Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“You said you had an update?” Ford perched on the edge of Jesi’s desk, eager to hear what they’d come up with while he was kept off the case.
Since his bond with Lucky had been revealed, Wynna had refused to keep him updated or allow anyone to pass him paperwork.
He’d even been shut out on the computer, only allowed to view cases that didn’t involve Lucky, which really pissed him off.
He didn’t care about those cases when his mate was at risk.
“Do we ever.” Jesi grinned, swivelling his desk chair with a pleasant smile. “Sykes followed the lead we got on Scratch. He was a mine of information.”
Sykes grinned, happy to take over as he sipped from a cup of coffee.
“Absolutely. He knew exactly who we were talking about the minute I showed him the surveillance stills. He says they’re low-level drug dealers, but they’ve been getting turfed off their usual ground around the Introductory College.
” He seemed to know what Ford was about to ask, because he raised a hand to stop him.
“When we arrested Alette, they thought they could move back in, except someone bigger came on the scene with Mania.”
“That’s where the Mania’s coming from,” Ford murmured.
His ORTa pal Roby had been tracking an influx of Mania for nearly a year, unable to pinpoint how it was coming onto the street after being mostly off market for eight months.
This new strain was more potent and dangerous than the last, but every time Roby got a lead it either fizzled out or became compromised.
They had been on the verge of suspecting an ORTa was tipping the crew off.
“Yup. Roby was extremely happy when we told him,” Jesi chimed in, stopping his fidget spinning to lift his feet onto the desk.
“We suspect the eight-month lull can be explained in two ways. One, Alette wouldn’t deal around campus, so we never saw the true figures of what’s out there until we arrested him and the old dealers snuck back in.
Two, the dealer and/or the chemist in the original distribution died or got arrested, and it took eight months to replace them or replicate the formula. ”
Ford nodded, seeing the possibilities. “And if it’s the second, that could explain why this batch is so toxic. They fucked-up the formula and it’s getting them noticed,” he said, reasoning his way through the possibilities. Both agents nodded, which meant they were of a similar mind. “Now what?”
“We’re not done,” Sykes gloated, clearly enjoying himself, probably because it had been years since they’d worked on separate cases.
It wasn’t often Sykes got to surprise him at work.
“Lincoln offered these lowlives an ‘in’ with the college. They’re not sure who his contact is, for handing off his profits to, but we’re working on getting that info.
He was a student and funnelled their drugs through his contacts on campus, without taking a cut.
He agreed to take drugs for free instead of payment, for being their middleman. ”
He almost laughed, beginning to see why Lincoln had been wary of him from the outset.
“That’s why the bastard thought I’d give him OX for free.
” He probably thought the deal had changed when Ford had started asking for money, which meant the crew were unstable or constantly rotating members, which was never good for business.
“Fucking hell. Does that get us anywhere?”
Jesi shared a knowing look with Sykes that was all Ford needed to see to know this would be entertaining as hell.
“Scratch knows where they’re holed up, so we’ve got him setting up an introduction to Scout, who can keep a track of them and see how far he can work up their food chain, to help Roby’s case.
” He shrugged, but that self-satisfied smile was still in place, and well deserved from the sound of it.
“Right now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.
We’ve got a way in, a lead for an on-going case, and we have to see it through. ”
“Right. Roby’s case takes precedence,” Ford agreed, though he hated that it meant things would be up-in-the-air for a while.
He couldn’t give Lucky or Chase a definitive answer about the assholes who had helped Lincoln get OX, but at least it meant one thing.
“I take it we’re all in agreement, then?
This hasn’t got fuck-all to do with Lucky? ”
Sykes bobbed his head in agreement, sipped his coffee then set the mug on his desk. “Agreed. Seems more likely they were keeping Lincoln sweet, giving him OX, thinking he was too chickenshit to actually use it.”
Jesi hummed, a quiet but thoughtful sound.
“According to Scratch, the minute they heard about Lincoln’s arrest, they were freaked out, worried he’d rat on them.
So far, they’re more pissed that he used it and might trail back to them than they are about him being off their contact list,” he said, which meant they’d only been using Lincoln because he was convenient.
Now he was a liability, they were happy to cut him free.
Typical crooks. “Can I help?”
Sykes gave him a look full of frustration. “Boss says you’re not getting near this case, because it involves Introductory College. Chase and Lucky could be at risk, if the dealers know about their connection to you.”
“Yeah. I get it.” The loved ones of ORTa were always at risk, which was why they had a deal with the Bonding Guide that any ORTa in a registered bond was kept secret.
No one with access to the server containing all legally registered bonds could see anyone who was an active or inactive ORTa, for the safety of their family and mates.
“I hate being on the outside, but this is how it’s gotta be. ”
Jesi heaved a sigh and dropped his feet from the desk to stand.
Within a few steps, he stood in front of Ford and patted his arm, only it didn’t feel as condescending as it should.
“We’ll keep you updated, when we can, but it could take a while.
In the meantime, enjoy the time off,” he advised, full of that warmth and familial affection Ford was so used to.
Ford nodded, figuring he was right. This was a chance to take things easy and spend time with his mates. When was the last time he’d actually had nothing on his schedule and had the opportunity to spend his days doing whatever he wanted?