Suzie’s House 240: Proximity.

Maria couldn’t wait to get Vin alone. Not that Toby mattered, but she really didn’t want Drew to hear what she had to say. The problem was that once the four of them sat down in the living room, both Drew and Vin became immobile.

Well, she’d talk to Vin one way or another, even if only as he was leaving. That might be a while, though, as he sat there, staring at Drew with a look horror on his face. She knew the feeling.

“So, you had to take some of the drug before the dealer would even talk to you,” Vin asked.

“Right. I don’t know why. He did it with me, and then neither one of us could talk much.” As Drew spoke, his eyes kept moving toward the pitcher window looking out on a yard full of cactus and gravel. There was nothing out there for him to look at. Not all day every day.

“But what role do you play in the case now?” Vin leaned forward. He had sharp eyes, and it was clear he really cared about his best friend. Maybe she wouldn’t have to say anything.

“I’m… retribution.”

Oh no. Not that again. Maria set her glass of ice tea on the coffee table and stood up.

“Retribution. Retribution. Retribution.” With each utterance of the word, Drew’s voice grew louder.

By the time Maria made it to his side, Drew was practically screaming. The differences between what he had been like when he arrived – the archetypical G-man; self contained, contentious, sharp-eyed – and what he had become chilled Maria to the bone. As gently as she could while moving fast, she patted his head.

Drew calmed immediately. He glanced up at her, then smiled apologetically and looked away.

“Do you need more tea?” She took his empty glass.

“Yes, Please.”

“I’ll be right back,” she assured him, already on her way to the kitchen.

Really, the man needed full time attention. She’d done the best she could, but just like him and Toby, she was an FBI agent on a case and really couldn’t afford the time. It made her sad.

Vin followed her into the kitchen, right on her heels.

“How did this happen to him?” Vin glared at her when he said it, as if it were her personal fault.

“You heard him. It’s the drug. It’s a designer drug called China Black that first appeared here on the market last Spring. We’ve been trying to shut it down before it can go national. We’ve made progress, but…”

“What about rehab?”

“They couldn’t do anything. The doctors have never seen anything like it before. It doesn’t respond to anything.”

“Then you should have sent him home!”

“We tried! He won’t go!” Maria hadn’t meant to shout. She glanced at the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. There was no motion, so she drew a deep, calming breath and began again. After all, this was what she had wanted to say all along.

“Make him go home with you. Today if you can. There’s no reason for him to stay here any longer. Make him go home where he won’t get hurt so much. It’s too hard to watch him go down like this. Maybe if he isn’t here where he can get the drug so easily it will go better. Take him away. Please.”

Vin stared at her for a minute, then nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

If you enjoy Suzie’s House and would like to see more, please leave a comment. Suzie’s House is powered by its readers.