“Names.”
“I don’t know his name!”
I study his face. The sweat. The tremor in his jaw. He’s telling the truth. Which means his dealer is careful. Smart. A bigger problem than I thought.
I lean in close. “You report to me now. We’re claiming this block. Understand?”
He nods.
“You see anyone selling here, you tell me. You hear anything, you tell me. Got it?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
I release him. He stumbles, catches himself, scurries off down the alley like a kicked dog.
I spit on the ground. My jaw ticks.
Oxy lights a cigarette, offers me one. I take it, let him light it for me. We stand there for a moment, smoke curling into the cold morning air.
“We could ask the tweaker down the road,” Oxy says, exhaling. “She knows everyone.”
“No.” I flick ash onto the pavement. “I have somewhere to be.”
He raises an eyebrow. “What, special practice? Coach will lose his shit if you’re late again.”
“Not practice.”
“Then what?”
I start walking toward the car. “Something interesting. For once.”
Oxy catches up, walking beside me. “Interesting how?”
“Interesting enough that you’re not invited.”
He stops. “What the fuck do you mean?”
I unlock the Charger, slide into the driver’s seat. Oxy climbs in on the passenger side, staring at me like he’s worried about where my head’s at.
“You have the night off,” I say, starting the engine.
“You’re fucking with me.”
I pull out of the parking spot, merge into traffic. “I’m not.”
“You sure?”
“Dead sure.”
He’s quiet for a minute, studying me. Then he grins. “This about that girl? Axel’s sister?”
I don’t answer.
“It is.” He sighs louder. “Man, you’re really doing this?”
“Drop it.”
“No way. This is too good.” He’s grinning like an idiot now. “Koa’s got a thing for—”
