What happened to the other guys?”
“Change of leadership. Now you deal with me.”
I sighed inwardly. I hated dealing with gangsters. I especially hated dealing with new gangsters I didn’t know or understand.
“You got the stuff?” I asked him.
“Yes, but not so fast. We have not met, you and I. Your name is Reid?”
“People call me Climber.”
“Why is that?”
I shrugged. “Not sure.” I didn’t feel like explaining my past to him.
“Okay then, Climber. We have new changes for you now.”
“I don’t like change.”
He smiled. “Nobody does. But it is a fact of life.”
I nodded, needing to be careful. “Okay. What’s happening now?”
“Now, you will deal with me. If I am not here, you do not deal. Understand?”
“Fine.”
“Also, you will be carrying more. Not too much more, but more.”
I frowned. “I’m already pushing it. Carrying too much can kill me.”
He laughed. “Kill you? No, no, that won’t happen. You are strong American boy, you’ll be fine.”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all. Very simple, yes?”
“Let’s get this over with. I have a long trip back.”
He laughed again. “Climber, so eager. Okay then.” He nodded at Jenner, who walked over and handed me a bag.
I unzipped it and looked inside. It was full of the usual pills. I looked back up and nodded as I began to fit the contents into my pack.
“That it?” I asked.
“That’s it. Pleasure meeting you, Climber.”
“Same,” I grunted.
They turned and walked back to their car. I watched as they slowly pulled away, reversing back the way they came.
I shivered as I slowly put my socks and shoes back on. I’d be getting them wet again soon, but that was fine. At least they’d be semi-dry for the short hike before I hit the river.
Those two guys had given me a bad feeling. Jenner was eerily quiet and intense while Rigley seemed almost jovial. Still, all these changes meant something, but I didn’t yet know what it was.
I hefted my pack into place, frowning. It was heavier than usual, but I’d manage. I began the hike back toward home, a stone lodged in my gut.
Worry and more worry. As I crossed the river and kept moving, the sun beginning to sink down in the west, I was unsure of what the changes really meant.
Worse, I was afraid I was in deeper than I realized.
Chapter Nine: Rebecca
Reid was gone the morning after the party. He must have left early to go on his hike or whatever he had been preparing for. As I sat up and checked my phone, I felt a deep shade of embarrassment and a slight headache creeping in at the edges of my vision.
Three texts from Lindsey. The first seemed panicked, probably right after she heard about what happened with Josh. The next two were more recent, probably after she woke up.
I sighed, stretching out. Lindsey hadn’t been like that back when we were friends. She was a sweet girl, maybe a little quiet, maybe not the smartest person in the world, but she was kind and caring. She never would have ditched me at a party.
Then there was what Reid and everyone else kept saying about her. Apparently, she was a pill addict or something? I didn’t get that at all from the party, but then again, she could have taken her stuff before we went or after she left me. We had been close, once upon a time, but so much had changed in the last four years that maybe I didn’t know her anymore.
Regardless, she was my only friend. And I didn’t want to be the kind of person who callously threw someone aside if they made one mistake.
It’s no big deal, I typed back. Reid took me home, I’m fine.
I hit send. A few minutes later, she replied.
I am SO SORRY about that asshole Josh. He is SUCH a creep.
Not your fault, you did try to warn me lol, I sent back.
Call me when you get a second? she said.
I sighed and dialed her number. She answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Becca,” she said, sounding tired.
“Hey, Linds.”
“Look, I didn’t want to say this over text. I’m just sorry about what happened. I should never have ditched you like that.”
“I understand. I mean, they’re your friends. You didn’t have to babysit me all night.”
“Still, I feel awful. You didn’t know anybody.”
“It’s really not a huge deal, Linds.”
“I just feel bad. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
I paused for a second as something clicked inside me. “Actually, there is.”
“What?”
“Is the Blue