming. No idea who he is though...” Luke paused for a second before continuing, “Can I have the rest now?” he asked, licking his lips.

Charlie sighed and nodded. Luke had kept up to his side of the deal; he had to keep up to his. Charlie did what he needed to do before dropping the syringe beside Luke and standing up. He collected the frame printout on the way out. The image was okay – a bit grainy, but it could be used as a comparison. He just needed to find someone to compare it to. They’d been security on the doors, he’d show them the image, maybe that’d give him a name.

“Thanks man, that was real good stuff,” Luke called out as Charlie left. The way that Luke was going, it’d be his death that the NYPD would be investigating next.